World’s Most Exemplary Women Leaders in Business, 2023 by worlds leaders.pdf

Maz
Schirmer
www.worldsleaders.com Vol. 09 | Issue 03 | September 2023
World's Most Exemplary
Women
Leaders
in Business, 2023
Empowering Women
to Soar Beyond Limits
Discovers a Mortgage
Solution for Clients to Gain
their Homeownership
PG. 18
Encouraging Leaders
to be Agile and
Collaborative
PG. 40

World's Most Exemplary Women
Leaders in Business, 2023
A leader's role encompasses a variety of responsibilities,
including inspiring others to take on leadership roles in
the future. Most individuals nowadays get their
motivation from those who are more open to trying new
things and taking risks. These events also create a picture
of followership that elevates a leader to a model position.
A leader must possess qualities including ethics, vision,
commitment, and resilience in the face of difficulties.
These characteristics stand in for the concept of
leadership achievement as well. The most dependable
leadership in the corporate world is one which motivates
others.
World's Leaders latest edition “World's Most Exemplary
Women Leaders in Business, 2023” has featured
success stories of renowned women leaders which are
setting goals for every business leader out there.
The cover has Marylin (Maz) Schirmer, the visionary
Founding Director of the , the
Un-Institute of Women™
woman who defied all odds and emerged triumphant, has
dedicated her life to creating positive change and
empowerment for individuals who have experienced
traumatic childhoods or challenging life experiences.
At the outset, Maz's life seemed worlds away from the
heights of success she would later achieve. Struggling as
an unemployed check-out operator, she lived in fear,
plagued by insecurity, and was a devoted mother of four
children. But destiny had grander plans in store for her.
In an astonishing transformation, Maz soared to the
pinnacle of a Fortune 500 company, breaking Australian
records that had stood unchallenged for 43 years, leading
the highest producing team in ten countries! Even to this
day, her achievements continue to hold strong, etching
her name in the archives of history.
Also, while you flip through the pages, don't forget to read
the articles created by our in-house editorial staff and
industryexperts.
Leading by Example
Have a lovely read!

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CREDIT PAGE
SEPTEMBER 2023

Empowering Women to Soar Beyond Limits
Maz Schirmer
Cover
Story
10

Anna Fedosova
Donnica Hawes-Saunders
Kristin Decas
Sheri Hinish
Nadiya Albishchenko
Parmi Natesan
Kelly Augspurger
Margaret Kidd
Adrianne Pozzi
54
50
46
40
36
32
28
22
18

COVER
COVER
COVER
10 | SEPTEMBER 2023

Maz
Maz
Maz
Schirmer
Empowering Women to Soar Beyond Limits
“I am not just dreaming of a
beer future for our
descendants, I am on a
mission to create it and
ensure my innovations are
available for generations to
come, as they need.”
worldsleaders.com | 11

Meet Marylin (Maz) Schirmer, the
visionary Founding Director of the
Un-Institute of Women™, the
woman who defied all odds and
emerged triumphant, has dedicated
her life to creating positive change
and empowerment for individuals
who have experienced traumatic
childhoods or challenging life
experiences.
At the outset, Maz's life seemed
worlds away from the heights of
success she would later achieve.
Struggling as an unemployed check-
out operator, she lived in fear,
plagued by insecurity, and was a
devoted mother of four children.
But destiny had grander plans in
store for her.
In an astonishing transformation,
Maz soared to the pinnacle of a
Fortune 500 company, breaking
Australian records that had stood
unchallenged for 43 years, leading
the highest producing team in ten
countries! Even to this day, her
achievements continue to hold
strong, etching her name in the
archives of history.
Yet, what truly sets her apart is her
unwavering commitment to
empowering women worldwide. As
she travelled the globe, basking in a
decade of unparalleled success, Maz
Schirmer became increasingly
fixated on the prevailing obstacles
preventing women from achieving
their full potential. She yearned to
understand why dreams remained
elusive for so many, while she
herself had shattered barriers and
soared to unprecedented heights.
This profound quest for answers set
Maz on an extraordinary path - one
that would uncover the untapped
potential of the human mind,
particularly when it came to
unleashing the power of women.
Her journey delved deep into the
nuances of breaking free from the
shackles of limitation and turning
the key to one's true potential,
should they choose to do so.
Intrigued by her transformative
experiences, Maz embarked on a
mission to inspire and guide others,
fostering a new generation of
trailblazing women who would defy
convention and carve their paths to
success.
The Transformative Power of
Creatrix®
In the unique approach of
Creatrix®, the power of creative
visualization is harnessed to
emotionally and mentally educate
the nervous system, leading to
lasting calm. Personal life lessons
resolve the deeper assumptions and
perceptions, and can become more
productive head talk when
triggered, allowing them to
continue with their lives
unencumbered.
The primary goal of Creatrix® is to
break the cycle of deep
intergenerational patterns from
resurfacing by healing the heart
from past pains, including ancestral
trauma at the deep root level. This
process results in a profound
elevation of emotional intelligence
at the subconscious level, honing
intuition and empowering
individuals to make confident and
wise decisions in their lives.
During a Creatrix® session, a
Transformologist® guides their
female client on a safe and enjoyable
mind-visioning journey. This journey
helps the client intensely focus on
12 | SEPTEMBER 2023

A Vision of The Future - For Future Generations
Maz firmly believes that helping others should empower them rather than
deplete them, and she advocates for a financially secure lifestyle as a well-
deserved reward for providing such a powerful service. The system she has
created is a 'total' success system for women who wish to facilitate and a
comprehensive solution for those seeking their guidance – a WIN/WIN/WIN
situation and nothing less!
The brainchild of Maz's life's work, CREATRIX®, represents her most cutting-
edge innovation to date. Its purpose is to completely break through a
woman's emotional barriers, baggage, and limitations. Recognizing that she
cannot be the sole provider of this transformative experience of she wants
girls of the future to have access to it, Maz has made CREATRIX® duplicable,
through a special program called the Transformologist® Program. Her hope
is that thousands of women around the world will become licensed and
certified CREATRIX® Facilitators, enabling women suffering from emotional
turmoil to find relief. Additionally, the program aims to support women who
aspire to create a sustainable lifestyle where they are in control of their
money making potential, need to adopt and maintain a success mindset, so
as to break through the glass ceilings they arrive through growth and the
cycle of self-sabotage.
Maz acknowledges that women's psychological needs are at epidemic
proportions, yet the situation is often overlooked as a gender crisis, with little
action being taken to address it. Taking matters into her own hands, Maz has
established the Un-Institute of Women™ to tackle this issue head-on.
However, such a mammoth mission to SET 1 MILLION HEARTS FREE across
the globe requires support from others who share her vision, and the
genuine, teachable women to be delivering it.

symbolic stories their mind knows
to create until they experience self-
realizations, which in turn reset and
re-educate their unconscious mind,
liberating them from their deepest
traumas.
The Creatrix® process was entirely
structured to the science of
epigenetics, effectively resolving
insecurities and inner conflicts while
rapidly enhancing emotional
intelligence, intuition, and creativity.
To fully grasp the transformative
power of Creatrix®, one must
witness and experience it firsthand
as words alone cannot do it justice.
Unlocking the Power Within
The Creatrix® Transformologist®
Program stands as the flagship
initiative of the Un-Institute of
Women™, boasting a network of
over 200 highly trained women from
24 countries. These women, some
with previous industry experience
and some without, now possess
extensive experience and expertise
in aiding women in overcoming
emotional barriers and reaching
their full potential.
The program offered by the Un-
Institute of Women™ takes a
distinct approach, aimed at
addressing emotional blocks,
healing traumas, and fostering self-
esteem and confidence. Comprising
five stages, each tailored to target
specific aspects of a woman's
emotional and psychological well-
being, the program is facilitated by
trained Creatrix® coaches, who
provide a secure and captivating
mind-visioning journey, enabling
participants to tap into their
unconscious mind and unleash the
freedom to achieve their true
potential.
In the first stage, Re-Lease,
participants identify and release
emotional and limiting blockages
that may hinder their progress. The
second stage, Re-Learn, delves
deeper into understanding the
soul's lessons and equips
participants with tools to move
forward. During the third stage, Re-
Code, negative patterns passed
down through generations are
purged, allowing participants to
liberate themselves from harmful
inherited behaviors and beliefs. The
fourth stage, Re-Frame, empowers
participants to shift their
perspective and perceive things
differently, thereby opening new
avenues for growth. Finally, in the
fifth stage, Re-Create, participants
are emboldened to craft the life they
desire and become the best version
of themselves.
The program has proven highly
effective in resolving insecurities,
inner conflicts, while simultaneously
elevating emotional intelligence,
intuition, and creativity.
Remarkably, it has helped women
overcome pain syndromes such as
Fibromyalgia and release emotional
blocks that have held them back for
extended periods.
Another remarkable aspect of the
program is its inclusivity, as any
woman can learn to facilitate the
method and establish her own
business service, connecting with
women worldwide from the comfort
of her home laptop. This
accessibility ensures that women all
over the globe can benefit from the
transformative power of the
Creatrix® Program.
Empowering Women for
Generations
"I am not just dreaming of a better
future for our descendants, I am on
a mission to create it and ensure my
innovations are available for
generations to come, as they need
it", says Maz. The Un-Institute of
Women™ has earned a stellar
reputation in the industry, and their
flagship program, Creatrix®, is
considered the best for several
compelling reasons. The program is
exclusively designed for women,
taking into account their unique
psychological and physiological
needs, leading to more effective
outcomes and a comprehensive
healing process. It gets to the crux of
it at the deepest level.

A key factor in the program's success is its foundation
in the science of EPI-Genetics, which allows women
to address and overcome the impact of the past and
current environmental factors on their emotional
well-being.
One of the program's standout features is its user-
friendliness, making the healing process painless and
enjoyable, thereby increasing engagement and
reducing resistance. Creatrix® delves deep into the
root causes of negative emotions, ensuring a
thorough healing process that is both fast and long-
lasting. By significantly reducing intense anxiety and
negative emotions, the program boosts women's
confidence in decision-making by an impressive 59%.
The numerous awards earned by the Un-Institute of
Women™ further attest to the success of their
transformative program, Creatrix®. The recognition
includes the APAC Insider's Australian Enterprise
Award for Most Innovative Women's Empowerment
Program and their involvement in the award-winning
documentary called IMPACT, which garnered 7
international film awards. These accolades reinforce
the institute's commitment to empowering women
and making a positive impact on their lives.
As the industry leader, the Un-Institute of Women™
has garnered a reputation for its exceptional
customer satisfaction. Clients have shared their
profound experiences through videos and reviews,
highlighting the life-changing tools provided by
Creatrix®. The program not only helps women heal
from past traumas but also empowers them to
understand the deep need for the program to be
discovered, enabling them to support other women
using the same transformative tool.
With an outstanding track record and a steadfast
commitment to empowering women, the Un-Institute
of Women™ holds a promising future. By continuing
to provide life-changing tools and unwavering
support to women destined to help women become
empowered in their own right, they are poised to
transform the lives of countless women, helping them
overcome obstacles and find their true strength.
For more details please visit our websites:
Unins tuteofwomen.com &
her-poten ality.com
16 | SEPTEMBER 2023

Adrianne
Adrianne
Pozzi
Pozzi
Adrianne
Pozzi
Discovers a Mortgage Solution for
Clients to Gain their Homeownership
“Change is paramount
in the success of
our industry.”
18 | SEPTEMBER 2023

Senior Mortgage Advisor
U.S. Bank

In business, consistency is significantly more crucial than
you may think. Consistency will help you get
recognition, develop trust, and provide your services
effectively and profitably. Building a loyal customer base and
offering a memorable customer experience depend on being
consistent in your contact with your customers. Adrianne
Pozzi, Senior Mortgage Advisor at U.S. Bank, is consistent in
her needs, is creative and stimulates her staff by coming up
with fresh ideas and solutions for her clients.
Journey to the Present
For the past 24 years, Adrianne Pozzi has worked in the
mortgage market. She promoted debt consolidation while
working in sales for a credit card business. She has always
been passionate about sales and enjoyed interacting with
people to try to improve their financial situations. She finally
started working for a mortgage broker for a while and quickly
developed a passion for lending. A recruiter for U.S. Bank
then called Adrianne, and the owner decided to take a chance
on her and offer her a wonderful job working with a
wonderful builder. It's been a great experience for her to work
with them for the past 12 years.
She is currently a Senior Mortgage Advisor for .
U.S. Bank
She truly cares about assisting customers in realizing their
aspirations of becoming homeowners and creating personal
wealth for themselves through home equity. Like everyone
else in the field, she first struggled to establish a foothold, but
perseverance over time and a passion for the sector have
moulded her and the relationships she has now.
U.S. Bank
U.S. Bank provides access to loan facilities and investor
groups critical to the success of house builders and realtors.
U.S. Bank has been a leading lender in the real estate and
house-building sectors since its founding in 1985.
The company model, work culture, and philosophy are
created to fulfil the expectations of the customers in terms of
service delivery and accomplishment of objectives. The
success of U.S. Bank depends on its ability to offer service,
fulfilment, products, and competitive rates to builders,
realtors, and their clients. Builders and realtors have
historically increased closings by up to 30% thanks to U.S.
Bank's efforts and skills that other lenders lack. Because it
20 | SEPTEMBER 2023

provides all credit products, the company remains
competitive in the market. The level of expertise of the
team that works for customers is what distinguishes it.
A Workaholic by Nature
Adrianne prefers to think of herself as someone who is
passionate and driven, and who enjoys assisting buyers
and sales agents with the home-buying process; most
others would describe Adrianne as a workaholic. Her
daily responsibility as a high-producing senior mortgage
advisor is to maintain the team's and the buyers'
satisfaction. Monitoring the loans as they move through
the pipeline, speaking with her builders on the pipeline
call, and continuing to create friendships with her sales
representatives. She has also been a part of many
organizations over the years, such as Soroptimist
International, which is a women's helping women
organization.
Adrianne adds, "The happiest part of my daily routine is
when I get to call buyers and tell them they are loan
approved or that their loan is closed and how happy I am
for them and their families.”
Work-Life Balance
Beyond the workplace, Adrianne is the proud mother of
a great son, Alex Hamilton, who is 26 years old, and the
cutest dog, Lulu. She enjoys hiking, paddle boarding,
and traveling, and she spends most of her free time doing
these things. She is all about exploring new places and
making the most of her free time. Struggling to strike a
balance between work and family life has always been
the most difficult element of her job. Being forced to
pick between meetings with buyers or sales agents and
being present for family. Making compromises on both
sides is sometimes a requirement of having a career.
Adrianne's desire to always create more for herself and
her family has always come from her childhood in a
limited environment.
Technology in the Lending Industry: Yes, or No?
Any loan officer must keep up with new programs,
technology, marketing strategies, and other
developments since the market and how consumers
respond to them are constantly evolving. Adrianne
participates in webinars, business training sessions,
conferences focused on developing momentum, and
other learning opportunities. She strongly supports using
the most up-to-date technologies, but on the other hand,
she is a traditional loan officer who still enjoys sending
out birthday cards. In Adrianne's opinion, a loan officer's
success depends on the purchasers still receiving the
personal touch from their loan officer despite the
importance of technology and modern platforms in the
lending industry. She claims that economics plays a
significant role in the purchasing process and can be
unpleasant for a new homeowner. It's critical that they
have their hands held. She believes it would be great if
banks could figure out a wonderful way to combine the
two.
COVID Outbreak
The epidemic probably hastened the industry's use of
digital capabilities. Many consumers took advantage of
digital tools and had virtual experiences they would not
have had otherwise. Lenders grow accustomed to
employing remote workers and start utilizing team-based
solutions that improve communication with clients and
coworkers. Because of this, decisions should be made
with the future in mind. Lenders should move right away
to address issues that have already come to light and to
prepare for those that are sure to arise in mortgage
origination and loan servicing. The biggest obstacle
Adrianne faced over her 24-year career was COVID-19.
She is accustomed to face-to-face encounters, meetings,
and showing her sales representatives to the customers.
"Change is paramount in the success of our industry." -
Adrianne Pozzi says.
Adrianne had to conduct business and deal with the
public differently as a result of the pandemic. She had to
mostly use phone, email, and/or video zoom calls to
explain the process and coach buyers through it. She
enjoys interacting with her sales representatives, meeting
with them face-to-face to discuss the business and
engage in enjoyable social activities. She believes that
the best friendships may be formed when people can
engage both inside and outside of their job. It greatly
increases the satisfaction of working with everyone.

Sunstone Trust Company
AnnaFedosova
Chief Fiduciary Oﬃcer
22 | SEPTEMBER 2023

Anna
Fedosova
Serving the Interests of Families and
Individuals who Have Immigrated to
the United States
Anna
Anna
Anna
Fedosova
Fedosova
Fedosova
My English was very limited when I
arrived in the Unites States, and it was
very challenging at the beginning.
“
“ “
“

Excellent leaders, like great
financial advisors, are always
challenging the status quo,
breaking through opaque
boundaries, and never giving up on
learning new things. They have big
ideas and are excellent storytellers,
but they are terrible record-keepers.
To serve as a Chief Fiduciary Officer,
a person must be able to provide
strategic business leadership and
direction regarding important tasks
related to identifying, assessing,
mitigating, and managing risk in the
Wealth and Asset Management line
of business. They must also
guarantee that the necessary
platform and product controls are in
place. Additionally, it entails
monitoring and assessing how well
risk management is implemented
throughout all company business
lines, both individually and
collectively.
Anna Fedosova, MBA, CTFA, is
Sunstone Trust Company's Chief
Fiduciary Officer. She has worked for
private wealth and trust companies,
including U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo, and
First Bank, for 20 years as a senior
fiduciary and trust manager.
A top-ranked financial adviser with
an exceptional clientele, Anna has
helped high-net-worth clients
accomplish their short-and long-term
goals thanks to her in-depth
understanding of fiduciary matters and
her sophisticated estate and trust
planning abilities. She is a Registered
Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) and a
Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor
(CTFA). She serves on a board of
directors of the Society of Trust and
Estate Practitioners, Orange County
Chapter (STEP OC). Anna is a member of
the Orange County Estate Planning
Council (OCEPC), Women Lawyers
Association of Orange County (OCWLA),
and Association of Corporate Growth of
Orange County (ACG), She speaks fluent
English and Russian, in addition to a
moderate German, which complements
her professional and international
background.
24 | SEPTEMBER 2023

Beginning to Achieving a C Level Position
After earning a Bachelor of Science from Moscow
University and a Master of Finance from the Moscow
University of Statistics and Economics, Anna left Russia for
the United States to take advantage of the freedom and
chances that America has to offer. She applied for and was
hired for a position at First Bank's Trust and Wealth
Management Division while attending college to earn her
MBA. There, she worked for 12 years as a trust officer and
relationship manager. Although it was the start of her career
in finance, it didn't end there. As her professional
development continued, she eventually joined Wells Fargo's
Trust and Investment Division and US Bank's Private
Wealth Division as a Senior Trust Manager and Advisor.

Donnica
Hawes-Saunders
Innovative and Results-Driven Executive that
Excels in Highly-Regulated Industries
28 | SEPTEMBER 2023

Senior Manager, Global Strategic
Partnerships and Civil Engagement
Philip Morris International

Recognized and acknowledged for
achieving extraordinary results at the
nexus of commercial objectives and
social impact, Donnica Hawes-
Saunders is a mission-driven,
collaborative connection builder. She
creates and manages public relations
outreach and external communication
engagements for Philip Morris
International (PMI) with civil society
as the company transitions out of the
cigarette business and toward a
smoke-free future. Donnica links
public policy and corporate interests
by means of politically astute,
coalition-based communications and
strategic alliances. She has over ten
years of experience in the private
sector and on Capitol Hill.
Early Life and Work Experience
Donnica was born and raised in
Dayton, Ohio, and she remains
committed to her Midwestern values,
which privilege faith, family, and
friendship. Following her graduation
from college preparatory school, she
attended Spelman College, a stellar
member of the constellation of
institutions of higher education
known as HBCUs (historically black
colleges and institutions}.
At Spelman, Donnica earned her
bachelor of arts degree (B.A.),
magna cum laude, in Sociology and
Anthropology before moving on to
earn her doctor of laws degree (J.D.)
from the University of Dayton
School of Law. About her sojourn at
Spelman, Donnica recalls, “Spelman
really helped me show up more
authentically and have a different
perspective on challenges, which
prepared me for some of the
experiences I have had in my career
on Capitol Hill and in the corporate
sector.”
Donnica worked for Heineken USA
prior to joining PMI, where she
executed the company's legislative
agenda on the national and state
levels and developed connections to
enhance brand reputation through
corporate philanthropy, industry
responsibility, and diversity, equity,
and inclusion initiatives. Her work
was featured in a number of media
sites, including Food & Drug
Magazine, The Examiner News,
Convenience Store News,, Abasto,
Beverage Media, Beverage Industry,
Westfair Online, Just-Drinks, Hungry
Forever, Engage for Good,
SelfishGiving, and Cause Radio.
Before joining Heineken USA,
Donnica spent several years serving
as a senior staffer on Capitol Hill. As
a part of her broad background in
policy and legislative strategy, she's
drafted and advanced legislation
including bills to improve responses
to victims of child sex trafficking
(P.L. 114-22) and established
amendment language in the 2014
Farm Bill Conference Report
designating a historically black
college (HBCU) as an 1890 Land
Grant University, increasing access
to federal funds.
A Communication and
Collaboration Expert
Donnica utilizes a collaborative
leadership style because she
recognizes the value of being
consultative as well as authoritative.
As a leader, she assumes the
obligation to know the way, show the
way, and go the way. As a team
member, she values empathy because
compassionate concern, together
with empowering support, promotes
mutuality, reciprocity, and
compatibility. She believes that
leadership should be inspirational
and aspirational as well as strategic
and pragmatic.
R
30 | SEPTEMBER 2023

‘
‘‘
‘If we work responsibly and
accountably at the
intersection of social
impact, public policy, and
global communication,
opportunities can
look better for all
parties involved.”

Co-Founder | Steadfast Insurance, LLC,
32 | SEPTEMBER 2023

Co-Founder of Steadfast Insurance, LLC, Kelly Augspurger is
a Long-Term Care Insurance Specialist and Certied Senior
Advisor (CSA®). She assists businesses and people in
creating care plans now to live well and to lessen the
negative nancial, physical, mental, and emotional burdens
of long-term care (LTC) scenarios. She offers many different
LTC insurance solutions and expert advice on how to
protect your family, income, and assets.
Since Steadfast Insurance is a family-run independent
insurance rm, it is totally independent of any particular
corporation. It locates the best business and insurance
coverage for customers and their families based on their
particular demands.
Kelly co-founded a used vehicle dealership in 2007 before
her and her husband started Steadfast in 2019. She learned
how to launch and run a business, promote, acquire, and
sell automobiles, and provide customers with excellent
service over her twelve years at the dealership. When her
daughter was born in 2010, she reduced her hours and
switched to a part-time schedule. Kelly got priceless
experience that equipped her and Adam to launch
Steadfast. The abilities she needs on a daily basis, such as
multitasking, problem solving, conict management,
communication, organizing, etc., are also much enhanced
by becoming a mother.
Provides Caring through Coverage,
Compassion, Integrity, Responsiveness,
and Transparency
C

Below are highlights of the interview
conducted between World's Leaders and Kelly
Augspurger:
Describe who you are as a person, inside
and outside of the workplace.
I had to ask my husband for help with this
one. I hope to reflect both giving and gratitude
throughout my personal and professional life.
We've been so blessed and received so much
that I want my gratitude to be evident in what
I do. Bringing this gratitude to both sides of
my life hopefully shows itself in positivity and
happiness that infects others. The importance
of really showing up as a light for others in
this way is important to me. The heartfelt
gratitude that I have pushes me to try to give
to others in all that I do.
Tell us about the inception of the company.
How did it all start?
My husband, Adam, and I had been talking
about owning and operating our own business
for years. We wanted to make a significant
impact in people's lives, have flexibility,
ownership, opportunities for growth,
creativity, and the ability to give clients a
unique, customized experience. He was an
insurance agent at another agency before we
started Steadfast, and the insurance business
was a natural fit. It's the best industry to be in!
The fact that we get to help protect families
and businesses and the people and possessions
most important to them; it's SO important and
we're honored to do it.
What has made you successful? What do
you value?
I think "success" looks different for each
person. For me, success is not X number of
policies sold or X amount in premiums sold.
Success is not a number. I'm successful when
I'm helping people and making a difference in
their lives, spending quality time with my
family; learning new and useful things,
meeting new people and expanding my
network; improving a skill or process; and
being able to give, save, and travel. I value the
people in my life and the time I have with
them, my faith, and the opportunities and
blessings I've been given.
34 | SEPTEMBER 2023

What's made me successful in my
eyes?
Those in my life:God, my husband,
parents, in-laws, kids, friends, mentors,
etc. They've all helped me become
successful in different ways. I think my
attitude, drive, passion, ability to
connect with people, and market
myself have helped too.
What are the most important aspects
of a company's culture? What
principles do you believe in and how
do you build this culture?
We believe that culture drives company
actions. It's sort of the "who" of a
company entity and reflects the
principles that guide decision making.
We want our culture to be one of
servant leadership in all that we do. We
believe that everyone has the potential
to lead in an organization, regardless of
their official role.We want service to be
at the forefront of what our business
represents, as that is what we believe
will keep us unique.
What is the significance of
innovative ideas in the company?
We try to make things easier for
customers in ways that best suit them.
We want to serve people who can
benefit from our council in the ways
that they prefer. Innovative ideas help
us vary the ways we can reach others
and best communicate the advice we
offer.
Give us your opinion on; do
organizations rely heavily on
individual heroics or team
processes?
Individual heroics seem to get the
"press" for organizations all the time,
but those who are truly successful will
be pointing from the podium to the
teams that got them there. Businesses
can absolutely have their own
individual "rockstars," but they are
almost always supported by a team that
enables them to shine. In our industry,
it's often the big producers who get
attention due to their large revenue
numbers, but without the underwriting
teams, the claims teams, customer care,
billing teams, etc., the producers don't
have anything to sell. Without the
"back end" teams, our producers would
quickly fall flat as their reputation and
product would be burnished by the
others. Organizations may very well
rely on individual heroics for different
pieces of their success, but it's the team
processes that make those heroics
possible.
What are your responsibilities as the
CEO/Founder/President/Director of
the company? What is the happiest
part of your daily routine?
My responsibilities include serving
clients by providing education and
insurance solutions, creating our
marketing plan; blogging; videos; and
being our community advocate. I love
what I do! My family personally
experienced four LTC situations with
my grandparents. No one had a plan or
insurance, and it caused severe
consequences for my family:
physically, mentally, emotionally, and
financially. It's my goal to reduce these
consequences for other families by
helping them put a plan in place, so
they don't end up in "crisis mode" and
so they can live well! The happiest part
of my daily routine (outside of
spending time with my family) is
hearing my clients' stories, getting to
know their families, and
recommending plans that will best
protect their quality of life.
What advice would you give
someone going into a leadership
position for the first time?
Ÿ Find mentors that can support you
personally and professionally and
help you reach your goals.
Ÿ It's ok for others to shine in their
area of expertise or talent. Don't
compare yourself to others. It's a
dangerous game that usually doesn't
lead to positive outcomes. Remind
yourself how far you've come and
focus on what you're doing well
and work on areas you can
improve.
Ÿ Take measured risks. Have courage
and take a leap of faith. You won't
know if you can do it until you try.
Ÿ Be a servant leader: serve others,
show integrity, compassion,
humility, and generosity.
Ÿ Give thanks. Give credit and praise
to those who help you along the
way.
Ÿ Be confident and curious.
Ÿ Offer support and encouragement to
others. You see another woman
succeeding or struggling? Offer her
help and encouragement.
Ÿ Build a meaningful network of
people and resources.
Ÿ When an idea or plan fails, learn
from it and be resilient.

A Pioneer in Infrastructure, Transportation,
and Trade Based on the Sea
I feel it is so important to apply for
the big jobs. I was the only woman
that applied for my current job out of
60 applications, and guess what?
I got the job.
36 | SEPTEMBER 2023

CEO & Port Director
The Port of Hueneme
Kristin Decas

A vision is a distinct, clear, and
focused image of the future, and it is
frequently associated with significant
organizational advancements. Effective
leaders will articulate their vision in a
way that inspires excitement and
dedication among all members of the
company. The difference between a
manager and a leader lies in their
capacity to articulate a vision and
utilize it to motivate others.
Kristin Decas is a seasoned leader who
consistently proves her capacity to
develop a vision and carry out a plan
through open, collaborative methods
that encourage outcomes. The CEO of
the Port of Hueneme is passionate,
focused, and committed to serving the
needs of the local community and Port
customers.
For the first 18 years of her life, Kristin
lived in New York, where she was
born. She graduated from the
University of Vermont with a
bachelor's in economics with a minor
in philosophy and from the University
of Denver with a master's in
environmental policy and law with a
concentration in natural resources. She
began her career at the Port of New
Bedford in Massachusetts, the top-
value fishing port in the country, and
has held the position of Port Director
and CEO for the past 16 years. She
reasoned that it would be wise to
consider opportunities for professional
advancement after serving in that
position for six years. As soon as she
learned about the Port of Hueneme's
port director/CEO position, she made
the decision to apply.
Throughout the interview process,
Kristin discovered she truly loved the
location, the neighborhood, and the
port, which increased her excitement
for the chance. Nearly ten years later,
she still genuinely loves her job and
working with her amazing staff, the
best clients, and neighborhood
partners. She adds, "I am fortunate to
be part of it.”
Port of Hueneme
The Port of Hueneme is one of the
West Coast's busiest and most effective
cargo trading gateways. The port,
which is governed by five locally
elected Port Commissioners, is the
sixth-largest on the west coast and the
fourth-largest in California. The port
consistently ranks among the top 10
U.S. ports for vehicles and fresh
vegetables, moving $11.4 billion worth
of commodities annually. Port
operations benefit the neighborhood by
generating $2.2 billion in economic
activity and 20,032 jobs in the trade
sector. More than $173 million in
direct and associated state and local
taxes are generated by trade via the
Port of Hueneme, and these taxes are
used to pay for essential community
services. The Port has had a number of
accomplishments thanks to the board's
vision and the team's dedication. On
the front of foreign trade, freight saw a
gain of 58% and revenues increased by
an astonishing 116%.
Steps to Community Service
The Port of Hueneme places a high
priority on the community. Beginning
in 2012, Kristin and her team started
hosting an annual Banana Festival to
honor the working waterfront, which is
currently attended by over 12,000
people annually. During the pandemic,
"Feeding the Frontline" programs took
the place of the festival, utilizing Port
clients, local small business owners,
volunteers, and health clinics to
provide over 40,500 families in
Ventura County with over 1.1 million
pounds of vegetables and other
resources. They established an
environmental framework, which
resulted in the installation of a
shoreside power system where vessels
plug in at berth, making them
emission-free and the development of
world-class air quality monitoring in
South Oxnard.
The Port won the title of greenest port
in the US at the International Green
Shipping Summit in 2017, becoming
the first port in California to receive
Green Marine Certification in
California (a third-party environmental
audit). The Board approved a
decarbonization resolution in
November 2021.
Successful Supply Chain Leaders'
Traits
For the upcoming generation of leaders
in the product movement, there are an
increasing number of academic options
at higher education levels that are
easily accessible. According to Kristin,
backgrounds in a variety of industries
pave the way for individuals to
advance to leadership roles throughout
the supply chain. Soft skills must be
preserved despite the digital age's
temptations and technologies, though.
Kristin contributed to a publication and
co-authored a chapter on the future of
transportation professionals and
workforce development. She
conducted an American Association of
Port Authorities (AAPA) poll of port
CEOs across the country in order to
gather the most accurate information
available, and the results showed that
leadership, interpersonal
communication, and teamwork skills
are the most in-demand skill sets.
A
A
A

Margaret
Margaret
Kidd
Kidd
Margaret
Kidd
Encouraging Leaders to be
Agile and Collaborative
“This is the safe space we create as
educators for students to expand
their knowledge and skillsets
outside of the classroom.”
40 | SEPTEMBER 2023

Margaret Kidd
Program Director & Instructional
Associate Professor
University of Houston

Today's successful supply chain
leaders must be lifelong learners to
keep up with technological
advancements and trends for a digital
future; they must be flexible in their
reactions; and they must embrace
multicultural teams to drive the triple
bottom line. The time required to
stay current with new technology and
best practices is considerable. The
focus is on maritime ports in the
supply chain, a vast industry where
specialization is encouraged by
globalization. Meet Margaret Kidd,
Program Director and
Instructional Associate Professor at
the University of Houston continues
to advance as a supply chain leader
through research, participation in
conferences and events, as well as
discussions with key players in
global trade about trends.
Steadfast Career Hike
Margaret Kidd graduated with a BBA
(General Business) from the
University of Houston Clear Lake
(UHCL) in 1985 and immediately
headed to Wall Street, where she
worked as a broker's assistant for
nine months before landing a seat in
a broker training program at Smith
Barney. Over the next fifteen years,
she successfully advanced her career
in the financial services industry
while working with several of the
biggest investment companies. She
spent six years in Texas working for
her family's privately held real estate
management company's senior
executive team. She enrolled in
UHCL's master's program in Cross
Cultural Studies in 2007.
Margaret wanted to connect her
educational experiences as a
committed lifelong learner, having
completed both a BBA and an MA.
She began her doctoral studies in
urban planning and environmental
policy in the fall of 2009, completing
60 doctoral credits with a port-city
interface, sustainability, and
economic development focus. This
was her launch into a second career
in academia.
Margaret started working at the
University of Houston as an
instructional assistant professor in
2016. She was promoted in August
2018 to Program Director for the
SCLT BS degree program and again
to Instructional Associate Professor
in 2022.
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a
Carnegie Tier One Public Research
University in the country's fourth
largest city. The university is also
T
42 | SEPTEMBER 2023

among the most culturally diverse in
the country. The amalgamation of
industrial corporations from the
energy, healthcare, transportation,
logistics, ﬁnance, aerospace,
technology, e-commerce, and
distinctive innovation environment,
along with Texas role as the largest
export state in the country overall,
provide endless opportunities for
students entering the workforce and
an abundance of collaborative
research for faculty. The University
of Houston is certainly a beneﬁciary
of the economic prosperity driven by
a robust statewide economic
development strategy, as well as the
regional port ecosystem.
One of only three STEM-recognized
supply chain undergraduate degree
programs in the state is the Supply
Chain & Logistics Technology BS
program; the other two are in the
Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Parmi
Parmi
Natesan
Natesan
Parmi
Natesan
A Leading Corporate Governance Specialist
and Renowned Business Leader
Parmi Natesan | CEO | IoDSA
50 | SEPTEMBER 2023

According to experience, ethical
leadership promotes higher levels
of employee satisfaction and
lower turnover rates. Even when
their actions are not directly
visible to their staff, ethical
leaders should always act
morally and appropriately in all
aspects of their lives. Good
corporate governance is
promoted by the Institute of
Directors in South Africa (IoDSA),
which King IV defines as ethical
and efficient leadership. Parmi
Natesan, the CEO of IoDSA, finds
that this is consistent with who
she is as a person and what she
stands for. According to her,
businesses and the nation will go
forward on a positive trajectory
under the direction of ethical
and effective leadership.

Indulged as CEO
Parmi Natesan is a certified chartered
accountant who holds a BCom (cum
laude) and a BCom (honors) degree
and is a qualified Chartered
Accountant by the South African
Institute of Chartered Accountants.
She started working with the IoDSA
in 2010 as a Senior Governance
Specialist before being appointed to
Executive for Governance in 2015
and CEO in 2019.
Parmi is in charge of the business's
overall performance. She directs and
keeps an eye on strategy
implementation and progress. Over
the past few years, she has made
significant progress with the plan.
The company's performance has
improved with time, and last year's
business success was the best in the
company's 60-year history. Her
responsibilities also include a sizable
portion of stakeholder relations. She
is also in charge of reporting,
especially the annual integrated
report of the company, which she
drafts.
Institute of Directors in South
Africa
The Institute of Directors in South
Africa is a nonprofit company that
represents directors in South Africa.
Its history spans more than 60 years.
Although it is primarily a
membership organization, it also
provides various services pertaining
to governance and directorship, such
as board and governance training,
governance advice services, and
board evaluation services.
Additionally, it owns and grants the
Certified Director and Chartered
Director SA director designations,
both of which are registered with the
South African Qualifications
Authority. Better Directors, Better
Boards, Better Business is its tagline.
The King Committee for Corporate
Governance in South Africa and the
many King Reports and Codes are
both under the auspices of the
IoDSA, which also promotes good
corporate governance in South
Africa.
Defines her Characteristics
Parmi is passionate and driven, and
she goes above and beyond to
accomplish her goals despite being a
busy CEO in the fast-paced business
world, working as a non-executive
director on outside boards, and
participating in numerous local and
international forums and committees.
She prides herself on being well-
organized because she has such a
hectic life and is constantly being
pushed in a variety of directions. She
made swift connections to figure out
the best course of action. She is
Meticulous—For her, quality and
attention to detail are non-negotiable.
This also means that she holds others
to high standards, which motivates
them to succeed. She is humble and
doesn't consider any task beneath her,
so to speak.
Walks the Day
Parmi Natesan is not only an active
housekeeper and mother. In order to
give each area of her life attention,
she tries to achieve balance in her
life. She devotes a lot of time to
raising her two teenage children
because she believes it is our
responsibility as leaders of today to
produce better leaders of tomorrow.
Parmi is unsure of her favorite
I am especially proud that
my first two Integrated
Reports as CEO have won
the Integrated Reporting
Awards in the NPO
category for 2020 and 2021.
52 | SEPTEMBER 2023

moment of the day. Each day is
different. She places importance on
recognizing even modest everyday
victories. She personally begins each
day with a 30-minute workout to get
moving, and she practices
intermittent fasting. She feels that for
any professional in a leadership
position, maintaining good physical
and mental health is crucial.
Advancement of Leadership as a
Woman
Parmi thinks it's critically important
that people regularly evaluate their
leadership abilities and styles,
especially as the world changes and
the workforce's generational shifts
necessitate very different leadership
talents than in the past. This calls for
having their fingers on the pulse at all
times and being quick to react.
Everyone is all continually
developing new technical skills.
Parmi believes that because of how
quickly the world changes,
professionals could easily become
stagnant. There is thus a need for
constant awareness of the most
recent trends and advancements. She
proposes reading, following specific
social media pages or channels,
interacting with like-minded
professionals, and other activities as
ways to do this. Learning on demand,
whenever and wherever it suits them.
People are becoming less and less
inclined to want to spend an entire
day in a classroom. They want to be
able to schedule their growth around
their needs. Parmi considers that
learning a specific skill when needed
is preferable to taking a protracted
course that covers auxiliary material.
Diverse teams make better
decisions
Even if there has been considerable
progress in recent years, there are
still far too few women in positions
of leadership. Parmi says, "Not
because she thought women were
better leaders than men, but simply
because women were different
leaders to men.”
It is in this uniqueness and diversity
that the magic occurs. She thinks
that's why we need a mix of men and
women in positions of power.
Complex challenges are best solved
by diverse teams. She claimed that
members of varied groups tend to be
more diligent around people they see
as being "different," challenge one
another more readily, and study more
facets of a problem, avoiding group
thinking.

Sheri Hinish
Vice President
IBM
54 | SEPTEMBER 2023

Sheri Hinish loves highlighting sustainable
innovation, insights that challenge
conventional thinking, and diverse people
across global supply chains who are
underrepresented in STEM and supply
chains. She hosts a top podcast called the
Supply Chain Revolution, exploring how we
can use circularity, sustainability, inclusive
leadership, and technology to design a
better world. Companies featured include
Microsoft, SAP.iO, Ellen MacArthur
Foundation, Pyxera Global, Roundtable for
Sustainable Palm Oil, Rheaply, Infor, IBM,
Starbucks, and many more.
SHERI
HINISH
Creating Change
that is Impactful,
Equitable, and
Responsible

Below are highlights of the interview
conducted between World' leaders and
Sheri Hinish:
Describe who you are as a person,
inside and outside of the workplace.
I am someone who is incredibly driven
by purpose in all that I do. My purpose
is simply to make a meaningful impact
on the clients, colleagues, partners, and
communities I serve. I help customers
design and build supply chains of the
future that empower the human
experience, strategically champion
stewardship, and create change that is
impactful, equitable, responsible, and
profitable. When I am not working, I
am... spending time with my 3 kids and
husband, walking outdoors, gardening,
and cooking.
Describe your background and what
did you do before you started or
joined the company?
Colleagues and clients affectionately
call me the nickname "Supply Chain
Queen." I'm recognized as a trusted
advisor that companies consistently
leverage for strategy and a unique
point of view in supply chain,
sustainability & the SDGs, talent +
organizational change management,
diversity as a business imperative, and
strategy in digital transformations.
I have spent over 17 years leading and
influencing transformations as a
practitioner and consultant for Fortune
500 clients in consumer, technology,
industrial, and disruptive innovation in
e2e processes and product design.
I am a rebel and an eternal student who
loves to bring out the best in people.
I've made a career of simplifying the
complex, rethinking supply chain
strategy and customer experience. I
host a top podcast that evangelizes the
future of supply chains called the
"Supply Chain Revolution." My vision
is to change the world through shared
purpose, sustainable supply chains,
circularity, and building technology
grounded in the principles of
sustainable development.
Before joining IBM, I served as a
sustainability and supply chain leader
for a number of global brands. I also
founded Supply Chain Revolution, a
podcast that shares stories of purpose
and sustainable transformation,
innovation, and provocative points of
view that challenge paradigms for
progress.
Tell us about the inception of the
company. How did it all start?
IBM is a leading provider of global
hybrid cloud and AI services and
consulting expertise. We help clients in
more than 175 countries with insights
from their data, streamline business
processes, reduce costs, and gain a
competitive edge in their industries.
Earlier this year, IBM Consulting
officially launched our Sustainability
Services offering. Our team of leaders
and consultants work with businesses
to develop sustainability roadmaps that
go beyond compliance to meet board
and consumer expectations; implement
a holistic, responsible computing
platform based on cloud and AI; and
operationalize sustainability by
incorporating data and automation into
daily workflows.
What has made you successful?
What do you value?
My work ethic, determination, and
passion for work have all led to my
success. I think it's also my love of
learning and ability to challenge
traditional paradigms of work that set
me apart from others and is one way
that I've achieved success.
I truly value my relationships—in
particular, my relationships with my
family, friends, team and peers in
sustainability and supply chain. My
relationships bring me joy, they keep
me informed and they help me get a
better view of what the latest
challenges and best practices are that
we can implement on our journey to
become more sustainable.
Which are the major services of the
company and how do they the
company to get ahead in the
competition? What value-added
services does the company provide?
IBM Consulting Sustainability
Services guides clients from strategy to
execution to become a sustainable
enterprise. IBM helps embed
sustainability into an organization's
operations and culture across
transparent supply chains, ESG
reporting and finance, responsible
computing and green IT,
decarbonization and clean energy
transition, climate risk assessment and
adaptation, and most importantly,
putting the human experience and
planetary health at the center of
transformative change.
What is the significance of
innovative ideas in the company?
Innovation is at the core of what I do
each day. I surround myself with a
team of diverse thinkers who are
passionate about sustainability and
how IBM Consulting can help
companies drive meaningful change
while not losing sight of achieving
their business goals.
Give us your opinion on; do
organizations rely heavily on
individual heroics or team
processes?
I really think that it depends on the
organization. I believe that individual
heroics are not the key to long-term
success. You need to have an engaged
team and a clear vision, along with
processes in place that can help you
achieve success as a unit rather than a
singular person.
B
56 | SEPTEMBER 2023

What are your
responsibilities as the
Founder/CEO of the
company? What is the
happiest part of your daily
routine?
I currently lead sustainability
services and alliances
globally for IBM. My job is
to serve and deliver
differentiated value and
impact for our clients with a
breadth of offerings, strategic
alliances, research, world-
class talent, and ethical
innovation to build a
responsible, equitable, and
circular world. The happiest
part of my daily routine is
waking each morning
knowing I am doing exactly
what I was put on this earth
to do!
What advice would you give
someone going into a
leadership position for the
first time?
Never stop learning. Being a
leader doesn't mean always
having all of the answers. A
great leader listens to their
team and learns from them,
regardless of how junior or
senior they may be.

World’s Most Exemplary Women Leaders in Business, 2023 by worlds leaders.pdf

World’s Most Exemplary Women Leaders in Business, 2023 by worlds leaders.pdf

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