
The focus of the May Dinner Meeting was installation of the 2024-2025 President, Janice Cones and the officers.
Presiding over her last dinner meeting during her term as 2023-2024 SBW President, Julie Slocum gave the welcome at the May dinner meeting. Chaplin, Debbie Ulmer, gave the invocation. Members and guests enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by Dennis Gerken and his team at the Sedalia Shrine Club. Smith Cotton National Honor Society member, Sally Davis, volunteered her time to serve drinks for the meal.
Following the meal, Julie presented BWM awards for recruiting new members to three SBW members who were unable to attend the BWM State Conference. Receiving awards: Joyce Grinstead, Jamie Anderson, and Carolyn Green.


Janice Cones was installed as President of the Sedalia Business Women for the 2024-2025 term at the May 2 dinner meeting. It is tradition that the president chose a theme for their term. Janice has chosen, “Sunflowers: Shine Bright for Our Members,” for her theme. After being installed as president, Janice addressed the membership.
I was first honored to be President of our club in 2008. My theme during that year was “Women Reaching Out to Other Women with Their Hearts and Hands.” My twin girls were 10 years old at that time and were present for a lot of our meetings and events.
We used to have pins to wear symbolizing our theme for the year. Mine that year was a small hand with a smaller heart in its palm. We don’t do pins anymore, and we’ve entered the digital age with Facebook posts/pages and a website—moving forward with our world as it is today. We have also increased our presence and community outreach with various activities such as helping with the Lub Dub, the Community Cafe, and other volunteer activities.
For this year as President, I have chosen the theme “Shine Bright for Our Members. Be a Sunflower!” I chose Sunflowers because they can grow tall and strong even in adverse conditions, making them symbols of longevity and resilience. The sunflower can also be seen as a symbol of enlightenment, spiritual awakening, and personal growth. Its bright yellow petals and radiant energy are thought to bring positivity and joy into people’s lives.
This description embodies everything I have received from this organization since I joined in 1997. And it embodies everything I hope we can continue to provide to women in the future. I think this is what has contributed to our club’s longevity and growth over the years.
This year I would like to bring back the Public Relations Meetings of the past and celebrate and showcase our organization to the community. We will have to work on that.
In the meantime, ladies and gentleman, let’s all continue to be Sunflowers!Janice Cones, 2024-2025 SBW President

The Sedalia Business Women installed their 2024-2025 board members at their May 2 dinner meeting. Installation Committee Chair, Cathy Hammons, conducted the installation ceremony, assisted by LaSondra Marsch. The 2024-2025 board members are President-Janice Cones; President Elect-Rachel Monaghan; 1st vice President-Michelle Franklin; 2nd Vice President-Carolyn Green; Assistant Treasurer-Joyce Grinstead; Treasurer-Della Schnakenberg; Secretary-Debbie Ulmer; and Director-Julie Slocum.

Janice and 2023-2024 President, Julie Slocum, closed the meeting by ringing the club’s 76-year-old brass bell.