Congratulations to all our wonderful Women of Influence. In the following pages, you’ll find a story on each of these inspirational women and, on our website, their advice via video to young business women. I know that many of you will be at our sold-out Aug. 9 Woman of Influence event to honor the class in person and hear from the honorees themselves about how they became such influential women. So congratulations again to the 2012 honorees, and I look forward to meeting each of you at the event.

– Chris Conetzkey, Editor of the Business Record

Meet the 2012 Class:

Women Business Owner of the Year:

Teresa Van Vleet-Danos 
President and Owner, Rowat Cut Stone & Marble Co.
Read article and view video

Women of Influence Winners:

Carmela Brown
Legislative Advocate/Lobbyist
Read article and view video

Terry Hernandez
Executive Director, Chrysalis
Read article and view video

Laura Hollingsworth
President and Publisher, The Des Moines Register
Read article and view video

Rosemary Parson 
Vice President of Operations, EquiTrust Insurance Services
Read article and view video

Janet E. Phipps Burkhead
Attorney, Dickinson Law Firm
Read article and view video

Nichola K. Schissel
Retired, Former Vice President at Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines
Read article and view video

Christie Vilsack
Democratic Congressional Candidate, Iowa
Read article and view video