R. Seelaus and Co., Inc. said Monday that it has been certified as a Women Business Enterprise by the State of New Jersey.
"We at R. Seelaus & Co. are proud of our commitment to the advancement of women in business," said chief executive officer, Annie Seelaus. "We look forward to being an active participant in the minority firm community and to utilizing this new designation to better serve our clients, especially those with commitments to meet annual WBE and minority firm participation goals."
In order to qualify, R. Seelaus had to demonstrate that its business is majority "independently owned and managerially controlled" by women, according to the New Jersey Administrative Code 17:46.
"The female professionals at Seelaus have been vital to the firm's success and culture since its founding over 30 years ago and it is wonderful to have their contributions and participation formally recognized in this way," said Founder Richard Seelaus.
"I look forward to watching as Annie, along with CFO Karolina Pajdak and the rest of our management team, continues to grow the business and ensure that our clients receive the high quality investment advice and service that they have come to expect from us over the years," he said.
Ms. Seelaus said that she believes this new distinction is particularly relevant in today's marketplace, where women are increasingly visible in leadership roles in public finance but still drastically underrepresented.
"Without a critical mass of female colleagues, mentors, and role models in the industry, many women are discouraged from pursuing a career in finance before they even begin. I believe our firm is in a unique position to show women how successful they can be in public finance and to shine a light on the work/life balance that this career can afford. It is my hope that we can be an integral part of this ever expanding network of female professionals, supporting women as our clients and as our co-workers," she said.
