Outstanding women in Asheville's business community

We're so excited to be honoring outstanding women in Asheville's business community at our WomanUP Celebration on Nov. 28th. While we will be giving awards to three of these women, the list of the nominees is impressive. All of these women deserve recognition for their hard work, dedication to advancing women in business and for their contributions to our community. 

We hope you'll join us at the WomanUP Celebration to recognize all of these nominees and to honor our award winners.

Woman Entrepreneur, Best in Business 

This award, sponsored by Webb Investment Services, recognizes a woman who demonstrates the transformation of her dream into the reality of a product or service and who exhibits the traits of an entrepreneur.

• Adriana Chavela, Hola Carolina Magazine
  
• Debra Slosman, Porter & Prince, Ltd.
  
• Elizabeth Mailander, Sola Salon Studios -- or Mailander, LLC
• Gayla Black, Blacks Moving & Storage
• Jennifer Perkins, Looking Glass Creamery
• Jessica Tomasin, Jet Up Productions
• Kelly Erin Spinney, Modern Asheville
• Kimberly Masters, Essential Journeys Soaps
• Laura Cardwell, SHiFT Brain Integration
• Lauren DeWords, ZaPow
• Lisa White, White Labs
• Lynn Michelle Smith, Che' Beautiful, LLC
• Marta Santamaria, The Venue and The Ridge
• Melissa Murray, Mosaix Group, Inc.
• Meridith Elliott Powell, Meridith Elliott Powell
• Murphy Funkhouser Capps, Kudzu Brands
• Rowena Patton, Rowena Patton's All-Star Powerhouse
• Suzy Salwa Phillips, Gypsy Queen Cuisine
• Terri King, Coldwell Banker King

Outstanding Woman in Nonprofit Leadership:
Sponsored by TD Bank, this award recognizes a woman working for a nonprofit who has distinguished herself in her non-profit organization, her profession, and her community.

• Allison Jordan, Children First/Communities in Schools of Buncombe County
• Anna Zanetti, Friends of the Smokies
• April Burgess-Johnson, Helpmate
• Becky Williams, Eliada Home
• Carole Gillham, Brooks-Howell Home
• Celeste Collins, OnTrack Financial Education and Counseling
• Dianne Trammel, Meals on Wheels of Asheville & Buncombe County
• Eileen Bouressa, Asheville Humane Society
• Madeline Delp Live Boundless
• Michaela Blanton-Lowe, March of Dimes
• Millicent Burke Sinclair, Four Seasons Compassion for Life
• Pat Fugate-Hock, Hope Chest for Women
• Rebecca Chaplin, AARP North Carolina
• Sharon Oxendine, Western Women's Business Center
• Tami Ruckman, Eliada Home
• Zuri Anuel, Carolina Small Business Development Fund
• Jill Sparks, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College

Woman Executive of the Year:

Sponsored by Mission Health, this award recognizes a woman who exhibits leadership in her organization, profession and community. Candidates at any level of an organization may be nominated.

• Angie Cullen, Nest Realty Asheville
• Charlotte Stack, Chai Pani Restaurant Group
• Donna Hammett, Spectrum Reach
• Heather Norton, The Biltmore Company
• Ingrid Sander, Mountain BizWorks
• Janice Brumit, Brumit Restaurant Group, LLC
• Latrella McElrath, HomeTrust Bank
• Melissa Murray, Mosaix Group, Inc.
• Sarah Deborah Benoit, JB Media Institute
• Tara McCracken, Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina

How persistance led "human computer" to become international expert

When "Hidden Figures" rocketed onto the literary and cinematic scene, the story shown a light on the often overlooked work of African-American women at a key time in our nation's history. What you may not know is that one of those "human computers" highlighted in Margot Lee Shatterly's best-selling book has ties to Asheville. Dr. Christine Darden, retired NASA engineer, graduated as valedictorian from the Allen High School in Asheville in 1958.

We are thrilled to have Dr. Darden as a guest speaker at the 2nd annual WomanUP Celebration on Nov. 28th. The event will also feature keynote speaker local entrepreneur Troylyn Ball of Asheville Distilling Company and present our outstanding women in business awards to three local women.

In an interview with Dr. Darin Waters of UNC Asheville during the WomanUP Celebration, Dr. Darden will share her story and the career formula that she says pushed her to succeed.

Her story is sure to be inspiring for women of all ages and careers.

The youngest of five children, Darden came from her hometown of Monroe, NC. to Asheville's Allen High School, a United Methodist boarding school for African-American girls.

Darden credits her Allen School experiences and teachers there for sparking her interest in math and for helping her develop strong work ethic and good study habits that benefited her in college and throughout her professional life.

After earning mathematics degrees from Hampton Institute and Virginia State College, Darden landed a job as a "human computer" at NASA Langley. With persistence, Darden overcame gender obstacles to pursue opportunities as an engineer.

Through her 40-year career at NASA, Darden became one of the world's experts in high-speed aerodynamics and sonic boom research. She retired as a member of The Senior Executive Service in March 2007 from NASA Langley Research Center.

Darden has been recognized with dozens of awards and honors—including two NASA Medals, one for her work and leadership of the Sonic Boom Program, and the other for her active involvement in working with and encouraging students to pursue careers in Math and Science.  In addition, she received the Black Engineer of the Year Outstanding Achievement in Government Award and the Women in Science & Engineering Lifetime Achievement Award.  

Darden and her husband of 53 years, Walter, are the parents of 3 adult daughters, 5 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.
 
Read NASA profile of Christine Darden

Small Business of the Month: Physio Physical Therapy & Wellness

If you’ve ever had an injury, you know how the care you receive can make a difference in your recovery process. When physical therapist Chris Taylor ruptured his Achilles working out and became a physical therapy patient himself, the experience transformed the way he thought about providing care.

“It allowed me to see the entire physical therapy experience from a different viewpoint,” says this month’s Small Business of the Month owner. “I took everything I learned and put that together to create a great experience with knowledgable professionals that listen and care.”

The result was Physio Physical Therapy and Wellness founded in 2012 by Chris and his wife Lara with the goal of providing the Asheville community access to revolutionary treatments from the best providers. The group offers physical therapy, massage and medically developed weight loss program.

“When you are in pain and don’t want to have to go through the healing process, we are there to support and guide you, yet offer revolutionary techniques to speed up the healing process,” Taylor said.

With about ten employees, Physio has a strong customer service driven culture. That team and commitment have been central to the company’s success and have led them to be named the Best Physical Therapy Clinic in WNC 5 years in a row.

“The best advice I have received is to not go about it by yourself,” Taylor said. “I am most proud of the amazing team we have built and the great work they do to help the Asheville community stay active and pain free on a daily basis.” 

Community is core for Physio, which is 100% locally owned and operated by Chris Taylor.

“We love being part of Asheville,” Taylor said. “From free monthly workshops to sponsoring events, we do what we can to educate our community. We just finished our annual Love Drive for the Hope Chest for Women and are excited to deliver our donations.”

Taylor says they continue to look for ways to serve the community and are working on some exciting new programs for the community such as personal training.

We look forward to seeing what this Small Business of the Month does next.