What was your first job and what did you learn from it?
My first job was working at MacDonald's with my grandfather. He had retired after working over forty years at Formica in Cincinnati, Ohio. He felt he was too young to retire. He took a job at MacDonald's cooking fries. I worked with him during my summer vacations. I learned from his enthusiasm for life and everything he did. I also got to spend two wonderful summers with my Grandfather who lived to be 97 years old.

Who is your hero, mentor or person you most admire? Why?
My mentor is Raymond Zimmerman, former CEO of Service Merchandise. After I graduated from high school I went to work at Service Merchandise to fund my college education. At the time, Service Merchandise was a small chain and Raymond was very active in the day-to-day management of the individual stores. I met him shortly after I started working. He was instrumental in having me assigned to complete special projects, and ultimately transferring me to the newly formed technology group that would develop a new point-of-sale program for the stores. He knew I had limited knowledge in the technology field, but he gave me the opportunity to learn on the job. It was this opportunity that enabled me to start my career in the technology field.

What is your favorite book?
I don't have one particular book that I would say is my favorite. I enjoy books that allow me to experience different cultures and points in history. For example "Love in the Time of Cholera," "The Kitchen God's Wife" and "Daughter of Fortune" are three books that I enjoyed.

What advances in your field do you envision over the next 10 years?
Access and integration will be underpinnings of the future. The Internet will continue to improve our access to information and services. The broad impact of wireless technology is starting to be felt everywhere in our lives. Combining the access provided by the Internet with integration of technology into new areas will allow us to manage all aspects of our lives. With the speed of innovation ever increasing, it is difficult to predict the future. One advance I hope we will see is a continued reduction in the cost of technology. Thereby, allowing technology to be shared throughout all economic layers of our society.

What do you see as the single most interesting element of your work?
Building a system or product from an idea is the most interesting aspect of what I do. I have had the opportunity to build many products and systems throughout my career. The process of building a product or service is well defined. The most interesting aspect is forming a team that will traverse the many challenges encountered along the way to achieving completion.

What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment?
I hope I haven't achieved my greatest accomplishment. I hope that I will continue to strive to improve and achieve.

What was your greatest challenge and what did you learn from it?
My greatest challenge was installing my first computer system. I was installing a point-of-sale system, it was 2 a.m., nothing worked and the grand opening was going to occur in 8 hours. What I learned was following previously established procedures will increase the probability of success. I also learned that providing timely updates will result in a more reasonable work environment. Pacing managers, systems not working and fatigue will never stand in the way of a well thought-out plan.

What strategies do you use to maintain balance in your life?
Over the past several years I have been working in start-ups. There is always so much to do when building a company it is difficult to get any time away. To achieve a balance it is important to have outside interests and to take time off even if it is just for a long weekend. I find that the ballet and theatre are excellent ways to get your mind out of the job for a few hours and recharge your mental batteries.

What advice would you give to young women who want to enter your field?
Do it. I have found that the technology field offers constant change and the ability to learn something new almost everyday. It was always been an industry that is genderless compared to others. When I started in the technology it was never a question of whether or not I was a woman, success was based on whether or not I could get the system up and running.