Member Spotlight: Ana Fernandez-Parmet

 

written by Pam Hesler

 

Ana just completed a two-year term as NAWBO Greater Philadelphia's president in June, having served two years prior as president elect, and now she'll be doing a two-year stint as immediate past president. Word is, newly installed president Angela Megasko will be keeping Ana busy with special projects so while she has a moment, we wanted to talk with Ana to learn more about her.

 

Looking from the outside, you'll notice Ana has a certain flair--outfits and accessories featuring NAWBO teal she wore to NAWBO events always caught my eye. But working with her as a board member I saw that flair doesn't keep her from being an unpretentious person who tends to shine the light on other people rather than on herself. She is a good listener and while she can be a decisive decision maker, she also has a talent for working collaboratively.

 

To know Ana, you need to know there is a trio of influences that shaped her as a businesswoman: heritage, education and entrepreneurship. Ana, as a first generation Cuban American, was influenced by her father--who immigrated to the US from Cuba with Ana's mother in 1959--telling her early and often the best inheritance he could give her would be her college education. Fleeing from the upheaval of the Cuban Revolution, as part of a very wealthy family whose success was built on a family business, he told Ana, "Your money and possessions can be taken from you, but no one can take your education."

 

Although Ana's maternal grandparents were not wealthy, they were "hard-working entrepreneurs" Her grandfather opened a neighborhood market and her grandmother had a photography studio and dress boutique. Leaving Cuba in 1959 meant leaving their businesses behind and in the US, due to their lack of education and not speaking English, they had to start over with factory jobs. Ana was very close to her maternal grandmother, who passed away at age 96, leaving Ana with inspiration, "She was such a strong and independent woman well before women were doing their own thing."

 

Ana's education was forged both in the US where her parents made their home and in Columbia, South America where she learned a new respect for her Hispanic heritage during her high school years there. Next stop was Bryn Mawr College where Ana received her degree in Psychology.

 

Ana's first job was in social work, helping emotionally disturbed children in the North Philadelphia neighborhoods, particularly Puerto Rican children because of her language skills. When Ana married her husband Mike in 1987, she started working for an import/export company and learned a new set of skills that would serve her well when she started her business with Mike in 1991. Parmetch was the business name from the start but at that time the focus was remanufactured toner cartridges for HP Laser Printers under the tag line, “Recycle for the Next Generation.” The “next generation” had special meaning to the couple as now they had the first of their five children.

 

Today Paremetech is 29 years old and has evolved into a full-service IT and Office Equipment Reseller and Services Provider of comprehensive Managed Print Services (MPS) solutions with a stand-alone building, its own warehouse and 16 employees, including three of their children. The business evolved, often motivated by the desire to provide for the family in the best way. When their children were young, Ana and Mike structured their business day and tasks around the kids’ schedules, dividing and conquering what needed to be accomplished, and growing the business by adding additional services that could increase the business within their already existing customers as well as attracting new ones. One stage of the business growth, hiring salespeople, gave Ana the opportunity to really start networking, building and cultivating relationships.

 

When she decided to expand her network, NAWBO was the first organization she joined—she is a 20+ year continuous member. Ana cites the value of NAWBO in her growth and maturity as a businesswoman and business owner, particularly for cultivating her leadership skills serving as a NAWBO Board member for over 10 years.

 

NAWBO members have been clients through the years, running the gamut from purchasing individual machines to utilizing broader services such as "fleet" (all office equipment) current state assessments which use data collection tools over a specific time frame to help clients understand the real cost of ownership for their office equipment and be able to make better informed decisions for equipment purchases.

 

In 2016 Ana joined the NAWBO Circle in 2016 (NAWBO’s program for larger businesses exceeding $1 million in revenue) and started attending NAWBO National events. This has given her “access to some amazing businesswomen who are now in my network across the country. I have learned so much that I have been able to apply to the challenges of my business through my NAWBO peers!”

 

During her NAWBO presidency's monthly President's Message, Ana invited members to contact her and schedule a one-to-one “virtual coffee.” The offer still holds—she welcomes the opportunity to get to know each other better as a sister-members!