Hyde moves forward with new interim director
By Kathleen Phalen-Tomaselli/The Post Star
GLENS FALLS — On Wednesday afternoon, the July sun gently streamed window squared patterns across sculptures in the famed painters’ courtyard of The Hyde House in Glens Falls.
New Interim Director of The Hyde Collection, Anne Saile, who was only half-way through her second day on the job, pointed to a second-floor opened window.
“That’s Mrs. Hyde’s bedroom,” she said, recounting the story of how Charlotte Pruyn Hyde would look out onto the courtyard while area painters brushed oils into mediums that found their way to canvases and new creations.
“There is something very special about The Hyde,” she said. “If people have not visited The Hyde recently, they should come, and if they have children or grandchildren, they should take advantage of it,” she said. “Love of art is a gift you can give a child for a lifetime, and our focus is the education of others.”
Last week, former Director Erin Coe left The Hyde Collection after 17 years of working with the museum she loves for a new position as director of The Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State University.
And now, to ease the transition toward a new director, Saile, an international business leader and entrepreneur, plans on guiding the museum forward.
“Getting Anne Saile to sign on as our interim director ... she has worked closely with Erin and she has the capability to make the transition as smooth as possible,” said Karl Seitz, chairman of the Hyde Board of Trustees, in an interview last month, adding that they are conducting a national search for a new director.
When offered the interim position, Saile said it was an easy decision.
“I knew right away what a thrill it would be,” she said. “And to be in such a magnificent place ...”
While at The Hyde, Coe was pivotal in transforming it into an art museum that offers the region a collection previously reserved for urban museums in places like New York City. Bringing modern art to the Glens Falls museum, following the recent $11 million gift from Werner Feibes and the late James Schmitt, dramatically changed The Hyde’s story.
And during the construction of the 1,500-square-foot Feibes & Schmitt Gallery, Saile worked with The Hyde as a consultant and assisted Coe with a recent $500,000 fundraising initiative.
“I have raised hundreds of millions of dollars,” she said. “I understand philanthropy ... I want to accelerate the momentum we have experienced in the past.”
Saile said that the Feibes & Schmitt gift may have opened the door for other legacy donors. “They have laid the groundwork for others,” she said.
Still, her main focus initially is supporting The Hyde team and keeping the momentum they have started moving forward.
“I am just so grateful to all the people who have helped build this legacy,” she said.
This fall Saile, the owner of The Saile Group, will be honored as the 2017 Resourceful Woman of the Year by the YWCA of the Greater Capital Region.
She was president and CEO of Bellevue Hospital for nearly a decade and before joining Bellevue, Saile was the executive director of the New York State Office of Professional and Medical Conduct.
“My main focus is running businesses, and it is great to step in and see us through to a new director,” she said.
GLENS FALLS — On Wednesday afternoon, the July sun gently streamed window squared patterns across sculptures in the famed painters’ courtyard of The Hyde House in Glens Falls.
New Interim Director of The Hyde Collection, Anne Saile, who was only half-way through her second day on the job, pointed to a second-floor opened window.
“That’s Mrs. Hyde’s bedroom,” she said, recounting the story of how Charlotte Pruyn Hyde would look out onto the courtyard while area painters brushed oils into mediums that found their way to canvases and new creations.
“There is something very special about The Hyde,” she said. “If people have not visited The Hyde recently, they should come, and if they have children or grandchildren, they should take advantage of it,” she said. “Love of art is a gift you can give a child for a lifetime, and our focus is the education of others.”
Last week, former Director Erin Coe left The Hyde Collection after 17 years of working with the museum she loves for a new position as director of The Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State University.
And now, to ease the transition toward a new director, Saile, an international business leader and entrepreneur, plans on guiding the museum forward.
“Getting Anne Saile to sign on as our interim director ... she has worked closely with Erin and she has the capability to make the transition as smooth as possible,” said Karl Seitz, chairman of the Hyde Board of Trustees, in an interview last month, adding that they are conducting a national search for a new director.
When offered the interim position, Saile said it was an easy decision.
“I knew right away what a thrill it would be,” she said. “And to be in such a magnificent place ...”
While at The Hyde, Coe was pivotal in transforming it into an art museum that offers the region a collection previously reserved for urban museums in places like New York City. Bringing modern art to the Glens Falls museum, following the recent $11 million gift from Werner Feibes and the late James Schmitt, dramatically changed The Hyde’s story.
And during the construction of the 1,500-square-foot Feibes & Schmitt Gallery, Saile worked with The Hyde as a consultant and assisted Coe with a recent $500,000 fundraising initiative.
“I have raised hundreds of millions of dollars,” she said. “I understand philanthropy ... I want to accelerate the momentum we have experienced in the past.”
Saile said that the Feibes & Schmitt gift may have opened the door for other legacy donors. “They have laid the groundwork for others,” she said.
Still, her main focus initially is supporting The Hyde team and keeping the momentum they have started moving forward.
“I am just so grateful to all the people who have helped build this legacy,” she said.
This fall Saile, the owner of The Saile Group, will be honored as the 2017 Resourceful Woman of the Year by the YWCA of the Greater Capital Region.
She was president and CEO of Bellevue Hospital for nearly a decade and before joining Bellevue, Saile was the executive director of the New York State Office of Professional and Medical Conduct.
“My main focus is running businesses, and it is great to step in and see us through to a new director,” she said.
Broaden efforts to eradicate domestic violence
Anne Saile's Letter to the Editor on domestic violence.
Times Union Newspaper, published 10/30/2014
As October – Domestic Violence Awareness Month – draws to an end, it is critical to remind ourselves that we need awareness about all forms of violence against women embedded in each month of the year.
We need bold and comprehensive efforts that are not conceived out of tragedies, but that consistently target de-gendering our collective psyche. We need initiatives that raise awareness about how notions of gender and violence that affect women of every walk of life at varying degrees can be exposed, and disrupted.
We are reminded again and again, whether by the egregious actions of a prominent NFL player, shocking incidents at a college campus or astonishing revelations of an elected public official, how rampant domestic violence, sexual assault and sexual harassment are in our society.
We are awakened by the realization that policies that mandate treatment services, increase protection for survivors of violence, and more effectively persecute offenders are critical, but alone will not root out the problem. Reactive responses need to be accompanied by proactive, vigorous and consistent preventive measures to eradicate violence against women.
There is a need for more investments in research and public education to more effectively eradicate the problem. Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s October 2014 proposal to the SUNY Board of Trustees about a SUNY-wide policy change to strengthen response to sexual assaults is to be commended. Such efforts need to be deepened and broadened to meaningfully reduce the alarming statistics on violence against women.
Anne Saile
Board President, Center for Women in Government & Civil Society
Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy
University At Albany
Times Union Newspaper, published 10/30/2014
As October – Domestic Violence Awareness Month – draws to an end, it is critical to remind ourselves that we need awareness about all forms of violence against women embedded in each month of the year.
We need bold and comprehensive efforts that are not conceived out of tragedies, but that consistently target de-gendering our collective psyche. We need initiatives that raise awareness about how notions of gender and violence that affect women of every walk of life at varying degrees can be exposed, and disrupted.
We are reminded again and again, whether by the egregious actions of a prominent NFL player, shocking incidents at a college campus or astonishing revelations of an elected public official, how rampant domestic violence, sexual assault and sexual harassment are in our society.
We are awakened by the realization that policies that mandate treatment services, increase protection for survivors of violence, and more effectively persecute offenders are critical, but alone will not root out the problem. Reactive responses need to be accompanied by proactive, vigorous and consistent preventive measures to eradicate violence against women.
There is a need for more investments in research and public education to more effectively eradicate the problem. Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s October 2014 proposal to the SUNY Board of Trustees about a SUNY-wide policy change to strengthen response to sexual assaults is to be commended. Such efforts need to be deepened and broadened to meaningfully reduce the alarming statistics on violence against women.
Anne Saile
Board President, Center for Women in Government & Civil Society
Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy
University At Albany
Judiciary upstate sorely lacks women
August 26, 2014
Family Court Judge Margaret Walsh’s bid for the Supreme Court nomination for the Third Judicial District, after being passed over by the Albany County Democratic Committee, underscores the struggle women face to make it to the bench and climb its arduous ladder. Studies by the Center for Women in Government & Civil Society, University at Albany, show a persistent underrepresentation of women in the judiciary.
Given comparable male/female rates of law school graduation and percentages of successful female lawyers, disparities cannot be attributed to the lack of qualified women, but to restricted opportunity and access. The stark difference between upstate New York, where women’s representation is rare in some courts, and the downstate region, where women often outnumber men, demonstrates the regional character of such disparities.
Balanced representation on the bench matters. Public trust, legitimacy and credibility of the judiciary are at stake. Judges must be representative of the people they serve to inspire confidence in the fair administration of justice. Drawing on larger pools of talent and experiences in the nomination, appointment and election of judges strengthens the health of our democratic system.
Organizers of a Sept. 12 event at Albany Law School called “Everything you need to know about becoming a judge” hope to demystify paths to the bench. Mobilizing more women to run for election and holding political leaders accountable for appointing and nominating more women judges are critical steps to a judiciary that looks like the people it serves.
ANNE SAILE
President, Board of Directors, Center for Women in Government & Civil Society Albany
Given comparable male/female rates of law school graduation and percentages of successful female lawyers, disparities cannot be attributed to the lack of qualified women, but to restricted opportunity and access. The stark difference between upstate New York, where women’s representation is rare in some courts, and the downstate region, where women often outnumber men, demonstrates the regional character of such disparities.
Balanced representation on the bench matters. Public trust, legitimacy and credibility of the judiciary are at stake. Judges must be representative of the people they serve to inspire confidence in the fair administration of justice. Drawing on larger pools of talent and experiences in the nomination, appointment and election of judges strengthens the health of our democratic system.
Organizers of a Sept. 12 event at Albany Law School called “Everything you need to know about becoming a judge” hope to demystify paths to the bench. Mobilizing more women to run for election and holding political leaders accountable for appointing and nominating more women judges are critical steps to a judiciary that looks like the people it serves.
ANNE SAILE
President, Board of Directors, Center for Women in Government & Civil Society Albany
Center for Women in Government & Civil Society Announce 2013 Awards for Leadership
Governor Cuomo Honored for Advancing the Women’s Equality Act
ALBANY, N.Y. (September 12, 2013) -- The Center for Women in Government & Civil Society (CWGCS) at the University at Albany has announced the recipients of its 2013 Women in Public Service Leadership Awards. The honor recognizes outstanding service and achievements of women leaders who have made a substantive difference in effecting significant change and making the community, the state, and the world a better place.
Selected by a committee of their peers from a wide pool of highly qualified nominees, the awardees will be honored at the Center’s 35th anniversary celebration on November 19 at the State Room in Albany.
The 2013 Women in Public Service award winners include:
“These women truly realize the promise of transformational public service leadership and their agency helped make their communities a better place,” said Center Executive Director Dina Refki. “They consistently inspire and motivate us to raise the bar individually and collectively.”
Governor Andrew Cuomo will also receive the “Advancing Women’s Rights Award.” Anne Saile, president of CWGCS’s board of directors, said the award will go to the governor “for his visionary leadership and unprecedented efforts to eradicate gender-based inequities in New York State by introducing the Women’s Equality Act.”
Notable speakers will also include SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher and University at Albany President Robert J. Jones. Two distinguished graduates of the Center’s Fellowship on Women & Public Policy program will be among the speakers - Kris Miccio is a nationally-recognized legal expert and human rights lawyer and Dorcey Applyrs is a candidate for the Albany Common Council, First Ward.
The 35th Anniversary celebration on the 19th of November commemorates 35 years of groundbreaking gender research and education. The Center wishes to thank Southwest Airlines® for its generous support of the Center for Women in Government and Civil Society in 2013.
ALBANY, N.Y. (September 12, 2013) -- The Center for Women in Government & Civil Society (CWGCS) at the University at Albany has announced the recipients of its 2013 Women in Public Service Leadership Awards. The honor recognizes outstanding service and achievements of women leaders who have made a substantive difference in effecting significant change and making the community, the state, and the world a better place.
Selected by a committee of their peers from a wide pool of highly qualified nominees, the awardees will be honored at the Center’s 35th anniversary celebration on November 19 at the State Room in Albany.
The 2013 Women in Public Service award winners include:
- Dean Michelle J. Anderson, President, CUNY School of Law
- Shai Butler, Vice President for Diversity, College of St. Rose
- Dr. Sue Faerman, Senior Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education, University at Albany, and chair, Women's Leadership Academy, CWGCS
- Honorable Karen K. Peters, New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Department
“These women truly realize the promise of transformational public service leadership and their agency helped make their communities a better place,” said Center Executive Director Dina Refki. “They consistently inspire and motivate us to raise the bar individually and collectively.”
Governor Andrew Cuomo will also receive the “Advancing Women’s Rights Award.” Anne Saile, president of CWGCS’s board of directors, said the award will go to the governor “for his visionary leadership and unprecedented efforts to eradicate gender-based inequities in New York State by introducing the Women’s Equality Act.”
Notable speakers will also include SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher and University at Albany President Robert J. Jones. Two distinguished graduates of the Center’s Fellowship on Women & Public Policy program will be among the speakers - Kris Miccio is a nationally-recognized legal expert and human rights lawyer and Dorcey Applyrs is a candidate for the Albany Common Council, First Ward.
The 35th Anniversary celebration on the 19th of November commemorates 35 years of groundbreaking gender research and education. The Center wishes to thank Southwest Airlines® for its generous support of the Center for Women in Government and Civil Society in 2013.
Congratulations 2013 Fellows on Women and Public Policy of the Center for Women in Government and Civil Society
Anne Saile - Keynote Speaker at Women in Business Breakfast for the Orange County Chamber of Commerce
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On June 13th, Anne Saile served as the key note speaker at the Women in Business breakfast for the Orange County Chamber of Commerce. The event was a great success.
"Had a great time this morning at the Orange County Chamber of Commerce, NY breakfast with guest speaker Anne Saile, who spoke eloquently about Networking. Anne did an amazing job with her presentation and was informative, funny and engaging!" - Event Attendee |
Center for Women in Government & Civil Society- Women’s Leadership Academy
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On June 3, Anne Saile spoke to the 2013 class of The Center for Women in Government's NEW Leadership New York program. Her session topic centered around networking and its importance in professional development.
As part of the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy at University at Albany, this program offers a diverse group of women from colleges and universities across New York State an intensive seven-day program where they engage in leadership self-development activities, train to promote the principles of leadership through action, and learn from the experience and knowledge of successful leaders. "On behalf of the staff at the Center for Women in Government & Civil Society, the Women’s Leadership Academy Working Committee, and our 18 aspiring women leader participants, we sincerely thank you for your generous gift of time and talent. Your openness and honesty was often referenced during the course of this incredible six-day journey that inspired and motivated 18 amazing women to reach beyond what they had imagined and LEAD." Participants said: “She provided good advice in a relaxed way” "She was so human and gave great examples from her own life” “She taught us that you can still be successful even when you make mistakes” “We learned you have to keep trying, even when mistakes seem horrible” |
2013 Women@Work Advisory Board Celebrates Second Year
The 2013 Women@Work Advisory Board is off to a fantastic start. Saile Group President Anne Saile has been selected as the Advisory Board Chair for the second year. Members include Marri Aviza, President of Rumors Salon & Day Spa; Deb Best, Owner of Deb Best Practices; Kristen Berdar, Partner at BST; Nancy Carey Cassidy, Executive VP and COO at Picotte Companies; Karin Carr, VP for Institutional Advancement at the College of Saint Rose; Andrea Crisafulli Russo, President at Crisafulli Bros. Plumbing & Heating; Heather Ford, VP of Business Banking at KeyBank; Kathleen Godfrey, Founder of Godfrey Financial Associates; Joella Viscusi, President of Ambient Environmental; Ann Hughes, Anchor at Fox 23 News; Theresa Marangas, Partner at Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker; Lydia Rollins, Senior VP - Financial Planning Specialist at Rollins Group; Curran Streett, Executive Director of the Pride Center of the Capitol Region; Farah Tuten, Senior Manager of Manufacturing and Engineering; Kristen Wynn, Director of Special Projects and International Initiatives at the Women Presidents' Organization
Anne Saile Presents Award to George Hearst at Women@Work Year End Celebration
At the year end celebration of Women@Work Magazine's first year of publication, Saile Group President and Women@Work Magazine Advisory Board President Anne Saile presented George Hearst with an award for championing working women in the Capital Region. Hearst, the CEO and publisher of the Albany Times Union newspaper and director of the Hearst Corporation, spearheaded the highly successful launch of the Women@Work Magazine, devoted to helping women managers and executives navigate the world of work.
Anne Saile Presents Keynote Address at Women in Business Fall Luncheon
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The Chamber of Southern Saratoga County's Annual Women in Business Luncheon was a huge success. Thanks so much to the sponsors Capital Region Women@Work and St. Peter's Health Partners and to all who attended! Anne presented a lively lesson on keeping your career on track titled How Smart Women Professionals Avoid the Seven Deadly Sins.
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Anne Saile to Moderate Panel of Capital Region Women Business Leaders
"Albany Women Business Leaders Share Their Success Stories"
On October 12 from 11:30 am - 1:30 pm at Wolferts Roost Country Club in Albany, Anne will be moderating this panel discussion presented by the Consulting Alliance, during which the participants will share their successes in business and their challenges in achieving and managing success. The presenters are: Sandra M. Fox, Vice President, Technology Operations at CHA; Trish Rost, President and Founder of Madison Handbags & Tobi Saulnier, Founder and CEO of 1st Playable Productions.
Sandra M. Fox is Vice President of Technology Operations at CHA, an international engineering firm headquartered in Albany with over 1,250 employees and 41 offices in the United States, five offices in the Middle East, North Africa, Azerbaijan and the Pacific.
Ms. Fox’s professional accomplishments include being named a CHA Principal in 2000, establishing a technology profit center to complement CHA’s core engineering business, managing the M&A integrations of five companies into the firm, developing mentor and leadership programs, and serving on the firm’s Strategic Planning and Executive Management Committees. She received a Woman of Excellence award by the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce and a 40 Under Forty Award from The Business Review. She is a graduate of the Dale Carnegie Leadership and Tech Valley Leadership Programs.
Ms. Fox’s philanthropic involvement focuses on youth development; families affected by life threatening diseases; the Capital Region’s arts and culture, and promoting workforce development in the science, technology, engineering and math sectors. She embraces her responsibilities as a mentor and role model and works tirelessly to elevate the role of women in engineering, which resulted in CHA earning the “Breaking the Glass Ceiling” Award from Girls Inc. in 2006.
Ms. Fox’s current professional and community involvement includes being a member of the Women Presidents’ Organization, serving on the Operating and Foundation Boards of Directors for Girls Inc., co-chairing the American Cancer Society’s 2012 Gala of Hope, and presenting and mentoring for Rockefeller College’s Center for Women in Government & Civil Society’s Leadership New York Program and SUNY’s Women in Leadership Program. She recently participated in Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build Program by leading volunteering and fundraising efforts to help construct a new house in Albany’s South End. The full breadth of Ms. Fox’s philanthropic resume includes volunteering and fundraising for over 25 other locally-based community and non-profit organizations during her career. She is a magna cum laude graduate of Russell Sage College.
Trish Rost is President and Founder of Madison Handbags. She started Madison Handbags in 2005 with an interest in fashion and a determination to build a business. Through financial hardship and personal strife, including battling cancer twice, she persevered and has built a strong business on the foundation of solid work ethic and compassion for others.
Ms. Rost began the business on a small cutting table in her basement and hired seamstresses who worked from their homes making the bags. Several years later and with enough growth to purchase her own production facility, Ms. Rost continues to remain true to her network of women who sew from their homes. She believes deeply in allowing women the opportunity to find success. Though the journey has not been without obstacles, Ms. Rost stands firmly committed to producing high quality products that will remain Made in the USA.
The year 2011 was monumental for the company. Madison Handbags began its going green initiative in earnest with all aspects of the business taking on a facelift. The conversion to 100% wind energy at the production facility was the culmination of Ms. Rost’s determination to be more socially responsible and a better friend to the environment. Additionally, she announced at the Annual Conference in March that Madison Handbags was teaming up with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society by launching the Bubbles of Hope Campaign. Handbags can now be designed with a percentage of the profits being donated to support the efforts of LLS.The year 2011 was monumental for the company. Madison Handbags began its going green initiative in earnest with all aspects of the business taking on a facelift. The conversion to 100% wind energy at the production facility was the culmination of Ms. Rost’s determination to be more socially responsible and a better friend to the environment. Additionally, she announced at the Annual Conference in March that Madison Handbags was teaming up with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society by launching the Bubbles of Hope Campaign. Handbags can now be designed with a percentage of the profits being donated to support the efforts of LLS.
The business savvy displayed by Ms. Rost was learned in school. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing at Messiah College and her MBA at Fairleigh Dickinson University. She honed her skills during years of working in the marketing and advertising fields. As she looks ahead to continued growth and development of new programs and products, Ms. Rost is more enthusiastic than ever for the direction that Madison Handbags is heading.
Tobi Saulnier is founder and CEO of 1st Playable Productions where she leads a game development studio that has created such hit games such as Club Penguin for the Nintendo DS, Ben 10 DS, Disney Princess DS, and a number of other DS games designed for very specific demographics ("kids' games," "girls' games," etc). The studio is also known for innovative gameplay, including networked features, downloadable content, and integration of real and virtual worlds. The studio also creates games for education and social change, including retail and research titles. Before joining the game industry, Ms. Saulnier managed R&D in embedded and distributed systems at General Electric Research and Development, where she also led initiatives in new product development, software quality, business strategy and outsourcing. An upstate NY native, she earned her BS, MS, and PhD in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Her current interest is in the area of social entrepreneurship and the challenges of creating a community-centric local small business that can be sustainable in an aggressive global market.
On October 12 from 11:30 am - 1:30 pm at Wolferts Roost Country Club in Albany, Anne will be moderating this panel discussion presented by the Consulting Alliance, during which the participants will share their successes in business and their challenges in achieving and managing success. The presenters are: Sandra M. Fox, Vice President, Technology Operations at CHA; Trish Rost, President and Founder of Madison Handbags & Tobi Saulnier, Founder and CEO of 1st Playable Productions.
Sandra M. Fox is Vice President of Technology Operations at CHA, an international engineering firm headquartered in Albany with over 1,250 employees and 41 offices in the United States, five offices in the Middle East, North Africa, Azerbaijan and the Pacific.
Ms. Fox’s professional accomplishments include being named a CHA Principal in 2000, establishing a technology profit center to complement CHA’s core engineering business, managing the M&A integrations of five companies into the firm, developing mentor and leadership programs, and serving on the firm’s Strategic Planning and Executive Management Committees. She received a Woman of Excellence award by the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce and a 40 Under Forty Award from The Business Review. She is a graduate of the Dale Carnegie Leadership and Tech Valley Leadership Programs.
Ms. Fox’s philanthropic involvement focuses on youth development; families affected by life threatening diseases; the Capital Region’s arts and culture, and promoting workforce development in the science, technology, engineering and math sectors. She embraces her responsibilities as a mentor and role model and works tirelessly to elevate the role of women in engineering, which resulted in CHA earning the “Breaking the Glass Ceiling” Award from Girls Inc. in 2006.
Ms. Fox’s current professional and community involvement includes being a member of the Women Presidents’ Organization, serving on the Operating and Foundation Boards of Directors for Girls Inc., co-chairing the American Cancer Society’s 2012 Gala of Hope, and presenting and mentoring for Rockefeller College’s Center for Women in Government & Civil Society’s Leadership New York Program and SUNY’s Women in Leadership Program. She recently participated in Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build Program by leading volunteering and fundraising efforts to help construct a new house in Albany’s South End. The full breadth of Ms. Fox’s philanthropic resume includes volunteering and fundraising for over 25 other locally-based community and non-profit organizations during her career. She is a magna cum laude graduate of Russell Sage College.
Trish Rost is President and Founder of Madison Handbags. She started Madison Handbags in 2005 with an interest in fashion and a determination to build a business. Through financial hardship and personal strife, including battling cancer twice, she persevered and has built a strong business on the foundation of solid work ethic and compassion for others.
Ms. Rost began the business on a small cutting table in her basement and hired seamstresses who worked from their homes making the bags. Several years later and with enough growth to purchase her own production facility, Ms. Rost continues to remain true to her network of women who sew from their homes. She believes deeply in allowing women the opportunity to find success. Though the journey has not been without obstacles, Ms. Rost stands firmly committed to producing high quality products that will remain Made in the USA.
The year 2011 was monumental for the company. Madison Handbags began its going green initiative in earnest with all aspects of the business taking on a facelift. The conversion to 100% wind energy at the production facility was the culmination of Ms. Rost’s determination to be more socially responsible and a better friend to the environment. Additionally, she announced at the Annual Conference in March that Madison Handbags was teaming up with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society by launching the Bubbles of Hope Campaign. Handbags can now be designed with a percentage of the profits being donated to support the efforts of LLS.The year 2011 was monumental for the company. Madison Handbags began its going green initiative in earnest with all aspects of the business taking on a facelift. The conversion to 100% wind energy at the production facility was the culmination of Ms. Rost’s determination to be more socially responsible and a better friend to the environment. Additionally, she announced at the Annual Conference in March that Madison Handbags was teaming up with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society by launching the Bubbles of Hope Campaign. Handbags can now be designed with a percentage of the profits being donated to support the efforts of LLS.
The business savvy displayed by Ms. Rost was learned in school. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing at Messiah College and her MBA at Fairleigh Dickinson University. She honed her skills during years of working in the marketing and advertising fields. As she looks ahead to continued growth and development of new programs and products, Ms. Rost is more enthusiastic than ever for the direction that Madison Handbags is heading.
Tobi Saulnier is founder and CEO of 1st Playable Productions where she leads a game development studio that has created such hit games such as Club Penguin for the Nintendo DS, Ben 10 DS, Disney Princess DS, and a number of other DS games designed for very specific demographics ("kids' games," "girls' games," etc). The studio is also known for innovative gameplay, including networked features, downloadable content, and integration of real and virtual worlds. The studio also creates games for education and social change, including retail and research titles. Before joining the game industry, Ms. Saulnier managed R&D in embedded and distributed systems at General Electric Research and Development, where she also led initiatives in new product development, software quality, business strategy and outsourcing. An upstate NY native, she earned her BS, MS, and PhD in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Her current interest is in the area of social entrepreneurship and the challenges of creating a community-centric local small business that can be sustainable in an aggressive global market.
Anne Saile Featured in Connections magazine
Saile Group Invited to CEG Keynote by GE's Jeffery Immelt
(Excerpt from the Business Review): The absence of clattering silverware at a lunch Tuesday revealed how rapt more than 100 Capital Region executives were with Jeffrey Immelt, chairman and CEO of General Electric Co. At the invitation-only lunch, Immelt held forth on strategies for work force development, fostering manufacturing and getting government out of the private sector's way.
Immelt also touted GE's new battery plant in Schenectady, a pristine $100 million investment that he formally opened on Tuesday. (The same morning, GE announced it was boosting capacity and adding 100 more jobs). The first shipments are going to a company in South Africa, for use in Nigeria. That company said Tuesday that it added 6,000 batteries to its original confidential order, generating $60 million more of battery revenue for GE. “Any of you who don’t think American business can benefit from a global economy, you’re just wrong," Immelt said. The lunch was co-sponsored by GE and the Center for Economic Growth, in Albany.
Immelt also touted GE's new battery plant in Schenectady, a pristine $100 million investment that he formally opened on Tuesday. (The same morning, GE announced it was boosting capacity and adding 100 more jobs). The first shipments are going to a company in South Africa, for use in Nigeria. That company said Tuesday that it added 6,000 batteries to its original confidential order, generating $60 million more of battery revenue for GE. “Any of you who don’t think American business can benefit from a global economy, you’re just wrong," Immelt said. The lunch was co-sponsored by GE and the Center for Economic Growth, in Albany.
Saile Group Attends 2012 WBENC National Conference and Business Fair
The 13th annual WBENC National Conference and Business Fair was held in Orlando, FL. Dedicated to expanding opportunities for women’s business enterprises
(WBEs) and the corporations and government entities they serve, the
annual event is the largest of its kind in the U.S. For two and
one-half days, thousands of conference attendees generate business
opportunities through participation in an ambitious agenda that
includes workshops, general sessions, WBENC’s Business Fair, MatchMaker
Meetings, and networking events. The Saile Group spotlighted Project Management and Supplier Diversity Services for international corporations, government agencies and other women owned businesses.
Saile Receives 2012 Advancing Women's Rights Award
On June 26th, 2012 Anne Saile received the Woman of Distinction Award for Advancing Women's Rights from the Center for Women in Government and Civil Society at Rockefeller College. The Woman of Distinction Award honors women who exemplify ethical and purposeful leadership; women who orient themselves outward and embody the motto of “lift as you climb." They are women whose leadership is grounded in purpose, values, and meaning; women who set an example for their commitment to excellence, and for their inspirational leadership. Anne was honored to be selected for such a distinguished accolade and to be among such a respected group of women.
Saile Receives 2012 Woman of Influence Award
Anne Saile received the 2012 Woman of Influence Award at Russell Sage College's Annual Volunteer Recognition Luncheon. The Award honors RSC alumnae who have achieved a high level of success in living out the ideals expressed in the Russell Sage motto: "To be, To know, To do". Awardees are honored for making a truly remarkable contribution to society in their field.
Saile Group Keynote at American Heart Association Event
(Excerpt from Troy Record Article) More than 400 people gathered at the Albany Marriott Thursday for the eighth annual Go Red for Women Luncheon, coordinated through the American Heart Association. Anne Saile, who gave the keynote address, discussed the need for women to make time in their lives for heart health, no matter how busy they are. It’s difficult to balance a healthy lifestyle with work, family and other responsibilities, she said, but not impossible. “No matter how much we do now, we can always do just a little more,” she said. “ … Let’s resolve right now, right here, to take better care of us.”
Saile Group Attends Women Presidents' Organization National Conference
The Women Presidents' Organization (WPO) is a non-profit membership organization for women presidents of multimillion-dollar companies. Members of the WPO take part in professionally-facilitated peer advisory groups in order to bring the 'genius out of the group' and accelerate the growth of their businesses. The annual conference encourages WPO members to share business strategies and experience with other successful women from all over the world, as well as learn from interactive seminars and speakers. Additionally, it provides potential members who qualify a unique opportunity to experience the impact the WPO has on women business owners professionally, and personally. Anne Saile is Chapter Chair of the Capital Region's WPO Chapters.
The Saile Group Attends 2012 WBENC Summit & Salute
Anne Saile, President of the Saile Group, recently attended the WBENC Summit & Salute, one of the "do not miss" business events of the year. First, the Summit brings together America's leading corporations, government agencies, women business owners and strategic partner organizations for a comprehensive two-day program which focuses on business forecasts, market trends, best practices and networking. Second, the Salute honors WBENC's award-winning Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) Stars for their achievements and leadership, and also pays tribute to America's Top Corporations for Women's Business Enterprises.
The Saile Group President Receives Leadership Award From American Heart Association
Anne Saile was honored to receive the 2012 Leadership Award at the Capital Region's 29th American Heart Association Annual Heart Ball. The Heart Ball Leadership Award is given for exemplary leadership and
guidance to staff and volunteers. Anne has been involved in the AHA for
nearly a decade, serving as a spokesperson and the chair of the
Advisory Board as well as a member of the Founders Affiliate Board. The Heart Ball raises funds to further the American Heart Association’s mission of building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
The Saile Group Attends American Heart Association's 29th Annual Heart Ball
The Saile Group will be attending the 29th annual Capital Region Heart Ball honoring BBL’s Don Led Duke, whose life and vision for the Capital Region ended too soon when he died of a heart attack in 2010. As chair of the 2012 Heart Ball, Joe Nicolla, president of Columbia Development, will lead the effort to raise funds to further the American Heart Association’s mission of building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Join us for an evening of dancing, a live auction, an inspiring and moving video about Don Led Duke, and a delicious dinner.
The Saile Group Attends 22nd Annual Excellence in Construction Awards
The Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. (ABC) Excellence in Construction Awards celebration honors the nation's most innovative and high quality construction projects and safety programs. Saile Group LLC was in attendance at this year's event in Phoenix, AZ.
The Saile Group Presents to Institute of Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
The Saile Group recently presented to the IEEE, the world's largest professional association dedicated to advancing technological innovation and excellence. IEEE and its members inspire a global community through highly cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities. Topics covered by the Saile Group included:
- Strategic Networking
- Strengthening Professional Impact
- How Non-Profits Can Effectively Raise Millions in Funds
- Advancing the Organizational Mission
Anne Saile: Steering Companies Back on Course
Anne Saile (Photo by Colleen Ingerto/Women@Work)
By Laurie Lynn Fischer/Women@Work
When Anne Saile was 10, her mother took her to the New York capitol building and sat her in the governor’s chair.
“She used to say that to get to the top of an organization, you have to look like a woman, think like a man and work like a dog,” Saile says. “She was the one who made me believe I could do anything and be brave.”
Saile, who chairs the Women Presidents’ Organization of the Capital Region, a nonprofit group for women presidents of million-dollar businesses, will give a keynote address on “Working in a Man’s World” at the first Women@Work networking symposium at Maria College in April. (See below for details.) Founder of the Saile Group — a national and state certified Women’s Business Enterprise — she coaches C-suite executives, helps companies manage transition, blogs and writes the Women@Work column “Tips from the Top.”
Saile reached the top early — and literally — when as a 5-foot, 8-inch fifth grader, she was the tallest kid in the school. “When any of the nuns were sick, I was asked to be the substitute teacher for the entire school — even eighth graders,” she says. “It came naturally to me to be able to get people to listen and to come up with fun and interesting ways of carrying out the lesson plan.”
Saile continued her education at SUNY Albany, at an Oxford University program in London, England, and at Russell Sage College in Troy before rising in the healthcare management field. “I started my college career in social work and figured out pretty quickly that I really loved being a manager, that I liked running things,” she says. “The theme of my career has been meeting challenges directly and helping organizations that are going through enormous change achieve startling results so they thrive.”
At her first job out of college, she managed hundreds of people and earned twice as much as her friends. Her proudest moment was saving Bellevue Woman’s Hospital. After 10 years as the Schenectady institution’s president and CEO, she helped transfer ownership to Ellis Medicine. Saile’s Albany-based firm has helped many companies navigate the rough waters of change to financial stability and growth.
“We’ll talk about a merger, how to get out of a business with the least amount of damage being done, selling the company or partnering up with someone,” she says. “Clients say they’ve come out of the situation stronger. Most of them haven’t had to merge. There are many ways to do something with less.”
Saile also works confidentially, one-on-one, with top executives for two-hour sessions, once or twice a month. “Many have found it very helpful and see a dramatic increase in their revenue,” she says. “We work intensely on their plans. The best thing that can happen is for an executive to think strategically about their career, their company and the future before something happens — about ways to grow their bottom line, bring new products to market, expand into other states or even franchise the concept of their company.”
Whenever children visit Saile’s Wolf Road office, she lets them sit in her chair. “What you put into the lives of others,” she says, “comes back into your own.”
Saile’s success secrets: Can women succeed in business without really trying? Absolutely not, says executive coach Anne Saile. “Women have to figure out how to empower themselves working in a man’s world,” she says. “Women also need to learn how to work in a woman’s world and be supportive of women.” Here are just a few of the pointers she’ll share at the upcoming Women@Work symposium:
DO:
When Anne Saile was 10, her mother took her to the New York capitol building and sat her in the governor’s chair.
“She used to say that to get to the top of an organization, you have to look like a woman, think like a man and work like a dog,” Saile says. “She was the one who made me believe I could do anything and be brave.”
Saile, who chairs the Women Presidents’ Organization of the Capital Region, a nonprofit group for women presidents of million-dollar businesses, will give a keynote address on “Working in a Man’s World” at the first Women@Work networking symposium at Maria College in April. (See below for details.) Founder of the Saile Group — a national and state certified Women’s Business Enterprise — she coaches C-suite executives, helps companies manage transition, blogs and writes the Women@Work column “Tips from the Top.”
Saile reached the top early — and literally — when as a 5-foot, 8-inch fifth grader, she was the tallest kid in the school. “When any of the nuns were sick, I was asked to be the substitute teacher for the entire school — even eighth graders,” she says. “It came naturally to me to be able to get people to listen and to come up with fun and interesting ways of carrying out the lesson plan.”
Saile continued her education at SUNY Albany, at an Oxford University program in London, England, and at Russell Sage College in Troy before rising in the healthcare management field. “I started my college career in social work and figured out pretty quickly that I really loved being a manager, that I liked running things,” she says. “The theme of my career has been meeting challenges directly and helping organizations that are going through enormous change achieve startling results so they thrive.”
At her first job out of college, she managed hundreds of people and earned twice as much as her friends. Her proudest moment was saving Bellevue Woman’s Hospital. After 10 years as the Schenectady institution’s president and CEO, she helped transfer ownership to Ellis Medicine. Saile’s Albany-based firm has helped many companies navigate the rough waters of change to financial stability and growth.
“We’ll talk about a merger, how to get out of a business with the least amount of damage being done, selling the company or partnering up with someone,” she says. “Clients say they’ve come out of the situation stronger. Most of them haven’t had to merge. There are many ways to do something with less.”
Saile also works confidentially, one-on-one, with top executives for two-hour sessions, once or twice a month. “Many have found it very helpful and see a dramatic increase in their revenue,” she says. “We work intensely on their plans. The best thing that can happen is for an executive to think strategically about their career, their company and the future before something happens — about ways to grow their bottom line, bring new products to market, expand into other states or even franchise the concept of their company.”
Whenever children visit Saile’s Wolf Road office, she lets them sit in her chair. “What you put into the lives of others,” she says, “comes back into your own.”
Saile’s success secrets: Can women succeed in business without really trying? Absolutely not, says executive coach Anne Saile. “Women have to figure out how to empower themselves working in a man’s world,” she says. “Women also need to learn how to work in a woman’s world and be supportive of women.” Here are just a few of the pointers she’ll share at the upcoming Women@Work symposium:
DO:
- Be direct. Be clear, not rude. Don’t explain things to death or depend on people to pick up subtle cues.
- Address people with confidence. Stand straight. Smile. Look someone in the eye. Believe in yourself. Have a voice. Comment when appropriate.
- Be decisive. Decide quickly, once you’ve got the facts. Give difficult decisions the “Dan Rather” test. Could you explain your action on the 6 o’clock news?
- Be brave. Take risks.
- Network. View every interaction as networking. Build relationships daily. People will help people they like and know. Five minutes in front of the right audience is worth a year behind your desk.
- Slip “you” instead of “I” into the conversation. People like hearing “you” second only to their names.
- Seek the chance to advance. Describe in writing the job that best uses your talents and fulfills you. Keep it handy. Focus on how you spend your time and present yourself. Watch your work environment for opportunities.
- Stand and shake hands as an equal if you’re seated when a man enters the room.
- Use a win-win approach. It works better. If you approach tasks with a competitive mindset, there’s a 50 percent chance the loser will be you.
- Volunteer to do other people’s work. Instead of staying late at the office or taking it home without getting credit, set priorities that will advance your goals.
- Let your schedule happen to you. Great careers don’t just happen; they’re planned. Think who you need to know and what your next move should be.
- Focus on problems when presenting proposals or action plans. Stick with solutions.
- Be a stalker. There’s a difference between being persistent and being overbearing.
- Do anything at work you’d be ashamed of. Be honest. Consider public perception. You never know how decisions you make today will influence your career tomorrow.
- Tell people what they want to hear. Tell them what they need to know.
- Yell. It never makes anyone feel good; they never forget it and they’ll never forgive you.
- Be afraid to seek help. Successful people know the best results happen when they reach out and ask for help. Too often, women feel they must go it alone.
- Kiss on the lips. Available online through Amazon or www.sailegroup.com, Saile’s book Don’t Kiss on the Lips and Other Networking Tips takes its title from her personal experience at networking events.
Sound Advice
In this article from May 2011 Visions Magazine, Anne provides insight into how businesses can use podcasts to promote themselves and connect with their audience.
Entrepreneur Boot Camp - Networking Your Way to Success
In this episode of the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce Podcast Series, Anne discusses how individuals and organizations can leverage the power of their networks to achieve their goals. (Press the play button below.)
HERLIFE Spotlight
In this article from the April 2011 edition of the Adirondack/Capital Region HERLIFE Magazine, Ann E. Butenas interviews Anne Saile about the powerful insights offered, "Don't Kiss on the Lips and Other Networking Tips", her new book featuring the dos and don'ts of networking your way to success.
Anne Saile's Trifecta Turnaround Honored by Steve Forbes
Feature article from The Business Review about Anne's tremendous success in turning multiple organizations on the brink of failure into tremendous successes.
