Sheila Ronning
Women in the Boardroom CEO & Founder
Leadership and networking expert and board strategist, Sheila Ronning is a trailblazer in working towards gender equality in the boardroom. As the CEO and Founder of Women in the Boardroom, she uses her powerful network to help women achieve their goals of obtaining board membership and has built an impressive track record in connecting influential female executives with the people and tools they need to succeed in business and at the executive level. Under her leadership, Women in the Boardroom has achieved global influence in private and public boardrooms, including Fortune 100 companies. Sheila believes in the power of connecting professionals with the tools they need to succeed in business and in life. As the President and CEO of the leadership and business development firm, Sharp UpSwing, she uses her keen insight into business trends to identify and capture growth opportunities for individuals and organizations in their local marketplace.
Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal has named Sheila one of the top 25 “Women to Watch” in the Twin Cities as well as to their prestigious “40 Under Forty” list for her entrepreneurial dynamism and reputation as a networking maven. She has been honored by the Minnesota NAWBO with a “Changemaker Award” and by the TwinWest Chamber of Commerce as an “Entrepreneur of the Year” finalist for her positive impact on the small business community. And most recently, a winner of the 2010 Enterprising Women of the Year Award and named a 2010 “Minnesotan on the Move” by Finance & Commerce.
Prior to founding Sharp UpSwing in 1996, Sheila garnered 10+ years of strategic marketing, sales management, and operations leadership experience with companies that range from Fortune 500 leaders to visionary start-ups. She credits her ability to mobilize and organize for Sharp UpSwing’s success.
Sheila’s marketing and leadership development expertise has been featured in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, The Pioneer Press, Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, Chicago Sun-Times, Upsize Minnesota magazine, and dbaWomen. Her podcasts on simple tools for long-term success will soon be available in partnership with Todaysbusinessradio.com (AM1500).