From the President

The Forum’s mission is simple: to advance women leaders in our region. We achieve this by supporting women as they seek leadership roles, promoting parity in the business community, mentoring young women and providing a forum for discussion of issues important to women in the region. We could not accomplish this goal without the myriad of initiatives driven by our Forum members.

We are in an exciting year. The Forum has instituted several remarkable programs that are helping us to achieve our primary goal. We have formalized a pilot program for mentoring twenty-five young women from the Wharton Women’s Network and the Professional Women’s Roundtable. We continue to recognize upcoming women leaders with the Forum Award, assisting recipients with a scholarship program. The newly launched Forum Foundation, a 501 (C) 3, will allow the Forum to bring its programs to the broader community beyond our members. Finally, our Executive Suites Committee continues to work to increase the number of women on boards of directors and in the executive suite. Our annual “Women on Boards” report continues to reach decision-makers throughout the Philadelphia region, and we have recently widened our audience and resources by launching a multi-city collaboration, the InterOrganization Network. Beginning with six cities as members, ION published its first study for national distribution this year.

I would like to thank all of the Committees who are making change happen. My challenge to you is to share our message, review our findings and take action. We need area companies to instruct search firms to broaden the pool of qualified candidates to include more women. Help us move women into leadership positions in small and mid-sized firms and onto the boards of significant not-for-profits. The importance of diversity in all its forms is key to our region’s continued success. Our strong regional companies need to understand our issues and take ownership of it. Together we can influence our own success.

InterOrganization Network: Six Cities

The Forum of Executive Women shares a common mission with women organizations across the nation. Formed in 2004, the InterOrganization Network (ION) pools women groups from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia. These executive women networks are combining their energies to collectively increase the presence of women in corporate boardrooms and executive suites.

Representatives from each city gathered for the first time on March 10th and 11th, 2005, to share best practices, establish a structure for the organization, and collaborate on strategies for advancing common goals. The decided meeting place was Philadelphia, as the Forum of Executive Women was the organization to initiate and propose the session. Prior to this meeting, representatives from the six cities had only met by phone, sharing information on an ad-hoc basis. This informal process of communication led to the creation of the premier ION Report, which was released in November 2004. The ION Report laid the foundation for thinking about how to pool resources from nationwide women’s organizations.

As a follow-up to the collaborative ION report, the six women’s organizations sent at least one and up to three representatives to Philadelphia for further discussion. Representing the Forum of Executive Women were President Irene Hannan, Executive Director Sharon Hardy, Executive Suites Committee Co-Chairs Vicki Kramer and Beth Fitzsimons, and Board Members Autumn Bayles and Margaret Sadler. Twelve women in total reached consensus about what the criteria should be for ION membership. It was decided that candidate groups must: 1. have already published a census, with expectations of an annual publication; 2. be a professional woman’s organization; 3. serve as an advocacy group to get more women on corporate boards; 4. agree to be a part of ION’s structure and to accept the agreements made about the research and supplement, etcetera.

The establishment of the InterOrganization Network is paving the way for greater opportunities for women leaders. An enlarged resource pool and national visibility are just two of the benefits for local women’s organizations like the Forum of Executive Women.

Thank you Citizens Bank for sponsoring the InterOrganization Network Meeting.

Mentoring Update

The idea to formalize a mentoring program has now become a reality. A mentorship training session on February 16th, 2005 kicked-off the pairing of Forum members with mentees from two groups: the Wharton Women’s Network and the Professional Women’s Roundtable.

Fifty women (half mentors, half mentees) gathered to learn tips on how to establish effective mentoring relationships. Professional coach Lesley Mallow Wendell led the discussion, as she believes that it is “critical that women in leadership roles reach back and help create a path for other potential leaders.” A large group lecture followed by break-out sessions sparked an engaging debate about best mentoring practices.

A mechanism through the Forum’s website allows mentees to review mentor profiles and other background information before initiating contact with the right match. The result is a mutually agreed upon mentoring relationship. To ensure that the momentum continues, “mentor facilitators” have been established to help shepherd pairs through the program.

Stem Cell Research Program

Pictured left to right at the Stem Cell Research Program: Speaker Dr. Arthur Caplan; Margaret McCausland, Chair of the Women, Policy, and Politics Committee; Speaker Dr. David Beck; Moderator Dr. Marie Savard; and Executive Director Sharon Hardy.

On March 17, 2005, Forum members gathered at the Pyramid Club to learn more about the complex and controversial topic of stem cell research. Aptly titled “Stem Cell Research: Are We Playing Gods or Saving Lives?” this unique event addressed both the ethical and scientific side of the subject.

Moderating the event was Dr. Marie Savard, a nationally recognized internist, women’s health expert and champion of patients’ rights. Savard turned the podium to Dr. David Beck, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Coriell Institute, for a presentation of the science behind stem cell research. Beck reviewed the fundamentals, beginning with embryonic versus adult stems cells and continuing with varied clinical applications. He stressed the importance of continued research to better understand how these stem cells behave in given situations.

Understanding the biology is only part of the challenge—medical ethics and public policy further complicate the stem cell research discussion. Tackling the latter challenge was Dr. Arthur Caplan, Chair of the Department of Medical Ethics and Founding Director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania. Caplan’s greatest remarks were posed as thought-provoking questions: “Is an embryo a person when it is created? If the United States refuses to support stem cell research, will we also prevent new cures from coming here?” He urged the audience to consider these difficult questions before making a final political or moral decision.

This event was presented by the Women, Policy, and Politics Committee, which aims to educate members about public policy issues that will be impacted by our actions at the polls.

Thank you Glaxo Smith Kline for sponsoring the Stem Cell Research Program.

Meet The Forum

In an effort to connect with other women leaders, Forum members are gathering regularly in locations scattered throughout Greater Philadelphia. What used to be called “Shop the Forum” several years ago has been reinvigorated and renamed “Meet the Forum.” Members are encouraged to regularly assemble and to become better acquainted in an informal setting.

While the idea behind the “Meet the Forum” gatherings is not new, the initiative has only recently been formalized. Lori Reiner, former President of the Forum, has spearheaded this initiative and has been supported by the efforts of former Forum President Marian Marchese. Maintaining her vision to increase the number of friendships within the Forum, Reiner recognizes that “the Forum is 300 women strong, but it’s hard to get to know each other at monthly programs.” Reiner and Marchese have teamed up to plan monthly breakfasts in locations including Center City, Montgomery County, Delaware County, and the western suburbs. These gatherings are not only intended to be conveniently timed and located, but to offer the opportunity to move outside of one’s local area. The number of Forum members in attendance ranges from four to twenty, depending on the location. The Forum extends a special thank you to members who have graciously acted as hosts for these events in their offices.

Outside of the regular breakfast meetings, the Forum continues to host annual informal networking dinners. Per popular request there will be two dinners this year: one in May at a suburban location and one in October in Center City. Count on a high standard of good food and wine at an interesting, eclectic locale. The first dinner is scheduled for May 3rd at Maya Bella restaurant in Conshohocken. Come out and Meet the Forum!

MEMBER NEWS

New Members

Renee Amoore, President, The Amoore Group, Inc., 150 Allendale Road, Bldg. 2, Suite 2200, King of Prussia, PA 19406, 610-992-0555, amoore521@aol.com
Arlene F. Bell, Esq., Executive Director, Caring People Alliance, 1819 JFK Boulevard, Suite 220, Philadelphia, PA 19103, 215-545-5230, abell@caringpeoplealliance.org
Wendy Beetlestone, Esq., General Counsel, The School District of Philadelphia, 2130 Arch Street, 5th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103, 215-299-7676, wbeetlestone@phila.k12.pa.us
Rebecca Campbell, President and General Manager, WPVI-TV, 6 ABC, 4100 City Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131, 215-581-4540, rebecca.s.campbell@abc.com
Mary K. Hamm, President and CEO, Linden International, 530 East Swedesford Road, Suite 108, Wayne, PA 19087, 610-954-9696, marykay@lindenint.com
Elleanor Jean Hendley, Founder, Chair and CEO, Teenshop, Inc., 1207 Chestnut Street, Suite 314, Philadelphia, PA 19107, 215-851-1843, ejhts@yahoo.com
Meryl Levitz, President and Chief Executive Office, Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, 30 South 17th Street, Suite 1710, Philadelphia, PA 19103, 215-599-0776, meryl@gptmc.com
Jody Levy, Vice President Marketing - Away From Home, Campbell Soup Company, 1 Campbell Place, Camden, NJ 08103, 856-342-3760, lindjess@comcast.net
Maureen H. McCullough, Esq., Northeast Regional Director for Catholic Relief Services, 317 Brookline Blvd, Havertown, PA 19083, 610-449-2158, mmccullo@catholicrelief.org
Carmen I. Paris, Deputy Commissioner, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, 8339 Mansfield Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19150, 215-753-0199; 215-685-4758, carmen.paris@phila.gov
Karen A. Stout, Ed.D., President, Montgomery County Community College, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, 215-641-6500, kstout@mc3.edu
Sophia T. Wisniewska, Dean and CEO, Temple University Ambler, 580 Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, PA 19002, 215-283-1227, swisniew@temple.edu
Alison Woods, Vice President/Chief Information Officer, The Philadelphia Coca Cola Bottling Company, 725 E. Erie Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19134, 215-427-2444, awoods@phillycoke.com

Speeches / Publications

Harriet Hankin, President, CGI Consulting Group, Inc., released her first book through AMACOM entitled The New Workforce: Five Sweeping Trends That Will Shape Your Company’s Future.
Susan Jaffe chaired a panel at a conference entitled “Jews and American Business” at Temple University, Feinstein Center.
Dr. Afaf I. Meleis, Margaret Bond Simon Dean of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, has traveled internationally to speak about “Safe Womanhood in an Unsafe World.” She invites Forum members to The Penn Summit on Global Issues in Women’s Health on April 25-26. Please visit www.nursing.upenn.edu/summit/ for more details. Sharon Pinkenson, Executive Director, Greater Philadelphia Film Office, was the keynote speaker for the Women’s Entrepreneurial Conference hosted by Temple’s League for Entrepreneurial Women.

Appointments / Elections

Pamela H. Goodwin, President, Change Partners, Inc., was elected to the Board of Directors of UnumProvident Corporation (NYSE:UNM).
Terry Graboyes, President, Graboyes Commercial Window Company, was the first woman invited to join the board of the GBCA (General Builder Contractors Association).
Sharmain Matlock-Turner, President of the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition, was named the newest Pennsylvania/Delaware representative to Wachovia’s Corporate Community Development Advisory Council.
Meg McGoldrick, Chief Operating Officer, Abington Memorial Hospital, was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation, and appointed Vice Chair, Penn Jersey Blood Services Division of the American Red Cross.
Patricia J. Owens, Team Director at PNC Advisors, was named to the Board of Trustees of the Abington Hospital Foundation.
Claudia Post, President and CEO, Diamond Transportation Group, Inc., was elected to the Board of Directors for both the ACCA (Air Courier Conference of the Americas) and the JEVS (Jewish Employment and Vocational Service).
Sally Stetson, Principal, Salveson Stetson Group, was elected to the Board of Directors of the Please Touch Museum.
Sherry A. Swirsky, Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP partner, was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Free Library of Philadelphia.
Kathleen D. Wilkinson, Esq., equity partner at the Philadelphia law firm of Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman and Dicker LLP, was elected to the Philadelphia Bar Association Board of Governors.

Awards / Honors

Suzanne F. Fairlie, President, ProSearch, Inc., accepted the 2004 Aetna Small Business of the Year Award for the Mid-Atlantic Region, which awarded $5000 to Project H.O.M.E., ProSearch’s chosen charitable organization. She also spoke about the importance of volunteering as a panelist for the Women’s Leadership Networking Group of the Eastern Technology Council.
Susan Jaffe has been selected as the recipient of the “United Way Community Volunteer Award” for 2004. She was honored on April 18th at Citizens Bank Park in a private reception and on the field before the game.
Page S. Morahan, Ph.D., Co-Director of ELAM (Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine), was recognized by Drexel College of Medicine’s Institute of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases for her significant contribution to the education and research missions of the school. The Institute named its first graduate scholarship in her honor.
Lisette L. Shirdan-Harris, Administrator, Laborers’ District Council, was inducted into the Berean Institute Wall of Fame. She also announced her plans to run for Philadelphia Judge of the Court of Common Pleas.
Linda Rosanio, CEO, Star Group, was elected to the New Jersey Advertising Hall of Fame.
Sharon Smith, CEO, Girl Scouts of Southeastern Pennsylvania, and Stephanie Naidoff, City Representative and Director of Commerce for the City of Philadelphia, were each honored by the Pennsylvania Commission for Women in celebration of Women’s History Month.
Judith von Seldeneck was honored with Philadelphia Magazine’s Trailblazer Award.
Ellen Toplin, President and Owner, Toplin & Associates, was named one of this year’s “Best 50 Women in Business” by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Business News / Moves

Marjorie Brody, President, Brody Communications LTD, received her PCC (Professional Certified Coach) designation from the International Coach Federation.
Cathy Lynn Greenberg, Founding and Managing Partner, h2c (Healthy Companies, Happy People) relocated to Tuscon, Arizona. She would love to hear from you at her new e-mail address: cgreenbergh2c@direcway.com.
Marlene Henkin, Complementary Healthcare Facilitator, is pursuing two of her passions after spending the last twenty-eight years in the corporate insurance world. She opened an alternative mind-body energy healthcare practice and also began selling her photographic notecards.
Jane Hoffer, President & CEO, Prescient Systems, successfully merged Prescient Systems with The viaLink Company to form Prescient Applied Intelligence (Prescient), a publicly traded company.
Leslie G. Mayer, Ph.D., President & CEO, Mayer Leadership Group, was interviewed by Worth Magazine and China Manager Magazine on the topics of family-run businesses and CEO branding.
Kathleen McEndy was recently hired as Senior Vice President of Human Resources & Administration by Independence Blue Cross.
Nancy Moses, Planning and Development Consultant, has moved into a new office, a new home, and a new website. Please visit www.nancymoses.com for updated contact information.
Georgia Shafia, President/Owner, City Cleaning Company, Inc., purchased Eddie’s Crab House, a one-hundred-year-old building in Fishtown. Philadelphia Architect Vibeke Lichten designed modern office space and a warehouse for the new space.
Melonease Shaw, President/CEO, Maven Inc., started her own creative business solution company, which services small, women- and minority-owned businesses. She also recently spoke at the Honorable Blondell Reynolds Brown’s annual Women Making a Difference Program, “The Power of Passion: Making It Happen.”
Juliet Welker, President, Coldwell Banker Welker Real Estate, recently affiliated with the National Coldwell Banker Real Estate Company in order to gain the greater resources available to an international company with worldwide recognition. The corporate structure of Welker Real Estate has not changed.

Community

Joan Chrestay, Associate Dean for External Relations, College of Engineering, Villanova University, was recently invited by the Harvard Women’s Leadership Board of the Kennedy School on a study trip to South Africa where she joined prominent women from South Africa, as well as women from different parts of the world looking at strategies for economic, political and social empowerment of women.
Ivy E. Silver, President, The Commonwealth Consulting Group, Inc. and her daughter, Rachel, have formed A Chance to Heal Foundation which is dedicated to helping those who suffer from eating disorders get the care they need by providing financial assistance when insurance coverage and personal finances are inadequate.
Donna Brennan, Principal and Public Relations Counsel, Donna Brennan Associates, serves on the foundation’s advisory board. Additional information regarding the Foundation at www.achancetoheal.org
Molly D. Shepard, President & CEO, The Leader’s Edge and Marian V. Marchese, President, VIRTU Interactive, are co-chairs of the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania Women’s Initiative Committee. Its second annual “Women Caring About What Matters” gala dinner was sold out a month before the March 14 event. Committee members include Forum members June Barry, Donna Brennan, Terry D’Alessandro, Deborah M. Fretz, Susan O.W. Jaffe, J. Lindsay Johnston, Esq., Patricia Owens, Nancy Reardon and Lori F. Reiner, CPA.

Forum Events

MAY 3, 2005
Wine and Dine with the Forum Informal Dinner
Forum Members Only
Maya Bella Restaurant, Conshohocken

MAY 18, 2005
“The Naked Truth”
Keynote speaker: Dr. Jean Kilbourne
Dinner Meeting, The Union League
Leading Sponsors: A Chance to Heal Foundation; Independence Blue Cross

JUNE 30, 2005
Annual Meeting
National Constitution Center
Leading Sponsors: National Penn Bank; Lincoln Financial Group Benefactors: Delaware Investments Partner: Anne Klein & Associates

SEPTEMBER 23,2005
Leadership Breakfast
Keynote Speaker: Ruth Simmons, President, Brown University
Park Hyatt
Presenting Sponsor: Wachovia

 

SAVE THE DATE:

JULY 28, 2005
Beach Day
Margate, New Jersey

OCTOBER 20, 2005
Forum Visit to Washington, D.C.

Thank you PECO Energy and Sovereign Bank for sponsoring “The Cultural Paradigm Shift in the Boardroom.”