WORKING WOMAN STANDOUTS LOCAL FIRMS RANK AMONG TOP FEMALE-RUN BUSINESSES.Byline: Brent Hopkins Staff Writer Local businesses put in a strong showing in Working Woman Magazine's Top 500 companies list, landing two spots in the first 100 and six overall. Though the big-name executives of the past, the Rockefellers and Gates, have been men, things are changing, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Lisa Benenson, editor in chief of New York-based Working Woman. Women-owned companies are outgrowing their male counterparts, she said, at a rate of three to one. Still, many don't even ring a bell for most Americans. ``We're very unaware of the fact that women can get behind big, important companies,'' Benenson said. ``If they can't get it at a Fortune 500 company, they're going to make it somewhere.'' Based on annual revenues, Working Woman selected the top-selling firms with women as either primary owner or majority shareholders. An added caveat was the requirement that they take an active role in the business's operation, rather than simply owning an interest and letting others manage. Fidelity Investments Fidelity Investments is a group of privately held companies in the financial services industry. It is made up by two independent but closely cooperating companies, Fidelity Management and Research Corporation (FMR Co. , the Boston-based financial services The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. outfit headed by Abigail Johnson Abigail Johnson (born January 7, 1962) is an American financial businesswoman. She runs part of Fidelity Investments under the auspices of her father Edward Johnson. In March 2007, her net worth was estimated at $13 billion - she is at the 42nd position in Forbes , won the No. 1 spot based on its $11 billion in revenues last year. Pleasant Travel Service of Westlake Village headed the local list, snagging Snagging is a term used in the construction industry in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Snagging is the production of a list of quality defects at the end of a build process/phase/stage (a "Snag List" or "Snagging List"). No. 34 on revenues of $450 million in 2000. Co-owner Lynn Hogan founded the firm in 1959 with her husband, Ed, building off the burgeoning interest in Hawaiian travel. The secret, she said, lies in old-fashioned perseverance. Though it was no easy task, raising four young children and tending daily matters, Hogan was able to tough it out. ``Now we don't have to work seven days a week, but we did for many years,'' she said. ``We stayed on top of the business all that time. Luck's had a little to do with it, but it's nothing compared to hard work.'' In addition to her responsibilities at Pleasant, she's also involved in the management of the $100 million Hogan Family Fund, a charitable organization This article is about charitable organizations. For other uses of the word charity, see Charity. A charitable organization (also known as a charity) is an organization with charitable purposes only. that contributes to children's causes and civic improvements. ``Our friends are all retired, but we're still working,'' she said. ``They can't figure out why we're still doing it, but it really hasn't been difficult. I enjoy it.'' Joining Pleasant on the list were Studio City-based Carsey-Werner Productions Carsey-Werner Productions (in some incarnations, Carsey-Werner-Mandabach Productions) is an independent production company founded in 1981 by former ABC writer/producer duo Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner (co-owner of the Boston Red Sox baseball franchise). , Foothill Nissan of La Crescenta, Northridge's O'Bryant Electric, Burbank's P. Murphy & Associates and Valencia's RAM Enterprises. From electronics to publicity, they span the gamut of enterprises, often delving into areas traditionally dominated by men. ``There's been a significant push to open up industries to women,'' said Jack Kyser, chief economist The Chief Economist is a single position job class having primary responsibility for the development, coordination, and production of economic and financial analysis. It is distinguished from the other economist positions by the broader scope of responsibility encompassing the for the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Economic Development Corp. ``A lot of times they'll get a job in a large company and determine they can do it better on their own.'' The local scene is a bit more receptive to women in business, he said, due to progressive educational efforts. ``If you look at Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, , you see all the universities becoming very aggressive in making jobs available for women,'' he said. ``They're in the forefront of social change. The larger urban areas like Los Angeles would be a greater basin, because there's more people, more opportunities and more open minds.'' Margaret Sarhoian, president of Foothill Nissan, has found this to be true, competing easily with male-owned companies for decades. Foothill, held jointly with partner Ron Pearlman, brought in $47 million in 2000. ``I've been in this business for 40 years,'' she said. ``It doesn't seem to me like a man's world. We've had a lot of females involved, from sales to office staff. We're in control and we have good employees.'' |
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