Second Annual 50 Women Owned Businesses to Follow




Multiple academic studies, along with heaps of personal experiences, have shown that in business settings men not only talk more than women, but also tend to more frequently interrupt their female peers. The reasons that the studies have settled on vary from men using conversation as a tool of dominance to men simply being raised to perceive interruptions differently, but […]

Resolution aims to increase number of women serving on boards, leadership roles




On April 26, a resolution was passed that urges all nonprofit institutions, public and private companies doing business in Pennsylvania to have a minimum of 30 percent women directors by the end of the year 2020. This was passed with a unanimous vote of 189-0. The resolution was supported by The Forum of Executive Women of Greater Philadelphia. It was […]

Marakae Marketing Inc.

Est. 1996 | North Huntingdon

Maria Bernardo Brady envisioned Marakae Marketing in 1996 to achieve her goals of a rewarding career while enjoying motherhood. Marakae is pronounced Ma (short “a”), Ra (long “a”) and Kae (long “a”) and is a name formed by the first syllables in Maria’s name along with her daughters’ names, Rachael and Kailey. Maria quickly grew her client base to extend […]

Benzel’s Bretzel Bakery, Inc.

Est. 1911 | Altoona

Benzel’s has specialized in the production of pretzel products for well over 100 years. Adolph Benzel, the grandfather of current president, Ann Benzel’s, husband, started the company after emigrating from Germany. The business passed from generation to generation growing from a regional bakery to a national distributor and remains family and woman-owned today manufacturing under the Pennysticks brand label. The […]

The Sargent’s Group

Est. 1980 | Johnstown

The Sargent’s Group, Inc. was founded in 1980 by Sara “Sally” Sargent and consists of three sister companies: Sargent’s Court Reporting, Inc., Sargent’s Transcription Service, Inc. (STS) and Sargent’s Personnel Agency, Inc. (SPA). Sargent’s Court Reporting offers court reporting and transcription services to a variety of local, state and federal entities, as well as private clients. Sargent’s Court Reporting has […]

Swisher Concrete Products, Inc.

Est. 1990 | Clearfield

Since 1990, Swisher Concrete Products, Inc. has continued to grow by acquiring updated manufacturing equipment, trucks, etc. as well as maintaining a core group of employees that have made it all possible. One of the biggest assets of this business is the family-oriented atmosphere that has developed over the years with their employees. They take pride in the products that […]

Blair Insurance Services, Inc.

Est. 1980 | Altoona

Divorced with three young kids and equipped with five years of insurance experience and three years of investment experience, Bonnie Hand started Blair Insurance Services, Inc. Blair Insurance Services grew to have two offices in Altoona and Pittsburgh. Blair Insurance Services offers business insurance, group health, life insurance, annuities and bonding. Hand is known for helping businesses get their first […]

Margaret Sams Consulting

Est. 2006 | Venetia

Established in 2006, Margaret Sams Consulting (MSC) has done environmental studies for hundreds of public and private projects throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia, within a wide variety of environmental contexts. More specifically, the environmental firm studies the soil for its potential to hold intact archaeological resources and assists other teams […]

Yoga Dear

Est. 2015 | Lewisburg

Yoga Dear believes that yoga is so much more than fancy yoga poses. They’re a vibrant community of friends and family, who practice together and believe in the power of yoga to strengthen the body, invigorate the mind and ignite the spirit. Yoga Dear offers rejuvenation through flooding the body with strength, flexibility and the flow of breath through low-impact […]

Roberta Binder Heath, LL C

Est. 2010 | Huntingdon

Robin Binder opened Roberta Binder Heath, LLC. in 2010, a firm that concentrates on school law, business law, employment law and labor relations, commercial and general civil litigation, civil rights and construction litigation. Binder also teaches as an adjunct professor of business law at Juniata College, a position she has held since 1999. Prior to opening the firm, Binder was […]