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StillettoChick.com

How to EnterCompany: StillettoChick.com
Company Description: StillettoChick.com and its corresponding blog, "Stilletto Chick Sees the World," both operated by Betty-Ann Heggie, endeavor to connect women with their flow of effortless energy and to guide them toward making peace with weight, work, and wealth.
Nomination Category: Company/Organization Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Women Helping Women Award

Nomination Title: Betty-Ann Heggie

1. Describe for the judges the activities and accomplishments of the nominated individual or company during the eligibility period (up to 500 words):

In late 2008, Betty-Ann Heggie discovered The Princess Shop, an organization
that recycles old graduation dresses to give to girls who can't afford to
purchase them. Many of the program recipients are recovering addicts or unwed
mothers who have little or no parental involvement, pulling their lives together
to graduate.

Learning more about the group, she saw that they needed more product, some
infrastructure for their fledgling organization, and of course, cash. To help,
she recruited her friends to volunteer to assist: an accountant aided with the
application for a charitable number, a consultant helped put a strategic plan in
place, and another friend will chair the newly formed board. Finally, Betty-Ann
set up a fundraiser for the Princess Store in her home.

She invited 18 women with whom she routinely exchanged Christmas gifts, and
informed them that in lieu of gifts she would be donating to the Princess Shop
and encouraged them to do the same. Eventually, she wound up with around 60
ladies contributing. In addition to many gently used items, they also bought
designer shoes still in boxes and brand new dresses. Chantal, the Princess
Shop’s organizer, was thrilled with the haul for her shop, as well as the new
exposure she received for her cause. Many attendees also came forward to offer
assistance by mentoring young women, doing spa services on graduation day, or
making introductions to influential people.

In addition, knowing that that women today are still struggling to climb the
ranks of the corporate ladder, Betty-Ann donated money in 2009 to her alma
mater, the Edwards School of Business at the University of Saskatchewan, to
develop the "Womentorship" program to support the advancement of women into
executive leadership positions through mentorship. This unique new program will
be for women of all ages, both students and alumnae, to provide mentoring,
coaching, professional development, networking, and scholarship opportunities.
Through this endowment, Betty-Ann Heggie is enabling a new generation of women
to take the helm and achieve new levels of professional success.

Betty-Ann is also this year’s sponsor of The International Alliance for Women’s
“World of Difference” Awards, honoring the extraordinary achievements of women
throughout the world – from the well known to the “unsung heroines” – who have
made a difference in the economic empowerment of other women in the world.

2. List the URLs (web addresses) of any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that you would like the judges to see that support your entry. IMPORTANT: List each URL on a separate line, begin each URL with http://, and enclose each URL in square brackets. For example, [http://www.yourcompany.com/pressrelease.html]:

http://www.stillettochick.com
http://www.stillettochick.com/newsletters/newsletter_feb09.html
http://www.sahrp.ca/index.php?option=com_events&task=view_detail&
agid=38&year=2009&month=5&day=14&Itemid=144

3. Provide a brief biography of the nominated person, or of the person or persons who lead the nominated company (up to 100 words):

Betty-Ann Heggie grew up working in a family business and graduated from the
University of Saskatchewan. She climbed the corporate ladder to become a senior
VP at Potash Corp, the world’s largest fertilizer company. Both her clients and
peers named her Canada’s Top Investor Relations Officer and she is now a member
of Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women Hall of Fame. Betty-Ann is well aware of
the struggles women face on a daily basis, having gained and lost over 100
pounds - twice. Betty-Ann now devotes her time to helping women make peace with
weight, work, and wealth.