Dear Readers:
I am in awe of how far we have come in the last twenty years. When I graduated from college women were encouraged to dress like men and act like men in the workplace. Maybe if we wore blue suits and ties no one would notice that we were women. I would never have believed that, one day, I would publish a pink newspaper. Who knew that we would no longer deny our feminine traits?
Women’s intuition, multitasking and collaboration would all be seen as assets in the workplace.

Since the last issue, I have had the opportunity to participate in several women’s conferences and recognition events. It truly gives me chills to sit in a room with hundreds or thousands of accomplished women. These rooms are not made up of the good old boy network anymore. They are filled with women networking and helping each other. And when you hear the bios of the women being
honored they never include just a career. These women always make an equally significant contribution to their families, communities, churches and charities.

My favorite part of publishing is sharing women’s stories. I love sharing with you the amazing lives of the women in our county. We don’t have to look on TV to find inspiration. These women are right here in our community and they may be living right next door.

In this issue, I am thrilled to bring you the stories of two amazing women. Jan Madori of Personal Preference is a true trailblazer. She started a direct sales company long before they became popular.She made it into a multimillion dollar company that provides opportunities for over a thousand women. Judy Pfanenstiel, of the Bolingbrook Promenade, became the marketing manager for this wonderful new shopping mall. The concept of an outdoor shopping center was so appealing that when they asked her she couldn’t resist. I hope you enjoy their stories as much as I did.

With each new issue I have the opportunity to work with local experts in our community as we share their expertise with you. I learn from doctors, personal trainers, financial planners, style experts and more. In this issue we have suggestions on investment ideas for your children and yourself. We also have some fun entertaining ideas, makeup recommendations, and skin care suggestions for the winter months.

I have met so many passionate individuals. They may be running an awareness campaign about domestic violence or planning the next fundraiser for their favorite charity. But, when you see a woman who is living her passion it is infectious. It is the best thing to spread.

This truly is a time for giving thanks. This issue marks the completion of the Will County Woman Newspaper’s first year in publication. I am thankful for all of the experiences. I remember going door to door last fall and asking people if they would like to receive free copies of this new women’s newspaper for Will County. They now welcome our distributors and look forward to reading the next issue. That is why we do what we do. We will continue to work hard to build a publication that will educate and entertain you. In addition, we hope to share more women’s stories of accomplishment.

I want to thank all of the people who make this publication possible. Thank you to the advertisers, for without you this publication would not be possible. I encourage our readers to visit them and seek their advice. I also want to thank all of the businesses that welcomed us into their waiting areas. You have enabled us to reach women when they have a moment to sit down and stop multitasking. And a giant thank you goes out to all of the people who share their talents to make each issue come to life: the writers, graphic design team, printer and distributors.
I wish you all a joyful holiday season and I look forward to seeing you in the New Year!

Happy Holidays!

Marilyn McSteen
Publisher