Customer Focused Strategies Champions Women and Wraps Up A First Place at LACE

Trailblazing Team Earns Top Category Honors at Greater Women’s Business Council’s Awards, Dedicated to Advancing Women-Owned Businesses

Atlanta, GA: Customer Focused Strategies Managing Partners Pam Lopez and Suzanne Beisner are as passionate about supporting others as they are about their clients’ success. As a result, the long-time business partners took home a first-place at the 2017 LACE (Ladies Achieving Continuous Excellence) Awards. Created and sponsored by the Greater Women’s Business Council (GWBC), the LACE Awards recognize GWBC corporate members and certified women-owned businesses (WBE’s) for their commitment and contributions toward the success of women-owned businesses. Customer Focused Strategies (CFS) garnered the “Trailblazer of the Year” Award in the $1 million to $5 million annual sales category for their impactful contributions in the community and consistent partnership and support of other WBE’s. The Trailblazer Award recognizes women who exemplify “leadership, creativity and innovation.” For the last 18 years, Lopez, Beisner and their magnanimous staff have found myriad ways to improve the quality of life in their respective communities. In fact, CFS’s own work-from-home model allows the time for rich community involvement for CFS team members. As High School Board members, grant-writers, fund-raisers, faculty champions, career training allies, Girl Scout leaders, and National Charity League volunteers, the CFS team has made their mark. “CFS is absolutely delighted to receive the LACE Trailblazer’s Award. Supporting our community has always been important to me,” said Beisner. “As a team, my daughters and I invested over 1,000 volunteer hours at charities like The Ronald McDonald House, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Senior Services of North Fulton, Humane Society of Forsyth County, and Spruill Oaks Regional Library. Through their experiences with the National Charity League my daughters and many other young women served the community, developed leadership skills and had new cultural experiences,” stated Beisner. CFS is equally committed to Diversity Suppliers and to their customers. The firm is a strong advocate of GWBC and Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). “We find it incredibly important to give back to our clients by our involvement in supplier events and initiatives important to their culture – whether it’s networking and involvement in supplier diversity programs, sponsorships, or fundraising for causes that are important to their organizations,” said Lopez. Lopez and Beisner lead CFS and its team of about 25 consultants. The Alpharetta, Georgia based consulting firm specializes in Strategic Analysis & Marketing, Go-To-Market Planning, and Customer Experience Management. Lopez shared that “CFS uses a collaborative team structure to deliver successful results for our clients, and we bring the ‘voice of the customer’ to every project we do.” The firm prides itself on retaining long-time clients in a range of industries. “Clients look to CFS to truly shape and evolve their strategy, product portfolio and marketing approach,” added Beisner. The co-founders have big plans for growth and for continuing to blaze trails as mentors, volunteers, and supporters of other WBE’s. Confirms Beisner: “We are passionate about making a lasting impact on both our clients and the greater community.” Over 200 business leaders gathered at the November black-tie masquerade gala to honor and celebrate the nominees and winners of the LACE Awards in a variety of categories. “The LACE Awards is an important celebration for our entire membership,” said Roz Lewis, president and CEO of GWBC. “It’s here we recognize our outstanding partners and women business enterprises for their commitment to the mission of GWBC: to enhance the competitive value of women business enterprises through certification, education and partnership opportunities.” The LACE Awards event was held at Mason Fine Art in Atlanta.