Minalee Saks, Woman Business Leader

Minalee Saks, executive director and co-founder of Birth To Three, has been honored as one of three finalists for the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce’s Woman Business Leader of the Year award.

Minalee was recognized for building the non-profit agency from a phone in the bedroom in 1978 to a $1.2 million organization today. It is known internationally for its model of parenting education. She continues to lead the organization with vision, energy and optimism.

Locally, Birth To Three provides parenting groups and support to a wide range of parents and their children. Outside of Lane County, the curricula and materials developed at Birth To Three are sold throughout the world. The agency also trains parent educators in using the curricula. The funds raised by this entrepreneurial division, Parenting Now!, are used locally to provide more parenting education.

Since its founding in 1978, Birth To Three has served about 88,000 parents and their children in Lane County as well as tens of thousands more worldwide.

Minalee and the two other finalists for Woman Business Leader were honored at an awards luncheon on Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2010. The other finalists were Patti McConnell (Old Dominion Car Care) and the winner, Sabrina Parsons (Palo Alto Software). Congratulations to everyone!