Terry Neese

Dr. Terry Neese is an entrepreneur, public policy strategist, women's equality advocate, and award-winning small business owner. She has been a mentor to women nationally and globally in their careers and political involvement. Neese has created several non-profit organizations and businesses, and has been involved with state and federal legislation. In 1990, Neese was the first woman nominated by a major political party for lieutenant governor of Oklahoma. Neese has spent time in Afghanistan mentoring the women there and advocating for their right to equality in both business and political spheres. She is also a wife, mother, licensed pilot, and a member of the Ninety-Nines.

Early life

Terry Neese was born in Walters, OK, and raised in the small farming community of Cookietown, OK, along with two sisters. She grew up helping her parents on the farm, enjoying horseback riding, basketball, and working in the fields with her father. The product of a consolidated school system, Neese first attended Union Valley School. She entered in first grade and was promoted to the third grade after a couple of weeks. Neese eventually graduated from Burkburnett High School, which was right across the state line in northern Texas.^[1]

Education

Neese went on to attend the University of Oklahoma for a short time. While there, she studied secretarial science with the intention of being an administrative assistant after graduation.

Introduction to the business world

Neese married Earl Neese, Western author and accountant, and had children. During this time, she worked for several companies in Norman, OK as a secretary, quickly progressing to office manager in these companies. Neese worked as a personnel consultant for two firms in Norman and found in these roles that she had an innate gift for placing people in careers. She gravitated toward mentoring women and advancing their careers in secretarial positions to managerial roles. The two companies she worked for went out of business and this inspired Neese to open her own company. She took her personal funding of $600 and transformed it into a multimillion-dollar business.^[1] The first company that she started was Terry Neese Personnel Service^[2] in 1975. This staffing agency has been owned and operated locally since its inception. When Neese first started the company, she faced a lot of adversity. The highway in front of the first building she bought for the new company was torn up after she purchased the real estate, restricting access to the building for two and a half years. Six months after they reopened the highway, the building burned down. After a rough start, the company has flourished because of its locality and woman-owned advantages, according to Neese.^[3]

Neese also serves as the president and CEO of GrassRoots Impact, Inc. GrassRoots Impact provides a communications strategy for corporations and government agencies to effectively reach out to women and minorities in business.^[3]

Political Involvement

In 1986, Neese was recruited by the National Association of Women Business Owners to run as delegate to the 1986 White House Conference on Small Business. Neese had been involved with business for 15 years, but had no political experience. In 1988, Neese joined the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce. Through this involvement, Neese started the very first small business department at the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce. She thoroughly advocated for the involvement of small business owners in politics.

Nomination for Lt. Governor

In 1990, Neese made history by becoming the first woman nominated by a major political party for Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma. Although she was not elected, Neese feels strongly that her nomination helped to encourage other women to run for political office.^[1]

Organizations and Non-profits

Neese has helped to create a long list of programs and non-profit organizations. She is the co-founder of WIPP (Women Impacting Public Policy) which serves as an umbrella organization for approximately 46 other women's business associations (Founded in 2001). WIPP has over 600,000 members and works to advocate for women in business. Its three main goals are to allow women access to capital, aid in providing women business owners good benefits for their employees, and making sure that women have access to the knowledge of how to do business with their state and federal government.^[1]

Associated with this is the Institute for Educating and Empowering Women All Around the World.^[4] Neese serves as the founder and CEO of this umbrella organization, which strives to educate women in business, socially, and politically. Another one of Neese's organizations, Peace Through Business^[5] can be found under this umbrella. Peace Through Business is a business training and mentorship program for women in Afghanistan and Rwanda.^[6]

In 2001, Neese created the Terry Neese Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence, and SBA Women's Business Center, in which she serves as the Chairman of the Board.

In 2005, Neese was elected by President George W. Bush to serve as Director of the United States Mint. Despite her appreciation of the offer, Neese decided to remain in Oklahoma for her family.^[1]

Neese is a part of numerous other organizations, including:^[1]

• Commissioner to the National Advisory Council on Indian Education (Appointed by President George H.W. Bush and President Bill Clinton)
• Neese served on the SBA, or Small Business Advisory Council. (Appointed by President George H.w. Bush)
• In 2001, Neese was appointed to serve on the Office Depot Women’s Advisory Board as well as the Wyndham Women’s Advisory Board.
• She served as the National President for the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) in 1990.
• Neese serves as the Global Corporate Vice President of Business and Development/Public Policy for the Euro-American Women’s Council.
• Neese also serves on the board of directors of the National Business Association, nFocus Software, March of Dimes, and Axela Government Relations.
• Among other organizations, Neese is on the Steering Committee for the Women’s Majority Network.

Achievements and Awards

Neese has received a many awards throughout her lifetime. Some of these achievements and awards include:^[7]

• She was recognized in the September 2000 issue of Fortune magazine’s Power 30 as the most influential small businessperson in the Washington, D.C. area
• She was the first woman nominated by a major political party in Oklahoma for Lieutenant Governor (1990)
• Neese was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, NY
• Inducted into the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame (2007)
• Women in Communication Byliner Award
• National Association of Women Business Owners’ National Public Policy Award
• Oklahoma City NAWBO Chapter’s Lifetime Achievement Award
• Recognized as Business Women’s Network and the National Foundation for Women Legislators as “Entrepreneur of the Year”
• The Journal Record’s Hall of Fame Woman of the Year (2000)

References

External links

• Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame Oral History Project – OSU Library