Stephanie Dawkins, Stephanie R. Dawkins International

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Position: president,
Stephanie R. Dawkins
International

Lives in: Lake Wylie

Family: husband, Keith;
children, Amber, 15, Justin, 12

You could say Stephanie Dawkins had it all.

She went from a childhood in poverty in Kansas City, Kan., to global senior vice president for Sweden-based AB Volvo.

But Dawkins’ biggest challenge wasn’t achieving that level of success. It was walking away from it.

“It was great being an executive,” she said. “But I forgot how to be a mother and wife. There were lots of dance recitals and games that I missed, and I missed my husband. So I decided to go from success to significance.

“Having stuff is nice, but what is more important is what you keep in your heart and making a difference in other people’s lives.”

In 2010, Dawkins started her own multicultural consulting firm, Stephanie R. Dawkins International, and wrote a book, “Corporate Coffee,” about her business experiences. Her specialties include global expertise in negotiations, strategies, mergers and acquisitions, human resources, industrial relations and organizational effectiveness, she said.

Today, Dawkins travels worldwide to help women and organizations become empowered to evaluate and redefine themselves so they can maximize their full potential. She also helps companies achieve better results.

She is on the board of the Euro-American Woman’s Council, which works to strengthen the status of women all over the world.  She will soon travel to Somalia as a volunteer with Oasis Group International.

“We have forgotten that it takes a village not just to raise a child but to raise each other,” Dawkins said. “We women have to stick together.”

Dawkins, 52, credits her mother for teaching her how to empower herself.

“I come from humble beginnings and attended a segregated school, but I was greatly loved,” she said. “I have no fear. My mother taught me to look people in the eye and to never let them see you sweat.

“I don’t underestimate the racial thing, but I was taught that color is for crayons.”

After graduating from the University of St. Mary, Hawkins started her business career by going to work for Black & Decker, which brought her to North Carolina. She was on the fast track when she went to work for Volvo, and she split her time between Greensboro and Gothenburg, Sweden. By the time she left the company, she led an international team in 19 countries and had oversight over more than 100,000 employees.

“Tina Turner has always been my role model,” Dawkins said. “I talked fast and walked fast in my 4-inch heels, red-tailored suit and red lipstick.”