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Full House for WBZ Business Breakfast on "The Makings of a Successful Female Leader"

BOSTON (CBS) – More than 550 people attended the WBZ Business Breakfast at the Sheraton Boston where five top business leaders talked about the risks, failures and successes of their careers.

Speakers included Deborah Enos, the President and CEO of Neighborhood Health Plan; Gloria Larson, President of Bentley University; Marcy Reed, President of National Grid and the co-Founders of Wicked Good Cupcakes, Tracey Noonan and her daughter, Danielle Vilagie.

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WBZ Business Breakfast: The Makings of a Female Leader L-R: Mark Hannon, Senior Vice President & Market Manager for CBS RADIO Boston; Danielle Vilagie, Tracey Noonan, Marcy Reed, Gloria Larson, Deborah C. Enos and Anthony Silva.

Deborah Enos says she never saw herself as a leader until co-workers and superiors told her they could see her in that position.  Marcy Reed says she has spent 28 years at National Grid in various positions and has worked hard to expand opportunities for women at the company.  She adds that a third of her company's senior management are women "which bodes well for the future."

Gloria Larson says many women believe that their great work will be recognized by others and that will lead to a promotion but, she adds, even though that can happen, it almost never does. She suggested women need to be their own advocate in a diplomatic way and learn to ask for "that next big promotion, that next big opportunity."

And Tracey Noonan told the attendees that she's inspired by women CEO's as she finds her own building confidence in her company that last year, grew by 650%.  Her daughter, Danielle Vilagie, says "I winged it at first" but now, she's learning how to be a leader when she had to move and grow with the company, Wicked Good Cupcakes.

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videoicon12x12WATCH Video from this event

Watch the complete video of the event above. Visit the Video Archive to watch past WBZ NewsRadio 1030 Business Breakfast events.

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