Donna Wilk Cardillo, RN, Named 1999 Business Woman of The Year

Wall, NJ-- Donna Wilk Cardillo, RN, President of Cardillo & Associates, Professional Development Seminars, in Wall, NJ. has been named Business Woman of the Year by The New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners (NJAWBO).

NJAWBO’s highest and most prestigious award, "Business Woman of the Year" honors a woman business owner who is a NJAWBO member and has distinguished herself in her business, the organization, and her community. The award was presented to Ms. Cardillo, a professional keynote speaker and trainer, at the NJAWBO annual convention in Atlantic City on May 30.

Ms. Cardillo started her business 3 ½ years ago as a response to the changes in the health care delivery system and her own experiences in nursing. She began presenting public seminars entitled "Career Alternatives for Nurses" which discusses non-traditional career options available to nurses in health care. She has since received national recognition for this program and is considered a leading expert in the field. In addition to producing her own seminars nationally, Donna is a frequent keynote speaker at conventions, association meetings, colleges, hospitals and corporations. Although her audiences are predominantly health care professionals, she also speaks to general audiences on numerous topics including: presenting a professional business image, communication skills, public speaking skills, self-empowerment skills for women, etc.

Ms. Cardillo is president of the Monmouth Chapter of NJAWBO. Her greatest accomplishment in this role has been the launching of a high school/youth outreach program. This program sends chapter members to local high schools and Girl Scout events to discuss business basics and provide strong, positive role models, while imparting a message that it is possible to achieve anything you put your mind to.

Donna sits on the Board of Directors for the NJ League for Nursing, an organization dedicated to improving the quality of nursing care and health care in NJ. She is also active in the National Speakers Association, American and New Jersey Nurses Associations, and the National Nurses in Business Association.

The road hasn’t always been smooth. Cardillo’s husband, Joe, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis shortly after she launched her business. Since then, she has become the sole support of her family. This past year, Donna co-founded and co-leads a support group for family members of people with MS and has become a local spokesperson for family caregivers. She also participates several times yearly in a weekend long program for individuals and their families newly diagnosed with MS to help them cope with this devastating illness. Through all this, she finds time to attend graduate school, pursuing a degree in corporate and public communications, and runs a small antiques business.

NJAWBO is a not-for-profit statewide chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) addressing the needs of 220,000 women business owners in New Jersey. NJAWBO’s objectives are to support ownership of business by women; provide a voice for them in local, state and federal legislative bodies; provide training and assistance; and increase the visibility of women business owners through participation in the business community. NJAWBO has 15 chapters throughout the state and about 1,000 members.

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