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'''Laura Owen''' (born '''Laura Smith''', November 11, 1957) is a business executive and entrepreneur. Under the name '''Laura Nicholl''', she was the first woman selected to be [[Kansas Department of Commerce|Kansas Secretary of Commerce]] in 1991–1992. |
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A native of [[Bucks County, Pennsylvania]],<ref name="Flynn">Kelly Flynn, [http://articles.philly.com/2014-12-02/news/56618631_1_women-entrepreneurs-entrepreneurship-summit-female-entrepreneurs "Del Val grad talks up women entrepeneurs"], ''[[Philadelphia Inquirer]]'', December 2, 2014.</ref> Owen grew up in France and the United States.<ref name=Lenexa>{{cite news|last1=Ziegler|first1=Laura|title=Lenexa Woman Does Business Saudi-Style|url=http://kcur.org/post/lenexa-woman-does-business-saudi-style|accessdate=21 November 2014|work=Kcur|date=2 November 2009}}</ref> She attended [[Council Rock High School North|Council Rock High School]] in [[Newtown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Newtown, Pennsylvania]], earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business in 1979 from [[Delaware Valley College]],<ref name="Flynn"/> and studied at the Sorbonne University in Paris.{{cn|date=December 2014}} Owen was the first woman executive hired as part of an executive training program at St. Regis Paper Company.<ref name=Lenexa /> Owen worked as a financial advisor, and for Stephens Inc. investment bank, in the 1980s.<ref name=Forbes>{{cite news|title=Laura Owen|url=http://www.forbes.com/profile/laura-owen/|accessdate=21 November 2014|work=Forbes}}</ref> In 1990 she managed transactions, operational growth, and expeditions and vacationing for the State. |
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In January 1991, she was appointed Secretary of Commerce by Governor [[Joan Finney]].<ref>[http://articles.mcall.com/1991-01-31/news/2787675_1_lieutenant-colonel-park-benches-graduate "1979 Delval Graduate Joins Kansas Cabinet"], ''[[The Morning Call]]'', January 31, 1991.</ref> Governor Finney fired her from the position in June 1992, after she took a trip to the Middle East that was characterized as unauthorized expenditures, and also after a disagreement between her and the governor about a proposed bond issue.<ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QAIgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1_8EAAAAIBAJ&pg=3356%2C2778021 "Nicholl cites bond dispute in ouster"], [[Associated Press]] in ''[[Fort Scott Tribune]]'', July 3, 1992.</ref> |
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She married her sometime business partner, former [[Lieutenant Governor of Kansas|Kansas Lieutenant Governor]] Dave Owen, after he served a short prison sentence for tax evasion in 1994 (he was later pardoned by President [[Bill Clinton]]).<ref name="Canon">Scott Canon, [http://www.kansas.com/news/business/article1050992.html "Lenexa firm suspends operations, seeks funds"], ''[[The Wichita Eagle]]'', December 25, 2010.</ref> In 2002, they founded ICOP Digital, Inc., a business which engineered and marketed mobile video and digital surveillance products. She served as President and Chief Operating Officer while David served as CEO. ICOP's first international market was Saudi Arabia.<ref name="Lenexa"/> The company ceased operations in December 2010 and filed for bankruptcy in 2011.<ref name="Canon"/><ref name=ICOP>{{cite news|last1=Twiddy|first1=David|title=ICOP’s end abrupt, woes protracted|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/print-edition/2011/02/04/icops-end-abrupt-woes-protracted.html?page=all|accessdate=21 November 2014|work=Kansas City Business Journal|date=4 February 2011}}</ref> |
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Owen is the leader of Ponscio, a networking organization for women entrepreneurs.<ref name="Flynn"/><ref name=Laura>{{cite news|title=Laura Owen|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2007/07/30/focus20.html?page=all|accessdate=21 November 2014|work=Kansas City Business Journal|date=29 July 2007}}</ref> Owen was also the founder and CEO of PontSalus, a healthcare company.{{cn|date=December 2014}} Owen worked on the board of Heart to Heart International, a philanthropic institution,<ref name="Patch">{{cite news|last1=Larson|first1=Sarah|title=DelVal Appoints Alumnus to Board|url=http://patch.com/pennsylvania/doylestown/delval-appoints-alumnus-to-board|accessdate=21 November 2014|work=Patch|date=3 March 2012|ref=DelVal}}</ref> and she and her husband donated $250,000 to establish the David C. Owen Leadership Institute at [[Ottawa University]].<ref name=Ottawa>{{cite news|title=Institute Founders, David and Laura Owen|url=http://www.ottawa.edu/Academics/Schools/School-of-Business/Owen-Leadership-Institute/Bios|accessdate=21 November 2014|work=Ottawa University}}</ref> In 2012 she was named to the Board of Trustees of Delaware Valley College.<ref name="Patch"/> |
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== References == |
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{{reflist}} |
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== External links == |
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* [http://ponscio.org/ Ponscio Official Website] |
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[[Category:State cabinet secretaries of Kansas]] |
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[[Category:Delaware Valley College alumni]] |
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[[Category:People from Bucks County, Pennsylvania]] |
Revision as of 01:41, 8 January 2015
This Wiki page is under review for deletion.