The 175 members of the Professional Women of Putnam and the 250 members of Professional Women of Westchester feel they owe a debt of gratitude to their founder, Jamie Imperati of Mahopac.
She, in turn, feels the gratitude belongs to a fivesome that has made it possible for this mother of three tiny children to build what started out merely as a simple networking operation into a full-time career endeavor ”“ in fact, “two full-time jobs,” as she terms it.
While Imperati, whose pre-motherhood career was in sales and marketing, sets up websites, works with social media to promote organizational events and the businesses of members, engages speakers for monthly meetings, and arranges events to tie in with local charities, she has her own personal network supporting her endeavors. Child sitters include her husband, Anthony; her parents, George and Jolaine Lauridsen of Mahopac, and her parents-in-law, Silvio and Maria Imperati, who are Carmel residents.
Reflecting on the pre-launching of PWP in March 2010, Imperati says, “I kept running into women with their own businesses and decided that something should be done to bring them all together.” Because of success of her efforts in Putnam County, she launched the Westchester sister organization in November of that same year.
A typical meeting night finds Imperati at a table at the entrance of the restaurant chosen for that month”™s meeting welcoming members and prospective members to the occasion. She views it as a combination of girls night out and serious business networking. After a social/networking period, a speaker addresses the gathering on such subjects as marketing, business development, social media, branding ”“ to just scratch the surface.
Both PWP and PWW have websites listing members”™ diverse occupations, including several lawyers, accountants, bank representatives, health, beauty and fashion specialists, as well as one-of-a-kind listings: CPR and first aid certification class instructor; equine and agricultural consultant; pediatric dentist; divorce coach; bail bondsperson, as well as individuals who earn their livelihoods engaged in pet sitting/dog walking, lice removal or party rentals.
“An attorney, mortgage broker and Realtor have bonded together into a powerful trio who work now as a team,” the PWP/PWW founder says. “They had never met before their organization”™s formation.”
The meetings have a tone of collaboration, not competition.
The members take pride in the assistance they provide to community charitable organizations. The contributions are sometimes monetary, with funds raised by raffles, or may be actual gifts of articles needed, such as school book supplies or wish list items.
The community, in turn, has recognized the contributions that the PWP/PWW founder has rendered by bestowing awards on her. Imperati is winner of the Putnam Community Service Network”™s Norman Vincent Peale Award, the Putnam Chamber of Commerce”™s 40 Under 40 Trailblazer Award and the Business Council of Westchester”™s Rising Stars Award.
She currently serves as co-president of Friends of the Putnam Hospital Center and was recently appointed chairperson of the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce”™s Women”™s Leadership Alliance.
The PWP and PWW founder is a transplant from the Morris Park section of The Bronx, where she was raised and graduated from St. Catharine”™s Academy. She went on to study marketing at Pace University, working initially for a sales and marketing firm and relocating to Putnam County in 2003 after being married.
Although the Imperati children are still very young young (AJ, age six, Thomas, five and Joelle going on a year and a half), they will grow up to point to the PWP/PWW founder with pride, perhaps chorusing, “That”™s my mom.”
Challenging Careers focuses on the exciting and unusual business lives of Hudson Valley residents. Comments or suggestions may be emailed to Catherine Portman-Laux at cplaux@optonline.net.
