Schneider’s most exciting day
Released: August 19, 2004
Carol Schneider ’58 had “the most exciting day of my business life” on August 10 when she and her staff at SEEK, Inc. in Grafton played host to first lady Laura Bush.
The president’s wife spoke from a tent in the SEEK parking lot to a crowd of about 250 on how current economic policies have fostered the growth of women-owned businesses nationwide.
Schneider, the CEO and founder of the 10th largest woman-owned business in Wisconsin, received a call from Bush’s campaign manager about two weeks prior to the event. She was asked if she would be willing to host some dignitaries from Washington, D.C. After replying in the affirmative, she then was required to provide confidential information about herself and her business. Six days before the visit, Schneider was notified that Laura Bush would be joining her, but not to tell anyone “or she won’t come.”
“I met with my advisory team and then we started cleaning up – new art, new signs, landscaping. It was crazy,” Schneider laughed.
When Laura Bush arrived, Schneider was impressed with how thoroughly the first lady “had done her homework,” greeting each welcomer by name and acknowledging specific aspects of their backgrounds.
The first lady spent about 45 minutes at SEEK then was whisked away to her next stop in Minneapolis as part of a two-day, six-state campaign tour for her husband.
SEEK, Inc. is a job placement service with 14 branches located throughout Wisconsin. Founded in 1971, the firm employs about 100 people.
- N & P Staff ,npa@uww.edu
