Baltic States Delegation

Business leaders will be traveling from the Baltic States this October to participate in the Across Cultures program. The Estonian delegates are members of Business and Professional Women (BPW) and Young Business and Professional Women (YBPW). The following profiles demonstrate the diversity of skills and interests that each delegate brings to the forum.

Aida Zigmantaviciene is a Managing Director and a Member of Board of SATRIJA AB (www.satrija.lt ). SATRIJA, established in 1955, is a famous Lithuanian high quality garment producer, both for: corporate wear, uniforms, Gore-Tex garments, protective clothing, and men’s and ladies’ formal and casual wear. SATRIJA employs 670 people and one the biggest Lithuanian employers leaded by a women-manager. The company exports 90% of the total production to the United Kingdom and Scandinavia. Aida is a Council Member of Kaunas Chamber of Commerce, Board Member of Lithuanian Apparel and Textile Association. She is also Student at Kaunas University of Technology, International Economics concentrating on the non-tariff barriers in international trade. Aida is married and the mother of two daughters. Aida’s hobbies includes fashion, reading, traveling.  

Eva Truuverk has been a member of BPW since 1994 and YBPW since 2000. Eva also was the president of BPW Estonia Tallinn Club from 2000 to 2003. Ms. Truuverk is a manager at Kvadrum Ltd. (www.ziil.ee), provider of Internet solutions and multimedia products. Currently, Kvadrum employs 7 workers. She has also been developing PC games for children (www.play.ee) under her own company since 1994. Eva enjoys reading, sports, and traveling in her leisure time. She has a specific goal of making contact with people at Amazon.com and finding a mentor while participating in the 2004 forum in Seattle.

Indre Zajancauske- Bartulyte is the head of the Nordic and International corporate customers unit within the Lithuanian branch of Nordea Bank. Nordea is a leading financial services group in the Nordic and Baltic Sea Area (www.nordea.com) and employs 103 people. Indre has just got married and enjoys spending as much time with her husband as possible. She has many hobbies but especially loves traveling, sports (tennis, squash) and reading. Indre's private and professional live concept is built on the assumption that people are the biggest asset and sharing is the key to success in any field. She hopes to network as much as possible in Seattle in order to share ideas, views, experience and get the best possible synergy out of her visit.

Inga Smirnoviene is Project Director and founding member of ID4, one of Lithuania’s top PR agencies. She has worked hard to grow Id4 from 2 to 6 employees since it’s inception in 2002. ID4 provides public relations services such as integrated marketing communication management, media relations, crisis communication, image and event management, and interactive public relations. ID4 has landed prestigious clients such as FINASTA, Žvilgsnis iš arciau, GNT Lietuva, and Samsung. She is a member of the board of Save the Children of Lithuania and a past lecturer at Vilnius College. Inga is eager for the opportunity for Baltic women to contribute to the development of human rights, business equity, and intercultural communication as a result of the expansion of NATO efforts. She is especially interested in marketing development, technology innovations, and intercultural communications. She enjoys reading, traveling and swimming. 

Jurate Stanisauskiene is the Customer Service and Human Resources Manager at company UAB “Skubios Siuntos”, Authorised Service Contractor for UPS in Lithuania (www.ups.com). Company started in 1991 and now it is one of the express service leaders in the country, employing more than 80 people. Jurate enjoys traveling, doing crosswords and basketball as well as sport club activities. She is exited to participate in cultural exchange forum and to have an opportunity to learn from other business women’s experience as well as to share her own. Jurate’s special interests include management, leadership and motivation.

Jurgita Šlekyte is Head of Legal Department of Omnitel, the leading wireless mobile communications operator in Lithuania and the Baltic www.omnitel.lt. Jurgita started with the company in 1996 as a customer care specialist, moved to legal advisor in 2000 and in 2001 was promoted to the Head of Legal Department. She also gained Master of Law at Vilnius University in 2001. Jurgita is a Member of Corporate Governance working group at the Investors Forum, an association established in order to improve business environment in Lithuania and a Member of Telecommunications working group at InfoBalt, an association aiming to represent and defend the interests of the IST industry in Lithuania and abroad.

Kaire Nuut joined BPW in February of 2004. Ms. Nuut is the accounting manager for Ballance OÜ (www.ballance.ee) in Tallinn, Estonia, which opened business in 2002 and currently has two employees. Kaire is married with one son, and has a love for reading, gardening, and traveling. She has joined the 2004 delegation to establish U.S. business contacts.

Kairi Rebane is a new member of BPW and the founder of the BPW Estonia Valga Club. Ms. Rebane is IT Manager Valgamaa Infotehnoloogia Arenduse OÜ. IT Development of Valga County (www.e-vita.ee), founded in 2003 offering IT Solutions in South-East Estonia. The firm is a Microsoft Certified Partner and created the information portal and Content Management for Valga County. Kairi enjoys traveling, horseback riding, badminton, and swimming. Her goals for the 2004 delegation to the U.S. are to make business contacts and expand her knowledge in IT management specifically the public sector and accessibility in rural areas. 

Katrin Sulg has been a member of YBPW since 2000 and representative since 2003. She has also served as a board member for the BPW Estonia Tallinn Club since 2002. Additionally, in May 2003 she proudly participated in the “WOMEN Decision Makers and Influence Makers” conference in Estonia which was attended by the UW Center for Women & Democracy Sweden and the Baltics Delegation. Ms. Sulg is currently the Product Manager at Krimelte (www.krimelte.ee), a producer of joint sealants in business since 1994. Krimelte customers include wholesale and retail dealers of construction materials, producers of doors and windows, and construction companies. Katrin enjoys long-distance running as well as singing, playing guitar, and traveling. Katrin is excited to promote and participate in the 2004 cultural and business exchange between Estonia and the U.S. Her business interests include Project and Product Management, Product Development, and Marketing.

Malle Paalberg has been a member of BPW Estonia Parnu club since 1994 and is currently a Vice President of BPW Estonia. Ms. Paalberg is the Financial Manager at AS Sivex International (www.hot.ee/sivex). Founded in 1994, Sivex specializes in custom agents, customs warehouse and excise warehouse services as well as foreign exchange, custom transit and insurance services at the border checkpoints. The firm has 48 employees. Malle has two children and enjoys folklore, architecture, traveling, horses, and gardening. Her goals for the 2004 delegation to the U.S. are to focus on leadership and financial management, make new contacts, and learn from other women’s experience.

Mati Ruul is a proud supporter of the initiatives of BPW and YBPW since 2000. Mr. Ruul is a Lecturer in the areas of sales, sales management, management and leadership for the Estonian Business School Executive Training Centre (etc.ebs.ee). Mati is married with four children and enjoys cycling, basketball, football, and traveling. His goals for the 2004 delegation to the U.S. are to make new contacts in the areas of management, leadership, and sales management.

Orinta Jasudaite is the Marketing and Sales Director of the furniture production division of JSC “Murena. With two divisions employing 200 employees, 60 work to produce furniture from solid wood for export to foreign countries. Orinta is working to introduce Murena furniture under it’s own brand to the local market as well. Prior to Murena, Orinta was a business consultant for Innovation Norway (under the Norwegian Embassy). She volunteers for Siauliai- Women Innovative Activities Centre which is working among other areas of focus, to implement equal rights for women in Lithuania. She also supports her mother’s company which manufactures knitwear and has a women’s clothing line. Orinta hopes to gain knowledge about leadership effectiveness, to meet prominent business leaders and to share her business experience with both US business women as well as taking that knowledge back to other Baltic women. 

Pille Ruul has been a member of BPW and YBPW since 2000 and is currently on the board of BPW Estonia Tallinn Club. Ms. Ruul is the Chairman of the Board at MARU Konsultatisoonikeskus (www.maruko.ee), training and consulting firm founded in 1999. MARU has 3 full-time employees and several contract employees. Pille is married with four children, and outside of spending time with her family, she enjoys choir music, gardening, and aerobics. Her goals for the 2004 delegation to the U.S. are to learn from other women’s experience and begin to anticipate future trends and how to plan for them.

Siiri Juurik has been a member of BPW and YBPW since 2001. Additionally, Siiri is the YBPW Estonia Assistant since 2003. Ms. Jurrik is the Managing Director of NeuLand Arendus OÜ ¬ a Pierre Cavallo knitwear shop (www.pierrecavallo.fi). Siiri enjoys gardening, skiing, traveling, and spending time with her family ¬ her husband, daughter, and West Highland white terrier junior. She is excited to have the opportunity to share experiences with other high-end clothing retailers for women.

Sirje Küttis has been a member of BPW since 1992 and is curently the President of BPW Estonia. Ms. Küttis holds a Masters Degree in Economics from Tartu University and is the President of Gersi Ltd (www.gersi.ee), a beauty and style studio established in 1992. Gersi Ltd employs 26 employees in 2 locations and offers services such as hair styling, spa services, beauty products, colour style analysis, and fashion classes. Sirje enjoys traveling, theatre, walking, and bicycling in her leisure time. She has a specific goal of identifying new beauty services and treatments, sharing ideas about motivating a predominantly female staff, and enhancing leadership skills.

Susanna Kütt has been a member of BPW since 1992 and YBPW since 2000. Additionally, Susanna founded the BPW Estonia Jõhvi Club in 1992. Ms. Kütt is the manager of Top Service Eesti OÜ (www.topservice.ee), which sells, repairs, and rents office equipment since 1997. Top Service currently employs five people. Susanna loves spending time with her family—her husband, two children, dog, and goldfish. Her leisure interests include tennis, art, and traveling. She is eager to meet people in her industry during the forum and to share common experiences.

Ulvi Valter has been a member of BPW and YBPW since 2002. Ulvi is the Chief Accountant for Papyrus AS (www.papyrus.com/ee), a successful paper wholesaler doing business since 1995; currently employing 24 people. Ms. Valter enjoys outdoor sports and activities including skiing, horseback riding, and bicycling. She loves to travel and is excited to investigate the lives of U.S. businesswomen in the coming forum and how coming together will generate options for a more productive life.

Vitalija Sipaviciene is the managing director and founder of UAB TERMOLAIT (www.viskas.lt) which sells bathroom furniture, equipments and accessories from Sweden, France, Spain and Poland. Vitalija is chair of the board of BPW Lithuania (Lithuanian Women in Business and Management Society) and participated in the University of Washington’s Baltic Mission in 2003 as a project manager for Lithuania. Her goal in participating in Across cultures is to meet new business women both within her area of business specialty as well as in other interests. She is excited to share her experience as a successful Lithuanian business women with others. She likes traveling, art and to play tennis.