Marketing specialist Janine Fondon to share top tips at WBOA breakfast on Nov. 17

Date: 11/15/2011

SPRINGFIELD — During its November breakfast networking meeting on Nov. 17 from 7:45 to 9:30 a.m., The Women Business Owners Alliance of the Pioneer Valley (WBOA) will feature Janine Fondon, president and CEO of Unity First Direct Inc.

Fondon specializes in marketing and media communications consulting as well as diversity outreach. She will be joined by a distinguished media panel who will share best practices to help business owners create positive “front page” newsworthy stories that win business, increase visibility and get people buzzing. The event will take place at the Yankee Pedlar Inn, 1866 Northampton St., Holyoke.

“We invite business owners, communications professionals and media to attend,” Fondon said.

Fondon, who co-leads UnityFirst.com with her husband Tom Fondon, enjoys consulting with organizations and corporations that desire to create effective communication strategies to better engage both mainstream and emerging diverse markets. With key skills in navigating multicultural social networks, diversity focused e-communities and positioning diversity-related initiatives, Janine and her husband have developed one of the most innovative online news networks sharing information locally across the Commonwealth as well as across the U.S.

Fondon is the current public relations chair for the WBOA, a member of the Springfield Affiliated Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and board chair of the WTCC Radio Advisory Board (Springfield Technical Community College). She has received numerous awards, including recognition as “Western Massachusetts Magazine Women of the Year in Publishing” as well as one of the “Top 25 Women in Business” as noted by New York’s “The Network Journal. Over the years, her work has been highlighted in many publications, including FORBES, Fortune, Black Enterprise, BusinessWEST, The Republican, The Boston Globe, and others.

The WBOA invites all interested community and business members to attend this breakfast meeting. The cost for WBOA Members is $15. The cost for non-members is $20. RSVP by Nov. 13. To register online, go to www.wboa.org or by calling 827-4182.