Speaker Biographies
Speakers by last name: A-G | H-K | L-Z
Cindy Hangartner, Weld, Riley, Prenn & Ricci
About Cindy:
Cindy Hangartner practices in the areas of business and corporate law, tax and estate planning, and telecommunication issues. She is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin and Eau Claire County Bar Association. Hangartner is admitted to practice in Illinois, Colorado and Iowa. She formerly provided detailed tax analysis and guidance to individuals and Fortune 500 companies. Hangartner maintained and managed two international companies' compliance with regulations and industry standards.
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Cindy will be speaking at the following session:
- Potential Legal Pitfalls: Are Your Workers "Employees" or "Independent Contractors"? (Session 2: 10:30 - 11:30 am)
Weld, Riley, Prenn & Ricci is also a Gold Sponsor of the 2011 WBC.
Lynn Hayworth, Hayworth Fences
About Lynn:
Lynn Hayworth and her husband have owned and managed Hayworth Fence Company since 1984. She is greatly involved with the American Fence Association, including serving as a Board Member, Treasurer, Vice President, and President. Hayworth has worked with the American Fence Association and Southern Illinois University to develop training curriculum for future Certified Fence Professionals.
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Lynn will be speaking at the following session:
- Business Success Stories (Session 4: 3:00 - 4:00 pm)
Maria Herbert, First Net Impressions
About Maria:
Maria Herbert founded First Net Impressions in 1997. Her company is a professional design firm focused on helping businesses achieve a cohesive identity system, profitable website, and effective social media. Maria understands not only what you need to know to successfully brand your company, but also what it takes to build a business from scratch. Through her leadership, First Net Impressions has become an experienced web and graphic design company in the Eau Claire area with over 300 designs displayed in their portfolio. Her design team has earned 13 coveted American Graphic Design Awards for area business including RCU, Eau Claire Music School, Beaver Creek Reserve, Eau Claire County Humane Association, and Community Foundation of Chippewa Falls.
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Maria will be speaking at the following session:
- Creating an Effective Website (Session 2: 10:30 - 11:30 am)
Anne Hlavacka, UW-La Crosse Small Business Development Center
About Anne:
Anne M. Hlavacka is the Director of the Small Business Development Center at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Prior to taking that position, Anne practiced law for over 20 years with Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c., a corporate law firm headquartered in Milwaukee, WI. Her experience includes work with general corporate and small business matters, government contracts (including the development of strategic relationships), international trade, dispute resolution and compliance with federal, state and local regulatory requirements.
Anne is a Board member of the UW-La Crosse Foundation, the Pump House Regional Arts Center and the Coulee Region Business Center. She also serves on the Advisory Board of the Wisconsin Business Development Finance Corporation.
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Anne will be speaking at the following session:
- Planning for Success (Session 1: 9:00 - 10:00 am)
Monica Holtz, Holtz Creative Enterprises
About Monica:
Monica Holtz owns Holtz Creative Enterprises, a contract book publishing business in Eau Claire. Holtz is the author of "Emily at the Zoo" and "Behind the Zoo," two children's books about Irvine Park Zoo in Chippewa Falls.
Monica has been a writer and editor for more than 30 years. She worked as a journalist and editor at several daily and weekly newspapers in Wisconsin before starting her book publishing business in 2005.
As a contract publisher, she helps people publish books of all types and offers one-on-one assistance with book editing, layout, design, and printing.
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Monica will be moderating at the following session:
- Roundtable: Self Publication (Session 1: 9:00 - 10:00 am)
Julann Jatczak, Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation
About Julann:
Julann Jatczak develops and manages strategic initiatives for The Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC). She develops business workshops for micro-businesses, women, and low-income individuals. In addition to having published works, Jatczak has received several awards for her work, and nationally, Julann was selected by the U.S. Small Business Administration as their "Women's Business Champion."
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Julann will be speaking at the following session:
- Business with Meaning: Social Enterprise (Session 1: 9:00 - 10:00 am)
Mickey Judkins, Details
About Mickey: 
Mickey Judkins is the CEO of Details, Inc., a fine apparel and accessories store and its online counterpart detailsdirect.com. She is also a partner with her husband in Rochon Investments, a land development business.
In 2007, Ms. Judkins was appointed by Governor Doyle to serve as the Executive Director of the Division Global Ventures in the Wisconsin Department of Commerce. She was responsible for attracting investments to the State of Wisconsin. She worked in all industries, but focused on Wisconsin's high potential areas of biotechnology, information technology, manufacturing, agriculture and sustainable energy. Global Venture's recruitment strategy utilized intensive market research that brought together industry leaders with Wisconsin's innovative technology. She helped to create an energy consortium that brought together more than 130 engineers from both the public and private sectors. Mickey has worked to mentor Wisconsin entrepreneurs in all industries.
Ms. Judkins opened her first business in 1977 on the same day she registered for her junior year of college. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
Mickey will be speaking at the following session:
- How to Run a Business on Your Lunch Hour- Ways to Test Your Idea Before You Leave the Security of Your Job. (Keynote Address: 12:00 pm - 12:45 pm)
Karen Kraus, Special Olympics Wisconsin
About Karen: 
Karen Kraus is an experienced marketer, reporter, anchor, public relations professional, and event planner. With her extensive news reporting experience, Karen is knowledgeable and passionate about media and the local community.
After graduating from UW-Eau Claire with a degree in Broadcast Journalism, Kraus worked in both radio and television, earning several local and state awards for her reporting while at WQOW TV-18 in Eau Claire. In 2005, she began working in marketing, public relations, and event planning with Metropolis Resort in Eau Claire. Five years later, in 2011, Karen accepted the position of Director of Development for the local Special Olympics program. She is responsible for fundraising events and media relations for 18 counties in Northern and Western Wisconsin, which includes more than 1,100 Special Olympics athletes.
In her personal life, Karen is also no stranger to the world of entrepreneurship. She and a close friend are in the final stages of launching an online custom, hand-made greeting card business.
Karen will be speaking at the following session:
- Finding Your Inner Barbie (Welcome Address: 8:15 - 8:45 am)
Speakers by last name: A-G | H-K | L-Z
