Chicago Business Journal Honors 48 Women of Influence

The Chicago Business Journal (CBJ) recently named 48 honorees for its first-ever class of Women of Influence. Kurman Communications' founder and president Cindy Kurman Barrie is among the honorees.

The program honors women business leaders in the Chicago area who innovate, succeed and "pay it forward," who stand out both for their achievements in the marketplace as well as their commitment to community and mentoring.

CBJ is featuring each woman weekly. Kurman's profile provides insight to her development as a
 business leader. She also discussed a new company, Newsline360, which she will launch with partners early in 2015.

The Chicago Business Journal's Women of Influence is part of a national effort by American City Business Journals — the premier company in the country devoted to the reporting of local business news — to identify and celebrate women business leaders and to foster business environments that will create even more successful women in the future.

Winners will be honored at a luncheon on Jan. 20.
The winners include:

• Jill Allread, president, Public Communications Inc.
• Heather Bailey, partner, SmithAmundsen
• Cindy Kurman Barrie, owner/partner, Kurman Communication, Inc.; Founding Partner, NEWSLINE360
• Ekpedeme "Pamay" M. Bassey, president, The Pamay Group
• Gina Berndt, managing director, Perkins+Will
• Rebecca Busch, president, Medical Business Associates
• Adela Cepeda, president, A.C. Advisory Inc.
• Cindi Cervone Carlson, vice president, Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.
• Kate DeLeeuw, Administrative Complex Manager - Chicago Complex, RBC Wealth Management
• Ellen Dickson, president, Bailey Edward Design, Inc.
• Lauren Dillon, owner, Triad Resource Group
• Emilia DiMenco, president and CEO, Women's Business Development Center
• Kimberly Eberl, owner/CEO, MotionPR
• Alexandra Eidenberg, president, The Insurance People
• Angela Elbert, partner, Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP
• Vicki Escarra, CEO, Opportunity International
• Justine Fedak, senior vice president, BMO Harris Bank
• Randy Fifield, owner, Fifield Cos.
• Kathleen Finley, vice president, Under the Radar
• Susan Fredman, owner, SusanFredman Design Group, LTD
• Kara Friedman, partner, Polsinelli PC
• Barbara Gaffen, CEO, Prime Property Investors (PPI)
• Kerryann Haase Minton, partner, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP
• Jenny Johnson, partner, Holland & Knight
• Tamara Jurgenson, SVP marketing & eCommerce, Newark element14
• Elizabeth Karlson, vice president, PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.
• Victoria Knudson, senior managing directorr, Cushman & Wakefield
• Tina Manikas, president, FCB/RED
• Molly McShane, CIO, Conor Commercial Real Estate
• Dorri McWhorther, CEO, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago
• Rebecca Mechanik, vice president, Catamaran Corporation V
• Debra Moritz, executive managing director, Cushman & Wakefield
• Anita Ponder, partner, Seyfarth Shaw LLP
• Nancy Reinsdorf, president, Chicago Bulls Charities
• Nneka Rimmer, senior advisor, Boston Consulting Group
• Diane Romza-Kutz, attorney, Husch Blackwell LLP
• Kristi Ross, CEO, dough, Inc.
• Shannon Schuyler, principal and corporate responsibility leader of PricewaterhouseCoopers; president of the PwC Charitable Foundation
• Kellie Scott, owner, Divine Consign
• Robin Shapiro, president, CAHG
• Teresa Soppet, vice president, RBC Wealth Management
• Case Sosnoff, co-host, "Where Do I Start"
• K. Sujata, CEO, Chicago Foundation for Women
• Sheila Talton, president and CEO, Gray Matter Analytics
• Dara Tarkowski, partner, Akerman
• Angela Tenuta, vice president, Intouch Solutions

Nominations for this first-time program were sought publicly in the fall and submitted by a variety of sources, including association partners, entrepreneurs, business owners and executives . The winners were picked by a group of American City Business Journal editors, led by Mary Johnson, editor of Bizwomen, CPJ's sister site.