Origins and Purpose
SJN is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) that supports mid-career professionals during periods of career transition. SJN provides professionals with access to a powerful Valley-wide professional network, education on the job search process, technology tools and resources, and moral support during difficult times.
The group was founded in 2002 with just 19 members, and strictly through word-of-mouth grew to more than 600 members in 2005. SJN currently serves over 2,000 members, and of these, approximately 25% are SJN Alumni, Partners, or Supporters. Given that SJN is not exclusively composed of job seekers, and the current plans for growth throughout the valley, the estimated membership base for SJN could significantly exceed 10,000 by the end of 2010.
This growth and projected growth is not entirely due to the economic conditions; in fact, it is a reflection of the unique value provided by SJN to mid-career professionals who frequently have nowhere else to turn.
Programs and Services
SJN offers twice-monthly meetings in two locations in N. Phoenix and the Southeast Valley, focusing on delivering SJN’s core curriculum on the job search process. SJN’s expansion to the Southeast Valley was enabled in collaboration with the Maricopa County Community Colleges. In the fall of 2009, regular bi-monthly meetings will be offered in the West Valley.
SJN career and training professionals have developed a curriculum for the job search process and offer it regularly at our meetings and workshops. Modules include:
- Understanding the Emotions of Career Transition
- Creating Your Vision and Personal Marketing Plan
- Resumes and other Marketing Tools
- Creating Leads and Networking
- Interviewing Skills Session I
- Interviewing Skills Session II and Managing Offers
Additional topics include specialty workshops such as an all-day boot camp for those who’ve been in transition more than three months, and social media workshops such as SJN’s Get Wired to Get Hired and a popular program on Interview Skills where recruiters and company representatives conduct mock interviews and offer feedback.
Additionally, SJN hosts discussion panels with guest speakers who lend perspective, which frequently include CEOs, entrepreneurs, professional career coaches, and other business leaders.
SJN’s events and special events regularly attract more than 100 participants, and as many as 240, many of whom drive 30-45 minutes or more just to attend an SJN event. Consequently, one of SJN’s key strategic initiatives for 2009-2010 is to bring the events closer to the people that need them throughout the valley.
Unique Volunteering Model
SJN is unique as a non-profit organization because the volunteer opportunity it offers its members directly aligns with their needs. Specifically, professionals who are in transition frequently suffer from a lack of confidence, a feeling of loneliness, and a potential lack of experience for their desired role. SJN’s model of volunteering through Innovation Councils addresses all those issues and more, by providing volunteers an opportunity to work in professional project teams and operational groups while they conduct their job search.
Innovation Councils are teams of self-directed professionals who are focused on a specific functional area, such as developing a workbook based on SJN curriculum, representing SJN to other organizations as an Ambassador, or rolling out a new technology initiative for SJN.
Currently more than 75 volunteers contribute to SJN through Innovation Councils. These volunteers have the benefit of feeling productive during their time of transition, keeping current on their skill sets, and delivering valuable work for a fast-growing organization that then allows them to showcase that experience for future employers.
SJN Administrative Information
Christine Vicari is the Founder, Executive Director, and President of SJN. She has been with SJN from its inception and still personally oversees all day-to-day operational business for SJN. Chris, along with everyone else associated with SJN, is a volunteer.
SJN operates with little to no financial support. There are no sponsors except those organizations that have provided meeting space without charge and some local businesses making occasional small donations. Chris has worked without compensation in order to provide and build SJN as a valuable community resource, and in 2008 her efforts were recognized with the Frances Young Community Heroes Award.
When SJN offers workshops – four-hour sessions expanding on the curriculum that trains unemployed people on how to job search – the group has asked a nominal fee. However, if the fee presents a hardship, it is waived. The purpose is to help the unemployed effectively job search and get back to work. As a result, SJN has garnered a support base in the business and civic community and attracts job seekers from around the Valley.
Board of Directors
Christine Vicari info@scottsdalejobnet.com has developed and led employment support programs in Scottsdale, Arizona for more than six years and touched the lives of thousands of individuals and families in transition. Retired and living in Scottsdale, Arizona with husband, John, Chris earned a B.A. in Communications and Human Relations from Western Connecticut State University and worked in New York City law firms, a Fortune 500 company and an international consulting company specializing in quality systems management.
Bill Austin bill@azhttp.com supports SJN by providing and maintaining the website, marketing the program in the Scottsdale-Phoenix community, and offering workshops on the use of social media platforms. Bill is the Chief Technology Officer of Arizona High Tech Talent Partnership (AZhttp, Inc.) Bill also serves on the Board of Directors of Community Information & Referral and the Maricopa County Fair Association. He is a Member and Ambassador at the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Progressive Arizona Network.
Eric Walton ewalton@tiempodevelopment.com supports SJN activities across the board, makes presentations at SJN meetings on a variety of career transition topics and serves as a member of the Nominating Committee. Eric is the Chief Operating Officer at Tiempo Development, a software development firm based in Tempe, AZ and has software engineers located in Hermosillo, Mexico. Eric is a senior executive with over 25 years of experience in the computer and high tech industry, ranging from the dot.com startup to the Fortune 500. Eric received a BS in Business Management from University at Albany and a MBA from the University of Arizona.
Michael Prahl michaelprahl@gmail.com developed an Ambassador Group to represent SJN at other community venues, including events of area chambers and Arizona Small Business Association (ASBA). He serves SJN as the corporate Treasurer and member of the Nominating Committee. A financial advisor with First Financial Equity in Scottsdale, Michael has lived through career transitions. Michael has served for the past three years on the board of a local church, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, as Stewardship Chairman.
Raoul Encinas raoul@scottsdalejobnet.com is a frequent speaker on job search topics, and has directly helped hundreds of job seekers dramatically improve their results. He is passionate about helping SJN become the premier career transition support group in the Valley and is focused on delivering on SJN’s strategic initiatives for 2009-2010. Raoul is Vice President at Preod, a professional services firm based in Princeton, NJ. He has 20 years of experience leading large-scale organizational change, turnaround, and strategy initiatives. In this capacity, he directly hired or influenced the hiring of over 100 employees across a variety of job functions and industries.
David Thompson de_thompson@hotmail.com has taken on the role of SJN’s Corporate Secretary to ensure compliance with legal and regulatory recording and reporting requirements. He is a member of the SJN Ambassador Group, promoting SJN in the community to increase the visibility, scope and benefit SJN brings to our community. David has extensive experience as an information technology executive for multi-billion dollar companies in retail, distribution and manufacturing industries. He provided consulting services in the telecommunications, financial services and hospitality industries and recently served as the chief administrative officer of a local service charity expanding his scope beyond IT to include human resources, facilities and risk management, audit and treasury.
SJN is pleased to welcome our newest board members who joined the SJN executive team on June 22, 2009.
Dawn Nowatzki idnowatzki@cox.net
Dawn is the owner of a bookkeeping, accounting and tax service that provides profit and growth expertise to both start-up and existing small businesses. Dawn has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services and payment processing industries, and most recently served in leadership roles at Concord EFS (First Data), Vital Processing and American Express. Dawn holds a BS in Business Management, with an Accounting major, from Georgia State University, and an Executive MBA, with a Finance major, from the University of Delaware.
Dawn is part of the leadership team that launched SJN in the Southeast region of Metropolitan Phoenix. As part of her responsibilities, Dawn will work with Michael Prahl, SJN Corporate Treasurer, to refine recording and reporting practices to meet routine accounting needs and the fulfillment of our 501c3 reporting requirements.
Jennifer Rue Jennifer.rue@cox.net
Jennifer has served in numerous leadership positions at CVS Caremark including Director, Pharmaceutical Information Support Assistant Vice President of Sales Training and Strategic Event Planning, Vice President of Human Resources and Strategic Staffing, Vice President of Clinical Services and Vice President of Marketing. Jennifer possesses her Senior Professional of Human Resources (SPHR) designation and is the owner of Talent Powering LLC, a human resources talent consulting firm in Phoenix, Arizona.
Jennifer currently serves as an SJN Ambassador and regularly volunteers to support SJN curriculum and events. One of Jennifer’s first projects as a board member will be to staff the operations functions for our many events.
Lynn Moran lmomoran@aol.com
Lynn is Owner and CEO of Sonoran Life Transition and Performance Coaching, LLC and is a certified coach. With over 30 years of business experience, she brings a wealth of knowledge and a history of success. Lynn spent her business career working in the consumer product and gift industries. During her tenure with Mars, Inc., Lynn held leadership positions in Sales, Human Resources and Licensing. In 1999, she was promoted to President of Ethel M Chocolates, a Mars, Inc. company. While President of Ethel M®, Lynn launched a literacy program titled “Feed Your Mind” and in 2002, she was named one of the Most Influential Businesswomen in Southern Nevada. In addition to Mars, Inc., Lynn was the Executive Vice President of Sales and Corporate Officer for Russ Berrie. Lynn opened Sonoran Life Transition and Performance Coaching in 2008 which delivers leadership, team and executive-level coaching to private clients and companies.
Lynn has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business and a MBA degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University. During her business career, Lynn was also an Adjunct Professor at Centenary College teaching Principles of Marketing and Organization Effectiveness & Design.
Lynn will be a tremendous resource for the development of SJN’s executive team and our ability to connect with resources in the community.
Emeritus Board
The SJN Emeritus Board honors the service of past board members of our organization. As a local, grassroots nonprofit, our volunteer board has been and remains the lynchpin of our success.
We are pleased to recognize each of the Board members in our organization’s history through membership in our Emeritus Board. They are:
Maria Wojtczak
James O’Hara
Stephen Wild
Patrick Hanley
Douglas Bruhnke
CONTACT US:
Email: info@southwestjobnet.com
V-mail: (480) 513-1491
Mail to:
Southwest Job Network
P.O. Box 25674
Scottsdale, AZ 85255
