The Girl Scouts of Greater New York (GSGNY) honored Karen Ross, president and CEO of Sharp Decisions, at the annual Women of Distinction breakfast on Wednesday, Oct. 28. Ross, of Great Neck, was recognized for her success as an entrepreneur as well as her commitment to giving back.
“Karen Ross’s dedication to helping veterans build a career in addition to her extraordinary entrepreneurial success make her an excellent example of leadership,” said Barbara Murphy-Warrington, CEO of GSGNY. “We are thrilled to honor her as a Woman of Distinction.”
Each fall, for more than 20 years, GSGNY has recognized women like Ross, who have achieved great success in their careers, have made a difference in their community, and who serve as remarkable role models for the more than 29,000 girls who participate in GSGNY and countless other girls in New York City.
“I’m truly honored and humbled to be recognized as a woman of distinction by the Girl Scouts of New York,” Ross said. “The value of this organization in its mentorship, collaboration and leadership puts girls on the right track to success. But this award is not just my award, it represents all the hard work and commitment that the team at Sharp Decisions dedicates to making this program succeed.”
Ross, of Great Neck, is the CEO of the technology consulting services firm Sharp Decisions, a company she founded in 1990. As a visionary entrepreneur, she has honed her skills by starting and growing strategic and technology consulting firms both domestically and abroad, with five offices in the U.S. and a European headquarters in London.
Ross’s can-do attitude gave her the impetus to start the V.E.T.S. Program in March 2013, the first of its kind in the nation, to hire and train post-9/11 veterans for IT careers. The program hires and trains veterans without touching their GI Bill benefits.
Ross invested more than $1 million to create the program, which in almost three years has helped more than 100 veterans launch new careers. The program takes into account how to get the best out of each veteran in a civilian working environment, making re-assimilation seamless for the veterans.
Ross and Sharp Decisions have been recognized with myriad awards.
