Judy Roth
Ever since Judi Roth (formerly Firestone) launched her own business and joined her first women’s business organization, she knew the value of “belonging” in an organization with other women business owners.
In 1985, she was working for a computer software distribution company in Virginia Beach. She and her husband decided to relocate to Cleveland to be closer to family, and Judi branched out on her own since she knew two people in the Cleveland area who would give her business.
“I was immediately told to look into Women Business Owners Association (WBOA) to join,” recalls Judi. At her first meeting, she met Ingrid Kaczmerek, who approached her and said, “I’m in the same business as you are, let’s go to lunch and I’ll help you.” “We were cooperative competitors as I like to say.”
Ingrid was president of WBOA and dreamed of having it become part of NAWBO. Over several years, the two worked with past board leaders and presidents and got a unanimous vote for WBOA’s 120 members to join NAWBO in 1992—despite the fact that it would increase their dues. Judi was incoming WBOA president at the time, and was already immersed in NAWBO from attending national meetings.
As NAWBO Cleveland (now Northeast Ohio) was gaining new members and growing, Judi’s business was flourishing as well. “Cleveland is the smallest big town in the U.S. if you’re willing to put yourself out there,” she says. Judi had increased her client base and moved into other aspects of software and data management consulting.
Judi is part of the “NAWBO buddies” group of 10 women who served on the National Board between 2000 and 2005. They connect monthly on Zoom calls and recently rented a house on the Jersey Shore to spend time together.
It was at a time, prior to the internet, when personal computers (PCs) were on the rise in the business world. Someone approached Judi about working with their database and distributing a member newsletter, which gave her experience for when NAWBO Cleveland needed a partner to provide association management.
“My friends encouraged me to go for it,” says Judi, who managed the chapter database, newsletter and directory for several years. “At NAWBO, it was always about the contacts and friends. The story of Ingrid wanting to have lunch and help even though we were competitors is exactly what NAWBO can be. That doesn’t happen in a lot of places.”
In 1990, when Judi was NAWBO Cleveland’s president elect, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her NAWBO friends were an incredible support as she underwent treatment. She says that while it’s true NAWBO has opened doors for her and connected her with community leaders and vendors, at the end of the day, it’s the relationships she values most.
“Women who join NAWBO to get business are not going to stay,” she explains. “Those who join for all the other things and possibly some business will stay. It’s important to welcome new and prospective members as people. In Cleveland especially, we knew each other’s husbands and families—we knew each other as people.”
Some of Judi’s greatest NAWBO memories over the years came from when she served as a director on the Membership Services Council. She and her colleagues would talk to women business owner groups to see if they could bring them into NAWBO and possibly form new chapters.
Additionally, in June 1996, NAWBO Los Angeles was poised to host the national meeting, but was asked to host an FCEM event, too. They couldn’t handle both, so called Cleveland in late ’95 to see if the chapter would step in. The event fell on the same weekend as Cleveland’s bicentennial celebration, and Judi served as chair.
Judi, Suzanne and Sandy were surrounded by banker boxes when they helped NAWBO close down the K Street office.
Wyndham, a national partner at the time, was opening a hotel in Cleveland’s theater district and provided the perfect venue. Another partner, KeyBank, secured the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for the reception. “Trolleys took conference attendees down to the city’s Friday night bicentennial celebration,” remembers Judi. “It was really phenomenal—there wasn’t a room available within 100 miles.”
Judi later joined NAWBO’s Corporate and Economic Development Council. Then, in 2000, she secured a position on the National Board. “We called ourselves the ‘Millennial Board’,” she shares. For one, they were leading the organization into the next millennium. Also, at their first meeting, they learned the organization was struggling financially and sprang into action.
NAWBO National had an office on K Street in Washington, DC, which they decided to close. Board members volunteered to clean out the office and sell the office supplies and furniture. Judi remembers being in the room with Suzanne Pease and Sandy Adams surrounded by banker boxes filled with everything they kept—photos and documents of NAWBO’s rich history.
By the end of the year, they were back on track. Barbara Stanbridge, who was the National Board president at the time, instituted a “State of the Organization” that year where all Board members sat behind her on risers and she shared about NAWBO.
“I don’t know if there was a prouder moment for any of us,” Judi recalls. “It’s really a story of how a very diverse group of NAWBO women were willing to do whatever it takes.”
Judi and Shannon attended a national meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, together in the early 2000s.
The National Board soon brought on an association management firm and switched out their data management software. For the next year, Judi trained chapters on how to use it to maintain their chapter and membership information. Later, she helped NAWBO to launch a new website.
Judi rolled off the National Board after five years in 2005 and stayed active until 2008. She remarried (with several of her NAWBO friends attending) and moved to the small town of Erie, Pennsylvania. Her husband soon developed Alzheimer’s disease, and 2-and-a-half years ago, they moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, to be closer to family.
Of course, Judi, who is a lifetime member, is now connected with NAWBO Indianapolis. “I talked to the president about ideas I have for retired women business owners to stay involved and provide advice,” she says. “I’m retired and don’t have a business in the same sense, but still interested in my NAWBO friends.”
Judi is excited to attend NAWBO’s 50th anniversary event. She is being joined by her daughter-in-law, Shannon Kellogg, whom she gifted with a lifetime membership as well. “She’s at a time in life when she can now put more time into her business. She’s becoming more active in the Indy chapter!”
After all, Judi knows the value of “belonging” with other women business owners.