News Release
June 1, 2001
Owner of Albuquerque Maternity Store Selected
as Entrepreneur of the Year
Albuquerque: Albuquerquean Annie Furie, founder and
owner of Growing Life Maternity Store, was recognized as Entrepreneur
of the Year in recent awards given by PNM, Public Service
Co. of New Mexico. The awards recognized five other New Mexico
small-business success stories as well.
Furie owns Growing Life, 2400 Juan Tabo Blvd. NE, a maternity
store established in 1996 that offers lactation consultations,
support groups for nursing mothers, maternity and breastfeeding
clothes and equipment and educational classes on infant/child
CPR, infant massage and the basics of breastfeeding.
She is a remarkable woman who balances life, family,
business and success with ease and confidence, according
to a nomination submitted on her behalf.
Furie was one of six businesses recognized as part of the
2nd annual PNM Entrepreneurial Leadership Awards program,
hosted recently by WESST corp. at the Hyatt Regency Hotel
downtown.
We are proud to have our name associated with these
awards, which recognize small woman- and minority-owned businesses
that often get overlooked in other business awards programs,
said Jeff Sterba, PNMs chairman, president and CEO.
Other award winners include:
- Antonio and Juan Grijalva, of Grijalvas Custom Woodshop,
in Grants, who were chosen as Rural Entrepreneurs of the
Year
- Pam Beesley, owner of Beesleys Services, Inc., of
Santa Fe, who won the Rising Star Award
- Mary Garza, owner of Solar Electric Co., of Las Cruces,
who won the Pioneer Award
- Lovie McGee, owner of Love Realty, of Albuquerque, who
won the Leadership Award
- Elissa Breitbard, owner of Bettys Bath and Day Spa,
in Albuquerque, who won the Emerging Entrepreneur of the
Year Award.
The six small business owners were given plaques and also
cash awards sponsored by La Fonda; the New Mexico Community
Development Loan Fund; Technology Ventures Corporation; Sutin,
Thayer and Browne; Corless and Associates; and Jaynes Corporation.
Rep. Tom Udall was also given an award, Entrepreneurial Advocate
of the Year, for his work on issues that affect woman- and
minority-owned businesses.
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