The Insider: 9.23.15

For the ninth consecutive year, Fortune magazine has named St. Louisan Pam Nicholson (pictured above), CEO of Enterprise Holdings, one of the most powerful women in business. She moved up two spots this year to No. 20 on the list. Nicholson is the highest-ranking female in the rental car industry.

The bells at St . Joseph’s Academy recently rang for the first time since the early 1960s to kick off a yearlong celebration for the school’s 175th anniversary. Founded and still sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, the Catholic girls’ college preparatory school in Frontenac is among the oldest schools in the metropolitan area.

Last year, a local nonprofit scattered fiberglass cakes decorated by local artists around St. Louis to commemorate the city’s 250th anniversary. Now you can see the entire collection in photographer Matthew Nolan’s book, 250 Years–252 Cakes: The Definitive St. Louis 250th Anniversary Cake Book (including the cake sponsored by Town & Style, which sat in front of Shaw Park).

Exciting news for two local universities, which made U.S. News & World Report’s annual list of best colleges in the nation. Washington University ranked an impressive No. 15 and Saint Louis University came in at No. 96. The magazine bases its rankings on several indicators of excellence, including first-year student retention and graduation rates.

Applications came in from 72 cities and nine countries for this fall’s Prosper Women Entrepreneurs’ Startup Accelerator, which focuses exclusively on helping women-led startups in technology, health care and consumer products. Two of this year’s five winners have St. Louis ties: Bandura Systems, run by St. Louis native Suzanne Magee, and EDIS Solutions, run by St. Louis resident Nanette Musgrave. Each will receive mentoring, education and a $50,000 capital investment.