North Bay Business Journal

Heather Resseger, R.N., 36

Nurse Manager, Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital

Providing quality patient care and monitoring outcomes are all in a day’s work for Heather Resseger. She also mentors her staff and provides them with tools and knowledge to do their jobs.

Greatest professional challenge: Advocating for a culture of change and accountability.

Best advice received: Listen to your staff and don’t try to solve all of their problems. Empower them to develop their own solutions and create positive change.

Steps your company is taking to sustain your organization and improve morale: “We developed the Sonoma Way, a system of shared governance to engage and enable staff to improve processes in their own spheres of influence.”

Mentor/admired businessperson: Todd Salnas, COO at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

Favorite book: The New Leadership Challenge: Creating the Future of Nursing.

Favorite movie: Family Man.

Michael Riel, 39

Chief Operating Officer, M.A. Silva USA, Santa Rosa

Always looking for ways to inspire his team, Michael Riel leads by example and constantly seeks viable solutions for getting things done right at this leading manufacturer of premium natural corks and glass containers for North American markets.

Greatest professional achievement: Successfully launching a new product division with annual growth rates over 100 percent in subsequent years — and building high performing teams that enjoy what they do.

Best advice received: Look at the big picture and make decisions based on what’s right in the long run.

Single most important recent event: Reorganizing several departments with positive effects on morale and productivity.

Mentor/admired businessperson: Guenter Frommel, former CEO of Fujitsu Siemens N.A.

Favorite after-work drink: Bavarian style Hefeweizen Beer.

Last vacation: Visiting friends and family in Bavaria.

Edward Rosa, 39

President, Insight Computing, LLC, and Shed Ligbt Technology, Novato

Edward Rosa serves as a technology adviser to Insight Computing’s clients throughout the North Bay while directing and managing company employees. He also founded Shed Light Technology to focus on legal issues, such as computer forensic, e-discovery and trial technology support.

Greatest professional achievement: He successfully operated and grew a small business without layoffs over a 12-year period that included two economic collapses.

Best advice received: It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon, and you’re in it for the long haul.

Steps taken by the company to sustain itself and improve morale: Avoiding layoffs and maintaining benefits, while continuing to sponsor fun events for employees and their families.

Favorite book: Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People.

Favorite after-work drink: Jagermeister with Sprite.

Anthony Truchard, 36

General Manager, Truchard Vineyards, Napa

Bringing creativity, passion and dedication to all aspects of his life, Anthony Truchard believes in taking these attributes to the office and community.

Within a year after becoming general manager, he doubled company sales and has consistently grown the family business every year, while increasing quality and improving company morale.

Greatest professional challenge: “Weaving family dynamics with day-to-day decisions is not always easy. Coming back to the family business has brought my father and me closer than we have ever been.”

Best advice received: “Act with integrity and purpose” from law professor Justin Hughes.

Single most important recent event: Getting married.

Next professional goal: Taking our products to international markets, especially Asia.

Favorite movie: It’s a Wonderful Life.

Last vacation: “Our honeymoon sailing through the Greek isles.”