| Privileges
of BPW/USA Membership This is
a reminder to all members
to respect the privacy of
BPW/USA members and to
not misuse contact
information. It has been
brought to our attention
that members are using
their status and access
as such to solicit the
general membership for
non-BPW business. This is
against our membership
policy.
BPW/USA
members are not to use
membership directories to
conduct non-BPW business
and/or for personal gain.
BPW/USA
wants to emphasize that
we do not sell or rent
personal information to
companies or individuals.
On the rare occasion that
a mailing is done, it is
through a legitimate
partnership created to
offer increased benefits,
in the interest of
education and/or personal
development for the
membership.
Again,
we ask that members
refrain from conducting
unsolicited campaigns to
the membership. Thank you
for your cooperation in
this matter.
Membership
Services & Activities
Building
Political Women
On November 7,
BPW/PA member Michele
Brooks of Jamestown, PA
won the 17th District
state House seat of the
Pennsylvania General
Assembly, House of
Representatives. Brooks is a
member of the Greenville BPW
LO.
Congratulations!
If you are
serving for public office
or know a BPW member who
is, please email to egehl@bpwusa.org
Welcome
New Local
Congratulations
to BPW Hear of the Ozarks
in Osage Beach, Mo. for
chartering a new BPW
local organization as of
October 27, 2006.
The new local has 17
charter members.
Women
Joining Forces Events
Maryland
Business and
Professional Women/MD
hosted a Women Joining
Forces signature event on
Nov. 18 at Andrews Air
Force Base. The event
focused on career
development and
entrepreneurship as well
as inspirational
addresses. Maryland has a
wealth of resources to
support female veterans.
Virginia
Last month, Business and
Professional
Women/Greater Fairfax
hosted Life After the
Military –
Celebrating Our Women
Veterans- a dinner
meeting. This event was
in honor of
Veteran’s Day with
speaker Dr. Irene
Trowell-Harris.
Washington,
DC
BPW/USA will
host WJF ID, an
Individual Development
training customized for
women veterans at the Women's Memorial, during the
2007 BPW/USA Policy &
Action Conference on
February 9, 2007. For
more information, email
to wjf@bpwusa.org
Texas
BPW LOs of Tarrant County
area hosted a Women
Joining Forces
Program to celebrate
National Business
Women’s Week 2006.
The purpose was to launch
the WJF in the area.
A
panel was assembled of
officials provided
information on contacting
women veterans and women
who are soon to become
veterans. Panelists
included M. Sgt. Peggy
Hill a Disabled Veterans
Outreach Specialist for
the Texas Veterans
Commission;
Lt. Col. Mary Sweeney, a
Women Veteran Coordinator
for the Dallas North
Texas Health Care System;
Jo Carter, USAF, a Work
Family Life Specialist
for Fleet and Family
Support Center at Fort
Worth. Col. Kim Olson,
author of Iraq and
Back: Inside the War to
Win the Peace, became
the first WJF member of
that region.
In
addition, on Oct. 25 two
BPW/Texas officers met
with military
participants at the
monthly meeting of the
Transition Assistance
Program (TAP) at Carswell
Field.
Let
us know what you're
doing! Tell us about your
WJF
activities. E-mail to
wjf@bpwusa.org
Are you an
ID Trainer?
We
would love to hear from
you! BPW/USA and the ID
Committee are compiling a
database of ID Trainers
for future trainings
across the country. Let
us know who you are. Send
an e-mail to tthompson@bpwusa.org .
Issues
Management / Programs
With the new
year just around the
corner, your locals have
great programming
opportunities; the resources you
need are at your
fingertips! Visit the
Member Tools &
Resources Section of the
Member Center at www.bpwusa.org for programming
guides, manuals and
toolkits for successful
programs you can
implement locally.
Programming
Ideas:
- January:
Celebrate Martin Luther
King Day with an
assessment of diversity
in your LO. Reach out to
new groups; perhaps
it’s a great time to
host an Individual
Development workshop!
- February
is both BPW Foundation
month and Heart Health
month – take the
opportunity to remind
your members why
supporting the BPW
Foundation is so
important. Put the
spotlight on women and
heart health: request AHA
materials and/or attend
P&A Conference to
lobby the Women for HEART
bill.
- March
is Women’s History
month, with limitless
opportunities to
celebrate the
achievements of women in
your community
- April
is Equal Pay Day –
perfect for having an
Unhappy Hour event to
point out the wage gap.
Need help
putting your plans
together? Want to share a
great program idea
that’s been
successful for your
local, district or
region? E-mail tami@simmsteam.com and the Issues
Management Committee will
take it from there! The
entire committee wishes
you a great year of GREAT
programs!!!
Individual
Development Leadership
Survey
BPW/USA's
Individual
Development (ID)
Committee asks your
assistance to improve our
services for
workingwomen. Complete the ID
Leadership Survey today.
ID is a
well-rounded professional
development experience
that assists women to
succeed in the workplace.
The ID Committee would
like BPW members
participate in this
important survey,
particularly the many
women who have
participated in ID over
the years.
ID
chair, Sue Panetti-Lee,
requests that all State
Presidents, State
President Elects, State
Vice Presidents and State
ID Chairs also
participate. Your
feedback is very
important.
If you
have not already done so,
please take the survey by
clicking on http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=U25FTGWRX9CC
News From
the BPW/USA Foundation
Committee Chair
The 50th
Anniversary of BPW
Foundation is quickly
coming to a close.
There are two unique
opportunities in which
BPW/USA members can
contribute to BPW
Foundation programming
and education: BPW
Foundation 50th
Anniversary Challenge
and the Pear Tree
Greetings card
fundraiser.
In February
2006, the 50th
Anniversary Challenge was
issued to BPW/USA Local
Organizations. We are
hopeful that every LO
will work to achieve this
exciting fundraising
goal. Please check your
records and see how you
are doing.
In addition, we
want to thank BPW members
and BPW Foundation
supporters who have
already ordered from the
Pear Tree Greetings
holiday card catalog.
Pear Tree Greetings
offers women the latest
in workingwomen-friendly
holiday cards.
If you wish to
purchase the cards
online, visit Pear Tree
Greetings. Click on
"View Our
Collection" to
purchase BPW Foundation
selected cards. Disclaimer:
Due to state laws, those
in Alabama, Maine,
Massachusetts and
Washington State are not
eligible to participate.
Questions
about these BPW
Foundation development
opportunities should go
to Alfreda Edwards at aedwards@bpwusa.org or
202-777-8993.
Administration
President-elect
Barbara Henton invites
members to participate in
the 2007-2008
BPW/USA Strategic
Planning Survey. This survey
has questions specific to
BPW/USA’s Strategic
Plan, including current
programming and
resources, as well as
leadership structure.
Please give us your
thoughts and comments as
soon as you can.
Please
click http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB225XRAQHBR9 to
complete the survey. Thank
you to all members who
have already completed
the survey.
Anxiety
Materials Available for
Local Programming
Through a
partnership between BPW
Foundation and Anxiety
Disorders Association of
America, general anxiety
and post traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) materials
are available for use in
local programming
including WJF activities.
A package was forwarded
to all BPW state
presidents regarding
these materials,
including a sample.
To order
materials, send an email
including quantity to marketing@bpwusa.org
Volunteers
Needed
BPW/USA is looking for MD
and DC members who are
available to volunteer in
the National Office on an
as needed basis. If you
are interested please
email to tthompson@bpwusa.org with days and
times of availability.
Advertising
Opportunities with
BPW/USA
Is your
company looking to hire
talented leaders and
individuals? The BPW/USA
Career Center can assist
your company's
recruitment efforts by
connecting them with
qualified women and
veterans. Discounts are
available to BPW/USA
members. Visit today at http://careers.bpwusa.org Perhaps your
company is looking to
increase its share of the
market by targeting
workingwomen. BusinessWoman
Magazine is an optimal
opportunity for companies
looking to reach the
right women.
Contact Scott Oser at soser@bpwusa.org or 240-305-5763
for advertising
opportunities in the
upcoming issue for Winter
2007.
Policy Watch
Johanna's
Law Passes the Senate
Johanna's
Law or the Gynecologic
Cancer Education and
Awareness Act passed in
the Senate by a unanimous
vote! BPW/USA was the
only women's group to
work to get this
important legislation
passed. It was also one
of the bills lobbied for
at the 2006 Policy &
Action Conference.
This
national public awareness
Campaign to improve
women's health was the
brain child of advocate
Sheryl Silver. It had
broad bipartisan support
as well as the strength
of many in the medical
community.
The
strength of grassroots'
power is realized again!
Register
Now for the Policy &
Action Conference
Register now for BPW/USA's
2007 Policy & Action
Conference, Building
Political Women: Changing
the Face of Leadership. Understand
how the leadership of
women can create policy
change and how the new
Congress will affect
workingwomen's issues. Scheduled
February 7- 10 at the
Renaissance Washington,
DC, this year's
conference includes a
lobby day and special
policy event sponsored by
BPW Foundation.
Don't
miss Irene Natividad,
panelist of PBS's 'To the
Contrary' and Christine
Griffin, EEOC
Commissioner at BPW
Foundation's special
policy event, Building
Policy Together.
Make your
reservations today.
The
Women's Vote and Voice
Women
and BPW members made
their voices heard at the
polls this Election Day.
Women in leadership as
well as pro-women
candidates can make a
difference in the
furtherance of the
BPW/USA platform.
BPW/PAC
had a very successful
Election 2006- over half
of the BPW/PAC endorsees
were either elected or
re-elected to
Congress. Overall
the 2006 election brought
a record number of women
to the U.S. House of
Representatives for the
110th Congress. Find out how our
PAC endorsees fared in the polls.
With
the women’s vote, we
can ensure that pro-women
candidates are elected to
office!
Foundation
Activities
2006
National Employer Summit
Resources
The 2006
National Employer Summit,
Raising
Profits and Potential was a wonderful
event with an innovative
format that had the
participants buzzing to
share their expertise.
Attendance
tripled since last year,
featuring a cross-sector
network of employers,
researchers and
workingwomen advocates. The
2006
NES Resources are now
online. Share them with
your staff and/or
colleagues today!
Attendees
will participate in
year-long collaboration
and discussion to create
recommendations and
facilitate change.
Building
Policy Together
BPW
Foundation is hosting a
half-day event, Building
Policy Together: BPW
Foundation’s Special
Policy Event for
Workingwomen, Employers,
and Policy makers, on
February 9th
in conjunction with the 2007 BPW/USA
Policy & Action
Conference.
This event will
be kicked off with an
opening plenary with
keynote speaker Irene
Natividad, panelist of
PBS's 'To the Contrary'. Workshops
will be hosted to include
learning
that was captured at the
recent Summit.
Don't miss the Building
Policy Together
luncheon speaker EEOC
Commissioner Christine
Griffin!
BPW
Foundation:
Trustee/Committee
Openings
The Governance
Committee of BPW
Foundation seeks a
diverse group of
individuals to serve on
its 15-member Board of
Trustees and on one of
several working
committees. These
individuals may be BPW
members but it is not
required; they must be
willing to lend their
time, expertise and
resources to strengthen
the organization.
Trustees are
elected to serve
staggered 3-year
terms. The
committees advise the
board on several key
areas such as
finance/investment,
development and
research/education
activities.
Interested parties should
contact Carolyn Grady,
Governance Committee
Chair, at cvgrady@vbemail.net
BPW
Foundation Resources Have
Global Impact
101 Facts on the
Status of Workingwomen is
included in ICFAI
University's book Women
In the Workforce:
Triumphs and Tribulations.
This University Press book from India
looks at the overall
status of women and their
roles and issues in
different countries.
Showcase
Your Public
Policy/Advocacy Outreach
At the close if
its special policy event
on February 9th,
BPW Foundation will
sponsor a networking and
poster session event
during the 2007 Policy
& Action Conference. The poster
session networking event
will be part of a closing
reception. Attendees with
examples of public policy
or advocacy outreach
efforts or information,
on which they have
worked, are invited to
submit poster sessions
for display.
For an example
of a poster session and
an application, please
visit BPW
Foundation’s web site.
2007
Audio Conference Series
Continues
On January 23,
2007 from 2 to 3:15 p.m.
(Eastern), BPW Foundation
will kick off its 2007
Audio and Web Event
Series with Dress
Codes II hosted by
Linda Thomas, AICI CIP.
The call will focus on
practical advice and
insight for workingwomen
(and men) and best
practices in developing
and implementing dress
codes.
Ms. Thomas,
corporate image advisor,
has provided seminars on
dress codes issues for
organizations such as
PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP, Texas Education
Agency, Texas
Instruments, etc. www.powerfulappearance.com. The cost of
the call is $50. Email to
foundation@bpwusa.org for more
information.
In 2006, BPW
Foundation hosted an audio
conference on dress codes which covered
the legal implications of
dress codes for diverse
workforces.
Concluding
our 50th
Anniversary?
As the final
event of our 50th
Anniversary celebrations,
BPW Foundation would like
to invite you to our Building
Policy Together Luncheon
held during
BPW/USA’s Policy
& Action Conference
on February 9th,
2007. Featuring
EEOC Commissioner
Christine Griffin, as
well as remarks from
Chair Sheila Barry-Oliver
and CEO Debbie Frett,
this event promises to be
a well deserved ending to
a great 50th
year.
To purchase a
table for this event,
please contact Director
of Development, Alfreda
Edwards, for more
information: 202.777.8983
or aedwards@bpwusar.org
For those who
are unable to attend Building
Policy Together and
would still like to honor
the legacy and future of
BPW Foundation with a
gift, you may contribute
by clicking here.
Training and
Career Development
Women For
Hire
BPW/USA
is continuing its
partnership with Women for Hire. As part of
this partnership, both
organizations will help
one another promote
upcoming events and
conferences.
The
2007 schedule is now
available. Prior
to each Expo, from
8:30 - 10am, Women For
Hire CEO Tory Johnson,
will offer advice and
inspiration to help
advance your career.
Register now!
Affiliates
and Partnerships
Outreach
to Metropolitan
Washington Work/Life
Coalition
BPW
Foundation and leadership
of the Metropolitan
Washington Work/Life
Coalition (MWWLC) are
exploring areas for
partnership and
collaboration. This
coalition of employers
focuses on supporting
research and idea sharing
for work-life issues
which complements the
work and direction of BPW
Foundation. BPW
Foundation staff recently
attended a MWWLC
breakfast
conference on work-place
flexibility.
Dell
Holiday Bow-nus Program
This
holiday season BPW
members get special
savings at Dell on top of
their Member discount of
up to 12 percent and
other Dell Home generally
advertised specials.
Employee Purchase Program
(EPP) exclusive savings
mean getting the best
value on a Dell Home PC.
There
are two remaining
opportunities to save:
- Holiday
Wish List — Nov.
30-Dec. 21
- New
Year’s Celebration
— Jan. 4-26
To
log in, click
here.
Brought to you by the
BPW/USA Affinity Program.
**Use
Dell's EPP for last
minute gift ideas on
laptops and desktops. Visit www.dell.com/epp/flyer or call
1-877-289-9437
Member ID: PS44420960
Web
site Updates
Local
Programming Ideas
Need
help planning out your
local programming
calendar? Use the Suggested
Programming Focus for
States and Locals
tool as your guide. This
grid highlights the
Professional, Political
and Personal goals of
BPW/USA.
WJF
Program Outreach Tools
A
presentation
has been developed to
assist LOs and members
as they educate veterans,
members and the community
about the WJF program.
Additional materials are
also available at www.womenjoiningforces.org
Visibility
Activities WISER
Program
Elisabeth
Gehl, director of public
policy, was invited by
Cindy Hounsell to speak
at WISER's event on
retirement planning.
Gehl
spoke about BPW/USA as an
advocate for women with
regard to secure
retirement issues and her
personal experiences
about retirement planning
as a Gen Xer, single
child to an aging parent
and disaster survivor.
Debbie
Frett Talks Worklife
Effectiveness
CEO Debbie Frett
was invited to appear on
Washington, DC's CBS
affiliate WUSA as an
expert on worklife
effectiveness last month.
The series Balancing Act looked at how
working mothers were
coping with the demands
of their daily lives.
Developing
Stronger Workforces
BPW Foundation
staff attended,
“Within Your Reach:
Meeting the Challenges of
Workforce
Development” Summit
held December 7 in
Washington, DC. The
Summit was hosted by The
Sloan Center on
Innovative Training and
Workforce Development
which has programming for
workforce and families.
The Centers was also a
participant in the 2006
National Employer Summit.
The forum explored ways
to develop workforce
development systems to
democratize access to
education and skills
training for all workers.
Governance
Tools
to Assist You
The
BPW/USA web site offers
many tools
and resources for BPW
leaders.
Use these materials to
assist your activities
and responsibilities as
an officer.
Do
You Know A BPW Member
With Vision?
Nominate a
visionary BPW leader to
serve as a national
officer. Forms
are available
for the 2007-2008
National Executive
Committee.
Members of
the national EC lead the
organization, guide the
implementation of the
strategic plan and
provide vision for the
future.
Of
Interest
Acknowledgment
of the Truth
On
December 6, Congress
unanimously passed a bill
to authorize the addition
of abolitionist Sojourner
Truth's
image to the Suffragist
statue which resides in
the basement of the US
Capitol building.
Sojourner Truth was born
into slavery and best
known for her 1851 speech
Aint
I A Woman?.
The bill,
HR 4510, was introduced
by Representative Cynthia
McKinney (D-GA) and
passed the House in
December 2005. Senator
Hillary Rodham Clinton
(D-NY) introduced the
legislation in the Senate
and canvassed for
bipartisan support.
A Special
Thanks To Our Troops For
Their Service
Pick
out a thank you card at www.letssaythanks.com and
send it to a soldier
currently serving in
Iraq. Xerox offers
cards designed by
children from across the
country and will print
and send it at no cost to
you.
How amazing
would it be if we could
get all BPW/USA members
and our families to send
one card. It's FREE
and it only takes a
second.
Whether or not you
support this war, we need
the soldiers to know
we're behind them and are
thinking of them. Remember
Supporting Our Troops
does not commit you to
supporting the war!
In
Memoriam - Jeanne
Kirkpatrick
Jeanne
Kirkpatrick, the first
woman to represent the
United States as
ambassador to the United
Nations, died Dec. 7 at
age 80 at her home in
Bethesda, Md. A Democrat
who switched parties,
Kirkpatrick was appointed
to her post by Ronald
Reagan and became a chief
defender of his policies.
She also considered a run
for the presidency in
1988, the same year that
Rep. Patricia Schroeder
made her presidential bid
on the Democratic ticket.
"I think that it was
time to have a woman in
the race,"
Kirkpatrick told the New
York Times in 1987,
shortly after deciding
she would not run.
"It would be a good
thing to have a woman
candidate who held her
own and conducted herself
with skill and dignity.
It would be a good thing
for society, not just for
women."
BPW
Members Stuff Backpacks
for Afghan Schools
BPW
members contributed to 50
well-stuffed backpacks of
school supplies for
Afghani school children.
Earlier this year, BPW
members were alerted to
send school supplies in
an earlier HQ News. The
supplies already donated
are deeply appreciated
and help alleviate some
of the need of school
children.
Supplies
are always needed. There
are at least 1,000
children per school. If
any BPW/LO or BPW member
wishes to take on this
project, you can send
donations directly to:
TRAVIS
BUNT
209TH RCAG NORTH / US
NAVY
MAZAR-E SHARIF
APO AE 09318
Requested
items include: pencils,
crayons, markers, chalk,
notepads, drawing paper,
art supplies and simple
school-bags to hold
notepads and pencils.
ERA In the
New Congress
November
28, The Washington Times
- The Democratic takeover
of Congress should revive
interest in an issue many
Americans think is
settled -- adoption of
the Equal Rights
Amendment -- as new
bipartisan groups pursue
the Republican-leaning
states needed for its
ratification.
"I
think a great way to
commemorate the elevation
of the first woman
speaker would be to
elevate all women in the
Constitution," said
Rep. Robert E. Andrews,
New Jersey Democrat and
one of nearly 200 ERA
proponents in the House.
Supporters
say that despite
advancements for women's
rights since the ERA's
official death in 1982 --
primarily prohibitions
against sex
discrimination -- the
constitutional amendment
is needed because women
lag in career advancement
and pay equity.
"The equal treatment
of women should be made a
pillar of our
society," said Rep.
Carolyn B. Maloney, New
York Democrat.
"Unlike under the
previous majority, I
think we will at least
have a discussion of
rights that should exist
and that most people in
fact believe are already
in the
Constitution."
Leaders
Bring Attention to
Trafficking of Women
Top female
ministers in Central
America gathered in Costa
Rica to address the
trafficking of women in
the region, a major step
in drawing attention to
an issue rarely
discussed, reported
Swiss-based International
Organization for
Migration on Dec. 8. The
two-day event brought
together members of the
Central American Council
of Women Ministries,
counter-trafficking
experts and the Central
American network of
nongovernmental
organizations combating
violence against women.
Sick Days
The
National Partnership for
Women & Families and
several activist groups
in San Francisco vow to
pressure the
Democratic-controlled
U.S. Congress to pass
legislation next year
requiring employers to
grant a minimum number of
paid sick days to their
workers. A study by the
Institute for Women's
Policy Research says the
new requirement will cost
San Francisco employers
about $34 million a year,
but also could help them
save $46 million in
reduced turnover and
other costs.
Emboldened
by a similar measure that
voters enacted in
November for workers in San
Francisco, proponents
claim the measure will be
good for businesses. San
Francisco is the first
U.S. city to pass such a
law. Some business groups
opposed the ballot
initiative, including the
San Francisco Chamber of
Commerce. Its passage
requires employers with
10 or fewer workers to
provide a minimum of five
days of paid sick leave;
companies with more than
10 employees must pay for
nine sick days a year.
The
initiative, which takes
effect in January,
supersedes companies'
collective bargaining
contracts. The
partnership said it will
"work to ensure that
more cities and states
follow."
HAPPY
HOLIDAYS and enjoy a safe
and prosperous New Year.
The
next issue of Headquarters
News will be
distributed in January.
|
