IVIL Ivillage (MM)

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2005 Business Women's Network Entrepreneurial Star Awards honors Tearsa Coates, President of Teruko Productions, with the Association of Women Business Centers Star Award at the Diversity and Women Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. Over 100 women business centers from around the country were invited to nominate women for the Star Award. The Entrepreneurial Star Award is presented to an individual who has blazed the trail on behalf of women as well as minority entrepreneurs. Geri Swift, President of the Women's Business Development Center in Philadelphia, presented the award. Coates' successes include the creation of her award-winning, WBENC-certified, multimedia life-skills company that teaches kids about fitness, nutrition, and self-esteem through creative interactive fitness videos and her latest "MissFit" kit, a unique interactive fitness program designed specifically for girls. Her goal is to help teens develop healthy habits that will follow them into adulthood. "Coates has become a leader in the fight against the childhood obesity epidemic and the youth health crisis in America," says Swift. "She is a role model for thousands of girls across North America." Coates has shared her message nationally through the Girl Scouts of America, the YWCA, and on her MissFit Ten City Tour, a wellness tour sponsored by Nike, Playtex and ELLEgirl Magazine. After earning an MBA from the University of Virginia, Coates completed the FastTrac New Venture Program, a business plan course, conducted by the Women's Business Development Center. The vision of the Association of the Women's Business Centers is a world where economic wealth, well-being and justice are realized through the leadership and power of successful entrepreneurial women. WBDC, in keeping with its commitment to economic justice, has provided information, business assessment, training, counseling, procurement and certification assistance to over 7,000 clients - representing all socio- economic backgrounds, ranging from aspiring micro-entrepreneurs to owners of fast growth ventures - in an environment in which they can meet, organize, learn from and support each other in their entrepreneurial efforts. Diversity Best Practices (DBP) and The Business Women's Network (BWN) are Washington, D.C.-based organizations providing resources, publications, and benchmarking services for diversity and women in business. DBP is a leading resource service that assists leaders and professionals in the development of fully integrated diversity programs. BWN is an information network for professional women around the globe, from first-time entrepreneurs to board members of Fortune 500 companies. Both divisions of a subsidiary of iVillage Inc. (NASDAQ:IVIL), a leading women's media company and the number one women's community online. For more information contact Geri Swift, President, Women's Business Development Center 1315 Walnut Street, Suite 1116, Philadelphia, PA 19107 Phone: 215-790-5059; Fax: 215-790-9231 DATASOURCE: Women's Business Development Center CONTACT: Geri Swift, President of Women's Business Development Center, +1-215-790-5059, or fax, +1-215-790-9231

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