Sarah Stevens, CEO of Stevens Technologies Inc grabs the $100,000 Grand Prize in the Count Me In for Womenâs Economic Independence Make Mine a Million $ Business RACE, a year-long business growth competition for women entrepreneurs at the American Express OPEN® Womenâs Business Summit in Houston. Stevensâ company, Stevens Technologies, achieved the greatest year-over-year increase in gross annual revenue, growing 131% to reach $1,544,262. During this same time, the company also increased the number of employees who have health benefits, 401k packages and paid leave, from 12 employees in 2008 to 21 people in 2009. Revenue and employee growth are the two chief criteria for the highly spirited competition. Stevens Technologies creates reports on how to strengthen information
security within organizations, especially with management and operations divisions. Her company serves as a subcontractor to Federal agencies like NASA, Langley Research Center. On the heels of Sarahâs victory were two runner ups. Gabrielle DeSantis, the second place finisher, is the owner of Gigi Hill in Yorba Linda, CA. Gabrielleâs company designs bags that are high quality, stylish, and functional for a momâs everyday life and Laurie Myers, owner of Coupon Sense in Chandler, AZ came in with a competitive third place finish in this yearâs M3RACE. Coupon Sense is a website that organizes the many manufacturersâ coupons that come in the Sunday papers. To learn more about OPEN, visit www.OPEN.com.
