Carolyn Hentschell’s Post

I am really grateful to the Titan 100 organization for including me in this wonderful community. It is clear that everyone involved puts so much thought and effort into all events which allows opportunities to network and, most importantly, to continue to learn.

This is a great cheat sheet. Thanks so much to the author.

Years ago, I stumbled upon some marketing materials dating back a century when our company was established in St. Louis. The founders, originally from Georgia, strategically chose St. Louis due to its central location in the country, facilitating transportation. Recently, I received compelling insights from the St. Louis Regional Freightway, particularly beneficial for friends doing business in the region. St. Louis stands out as the most efficient and one of the highest volume inland ports, boasting a significant rail and multimodal hub capacity. The region's diverse workforce, ample distribution space, and developable land position us favorably for sustained growth, offering resilience against supply chain disruptions - a valuable lesson from 2021. Our company's addition of U.S. manufacturing 16 years ago has significantly bolstered our capacity to supply key products amidst global challenges. This strategic move not only ensures continuity but also provides peace of mind. Let's encourage more manufacturing investments in our region for a robust and secure supply chain.

I am quite late to the party to post about the two Titan events I have attended. Blame it on my crazy travel schedule! The Awards Gala was very exciting and I was honored to be in the company of such great St. Louis leaders. The reception at the Moneta Pitch Club was also a wonderful event. It has been great to see familiar faces and to meet many new ones. The Titan 100 organization sure knows how to organize content filled events that are inclusive and make the Titans feel special. It was amazing to hear that there were 12 awards given to my fellow St. Louis Forum members that I will list below. I have been a member, board member and committee chair through the years for the Forum and would like to congratulate my fellow members. This year, the following St. Louis Forum members are being honored: Jennifer Bardot, G.R.I.T. LLC Sheila Burkett, Spry Digital LLC Donna Calamia, Persimmon Woods Golf Club Vanessa Cooksey, Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis Pepe Finn, Stern Brothers & Co. Leslie Gill, Rung for Women Linda Haberstroh, Phoenix Textile Corporation Carolyn Hentschell, Handi-Craft Company Melissa Lackey, Standing Partnership Mindy Mazur, Lents Mazur & Associates, LLC  Julie Peters, The Woman’s Exchange of St. Louis Susan Trautman, Great Rivers Greenway Thanks to the Titan 100 organization for all you do. Corralling 100+ busy folks in no easy feat!!

Skin Cancer Awareness Month I have been asked to share my story for Skin Cancer Awareness this month which I am happy to do. Cancer has been a common theme my entire life. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at 42 and died at 55. Her only sister died at 42 and her mother died at 58. It was a nightmare that seemed to never end and had a profound impact on my life. I was told at 22 that I was likely to get breast cancer and to have prophylactic surgeries which I declined. But, my life has been full of mammograms, MRI’s and preventive medication I’ll take for the rest of my life. What I didn’t expect was to be diagnosed with melanoma 10 years ago. I am extremely fair with a lot of freckles. I’ve worn sunscreen everyday rain or shine since my early 20’s.  If I couldn’t tan, I might as well stave off wrinkles! I went for a skin check and told the doctor that I saw a shadow around one of the freckles though it was tiny. She said it was nothing but she would biopsy if I was concerned. It was melanoma. I had immediate surgery where they took out about a third of my inner forearm, luckily it mostly regenerated. It struck me as so odd that I would develop melanoma in a place that saw very little sun. Without my doctor catching it or me noticing changes it makes me wonder what else have I missed? I have to rely on a great doctor and continue to be checked every 6-12 months. It’s a gift that I caught it early and surgery was my only necessary treatment. Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. My niece was diagnosed with melanoma last year but there’s not enough of it in the family to warrant genetic testing. She caught it very early as well. Please, please do not be careless with your skin care. You can get through a skin check in 10-15 minutes and it could save your life. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer and the most preventable. I am an open book when it comes to my health as I think it could potentially save lives. My daughter is a cancer genetic counselor and scolds me if I don’t follow preventive measures to keep myself healthy. Pretend I’m your daughter today and pushing you for that annual skin check!!! #SkinCancerIsSerious #SkinCheckChallenge

This post really touched me. My hope is that we, as Americans, can find common ground and stick together. Sometimes the divides in this country can feel overwhelming and these moments can be precious and few. If the loss of a soldier serving to protect us can't unite us, I'm not sure what can.

I'm so happy to let everyone know that Handi-Craft Company officially became the Dr. Brown's Company on April 1. This new name reflects the many years of focus and success of the Dr. Brown's team in building a trusted, global brand of infant, toddler and caregiver products.

I love this. It’s why I ALWAYS prefer face-to-face meetings.

Feeling incredibly honored and grateful to be included in the 2024 Titan 100 list. Congratulations to my fellow honorees. #titan100