Member News

May 01, 2015

Congratulations to Susan, Erin and Claudia!

Influential Women 2015:   Susan M. Molineaux, Ph.D, Founder, President and CEO, Calithera Biosciences

Education: B.S., Biology, Smith College; Ph.D, Molecular Biology, John Hopkins University; postdoctoral fellowship, Columbia University.

Corporate Boards: Geron Corp.

Proudest professional accomplishment: I was CEO of Proteolix, a biotech company that discovered and developed the cancer drug Kyprolis, which was approved for the treatment of multiple myeloma.

Best mentor: Phil Whitcome, who co-founded Proteolix and had a long and distinguished career in biotech prior to mentoring several aspiring CEOs.

Influential Women 2015: Erin Mendez, President and CEO, Patelco Credit Union

Education: B.S., Business Administration, University of Phoenix; executive development programs at the California Institute of Technology and Harvard University; certified chief executive designation through the Credit Union Executive Society, completing course work at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, The University of Virginia Darden School of Business and the S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University.

Corporate Boards: California Credit Union League, Credit Union Financial Limited Partners.

Proudest professional accomplishment: Being a part of an industry that strives to make a difference in the lives of the people it serves.

Best mentor: First my father Edward F. Sullivan Jr., has been a source of inspiration and encouragement throughout my career. Second, the chairman of board of Patelco, Pete Hanelt, has been a tremendous mentor since I started at Patelco.

How to help women in business advance: Be authentic and focused on providing value.

Dream super power: To have the ability to heal others physically and emotionally.

Influential Women 2015: Claudia Hansen Wentworth, CEO, Quick Mount PV

Education: B.S., Business Administration, California State University, Chico.

Corporate Boards: Sunlayar Inc. Chairman of the Board.

Proudest professional accomplishment: Being CEO of a U.S. cleantech manufacturing company that has exceeded a 20 percent or more growth per year, year over year, since 2006 while continuing to patent solar mounting technology innovations.

Best mentor: Business mentor is my father, Douglas C. Hansen. My solar mentor is Professor Tom Chatagnier.

How to help women in business advance: Always check in and find what is genuine in yourself, your belief and truth, and move forward with that while continuing to keep an open mind and acceptance toward fast change. Do your job and do it well. Believe in your vision. Listen to others. Delegate. Always look for the “win-win.” Trust your own judgment, make the hard decisions and don’t expect to be liked for those decisions.

Surprising fact about you: I was once the Future Farmers of America (FFA) Chapter Sweetheart in Orinda, California.