Women Who Impact

Meet Our 2013 Selections

SD METRO is proud to introduce Women Who Impact for 2013, a group of outstanding professionals who have made a name for themselves in their careers and are making significant contributions to our community. All of the women here were nominated by our readers. While all of the other nominations were of people who have made impressive job and community contributions, we believe our final choices are particularly noteworthy. We would like to thank everyone who took part in the nomination process.

Pam Fair

Pam Fair is vice president of environmental and operations support and chief environmental officer for San Diego Gas & Electric.  She led SDG&E to be the first  utility to be named National Climate Leader for the second consecutive year.  The Climate Leadership Awards recognize organizations that go beyond business as usual in the management and reduction of greenhouse gas (GHC) emissions. This year she helped SDG&E to be named the “Supply Chain Leadership Award” winner for being a leader with comprehensive GHC inventories, aggressive emissions reduction goals and leading-edge management of GHCs in SDG&E’s supply chains. Fair also led the protection of acreage above El Capitan Reservoir to be dedicated to the threatened California costal gnatcatcher and home to the golden eagle nesting sight. This is the second of more than 20 environmentally significant properties inside the Cleveland National Forest and in other natural areas that SDG&E is donating to offset impacts on sensitive vegetation. In addition, Fair leads SDG&E’s Green Team, a group of environmentally committed employees that help to reduce the carbon footprints of employees throughout their many campuses.

 

Susan Hack

An attorney at Higgs Fletcher & Mack,  Susan Hack is dedicated to educating  fellow attorneys  and future attorneys by her service on a number of committees and boards. The students  she has taught and mentored are the next generation of professionals who will be entering the legal community in San Diego. She is the current president of the Enright Inn of Court. Its mission is to create an atmosphere of camaraderie among lawyer and judges, and to provide attorneys with an opportunity to learn from other attorneys and judges at their monthly meetings. She has won the San Diego County Bar Association’s annual Bar Service Award for her outstanding service to legal education in San Diego. She is chair of the Higgs, Fletcher & Mack Diversity Committee and assists the firm in its $10,000 Diversity Scholarships that are awarded annually to a deserving University of San Diego law student. She has been a recipient of the YWCA’s Tribute to Women & Industry (TWIN) Award. She also serves on the “Bike-A-Thon” committee for the Magdalena Ecke YMCA.

 

Julie Wright

Julie Wright founded (W)right On Communications Inc. in 1998 in Vancouver and opened the San Diego office shortly after moving here in 2000. (W)right On is among the fastest growing and best regarded full-spectrum communications firms in San  Diego.  Wright’s principles have shaped her firm’s disciplined, targeted and practical approach to communications that produces results for her clients.  As president, she oversees all aspects of the agency’s operations. (W)right on handles in-kind communications for the San Diego North Economic Development Council and was very involved with the San  Diego Foundation’s Greater San Diego Vision project. She is a past chair of the President’s University Council, a community advisory group at the rapidly growing California State University San Marcos. In additio,n through personal financial contributions and pro-bono provision of services, Wright and her company provide more than $50,000 each year to organizations like supporting at-risk youth, people with disabilities, student education, breast cancer research, disaster recovery, travel for cancer patients and youth sports programs. (W)right On was named one of SD METRO Magazine’s Most Admired Companies in 2012.

 

Kim Reed Perell

Kim Reed Perell, who is CEO of  Adconion Direct, a cross channel digital advertising platform spanning display, video, mobile, email and social media, is a highly respected technology and online marketing entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in online media acquisition, direct marketing, lead generation and branding. Prior to Adconion Direct, Perell was president of Frontline Direct, a leading performance-based marketing company which she self-funded and grew to over $100 million in annual revenues. Frontline Direct was acquired by Adconion  in February 2008. When asked if she had ever imagined if the company would get this big, Kim replied, “No, never. My goal in life has always been to be happy and to inspire, motivate and help others.” Prior to founding Frontline Direct, Kim was responsible for Internet marketing and sales for Xdrive Technologies. She has been recognized as one of San Diego’s most admired CEOs. Adconion Direct has been voted one of San Diego’s best places to work and SD METRO Magazine has honored Adconion Direct as one of San Diego’s Most Trusted Brands and she has been featured  on the cover of the magazine as well.

 

Sharon Hazen Trapolino

Sharon Hazen Trapolino is senior vice president and branch administrator of Silvergate Bank where she plays a key role in the exponential growth of the bank.  She has helped lead the bank’s transition from an industrial loan charter to a business bank that would specialize in meeting the needs of small San Diego businesses. She has played a key role in the development and implementation of the Silvergate business banking  program, cash management department and business products and services. She has oveseen the relocation and expansion of Silvergate’s La Jolla/UTC and La Mesa branches, and the opening of new branches in Escondido and Carlsbad. Trapolino is active in numerous organizations and most recently helped organize the Women Owned Business Mixer in Mission Valley and Women in Business Symposium in Del Mar. She also volunteers her time with nonprofis including Elderhelp and Kids Day at the Beach.

 

Mary Ann McGarry

Mary Ann McGarry is CEO of Guild Mortgage, a company she joined in 1984 as a supervisor in internal audit. Within three years, she was promoted to senior vice president of loan administration and information technology.  She was named to the board of directors in 1988, elected president in 2005 and chief executive officer in 2007. McGarry has created such a positive work environment at Guild that many employees have been with the company for over 10 years. The company now has 425 employees in San Diego. Guild started in San Diego in 1960 with a single office but has now grown to more than 170 branch and satellite offices in 16 states. Guild’s loan volume has reached $6 billion and servicing volume $10 billion. Current plans and trends are pointing toward Guild achieving $10 billion in production volume and $20 billion in servicing volume by 2015. In 2012, Guild launched the Guild Giving Program that encourages employees to donate time and money to worthy causes in their own communities. The company’s program lets employees determine where their energy and resources are best utilized.

 

Lori Ann Stevens

Lori Ann Stevens is manager of business development for Turner Construction Co. She received her bachelor’s degree in construction management from Arizona State University and her master’s degree in Civil Engineering from San Diego State University. She has helped Turner win such recent projects as Affirmed Housing’s Connections Project in Downtown San Diego. The successful completion of the project provides the homeless in San Diego a shelter, kitchen and health center. The shelter is in San Diego’s first high-rise building, originally constructed in 1926. Stevens was an assistant vice president of Lowe Enterprises before joining Turner. She teaches master’s degree courses in civil engineering at San Diego State University. She has a leadership role in Project Mercy, which builds houses in destitute locations in Mexico, is a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and participates with ACE Mentorship, which is a weekly after-school program for high school students that encourages a career in engineering or construction.

 

Also Honored:

Joanne Pastula

President and CEO, Junior Achievement of San Diego

Andrea Walton

Chief development officer at American Red Cross

Joyce Dixon, RN

MSN at UC San Diego Medical Center

Catherine Blair

President of the board of directors, Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Bianca Jaime

Owner, So Diego Tours

Kim Moore

Soul Revision Consulting

Teresa Smith

Founder of Dreams for Change Inc.

Jacqueline Reynoso

President and CEO, National City Chamber of Commerce

Jessi Lacosta

Owner, BlueRio Strategies

Jeanne McAlister

Founder and CEO of McAlister Institute

Keri Robinson

Managing Director, San Diego Starwood Properties

JoAnn Fields

Communications Representative for Assembly member Shirley Weber

Cheryl Wilson

CEO, St. Paul’s Senior Homes & Services