LuAn Mitchell-Halter and her husband's prized Rolls Royce, which carried then Princess Elizabeth and Duke of Edinburgh on a visit to Canada

Paper Doll or MVP?
By Jolene Fleming

A sneak peek into the life of LuAn Mitchell-Halter

Imagine the Energizer Bunny. He has been spreading his message of long-lasting power since his debut in 1989. LuAn Mitchell-Halter is a lot like the Energizer Bunny. She too as been spreading her message of power to the world – an empowering message to people – to keep overcoming barriers and striving for their dreams, and like the Energizer Bunny, she keeps going and going and going. Whether close by in her Banff dream home or at her other dream home in Palm Desert, California, she is doing what she does best – succeeding at every role she takes on: entrepreneur, corporate executive, author, motivational speaker, philanthropist and mother.

Before 1998, Mitchell-Halter was a practicing entrepreneur with her own salon, spa and modeling school. Her role as entrepreneur was suddenly expanded to corporate executive as she took over the reigns of leadership at Mitchell's Gourmet Foods Inc. from 1998-2003 following her husband's (Fred Mitchell) premature death. Although not formerly schooled in the meatpacking business, LuAn refused to sell her shares, ran the company and eventually completed a $44-million plant expansion creating hundreds of new jobs through collaborating with the Schneider Corporation. Her personal and business struggles initiated an inspirational autobiographical-type book that became an international bestseller – Paper Doll: Lessons Learned From a Life Lived in the Headlines (Paper Doll).

The international success of Paper Doll (2004) lead to a book tour that lasted most of 2004. Coming in 2005, Mitchell-Halter is releasing the Paper Doll Special Edition CD for Individual and Group Healing. This extension of her novel will be a welcome addition to her fans' libraries, as this audio reading also includes a lesson discussion at the end of each chapter, a workbook guide to help listeners cultivate their own seeds of good and a special commentary by LuAn herself.

In between the success of Paper Doll the novel and the release of the CD, Mitchell-Halter has been busy speaking at engagements, seminars and doing book appearances. She has met and worked with widely recognized personalities such as Mark Victor Hansen (one of the founders of Chicken Soup for the Soul), Apprentice winner Bill Rancic and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The author side of Mitchell-Halter seems to be an outgrowth of the philanthropist. LuAn wants to help people find the good in their own journey in life. Several projects scheduled for the release in 2005 support this personal goal. One project is a powerful audio series called Eye of the Tiger: 10 Surefire Strategies in the Hunt for Excellence. The series features six one-hour long CDs that share a different inspirational message with listeners, and lessons learned from the CD can be extended by using the supplementary workbook available.

As well as book authoring, in the beginning of 2005 Mitchell-Halter began writing her column Halter Top in Scarlett magazine – a Vancouver-based, business-lifestyle publication that celebrates women and their achievements. In the Woman MVP Who Set You Free: Play Quarterback With the Big Boys and Win! LuAn teaches readers the rules of the game to help them become the Most Valuable Person (MVP) in their lives. She shares stories of triumph of women she admires most, as well as some "big boys" whose work has inspired her.

The second book for release, The Emergence: Seven Secrets of Magic and Healing From the Garden of Eden follows a fictitious character through seven gardens, and each garden teaches readers and important life lesson about success and healing.

When Mitchell-Halter isn't busy writing, she is busy giving back to the community in organizations such as the United Way, YMCA and Junior Achievement. In 2003, she founded the Gingara Trust Fund at the University of Saskatchewan in memory of her parents. The donation of $1 million is being used to ensure that future generations of Saskatchewan residents will be able to fulfill their dreams and, in turn, help benefit their community.

When she isn't championing the rest of the world, she is happily sharing it with her husband, Dr. Reese Halter, and their children, because Mitchell-Halter believes a happy family is life's greatest achievement.

How does she find time to fit it all in? LuAn comments, "I love being busy. It means that I'm taking my message of good out to the world and helping others find seeds of good in their own experiences."