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APRIL 3, 2023 | HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | WOMEN IN BUSINESS B 3 THE 2023 WOMEN IN BUSINESS HONOREES Candace Adams President & CEO Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England A s president and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England, New York and Hudson Valley properties, Candace Adams is respon- sible for overseeing the brand's operations and 2,200 agents across the Northeast. Throughout her 26-year tenure at BHHS, she's managed tremendous success and expansion. Adams has been included among Swanepoel's "Power 200" list of the most powerful people in residential real estate 10 consecutive years. She has been twice named among Real Estate Executive Magazine's "100 Most Influential Real Estate Executives" and was selected as a RISMedia Newsmaker multiple times. In September of 2022, she was inducted into the RISMedia Newsmaker Hall of Fame for her contri- butions to the residential real estate industry. Additionally, Adams was honored as part of the New Haven Biz's Class of 2022 "Power 25" list. What have been your biggest professional accomplishments so far? My biggest accomplishment is leading a company to exponential growth by expanding in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Westchester, New York City and Hudson Valley, New York. The company closes over 15,000 sales/year and $6.5 billion of sales volume. I oversee 2,600 sales associates in four states and the company has been consistently named a No. 1 workplace and has a culture based on strong values and commitment to excellence. In 2021, a DEI council was formed and the company has dramatically increased its focus on diversity and inclusion, winning the No. 1 PULSE award for HomeServices of America in 2022. What's the next big goal you want to accomplish professionally? Goals include: continuing to expand in our existing marketplaces as well as underrep- resented markets; creating a scholarship and internship program for aspiring real estate professionals; supporting our sales associates to have a deep commitment to community involvement in each of their individual markets; and expanding Senior Real Estate Services division, New Homes and Land division and continued emphasis on growth in the commercial sector. Sonia Alvelo CEO Latin Financial S onia Alvelo, born and raised in Jayuya, Puerto Rico, started her company in 2012, making it her mission to provide financing to businesses of all sizes and descrip- tions in the United States and Puerto Rico. Latin Financial offers financing of more than $1 million per month to its client companies that need working capital to grow. For the past 11 years, Alvelo and Latin Financial have had an agreement to donate 1% of their profits to Connecticut Children's Hospital, a pact extended two more years. Alvelo sits on the board of directors of the Better Business Bureau of Connecticut, the first Latina to do so. She was the first Latina to speak at the Broker Fair commercial finance expo in New York and Miami. She was named Entrepreneur of the Year in 2019 by the Latinas & Power Symposium and received the Capital Provider of the Year award from the CT Entrepreneur Awards last year. In 2022, other honors include a Family Business Award from the Hartford Business Journal and New Haven Biz and a certificate of special recognition from Sen. Richard Blumenthal at the grand opening of a new office in Wethersfield. What have been your biggest professional accomplishments so far? Being a Latina minority business owner in an industry run by men is a big accomplishment. I've made it my mission to keep on helping and educating small business owners, espe- cially women and minorities to gain access to capital and the knowledge to continue to thrive against all odds. I'm aware of my responsibilities to my community as a result of successful business ventures and community leadership. What's the next big goal you want to accomplish professionally? My goal is to continue to bring knowledge to the businesses and help any way I can with financial literacy to all the Latino commu- nities. I want to branch out to other cities where the small businesses need access to capital to continue to grow. I understand that anything is possible as my life is a story of encouragement, resilience and perseverance. M eet 25 top women leaders C ompanies more than ever are in need of smart, problem-solving leaders. And increasingly, women are filling that role. Yes, women are still significantly underrep- resented in C-suite positions, but there is no shortage of effective female leaders in Greater Hartford. That's reflected in Hartford Business Journal's 2023 Women in Business awards, which garnered more than 100 nominations. The enthusiasm and energy around this award seem to pick up every year. In the pages that follow, we recognize 25 remarkable women who are making a signif- icant difference within their organization and the community. This year's winners come from diverse back- grounds and industries. They range from leaders in the accounting, banking, legal and nonprofit sectors to marketing executives and entrepreneurs. In each of the past 21 years, Hartford Business Journal has honored the region's most talented women in leadership roles throughout central Connecticut. The winners are nominated by readers and chosen by a panel of independent judges. This year we'd like to thank Ginne-Rae Clay (Executive Director, Social Equity Council), Shannon Marimon, (Executive Director, ReadyCT) and Jane Davey (Director of Asset Management & Acquisitions, LAZ Investments) for helping choose our winners. The honorees demonstrate business savvy, confidence in themselves and their organizations, and a strong track record of professional success. And like all good leaders, they 've also had to adapt to a changing environment. We will honor this year's Women in Business leaders during a May 4 event at the Aqua Turf Club in the Plantsville section of Southington, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. We hope you enjoy this issue and are able to attend the event. If you have ideas of deserving honorees, please consider nominating them next year. GreG Bordonaro Editor CONTENTS Candace Adams ....................... B 3 Sonia Alvelo ........................... B 3 Britt-Marie Cole-Johnson ... B 4 Ann Collette Krantz ............ B 4 Juanita Collier ....................... B 7 Mary Kay Curtiss ................... B 7 Felicia DeDominicis .............. B 8 Diane Ellsworth .................... B 8 Stacy Farber ............................ B 10 Mia Hawlk ............................... B 10 Linda Iovanna ......................... B 11 Kim Lebron ............................... B 11 Maria Lino ............................... B 12 Dara Macchi ........................... B 12 Allison Minutillo ................. B 13 Eboni Nelson ........................... B 13 Kelly Papa ................................ B 15 Mitzy Rowe .............................. B 15 Sabrina Washington-Sales ... B 15 Kristine Schlichting ............ B 17 Tara N. Spain ............................ B 17 Jenny Steadman ...................... B 18 Cesarina Thompson ............... B 18 Sabrina Tucker-Barrett....... B 18 Lisa Wills ................................. B 18