The Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce just underwent a name change, and now it is also extending its reach, with the formation of the Women”™s Leadership Alliance Committee.
The alliance is launching a mentoring service for women, creating new networking opportunities and presenting educational forums on topics such as sales and marketing and strategic planning. Those were some of the initiatives addressed by the first meeting of the committee”™s executive board, held at the Poughkeepsie Grand Feb. 20. The meeting was attended by about 30 women, following the chamber”™s monthly breakfast.
The executive board”™s eight members collectively represent a variety of sectors and strengths. They are Carol Gordon, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Rhinebeck Savings Bank;
Jennifer Dunn, an agent at State Farm Insurance; Amy Sloan, executive director at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center; Carol Heady, president of Learning and Performance Solutions, a small business based in Hopewell Junction; Danielle Marxer, director of admissions and marketing at the Lutheran Care Center; Gloria Cukar, director of business development at Integrated Enterprise Solutions, a computer consulting and services company in Wappingers Falls; and Keryl Pesce, president of I Want More Freedom.com, a human resources and real estate investment firm. Absent was Nicole Gesh, director of development at the American Red Cross”™s Poughkeepsie office.
Cukar said the formation of the alliance was timely, given that professional women constitute the fastest-growing segment in business. Heady said the aim of the alliance was to focus on management and leadership development for female chamber members through collaboration. “We can build on each other”™s successes and learn from each other,” she said.
The alliance”™s agenda stems from the responses of a recent chamber survey of female members who were asked to identify their priorities and critical business challenges. One goal was help with their professional development and growth, which the alliance plans to address through a series of educational forums and networking events.
“We can provide a tremendous learning opportunity to utilize our talents to help us be more successful and more successful in our leadership roles,” Heady said.
Sloan, who with Gesh is co-chairing the educational forum committee, said the committee will focus on three issues deemed critical by survey respondents: one specializing in sales and marketing, a second in a tabletop showcase, and a third on strategic planning. She said the first forum would feature a panel of sales and marketing experts and be held in May. “They”™ll be discussing sales and marketing techniques from a for-profit and non-profit perspective,” she said. “It”™ll be interactive.”
In September, the alliance will host a tabletop showcase, with a high-profile keynote speaker addressing the subject of work/life balance. The event will be followed by an after-hours networking forum. It will be open to men as well as women. Marxer and Dunn are co-chairing the showcase committee. The third event, on strategic planning, will be held in January.
Cukar said the alliance will offer needed exposure to female chamber members and their businesses. For example, a page on the chamber”™s Web site will be posted with profiles of business professionals. The alliance will be following up its meetings and activities with a newsletter and periodic e-mail blasts to chamber members.
Gordon spoke about the mentoring program, which will provide opportunities for women to either serve as mentors or be mentored themselves. The mentoring committee, which is co-chaired by Gordon and Cukar, is setting up guidelines for participants, defining the role of the mentor and determining parameters for advice. The committee is also exploring a background verification process, ways to monitor the program and possibly a mentor training course.
Board members made a pitch to attendees to sign up for committees and get involved. Organizing the educational forums “involves a lot of legwork,” said Sloan. “We need to identify and recruit the speakers, make arrangements for the time and place, plan the events and send out invitations.” The alliance is also seeking volunteers to participate in the showcase tabletop, with each business having a booth. “We want to show the impact women have on business,” said Sloan. The event will be structured so that booth occupants will have an opportunity to network with each other as well as with attendees.
The survey was sent out to 100 chamber female members and had a 35 percent response, said Cukar. The respondents represented a cross section of small business owners, professionals and employees of large organizations, both profit and nonprofit. Despite the variety of participants, the responses touched on certain fundamental issues. “We all feel isolated,” said Dunn. “This is about reaching out, having a helping hand when you need it. All of us do a good job of helping others, but we need to do a better job of taking care of ourselves. We want to create an environment where women feel welcome and needed.”
Board members said they also hoped to contact local high schools in order to reach out to young women. “This will evolve,” said Cukar. “We”™re at the starting point now. It”™s about give and take and being collaborative.”
Heady first presented the concept of the alliance to the chamber membership last fall. “This is unique,” she said. “No other chamber locally or regionally is offering this. It separates us and provides a new level of service.”
