Wendeen Eolis Enterprises
Ushers Directors into the Boardroom
Identifying Exceptional Talent for the Boardroom
Helping Qualified Executives to Capture the Right Board Seats
Meet Wendeen
Wendeen savors a multi-dimensional career and the perpetual pursuit of an ever-evolving Renaissance life!
Wendeen is the CEO of Wendeen Eolis Enterprises and EOLIS International Group. A pioneer in the legal search industry and an innovator in talent optimization across the board, she also heads her companies' Corporate Boardroom Services.
An entrepreneur, legal consultant, public servant, journalist, motivational speaker, guru in decoding "Negotiating DNA," the first woman to "cash" in the main event of the World Series of Poker, and the first woman to do so twice.
A proven negotiating ace, Wendeen's clients rely upon her and her team of strategists to navigate successfully, in the "room where it happens!" Wendeen
You may learn more about Wendeen--her businesses, public service experience, motivational seminars, writings, and her ever-evolving pursuit of a Renaissance life.
E-mail: eolis@eolis.com / Call: 212 472-4000
A World of Negotiating Experience
Blog
Educated Counselors
The friendship of Rifka, Roberta, and Wendeen spans a half century from the days they were immersed in drama, dance, and music lessons, respectively. The common denominator of the arts was complemented by academic ambitiousness and a deep interest in the world of counseling. Rifka’s compassion in sharing life lessons and Roberta’s analytical skills in theraputic […]
Thought Leadership
News
Law.com/ALM Legal Recruiters Directory, 2022
For decades, The American Lawyer has produced its Legal Recruiters Directory, annually and delivers to the legal profession and consumers of legal services an authoritative list of businesses engaged in legal recruiting as a specialized practice, with details that distinguish the individual companies. Law.com/ALM Legal Recruiters Directory, 2022
Videos
Wendeen Eolis A&E Biography Close-up
Masterful Poker Strategies for any Negotiation
A Strategic Plan
Winning!
Wendeen Eolis looks upon the pursuit of excellence across multiple platforms as her winning strategy for "a life well lived." She celebrates perpetuation of Renaissance - across the board!
Awards/Honors
A recipient of numerous industry awards, corporate honors, and government citations, including Corporate Live Wire's Innovator of the Year (2015) and Corporate Vision Magazine, CEO of the Year (2016), Wendeen Eolis marks 50 years of leadership in 2017 with a history of notable "firsts."
- Founder, first legal recruiting firm, and first legal consultancy
- First legal recruiter profile - JD Magazine, NY Times, Continental Profiles
- First woman/youngest president, APANY (statewide recruiting association)
- Recipient APANY Lifetime Service Award
- Leader in lobbying effort to legalize "recruitment," in NY
- Citation by NY Senate for leadership in modernized employment agent statute
- Founder, "Ethics/Arbitration Commission," NAPC
- NAPC Industry Ethics Achievement Award
- Founder, National Association of Legal Search Consultants
- First president, of NALSC
- NALSC Distinguished Service Award
- First legal recruiter/career coach qualified as expert witness fed/state Courts
- Expert in first attorney compensation (EEO case) on Court TV
- First woman to cash Main Event, World Series of Poker
- First woman to win European Open Championship
- First woman appointed "First Assistant to the Governor," State of New York
- The sole female adviser to the Mayor filmed in Sir Harold Evans' BBC' documentary, Rudy: Mayor of America
- Leading legal consultant profiled by the The New York Times; NYT Page 1 (Metro); NYT Business Section
- The only player in Inaugural Professional Poker Tour season elected by players and sponsored by management
- Founder, Hope's Champion Task Force post 9/11; public service initiative, advising government on legal counsel selections
Media Recognition
Wendeen Eolis has been the subject of numerous feature stories - including profiles of her business activities, public service, and poker exploits - in an extraordinary range of print, broadcast, and digital media reports - from The New York Times, to the Daily News, from GQ Magazine to the National Enquirer, from BBC to Court TV, from A&E Biography to ABC News and more.
She has been quoted as a legal consulting expert in The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, the Washington Times, and the American Lawyer among scores of media outlets that seek her opinions. Her testimony as an expert in courtroom cases and arbitrations have made national news in the NY Law Journal, The American Lawyer, the Manhattan Lawyer and on Court TV (Tru TV).
As a coach who specializes in career optimization and reputation management online and offline, Wendeen's people reading expertise and advice on effective negotiating tactics have been sought by investigators and reporters behind the scenes and have been reported in business/human interest articles published in the likes of The New York Times, the New York Daily News, New York Magazine, and Manhattan Inc. in feature stories about Wendeen.
Wendeen's status as a poker celebrity with 10 record-setting performances as a woman in world class events prompted scores of stories in poker and gaming publications around the world and special nods from WSOP legends like Johnny Chan and reporters like James McManus in The New York Times.
Recognized as the "Grande Dame of Poker" by the Commissioner of the World Series of Poker, in 2006; that moniker has stuck with her!
An activist, Wendeen fought successfully to end smoking in Donald Trump's poker rooms and has been an ambassador, for non-smoking and abuse-free poker rooms, ever since. Wendeen also served as the Chairman of the World Poker Association.
At Wendeen's request, her appearance on A&E Biography Close Up, was filmed at a Tunica Mississippi casino, to showcase the improved literacy gaming taxes had brought to the poorest county in the poorest state of the country.
Writings
- Wendeen was the first broadcast journalist to cover a major tournament live; the U. S. Poker Championship at Donald Trump's Taj Mahal.
- She was a co-anchor for the filming of the Tournament of Champions that served as the pilot for the World Poker Tour.
- She was the first female ESPN commentator for the World Series of Poker, and a commentator for the historical final WSOP at Binion's Horseshoe.
Speaking Events
Wendeen Eolis is a veteran lecturer, seminar leader, and workshop moderator. She uses her experience in business, law, politics, government and poker, interchangeably, explaining similar and different principles of negotiation that are applicable.
She speaks to a wide variety of audiences - lawyers, executives, politicians university students, corporate and charitable events etc. Her topics share a common thread - negotiating excellence - at work, at home, and on the road. A representative sample of events includes:
- Learning Annex (Instructor)
- World Series of Poker (Keynote)
- Women's Business Sportel Gaming (Moderator)
- Queen Mary Crusie Ship (Interactive seminar)
- Carnival Cruise Ship (Q&A)
- Women's Forum (educational program)
- Friars Club (Special event, including poker lessons)
- NYU Law School (Law student audience)
- Time Warner, Inc (Counsel audience )
- Kramer Levin (Law firm partners)
- Brooks Brothers Charity Event (Poker tips and tells)
In public appearances, Wendeen reminds her audience of crucial differences between negotiations at the poker table and elsewhere. She says, "In life I look for fair results in which I win, you win and we continue the relationship. In a poker game, there are negotiations as nuanced as in other parts of life, but winning is something else entirely. The goal has to be, I win, you lose, and I kill you!" She makes clear, "I like the game of poker, I like the life of fair play."
Testimonials
"Wendeen provides an insightful framework for negotiating which is broadening in strategy development but disciplined in approach. Using a uniquely provocative poker context, Wendeen helps you to recognize new avenues of communication."
- Rosemarie B. , COO
"Wendeen's negotiating wisdom includes unique insights on how to play to your strengths with spot-on illustrations."
- Dr. R. Jellinek, Psychologist
"Wendeen is fearless and unmatched in her skills in negotiating employment offers and separation agreements, and is unwavering in her devotion to get the best deal possible for her client."
- Deborah K. Banking Lawyer
"Wendeen is an incredible speaker, teacher and overall role model for women. I recently invited her to speak for my not-for-profit women's career transitions workshop. She blew us all away with her personality and extraordinary experience, providing clear and concise strategies for successful business negotiations. If you have the opportunity to work with Wendeen, grab it. You won't be disappointed! "
- C. Hyatt, CEO
"Wendeen's advice was crucial in guiding me to a new career."
- G. Adler, COO
"Wendeen channels her knowledge into advice that is tailored to each client's individual needs. She's a strategic thinker as well as a practical one, making her advice highly actionable."
- D. Torres, Senior VP Legal
"Wendeen is a skilled collaborator, negotiator and C-suite executive coach who has worked with business leaders and Heads of State. She is strategic and adept at processing information and solutions driven."
- S. Stamps, Member BOD, Fortune 600
One benefit of working directly for Wendeen was the chance to observe deal-making at its highest levels. I was invited to sit in on certain business negotiations and legal strategy sessions with principal players in diverse industries industries and participated in conversations with important figures in the executive branch of the federal government, as well as with two U.S. Congressmen, and a U.S. Senator. The whole experience served as an intensive course in business negotiation strategies.
What I am most grateful for, however, are the information management skills and methodologies that I learned at Eolis. So, my advice to you is this; if you are ready to work hard with Wendeen and seek to benefit immensely from the experience you won't regret it. It iswell worth your time."
- C. Zerner, Lawyer (former Eolis intern)
"Wendeen is among the best connected people I know and the reason for it is that she provides high quality, thoughtful advice tailored to the individual needs of her clients and friends. I highly recommend her."
- C Humphrey (Retired, former AmLaw 100 Law Firm ,Partner
"I know Wendeen to be smart as a whip and well-connected at high levels of the corporate and political worlds. I retained Wendeen in a uniquely different context... for a film project I was developing set in the world of gaming - where she is also a well-respected and well-connected expert. She knew everybody, and they knew her! She is honest, always cheerful & focuses like a laser on the task at hand. I greatly recommend her, and look forward to the next opportunity for us to collaborate.."
- D Atkins, Owner Producer Movie Company.