Debra Salowitz is my guest on Public Relations Princess today at 4:00 on MacsWorldLive.com. We'll be talking about her business, Strategic Relocation Solutions. And yes, she really is this good looking in real life.
The idea behind this company sounds simple at first glance, but upon further examination I've found it to be surprisingly complex. Debra is an expert at welcoming executives and their families to Central Iowa. She helps them navigate, meet people, make connections and learn about their new community.
It used to be that wife would follow her husband around the country, pulling up stakes, and there was not much she could do besides try her best and suffer silently and sometimes not so silently. When I was a kid, my dad worked at Principal and I remember he would occasionally invite these exotic people from far away places to dinner.
The places? Sarasota, Islip, New York, Bentonville, Arkansas, Santa Rosa, California...the list went on and on. I remember one long-suffering wife calling Des Moines "provincial." Mind you, this was 30 years ago and I was 13. I had no idea of what that word meant but I could tell she was not happy!
All of these couples consisted of the breadwinner (a man, of course) and his wife, who was almost always reluctant to give up her life in a faraway place and start over in (horrors!) Iowa. These poor gals were left to their own devices here, with no assistance or help in adjusting whatsoever.
Women are much more involved in the decision to move the family, there needs to be much more sophisticated services in place to help these newcomers make the right decision and be comfortable with it after they settle in. That's where Debra's business comes in. She helps people learn about our wonderful community and all it has to offer. And obviously, now sometimes the "trailing spouse" is a man.
Debra Salowitz is founder and President of Strategic Relocation Solutions LLC. Strategic Relocation Solutions helps businesses attract and retain executive talent by offering customized and highly personalized recruitment and post-hire transition services for key people and their families.
Her career includes management positions with Andrea Obston Marketing Communications (in Connecticut), Winefest Des Moines and the YMCA of Greater Des Moines. Debra is Chair of the Advisory Committee for Reach Out and Read/Iowa and serves on the boards of StageWest and the Chrysalis Foundation. She is also a member of the Nexus Executive Women's Alliance and NAWBO. She was a founding member of the boards of Ballet Des Moines and the Des Moines Gay Men's Chorus.
I am currently working with Debra myself and I heartily echo Claire's comments. Debra is warm, intelligent and engaging. Her follow-through is excellent, her knowledge of the community outstanding and her ability to make connections with the area's thought leaders is stellar. I highly recommend her to anyone!
Posted by: Kevin Sime | October 13, 2009 at 04:16 PM