For decades the women of New York have been at the forefront of the local business community, running companies in industries as diverse as law, media, construction, finance and architecture. Today there are nearly 600,000 women-owned businesses in New York, the most of any city in the U.S.
The statistic reflects women’s grit and determination to succeed professionally. The figure also represents numerous pioneer business owners, some of whom have been in their roles for decades.
With its list of Notable Women Business Owners, Crain’s recognizes those who have forged their career paths and, in turn, powered the city’s economy. Women-owned companies represent more than 40% of all registered businesses in the city and generate more than $70 billion in revenue annually.
This list includes trailblazers such as Dorothea Regal, who founded a litigation law firm 25 years ago, a rare event for the time, and Barbara Armand Kushner, who 30 years ago set up a construction management firm that has city agencies as clients today. Also on Crain’s list is Marci Lobel-Esrig, who more recently established a bill-payment service, SilverBills, to help manage household finances.
The accomplishments of the women on these pages mirror a commitment by the city to support women-owned businesses. The Department of Small Business Services, for example, created Women Entrepreneurs NYC, an initiative that enables women to start and grow businesses.
For their part, the honorees have given back to their communities, encouraging future generations of women business owners.
Read on to learn more about these women of distinction and be inspired by their success.
METHODOLOGY: The honorees did not pay to be included. Their profiles were drawn from submitted nomination materials as well as editorial nominations. This list is not comprehensive. It includes only executives for whom nominations were submitted and accepted after an editorial review, plus after Crain’s consulted with trusted sources in the city business community. To qualify for this list, female honorees had to be employed within New York City or the surrounding counties, serving as a business founder or owner, or operating and/or controlling a business, service or other organization. Honorees must have been in the business for a minimum of five years with a staff size of at least 10.
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Shamsell Abdill brings over 20 years of experience in the construction industry to her role as Vice President at Armand Corporation. She oversees the company’s building and infrastructure programs, serving as Project Executive, and is renowned for her expertise in contract administration, project management, problem resolution, and M/WBE compliance. Her career highlights include contributing to the rebuilding of the World Trade Center as part of the Procurement and Change Order Management Team, where she gained extensive experience in procurement and negotiation. Shamsell leverages her comprehensive industry knowledge to build strong professional relationships with agencies and utility companies, minimizing impacts on construction schedules. Her diverse project portfolio spans corporate, correctional, healthcare, educational, and landmark building restorations, as well as masonry renovations. She is adept in various project delivery methods, including construction manager as agent, construction manager at risk, design-bid-build, and design-build, making her an invaluable leader in delivering successful projects for Armand Corporation.
Robert “Bob” Mello is a seasoned construction professional with over 35 years of experience managing both new construction and renovation projects. As Associate Vice President of Pre-Construction at Armand Corporation, Bob specializes in overseeing planning and construction-related services for public and private clients.
A licensed Professional Engineer in New York State, Bob’s extensive expertise includes managing projects across urban environments and on-call contracts. His skill set encompasses facility planning, property condition assessments, constructability reviews, quality control and compliance, energy efficiency initiatives, and scope and schedule reviews.
Bob’s comprehensive approach ensures effective construction management from initial phases through project close-out, making him an invaluable leader in delivering successful outcomes for Armand’s clients.
CariAnn Palmese is a senior program manager with nearly 20 years of experience delivering program management and administrative support for large, complex, multi-million-dollar projects. Her expertise includes developing and implementing policies and procedures to ensure the successful execution of challenging initiatives.
A highlight of CariAnn’s career was guiding the Nassau County Department of Public Works in managing community reconstruction projects under a $36 million CDBG-DR capital program. Currently, she works alongside Armand’s team to provide construction management services for disaster recovery capital programs, showcasing her dedication to driving successful outcomes in high-stakes environments.
Jerome Wright is a seasoned financial analyst with nearly 20 years of accounting experience across diverse industries. As Associate Vice President of Operations at Armand Corporation, Jerome excels in managing and tracking vendor invoices, ensuring timely processing using project-specific templates, and providing hands-on assistance to vendors with invoice submissions.
Jerome’s expertise includes preparing detailed invoice summary reports for Program Manager approvals and collaborating with Program Managers to resolve billing discrepancies. He has a proven ability to reconcile financial data, comparing and correcting invoice details while working closely with project management and accounting teams to address invoicing issues.His commitment to precision and collaboration makes him an integral part of the operations team.
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Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer Phillip Grant is responsible for overseeing the company’s daily operations and driving the execution of strategic initiatives. He manages key relationships with stakeholders, including boards, owners, consultants, and contractors. Phillip is also responsible for negotiating contracts, resolving budget and schedule challenges, and integrating innovative technologies. He has over 20 years of extensive expertise in economic development, engineering, and public infrastructure. Phillip has successfully managed multi-billion dollar capital construction programs, focusing on sustainability, compliance, and efficiency. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in New York, a Certified Construction Manager and holds a BS in engineering from Fairleigh Dickinson University and an MBA from Mercy University. He is also a member of the Construction Management Association of America, National Society of Professional Engineers, and the American Society of Civil Engineers.
