SODA Inc & Govt House celebrate women in entrepreneurship

SODA Inc & Government House celebrate women in entrepreneurship

Hamilton, 4 July 2013 - Women entrepreneurship is going from strength-to-strength in the Waikato with the recent announcement of the late Mary Jane Innes’s induction into the Fairfax Media New Zealand Business Hall of Fame.

Mary Jane Innes owned and managed Innes Tartan and Waikato Breweries in Hamilton during the late 1800s. The historic building which houses the Meteor Theatre and Waikato’s entrepreneurship hub, SODA Inc, on Victoria Street in Hamilton was once the home of Innes Tartan soda bottling factory.

SODA and Government House are proud to celebrate the achievements of Mary Jane Innes, as well as other influential women in the Waikato, at the first ‘Celebrating Women Entrepreneurship’ night.

The event will be held at The Meteor Theatre on Thursday 11 July at 5pm and will feature inspirational talks from The Governor-General, Lt Gen Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae, and some of the Waikato’s most influential women including: Hamilton Mayor Julie Hardaker, renowned fashion designer Annah Stretton and SODA CEO Cheryl Reynolds.

“Mary Jane Innes laid the foundations not only for Waikato’s business economy but also for all New Zealand women entrepreneurs who have proceeded her. She is a constant inspiration to us at SODA and we will continue telling her story,” says SODA CEO Cheryl Reynolds.

In 1889, Mary Jane Innes took over management of her husband’s business affairs after he drove two previous companies into liquidation.

As a female living in the late 19th century, Mary Jane was never publicly acknowledged as a business owner. However, her leadership and entrepreneurial skills contributed to her hugely successful brewing and soft drink companies. Mary’s business legacy is still visible today within the companies that were sold on, now operating as Lion Nathan Breweries and Oasis Industries - New Zealand’s largest bottling company.

Mary Jane Innes will finally be publicly acknowledged for her achievements when His Excellency The Governor-General, Lt Gen Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae, inducts her into The Fairfax Media New Zealand Business Hall of Fame on July 31 at the annual gala dinner in Auckland (http://www.businesshalloffame.co.nz/).

The public is invited to the ‘Celebrating Women Entrepreneurship’ event as a show of support for the growth of women in business. Register your RSVP with Rachel@sodainc.com or visit www.sodainc.com.

Learn more about Mary Jane Innes here: http://www.sodainc.com/about/whakapapa/.

ENDS

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