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About Ann Michel
About the Ann Michel AwardEntrepreneur Ann Michel was the recipient of the inaugural WISE Distinguished Entrepreneur Award for High Growth Business in 2004. Her inspiration to many lead to the naming of this award in her honor after her unexpected death later that year. The awards are given annually to two women who have started Central New York businesses with proven success in entrepreneurship and have been in business for at least three years and have demonstrated economic impact and growth. The winners will be selected by the committee of the WISE Advisory Board and will be announced at the 2012 WISE conference to be held on April 3rd at the Oncenter in Syracuse, NY. Nominees for this award should have founded and grown a company that has successfully generated jobs and economic growth, made an impact in a particular market or industry, and exhibited innovation. Key criteria for the award will be demonstration of strong entrepreneurial spirit and outstanding leadership, balanced with a proven commitment to the community. Self-nomination is welcomed. Nominees should be present at the WISE Symposium to accept their awards. To nominate an amazing woman entrepreneur for this distinguished honor, please download and complete the Nomination Form by March 1st.
Meet the 2012 RecipientsLaurie LiechtyContemporary Personnel Staffing & Professionals Incorporated
Laurie Liechty, CPC, is the founder and president of Contemporary Personnel Staffing, Inc. (CPS) & Professionals Incorporated, the area's largest independently owned Temporary Staffing and International Professional Recruitment firms. Laurie is known for being committed to the Central New York business community and ensuring its health and vitality by helping area businesses attract, retain, and grow the best possible employees. In 1989, Laurie with some startup money from family and an SBA loan founded Contemporary Personnel Staffing with the vision of providing a personal touch to both clients and candidates. Sister firm Professionals Incorporated was launched in 1996 to provide specialized professional recruiting and search solutions. Together, these firms have grown to a dynamic team of 30 recruiting and support professionals. In the past ten years alone, Laurie's team has helped place over 17,000 people both regionally and internationally. Over the past 5 years, Laurie has been on the Board of Make a Wish and was awarded the "Woman of the Year "designation for raising over $18,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Laurie and her staff are also very active with area organizations such as CenterState CEO, SHRM, MACNY, and Leadership Greater Syracuse. CPS was recognized as the CenterState CEO (formerly the Syracuse Chamber) in 2005 and 2007 as Business of the Year. Laurie holds a designation of Certified Personnel Consultant and studied Business Administration at the University of Alaska and Mohawk Valley Community College. Wendy MeyersonNatur-Tyme
Wendy Meyerson is the owner of Natur-Tyme, Syracuse's largest and most successful retail health food store, celebrating 29 years in business. Natur-Tyme is about to embark on its newest chapter as the store plans to open in a renovated 15,000 SF space on Erie Boulevard in DeWitt this coming summer. This will be Natur-Tyme's fourth location in its tenure and more than doubles its current store size. Wendy provides the Central New York community with significant learning experiences through annual health fairs and informative community events. Additionally, she hosted a local radio show, Nutritional Insights, for 13 years. During the show's run, she interviewed several of the world's most renowned experts in fields related to natural healing and complementary medicine as well as local topics of interest. Wendy was the winner of the Syracuse Women in Business Award in 2008. The Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce selected Natur-Tyme as the recipient of its 2009 Business of the Year Award for companies with fewer than 50 employees. Natur-Tyme was also selected as the 2011 Retailer of the Year by WholeFoods Magazine, a national trade magazine dedicated to the natural products industry. In addition to her business pursuits, Wendy established Closets for Charity in 2010 to raise much-needed funds for Syracuse-area non-profits by recycling upscale women's clothing at her health fair events. Wendy has also served the community as Co-Chair of the Temple Adath Yeshurun Citizen of the Year Dinner and as a Board Member for both Temple Adath and the Jewish Community Center. Past winners
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Ann founded Knowledge Systems & Research with four business partners, and led the company as president for 21 years, transitioning the company from a start-up with six employees to an international consulting firm with over 200 employees. She was the inaugural winner of the Distinguished Entrepreneur Award for High Growth Venture in 2004. She passed away on November 21, 2004. Because she epitomized the essence of the entrepreneurial spirit, and because she subscribed to the philosophy of giving back to the community, the Board of Directors of WISE determined that henceforth the award would bear her name. For more information on the business she founded, visit
WISE Community
Contact Us:WISE Women's Business Center2610 South Salina Street Hours of Operation: 
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