National Women's History Month - Franne McNeal (Black History Maker)

During National Women's History Month, Roger Madison (CEO, iZania) is featuring some of the prominent Black Women entrepreneurs who have been meaningful to our historical journey as an online community. The cool thing is that one of our own was featured this week! Franne McNeal is the hostess of the bi-weekly BDPA iRadio Show. She was honored by iZania as its National Women's History Month Black History Maker.

The narrative read as follows:

Franne McNeal is a serial entrepreneur with corporate expertise that spans four industries, seven positions and thirty years in business. As a junior at Princeton University, she launched a successful catering recruiting business for student bartenders and wait staff and never looked back. When Franne was 26 years old, she was the youngest person ever to be awarded a professional services training contract with the City of Pittsburgh; and successfully financed her 18-computer training room in 1-month.

In 2001, Franne created Significant Business Results, an executive coaching practice, to help her clients approach business challenges with a fresh perspective grounded in market realities and creative optimism. Significant Business Results Coach, Franne McNeal is engaged by clients to create strategic plans, generate business opportunities, identify revenue streams, and re-evaluate systems. Franne is committed to ensuring that her clients grow brand value, manage cash flow, and increase profits by leveraging people, performance and process.

Franne's clients include: The Kauffman Foundation, Temple University, ModernThink, Priority Management, The Corporation for Positive Change, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, The Social Security Administration, The State of Delaware, The City of New York, State University of New York, Women's Business Development Center, and Elohim Cleaning Contractors Inc.

In corporate leadership positions at Strategic Computer Assistance Inc, Mellon Bank, FMC, and SmithKline Beecham, as well as Vice President of Training and Development at PNC Financial Services, Franne led restructuring initiatives that resulted in over $1M in measurable savings.

Ms. McNeal's work has been recognized through a Citation from the Mayor of Philadelphia; the Perseverance Award from Eastern University; and the 100 Most Influential Black Women in Philadelphia Award. She has appeared on CBS-TV and NBC-TV; been quoted in Black Enterprise Magazine and the Philadelphia Inquirer.

As a moderator for the Project for Civic Engagement, a facilitator for America Speaks, and a facilitator for the Kauffman Foundation's FastTrac® programs, Franne continues to contribute to community education initiatives. In 2009. Franne became a member of the e200 class sponsored by the Philadelphia District Office of the US Small Business Administration. Franne currently serves as a member of the West Chester University MBA Advisory Board, and she is a volunteer mentor for a 4th grade class in the Philadelphia Public School District.

Ms. Franne McNeal earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University and an MBA from Eastern University in Pennsylvania. Learn more at www.frannemcneal.com.

We are proud to highlight Franne's 30 year history in business as a model for women of the 21st Century.

Franne engages with young people at 2012 BDPA Conference

Franne has been a strong and consistent supporter of the BDPA mission and vision for many years. She is a proud member of our BDPA Philadelphia chapter and we are very honored to join in saluting her as a Black History Maker!