November 25, 2011

Breaking the Glass Ceiling

Women have made strides in the male-dominated world of big business. But there are still obstacles and struggles for those trying to break through the glass ceiling. Then, you and your family could be at risk from an invisible, odorless poison in your home. We’ll talk to an expert for the life-saving facts you need to know.

Episode Segments:

InfoTrak: How Women Can Succeed in Male-Dominated Industries Despite the progress women have made in crashing through glass ceilings, some still fall short of their career goals because of the “boy’s club.” Roxanne Rivera, author of There’s No Crying in Business: How Women Can Succeed in Male-Dominated Industries outlined the biggest obstacles that women face in male-dominated businesses. She also explained how women can improve their ways of communicating when dealing with male counterparts in the workplace.
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InfoTrak: The Hidden Danger of Carbon Monoxide Carbon monoxide poisoning kills hundreds of Americans each year. John Drengenberg, Manager of Consumer Affairs at Underwriters Laboratories, an independent product safety testing and certification organization discussed why carbon monoxide sometimes accumulates in buildings, and why it is so dangerous. He also explained the value of carbon monoxide alarms and what a homeowner should do if an alarm sounds.
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InfoTrak: Taking a Gamble on Lottery Tickets Americans in dozens of states can now buy lottery tickets in a growing number of ways. Les Bernal, Executive Director of Stop Predatory Gambling, a national grassroots citizen's movement concerned about predatory gambling talked about the increasingly aggressive ways that governments are marketing new lottery products, and how the targets are typically lower income citizens. He believes that governments have created a mindset that discourages saving and personal responsibility and promotes state-sponsored wagering.
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Guest(s) Appearing on this Episode

Roxanne Rivera Roxanne is the president and CEO of the Associated Builders and Contractors of New Mexico. She also serves as New Mexico’s liaison to the National Associated Builders and Contractors in Washington, DC. Roxanne has been working in the construction industry for decades. In 1981, using a personal savings of $1,200, Rivera co-founded a sole proprietorship construction service business and grew it to a $13 million company that incorporated in 1989. She oversaw all operations and up to 100 employees plus subcontractors in three offices throughout New Mexico. She wrote, marketed, and secured multi-million-dollar contracts in both the government and private sectors. Rivera’s key clients included the US Army Corps of Engineers, White Sands Missile Range, the US Air Force, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the Department of Defense, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Intel, General Electric, Ethicon, and Rockwell International. Her construction firm received numerous small business awards, including two Small Business Administrator’s Awards of Excellence and several nominations for Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year. She was named Female Executive of the Year by the National Association of Female Executives in 1995. Her firm was listed in the Top 500 Hispanic-Owned Businesses in the United States for five consecutive years. Rivera has been appointed to several national advisory committees, most recently appointed by former Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao to the National Advisory Committee on Ergonomics where she was the only businessperson on the committee. She has served on both the Association of Builders and Contractors and the Associated General Contractors Boards of Directors. She also served on the Board of Directors for the University of New Mexico Construction Program Advisory Council, which she helped to found. Rivera has been an active community leader, currently serving on the board for the YWCA, and has worked extensively with ARCA, the Association for Retarded Citizens of Albuquerque. Rivera has also spoken at and conducted seminars throughout the country with regard to Communication in the Construction Industry and Women in Construction. In addition to her position with ABC, Roxanne serves as founder and CEO of Syntactics Communication Skills, LLC, a company that offers presentation and speaking skills training and coaching to executives at every level. Click here to visit her website