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TIAW Visits Our Members In Shanghai And Singapore
“Connecting to Make All The Difference in the World” By Maxine Westaway, Executive Director of TIAW
Thank you to all who worked so hard to present the fantastic European Women in Management Development (EWMD) conference in Shanghai with a very special thanks to Waltraut Ritter of
Hong Kong.It was great to meet so many EWMD and TIAW members there for the first time, along with our long time friends and colleagues.
TIAW in London in March – Women on Boards
and Building Ties in the Middle-East
While the crocuses were in bloom and the daffodils just beginning to open, London was the scene of an important series of meetings for TIAW in early March. TIAW President Stephanie MacKendrick and 1st Vice President Diane Morris represented the organization during the week at events that ranged from a formal dinner at Mansion House to a series of meetings on Women on Boards and a City Women’s Network wine and cheese party. It was a whirlwind of activity, connecting and sharing important information.
Center for Women's Business Research News release February 2007
Firms Owned by Women of Color Outpace All Firms
in Growth in Numbers
Yet Revenues and Employment are Lower Than Average
Washington, DC – Firms owned by women of color are growing at five times the rate of all privately-held U.S. firms, according to estimates released today by the Center for Women’s Business Research. Between 1997 and 2006, the number of privately-held firms that are 51% or more owned by women of color grew at 120%, while all privately-held firms grew by 24%.
Donna Heivilin Receives The Mandy Goetze 21st Century Award
TIAW Global Partnership Forum 2006
Each year, TIAW presents The Mandy Goetze 21st Century Award to a member who personifies its mission of “Connecting to make all the difference in the world.” This year, that award was presented to TIAW past president, Dr. Donna Heivilin at our recent Global Partnership Forum held in Atlanta.
........ Or Simply Someone Who Lives The TIAW Mission?
During the past 20 years, TIAW long time member Peggy Espinda has attended about 15 annual conferences. For her, each conference was jam packed with fascinating speakers with an abundance of timely knowledge to impart, and the 2006 Atlanta Global Forum didn’t disappoint. A "junkie for learning," the best part of the conferences has always been the people who Peggy meets. Living in Atlanta, and having some available time, she assumed the role of chauffeur and host.
Reflections on the Business & Trade Mission, Atlanta, GA
First Impressions by Dr Diane Kline, Palm Desert, CA
Exhilarating, powerful, dynamic, inspirational, caring, collaborative, knowledgeable, friendly and fun are all adjectives that would describe the events and people that I met during my four day stay at this outstanding global convention. The first evening meal provided introductions to the powerful women behind the convention and provided an opportunity to meet and get to know Haifa Al-Kaylani. This amazing woman is bringing Arab countries together to provide a “world without borders”, providing a forum for cross cultural dialogue, and focusing on commonalities rather than conflicts within and among the Arab nations. Haifa believes in “building bridges to businesses” for women; however, she believes that there are still three impediments to accomplishing these goals: freedom, empowerment of women, and unequal citizenship. The solution is to educate and train women for jobs.
Through The Eyes of a Fourteen Year Old by - Srebriana Noeva - London, UK. & Sofia, Bulgaria
Three months ago my when my mom told me that the TIAW annual meeting was coming up, I wasn’t surprised because she travels to the U.S.A. a lot. What surprised me was that she said that I would be coming along. When I was little (about 11) my mom told me that some day when I grew up she would take me with to America to one of TIAW conferences that she attends every year, but I had no idea that it was going to be so soon. I was so excited! I mean, the U.S.A., TIAW - wow I thought. I know TIAW since I was small child. My mom is so deeply involved with the organisation. She contributes a lot of time and effort to work for TIAW.
CENTRE FOR INNOVATION, ENTERPRISE & TECHNOLOGY FOR WOMEN (CIET FOR WOMEN) IN WEST AFRICA
Support for inventive and innovative micro, small and medium sized women owned businesses across West Africa have received a boost as a result of a new alliance between Global Women Inventors & Innovators Network (GWIIN) based in the United Kingdom and Doregos Private Academy based in Lagos, Nigeria. Starting from September 2007, GWIIN will open its first innovation centre – CIET For Women and is now calling for strategic partners to work in collaboration. GWIIN is expecting many Africa friendly organisations to join them in developing this new facility into a leading edge resource centre for women with great ideas across West Africa.
Doregos Private Academy recently made available to GWIIN, a 3 storey building currently under construction scheduled for completion by September 2007. The building which is described by Bola Olabisi, GWIIN’s CEO, as a regional educational tool will consist of a reception area, training rooms, an ICT room and 14 residential single apartments. This new centre is located within Doregos Private Academy’s new Campus also under construction and will serve towards building of opportunities for creative, inventive & innovative women with a particular focus on the workplace, the business environment, education & learning institutions and all areas covering the introduction of new products, technologies, engineering, services & processes.
Myrna Yao, Chief Operating Officer of Richwell Trading Corporation, a company that imports & distributes toys, shoes, apparel, tires and baby products in the Philippines, became a member of TIAW in 2002 when she attended the Women’s Leaders’ Network in Mexico and got actively involved during the International Meeting in Hong Kong in May 2002.
Recap of the 11th APEC Women Leaders Network Meeting
Recap of the 11th APEC Women Leaders’ Network Meeting & SME Business Forum,
Hanoi, Viet Nam, September 18 – 22, 2006
By Maxine Westaway, Executive Director, TIAW
The Women Leaders’ Network (WLN) launched in Manila in 1996 is a public-private network of women leaders representing all sectors of business, government, academia and civil-society from the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) economies. WLN plays an important role by contributing women leader’s perspectives and expertise to the APEC region.
A Conversation With Vicki Gordon, InterContinental Hotel Group
Women in the hospitality industry face the same challenges that women in other industries face. Coming up through the ranks of human resources and sales and marketing, they often lack the front line operational experience they need to get the coveted positions often occupied by men
Not so for Vicki Gordon, Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs for the Americas at InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG), who progressed through positions of increasing responsibilities over her 17-year stint at the company. A 30-year industry veteran, Vicki started out in marketing & sales, demonstrating capability in every area she was assigned to. Now in her current role for six years, she is responsible for government relations, community outreach, corporate social responsibility, meetings & special events and facilities management. At this stage in her career, as she thinks about professional growth opportunities, Vicki would welcome greater international responsibilities.
If you’re in the hospitality industry - or any other industry for that matter - Vicki’s story could very well be your story. She was very strategic about her career. She not only mastered each role that she was assigned to, but also developed fluency in the “operations language” to get a deeper understanding of that aspect of the business. In addition, she worked from within the organization to facilitate change.
If you want to progress in your organization, Vicki offers this advice: “Be a continuous learner, learn as much as you can and choose good mentors. Create a “board of mentors,” which consists of people with various areas of expertise, and who can help you with different aspects of your career and professional development. I think that’s absolutely essential.”
Programs, products and services are often created because of an existing need. Having worked for International Planned Parenthood for seven years, and consulted to the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) for another three years in the capacity of Communications Program Officer, TIAW member, Catherine Mugo-Muna noticed that when people received funding for projects, they seldom achieved self-sufficiency – they took the money, used it and expected the same funders to give them additional funds to continue with their projects.
Catherine knew there had to be a better way. It was clear to her that what was needed was a program that provided the initial seed money for the projects, as well as provide training to the recipients to help them develop innovative ways to raise additional funds, helping them to become self sufficient.
During her travels in Kenya and all over Africa, she noticed that there were many people who made the most beautiful crafts – carpeting, bed covers, clothing, handbags, accessories, you name it – but lacked the “know how” about making quality products. Catherine’s idea generating machine went into full gear, and the idea born was to establish a group whose motto would be “breaking the cycle of poverty.”
In 2001, Skills Development for Self Reliance Inc. was born! With funds from the European Union, Catherine and her team provided seed money to various groups, as well as help them to build on their existing skills by bringing in skilled artisans to teach them how to make quality products, not just beautiful products. They then taught them how to market their products locally and internationally. The funding recipients were also encouraged to train their children to acquire the same skills so that they would have a family business.
The National Women's Business Council will host a Web Cast
September 12 Web Cast to Focus on Policy Priorities of Women Entrepreneurs
The National Women's Business Council will host a Web Cast on September 12 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time to discuss the policy priorities of women business owners.
During the event, Council members and other policy leaders will address public policies affecting women-owned businesses and the outlook in Congress. This event, being held in Washington, DC, will also be broadcast live over the Internet. NWBC Tami Longaberger will moderate the event, and panelists will include: Rebecca Boenigk, Neutral Posture, Inc.; Anne Crews, Mary Kay Inc.; Kathryn Eshelman, Grade A Notes; and Patricia Soldano, Cymric Family Offices Services.
Visit the NWBC web site for additional information, including time, location and log-in instructions. Please contact the National Women's Business Council at 202-205-3850 or mailto:info@nwbc.gov with any questions about the upcoming Web Cast.
Laura Liswood, Secretary General of the Council of Women World Leaders
There are women throughout the world whose actions, efforts and inspiration truly do make a "World of Difference" in supporting the advancement of women. Whether it is a small village project in a developing country that has ripple effects throughout the community, or an event or initiative on a global scale, the TIAW World of Difference Award recognizes the power within every individual to change the world we live in for the betterment of women. Each year, TIAW bestows the TIAW World of Difference Award at the annual TIAW Global Partnership Forum to recognize one woman who has truly made a difference in the lives of women. This year, the award will be proudly bestowed upon Laura A. Liswood, the Secretary General of the Council of Women World Leaders, of which she is a co-founder.A nationally recognized speaker, author, and advisor, Liswood has contributed to leadership in the women’s community for more than twenty years.
Here are a few more of Laura's specific achievements:
She has worked to change the cultural message in the about women as leaders by co-founding The White House Project.
As director of the Women’s Leadership Project, Liswood interviewed 15 current and former women presidents and prime ministers, which is chronicled in her book and video documentary, Women World Leaders. This also led to the creation of the Council of Women World Leaders.
Former commissioner of the City of
Seattle Women ’s Commission, Liswood was the owner/publisher of Seattle Woman and is the founder of May’s List, a bipartisan political donor network emphasizing women’s leadership in the political arena.
In 2000, the Secretary of Defense appointed her to a three-year term on the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS).
She currently has the position Managing Director, Global Leadership and Diversity at Goldman Sachs.
She holds an M.B.A. from
Harvard
Business
School , a J.D. degree from the
University of
California , Davis,
School of
Law , and a B.A. from
California
State
University ,
San Diego .
After the events of September 11, 2001, Liswood became a reserve police officer for the
District of Columbia .
TIAW announces InterContinental Hotels Group (ICHG) as a Platinum sponsor. We caught up with Sue Morgan, Vice President Franchise Food & Beverage at ICHG to find out more about the hotel, her role, and women in general in the hospitality industry.
ICHG was attracted to TIAW and wanted to become a sponsor because it’s not only a smart business alliance, but also because they have a global presence and a sense of community, which provides a great cultural fit with TIAW.
InterContinental is concerned about women! It provides, “Rewarding performance in an inclusive and diverse corporate culture is exemplified from the top down... Half of the direct reports - to Steve Porter, President of the - are women.This is a powerful indication of ICHG's commitment to the opportunities for women,” explains Ms. Morgan.
Ms. Morgan whose background is in the restaurant industry, is fairly new to the hospitality industry. Prior to switching to the hospitality industry, she held Chief Marketing Officer positions, specifically, as it relates to national fast food and casual dining brands. She is excited about the opportunity to maximize the guest experience at ICHG, by evolving the brand value of the food and beverage.
Cairo, Egypt June 10 – 12th, 2006 By
Maxine Westaway
Executive Director, TIAW
To visit
Cairo, is exciting any time, to do so with over 900 academic, business and political leaders from 89 economies at the 16thGlobal Summit of Women was an incredible experience.Also at the summit this year were 44 female ministers from a host of different countriesThe theme, “Redefining Global Leadership,” which underscored the impact women have on the institutions they lead – whether in government or business - seemed so appropriate.By holding the conference in Egypt, non-Arab participants had a chance to see the “Business excellence” of women from Egypt as well as other Arab and African countries, and they in turn had thechance to network with their counterparts from other countries along with Corporate executives from a number of multinationals
TIAW held its first Web Conference regarding the upcoming International Business & Trade mission to be held November 9, 2006 in Atlanta, GA. in conjunction with the Global Partnership Forum 2006.
To listen to this conference call please click on the link below
If you don't have Flash installed, you may be prompted to install Flash before reviewing the archive. To replay it, select this link:
L to R Stephanie Mackendrick, Diane Morris, Linly Lord, Curtin Business School, Perth, Australia, Professor Susan Vinnicombe, Cranfield School of Management, UK
On May 24, 2006, one of Britain’s best-known addresses was the scene of a gathering of local and international leaders who met to discuss “Next Steps in Gender Equality.”
TIAW was represented by both of its Vice Presidents: Stephanie MacKendrick, President of Canadian Women in Communications, who is 1st VP and Chair of the Women on Boards Committee and Diane Morris, President of City Women’s Network, who is TIAW’s 2nd Vice President. They were among the 75 who attended a special session at No. 11 Downing Street, (with the kind permission of the Chancellor of the Exchequer at whose official residence it was held) presented by the Smith Institute featuring the Rt. Hon. Ruth Kelly, MP (Minister for Women) as opening speaker, followed by Professor Laura Tyson, Director, London Business School. A panel discussion, moderated by BBC Radio 4 presenter Carolyn Quinn, included Dr. Katherine Rake of the Fawcett Society, Jenny Watson of the UK Equal Opportunities Commission, Tom Riordan of Yorkshire Forward, Sara Harvey of Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA) and Sarah Bond of KPMG.
NWBC Chair Tami Longaberger Receives Leadership Award
On May 2 in New York City, NWBC Chair Tami Longaberger received one of three "Leading by Example" awards from the Center for Women's Business Research during the organization's 12th Annual Executive Roundtable. Longaberger, who is Chair & CEO of The Longaberger Company, was honored for her commitment to enlarging the possibilities for women business owners and setting the standard for others by demonstrating courage and leadership as a role model for other women. Other awardees were Sheila Johnson and Linda Kaplan Thaler.
TIAW Global Partnership Forum 2006
“Excellence in Leadership – Women Setting the Pace”
November 9th – 11th
TIAW, The Executive Women of Goizueta (EWG) and Georgia Executive Women’s Network (GEWN) invite you to attend “Excellence in Leadership – Women Setting the Pace,” this year’s Global Partnership Forum.
A visit to Chile An Interview with Diane Morris President, CWN, London
interview by Sue Sheen, editor CWN Connections
A trip to Chile, even for such a well-traveled person as Diane Morris, cannot help but be memorable. And indeed Diane has come back full of her memories of this amazing country, squeezed between mountains and sea, and stretching over 2,600 miles from arid desert to frozen south.
Chile was, she says, an exciting place to be, particularly given the recent victory of its first woman president, Michelle Bachelet. Over the past few years Chile’s economic success has been outstanding, and it enjoys political consensus and policy stability. Ms Bachelet, however, has strong challenges ahead of her — improving the education of the poor, pensions, and ensuring the country’s power supply.
The primary purpose of Diane’s visit was TIAW’s International Conference, but she also fitted in a trip to Patagonia (‘distinctly chilly, wonderfully pure air, and scenery that is just stunning’) and a visit to the coast (‘damp and cloudy’). In Santiago itself the temperature was 30o, so packing was, Diane says, quite a challenge!
When you are part of an organization like TIAW, you ask yourself, “What does success look like?” Today I witnessed success in the faces of three women who after marriage, children, and in one case grandchildren, have just come into their own.
We (17 altogether) started our day by visiting Isabel Infante, the Executive Director of FINAM, at her office in Santiago. FINAM, TIAW’s microfinance enterprise partner in Chile, manages, selects, and administers micro-loans to qualifying women in Santiago. FINAM has 15 employees - 8 women, 7 men.
FINAM was set up at the beginning of good times for Chilean economy to address the access to capital needs of poor women. Banks typically do not lend money to people without a good credit history. With no credit history at all, women found it especially difficult to qualify for loans.
How The International Alliance for Women (TIAW) Can Help You
By Lea Chambers, VP Marketing and Communications, TIAW
Once upon a time there was a woman who woke up one morning and decided to take a risk and move closer to her life’s dream. She wasn’t sure how she was going to do it, she had no idea where the money was going to come from, and she didn’t even know who to talk to about the most logical next step for her to take. It was a quiet morning, the city was just waking up around her, and she lay in bed for a few quiet moments, looking at the ceiling, feeling very small as she contemplated what she was going to do next.
She let herself feel small for a moment, and then took a deep breath and swung her legs out of the bed and started with her day. She was suddenly silent inside, all the chaos of her mind wondering “Should I do this? What’s going to happen? Will I fail?” seemed to have finally dissipated now that she had made her decision. She was at peace with herself because she had finally, finally honored that little voice in her head that for years had been saying to her “Why not?” And she was simply using her courage to move forward, step by step.
This is the story of women all over the world and it happens every day. What that little voice is saying has more variations than there are grains of sand on a beach. Maybe for a woman in Santiago it’s making the decision to get a loan from a micro-enterprise bank and start her own hair salon. Maybe for a senior executive at a bank in New York it’s making the decision to retire and go traveling with her husband. Maybe for a Bulgarian woman who’s recently widowed it’s the decision to move back to her hometown and run for politics.
Impressions of the TIAW International Conference in Chile
By Stephanie Boyles, VP Technology, TIAW
It was a week of ideas, a week of visions, a week of seeing dreams come true. It was also a week of great food, interesting people and on one magical night – Rumba! I love the opportunity to get to know people from different cultures anyway, but to be able to meet them with the intention and the possibility of creating together a better world quickens the heart.
We started with the Board Meeting, working together to refresh and sharpen our shared goals. Normally I work mostly with men, so having the opportunity to work with and see this group of powerful women strive to come up with actionable, measurable goals focused on the economic empowerment of women worldwide was a gift. I brought my 15 year old daughter with me, so this gift was magnified by her being able to experience it as well.
The next day we visited TIAW’s Microfinance partner for Chile, Filial Chilena Banca De La Mujer (FINAM), and three of the women who received micro-loans through the grant TIAW provided. Of the entire week, I’d have to say this was the highlight for me. Just witnessing what these women have been able to do in their lives was worth the 30 hours of travel from Denver to Santiago and back.
When my mother first popped the question, “Do you wanna go to Chile on Spring Break?” the first thing I saw in my mind was the flashing sign of all the different things I could be doing that week. Then I thought about the actual question Chile … It was a new place to go, there would be new people to meet, and it would be a chance to practice my lethargically progressing Spanish. Then Mom told me about TIAW, which I had heard little about in her previous spouts of joy. I soon learned that TIAW is an umbrella organization for women’s networks worldwide dedicated to the economic empowerment of women, a cause in which I believe whole-heartedly. Needless to say, I agreed to go.
So the weeks went by and finally it was time to fly. In the rush of packing, I hurriedly snatched a book off the chaos that was my desk; it just happened to be the book my mom had been soliciting me to read, and it just happened to be one of the best books I’ve ever read (with the exception of Harry Potter of course). The book is Portrait in Sepia by Isabel Allende, set partially in Chile; it talks about the history of the isolated country through the eyes of some very strong women. Through this book I was able to compare many of the women we met with those of the novel. But I’m getting ahead of myself…first we meet Maxine.
A report finds women still lag in the number of startups, but these entrepreneurs have important success stories to tell
Cary Marsh sold streaming video in the business-to-business environment in Britain. Then she went on maternity leave, and her career path changed forever. After four months of changing diapers and snuggling with her first son, she got the itch to go back to work. That's when she came up with the idea for Mydeo.com, a service that allows home moviemakers to upload their films to a streaming network. She launched the business in 2004 and had teamed up with Microsoft (MSFT) by August, 2005. Her business, located in Kingston Upon Thames near London, is growing.
International Women’s Day, now celebrated on March 8th, is an occasion marked by women's groups around the world. Its roots in other countries are as varied as how it is celebrated.
Socialist women in the United States organized the first National Women's Day in 1908 and helped inspire the international event. Fifteen thousand women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights. On February 28, 1909, the Socialist Party of America observed the first International Women’s Day (IWD) in the United States following a declaration.
The first IWD in Germany, Austria, Denmark and other European countries was held on March 19, 1911. German women selected this date because in 1848 the Prussian king had promised the vote for women.
In the West, International Women's Day was commemorated during the 1910s and 1920s, but dwindled thereafter. It was revived by the rise of feminism in the 1960s.
In 1975, designated as International Women’s Year, the United Nations gave official sanction to and began sponsoring International Women's Day. And, in 1977, The General Assembly of the United Nations passed Resolution 32/142, and officially called on all countries to set aside a day to recognize women's advancements.
In 1978, the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women in California began a "Women's History Week" celebration. The week was chosen to coincide with International Women's Day. Three years later, the United States Congress passed a resolution establishing National Women's History Week.
In 1987, the National Women's History Project petitioned Congress to expand the national celebration to the entire month of March. Since then, the National Women's History Month Resolution has been approved with bipartisan support in both the House and Senate. The month long observance is in recognition of women's many accomplishments throughout history. A variety of agencies, schools, and organizations observe the month by focusing on the “consistently overlooked and undervalued” role of American women in history. Libraries and communities promote special events. This year the theme of Women’s History Month is "Women: Builders of Communities and Dreams."
In 2005, the Congress of the British Trades Union Congress overwhelmingly approved a resolution calling for IWD to be designated a public holiday in the United Kingdom.
Rooted in the centuries-old struggle of women to participate in society on equal footing with men, IWD honors the achievements of women and promotes women's rights. Around the world, IWD marks a celebration of the economic, social, cultural and political achievements for women. Its symbols, adopted from the labour movement at the turn of the century, are bread to represent the struggle for economic equality and roses to represent continuing efforts for a better quality of life.
CWN members enjoying lunch in the fabulous surroundings of Gibson Hall
TOP ADVICE FROM BARONESS HOGG City Women’s Network had three tables — more than any other group or business — at the annual Women in the City lunch run by networking expert, Gwen Rhys, in December. More than 200 businesswomen gathered in the palatial Victorian splendour of the Gibson Hall on Bishopsgate, complete with imposing marble columns, formal portraits and large crystal chandeliers.
Baroness Hogg, Chairman of 3i, so far the only woman to chair the board of a FTSE-100 company, started her speech by remarking that she believes it’s a fallacy that adjectives in the English language don’t change with gender. ‘In the newspapers adjectives do change,’ she said. ‘For example, a businessman is described as “ambitious”, while a businesswoman is “pushy”. A man has “leadership skills”; a woman is “bossy”.’
Even reaching the top is no defence against male prejudice. She told us how as late as the 1990s, when she was running the Prime Minister’s Policy Unit for John Major, The Times ran a piece claiming she was rushing home and by implication neglecting her job, because she had to look after her children. ‘My youngest,’ she told us, ’was then at university!’
She has been the only woman on all 30 boards she has sat on, save in the public sector and 3i, her current employers. ‘The world of the major corporates changes very slowly. Nevertheless, today a quarter of the estimated 3.7m businesses in the UK are owned by women — that’s a million businesses.’ The future, she told us, is very encouraging, because women in their thirties and forties have had access to more business education and experience than ever before, and they are now rising through the ranks. Roz Morris
Diane Morris, CWN President, is one of the judges for the British Female Inventor & Innovator of the Year which makes its awards on 21 February. You can find details on the website of Global Women Inventors & Innovators Network, http://www.gwiin.com
There are more than 300 Peace Corps volunteers in Ukraine, which makes it one of the largest programs in the world. We work in 3 different areas – teaching English, youth development or economic development. I am working in the latter program. When I volunteered, I only knew that I would be going somewhere in Eastern Europe but I had no idea which country. Last December they offered me the Ukraine and I said YES.
On 1 March 2004, my group of tired volunteers flew into Kiev for 3 months of intensive language and cross-cultural training. In April, they told me I would be assigned to a Non-Governmental Organization in the town of Uzhgorod. I had never heard of the town of 117,000 on the banks of the Uzh River, which is within walking distance of Slovakia and a taxi ride from Hungary. It is as far West as you can go and still be in Ukraine. Because of its rich Austro-Hungarian past, and the international impact of its geographical location, Uzhgorod is a very attractive and European feeling town.
Ukraine, in many respects, reminds me of what life in post-war Germany in the 50’s must have been like. The roads are pot-holed, there are wild dogs roaming the streets, groceries are purchased at the outdoor Farmer’s Bazaar, refrigerators are tiny, apartments are small, hot water is not available on demand, only 11% of the population have home computers, credit cards are not used, and the women spend hours pickling, canning and preserving for the coming winter. At the same time, ATM’s are now everywhere, the women are gorgeous and dressed to the nines in spike heels, and the people are friendly and family-oriented. Americans are universally liked and many people have a relative somewhere in the States.
For more than a quarter of a century, City Women’s Network (CWN) members have been making a significant impact, not just in their own fields, but in broader spheres. Talking to a few of those who have been members for the longest (the earliest joined in 1978) one discovers just how many are leading figures in prestigious organisations. Janet Gaymer, CBE, for instance, is Senior Partner of Simmons & Simmons, and Mei Sim Lai, OBE, was until recently a highly influential partner with Pridie Brewster, Chartered Accountants.
The International Alliance for Women (TIAW) is extremely excited about the TIAW 2006 International Meeting, scheduled to be held in
Santiago, in March 26 – 30, 2006.This International Meeting will be themed “Women Leaders in Global Business – Connecting to Make a World of Difference”.Hosted by the Women Leaders Network of Chile, as well as the Universidad Central where the conference will take place, the conference will feature a myriad of speakers from ASEXMA (Association of Exporting Industrialists) and the Investment Board of Chile as well as government Ministers, leading entrepreneurs, and representatives from the corporate world, including multinationals.
Snapshots From The Ground: The 2005 TIAW Global Partnership Forum
Perspectives - Stephanie MacKendrick
In a word, the TIAW Annual Forum that was held in
Jacksonville, Florida in October was wonderful.Dodging the imminent possibility of a meeting with Hurricane Wilma, we were treated to a warm welcome from the host network, Women Business Owners of North Florida. We heard from an array of strong, forthright, intelligent and courageous women including Canadian journalist and World of Difference Award winner, Sally Armstrong,
Snapshots From The Ground: The 2005 TIAW Global Partnership Forum
Takeaways - Stephanie M. Boyles
TIAW’s
Jacksonville conference introduced me to an international network of predominantly women committed to economic empowerment of women worldwide.I was at the conference Thursday night, Friday and Saturday.Three events stand out in memory, although numerous others made the whole event a rich experience.
Statitics Published by The Center for Women's Business Research
10.6 million firms are at least 50% owned by a woman or women
Forty-eight percent (48%), nearly half, of all privately-held firms are at least 50% owned by a woman or women.
Between 1997 and 2004, the estimated growth rate in the number of women-owned firms was nearly twice that of all firms (17% vs. 9%), employment expanded at twice the rate of all firms (24% vs. 12%), and estimated revenues kept pace with all firms (39% vs. 34%).
Women-owned businesses will spend an estimated $546 billion annually on salaries and benefits ($492 billion on salaries and $54 billion for employee benefits – heath, retirement, and insurance). Health benefits comprise the largest share of benefit expenditures, with 2004 spending estimated at $38 billion.
Women-owned firms employ 19.1 million people and generate $2.5 trillion in sales.
Privately-held 50% or more women-owned firms are just as likely as all privately-held firms to have employees (23% of women-owned firms compared to 25% of all firms).
Annual expenditures by women-owned enterprises for just four areas – information technology ($38 billion), telecommunications ($25 billion), human resources services ($23 billion), and shipping ($17 billion) – are estimated to be $103 billion.
Between 1997 and 2004, privately-held 50% or more women-owned firms diversified into all industries with the fastest growth in construction (30% growth ), transportation, communications and public utilities (28% growth ), and agricultural serves (24% growth).
The number of women-owned firms with employees has expanded by an estimated 28% between 1997 and 2004, three times the growth rate of all firms with employees.
As of 2004, almost two-thirds (63%) of all women-owned businesses are privately-held majority (51%) or more women-owned for a total of 6.7 million firms, employing 9.8 million people and generating $1.2 trillion in sales.
The top three fastest growing states, based on an average rank of 1997 to 2004 growth rates, in the number of privately-held, 50% or more women-owned firms, employment and sales are: 1) Utah; 2) Arizona; and 3) Nevada
For more top facts visit their web site at www.nfwbo.org
European Women’s Management Development International Network (EWMD), a member network of the International Alliance for Women (TIAW) since 2003, started its first cooperation project with TIAW at its recent International Conference held in Berlin from September 8 to 11.
In May of this year, TIAW’s President, Hannah Sorscher, and Executive Director, Maxine Westaway, met with EWMD’s president in Brussels, Belgium to discuss common initiatives and projects. One topic discussed, was the Microcredit concept – its ideas and past successes. At that meeting, it was decided that EWMD would raise the funds for a Microcredit Program during its Annual International Conference.
Susanne Alfs, a member of both TIAW and EWMD, along with her mentee Vanessa Kaempf at EWMD, made this project a reality. Together they organized a raffle and silent auction to raise the 5.000 $ necessary to establish a Village Bank in Tanzania, a former colony of Germany.
To generate interest at the conference, and educate people about Microcredit, EWMD strategically located a stand with brochures about TIAW and its Microcredit Program and travel brochures with breathtaking scenes of Tanzanian landscapes. In addition, paintings from Tanzania were mounted on the walls surrounding the stand, inviting conference attendees to participate in both the raffle and auction.
During the conference, Susanne, Vanessa and other EWMD volunteers walked around selling tickets and explaining the purpose of the fundraiser. Susanne would frequently go on stage to remind people about the project, and encouraged them to buy more tickets and place bids. The prizes – silk scarves, a fur stole, leather accessories, web cams and a trip to Barcelona, Spain made the sale that much easier.
The final day of the conference was filled with excitement and enthusiasm as attendees collected their prizes and learned that EWMD had met its goal, and raised enough funds to set up one Village Bank in Tanzania. Members are now looking forward to a possible donor trip to Tanzania.
TIAW is pleased to announce that Avil Beckford, B.Com, has been appointed TIAW's new Publications Editor
Avil Beckford, President of Ambeck Enterprise, is a skilled information specialist. Her experience includes conducting interviews, creating assessment tools, finding and evaluating information, synthesizing data from a variety of sources, analyzing findings and preparing written reports.
Prior to starting her business, Avil worked as Director of Research for Drake Beam Morin, Inc., an outplacement firm, which operates in 52 countries. Avil has conducted a variety of research projects varying in complexity.
For years, Avil produced a US Workplace Trends Report as well as administered a survey to determine which industries were growing and declining in the US. The results of the surveys were published in a Trend Tracker Report, which was distributed to HR professionals in the US.
Each year, Avil analyzed a client’s database to profile its customers. Results of this research made it to the front of the Wall Street Journal.
Avil also publishes Ambeck Edge, her company’s monthly e-newsletter. She sits on the Board of the Strategic Leadership Forum as VP of Marketing.
Congratulations to Women Leaders Forum of Coachella Valley
WLF's Newest fundraiser raised over $30,000 at the inaugural event on May 3 at the Renaissance Esmeralda.
The event, A NITE OUT WITH THE GIRLZ, is an evening filled with fun, laughter and celebration of womanhood. The evening consisted of dinner, a live show by famed HBO comic, Loni Love, a fashion show sponsored by Macy's By Appointment, live auction, silent auction and so much more! Tickets were only $85 and the goal of gathering over 300 women was surpassed!
The 2006 event is already in the works so Save the Date Wednesday May 3rd, 2006
The annual WLF scolarship Luncheon, was held April 28th. The scholarship committee awarded $500 scholarships to ten young women from local high schools toward higher education. The awardees were invited to attend the luncheon with a guest and most were accompanied by a teacher or counsellor. It was rewarding to meet these bright young women and be part of encouraging their future growth.
Hurricane Ivan wreaked havoc with many of our members' lives. But as we recovered, we decided to reach out to those less fortunate than ourselves. We presented a $1,000 check to Rebuild Northwest Florida, a non-profit that has formed since the devastating hurricane. They are using the funds to put roofs on people's home who cannot afford one. Our organization is making a difference in our community
FWA of New York Hosts Annual Dinner and Microenterprise Event
The Financial Women's Association of New York, a TIAW Platinum network member, held its
gala Annual Dinner on May 11; it is expected that this wonderful success will net more than
$375,000 for the FWA of New York Educational Fund. The Fund supports not only scholarships,
but also the Wall Street Exchange summer program, mentoring programs for NY high schools
and Baruch College, and programs for the general business community. More than 800 guests
attended the gala, at which the FWA honored its Public and Private Sector Women of the Year:
Marge Magner of Citigroup and Maria Otero of the Women's Venture Fund. In addition, two student
participants in the FWA mentoring program were honorary speakers, talking on the benefits and
help they received from the program and their contacts with FWA and its members. Dozens of
corporate sponsors contributed to the event, including Citigroup which provided special centerpiece
gifts from an Indian microenterprise organization. Click here to view photographs from the event:
In addition, FWA joined with the United Nations on June 10 to host a discussion on how the growing
microfinance sector can best benefit from the expertise of Wall Street. Financial professionals
discussed whether or why -- in order to become a lasting solution to global poverty -- microfinance
entities have to adopt more traditional financial strategies used on Wall Street. The event was held
as part of the UN's International Year of Microcredit.
TIAW member EuropeanPWN proudly announces a new publication:
published: Women@Work No 2 Women on Boards: Moving Beyond Tokenism, by Veronique Bourez
By EuropeanPWN-Paris board member Véronique Bourez. The first European BoardWomen Monitor, run by EuropeanPWN in partnership with Egon Zehnder International, has featured the situation of women on the boards of Europe's top companies. The European BoardWomen Monitor will be updated regularly to track the progress of women in corporate Europe. "Women on Boards: Moving Beyond Tokenism" extensively develops the most important findings of the survey.
Executive Women in Government - Washington D.C. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor presiding over the swearing in ceremony of the new board for the Executive Women in Government at the US Supreme Court Tuesday June 14, 2005. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Maria Vickers, President, Lori Santamorena, outgoing President (in blue sweater set), Katherine Gugulis, President-elect, Chris Tirpak, Vice President, Susan Taylor, Secretary, Peg Weir, Treasurer
First participation by longstanding CWN and EWMD member in TIAW event
Living in Luxembourg and frequently travelling to Spain on business I don’t always get the opportunity to participate in CWN or EWMD events. When I read about the Conference in Bulgaria I was immediately interested and decided that going to a conference and meeting other professional women was a very interesting way to see one of the new future member states of the EU.Apart from a visit to East Berlin in 1981 and Budapest in 1983, this was my first adventure East, and what an interesting experience from all aspects it was combining learning about a new country, networking and tourism – all in one.
Driving in from the airport I wondered what to expect since much of the high rise housing is from the previous regime and has not been maintained at all on the outside although there were signs that the inside could be different given that some had new double glazing installed and others satellite dishes on the balcony.
Strategic Connections – TIAW International Trips By Stephanie MacKendrick VP TIAW, Chair Women on Boards Initiative.
Connecting To Make All the Difference in the World. That’s the motto for TIAW and that’s exactly what was happening during the most recent TIAW international trip to Paris, Brussels, Sofia and Athens, May 10th to 20th, 2005.
Every year, in addition to staging the International Forum, TIAW selects a location for its International Trip, an opportunity to meet with women’s networks in different parts of the world to compare notes and find ways to support the empowerment of women both locally and internationally.
What did we accomplish on this trip?
Starting in Paris, we connected with the European Professional Women’s Network, meeting with many of its members at a luncheon event held by the Paris chapter of EPWN, a pan-European organization of 2000 members across Europe. EPWN is known for its robust technology platform and excellent website. A meeting followed the luncheon with EPWN President, Margaret Milan. (see President’s letter for details of this and other events during the trip).
TIAW and EPWN have been working closely together for more than a year on the Women on Boards file after a connection was made through the City Women’s Network in London in September of 2003, followed by a presentation to the Paris Professional Women’s Network by Stephanie MacKendrick, head of the TIAW Women on Boards initiative, in June 2004. Since then, discussions have been ongoing about how TIAW and EPWN can work together, building on the information exchange with Women on Boards. One of the key areas of discussion was the need to establish strong mentoring programs. EPWN has had an on-line mentoring program and they are now looking at expanding it. TIAW, through its member networks, and particularly Canadian Women in Communications, has access to a number of “best-practice” programs.
Sisterhood, “Mixity” and Inspiration Impressions from the TIAW International Conference Sofia, Bulgaria May 15 – 18, 2005 by Lea Chambers, Victoria, B.C. Canada
Summarizing conferences is always a challenge – there are always countless moments, impressions and thoughts that float through the mind afterwards when one is reminiscing about people met, sights seen and lessons learned.
As a newcomer to The International Alliance for Women I literally had no idea what to expect when I ventured to Bulgaria for this year’s international conference. Besides committee conference calls I had never met any of the organization’s members, nor had I ever been to Bulgaria, or Eastern Europe, for that matter.
Rather than regaling you with endless stories and sights (if you were there you likely have your own), here are a few benefits and several poignant impressions gained from the experience, which I hope, were shared by other participants.
Experiencing A Feeling of Sisterhood
A tremendous feeling of belonging and support can be gained from joining a women’s network. Conversations at dinner tables, on buses, and during coffee breaks ranged from the challenges facing countries ready for EU accession, to the effects of Sarbanes-Oxley legislation on morale levels of employees in publicly traded companies, to where to find suits for $150 in Sofia.
To visit
A trip to Chile, even for such a well-traveled person as Diane Morris, cannot help but be memorable. And indeed Diane has come back full of her memories of this amazing country, squeezed between mountains and sea, and stretching over 2,600 miles from arid desert to frozen south. 
Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Maria Vickers, President, Lori Santamorena, outgoing President (in blue sweater set), Katherine Gugulis, President-elect, Chris Tirpak, Vice President, Susan Taylor, Secretary, Peg Weir, Treasurer