Riding strong growth into its 2012 leadership conference and job fair, MBA Women International welcomed more than 500 participants to Phoenix to discuss corporate leadership and entrepreneurism for women at all steps of the corporate ladder.
“We had 1366% growth in the first six months through our social media sites and doubled our membership through our group membership – and we slowed it down to be sustainable and to build the appropriate infrastructure,” said MBAWI CEO Gail Romero. “We cannot keep up with the demand so our corporate partners are stepping up to assist us with technology, software, training, chapter development and funding to enable new chapters to launch in 2013 – our 30th anniversary.”
To celebrate those who have helped not only MBAWI, but business women worldwide, grow, the organization unveiled its first class of the “hall of heroes,” a group of leaders, corporate and non-profit organizations helping create equality between men and women in boardrooms.
“This year was a building year. Now we are going to be gaining support and momentum as our women are looking to start voting for corporations with their checkbooks – buying products and services that support gender parity, women in the C-Suite and on boards of directors,” said Romero. “We are not necessarily a feminist organization that will push the agenda – we embrace diversity and our male members who are also a good part of that change. (Male members) are critical to our building strong leadership that works more effectively together. We do not embrace male ‘bashing’ but instead work to develop new skills in communication and negotiation that drive success.”
Here is this year’s award recipients:
- Corporate winners: University of Phoenix, George Washington University, Walmart/Sam’s Club, AT&T, The Ford Motor Corporation, General Electric, Intel, Nordstrom, Proctor & Gamble, Goldman Sachs, Prudential.
- Individuals winners: Leo Hindery, Managing Partner of InterMedia Partners; Ambassador Melanne Verveer, Global Women’s Issues; Barbara Barrett, the Interim President-Designate of Thunderbird School of Global Management; Melinda Gates, business woman and philanthropist; Geena Davis, Founder of Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media; Kathy Calvin, CEO UN Foundation; Scott Woelfel, President and CEO of Armchair Media; Dr. Mansour Javidian, Global Mindset Thunderbird; Jill Nash, Chief Communications Officer Levi, CariGuittard, Teacher at Hult University, and Debbie Storey, the Chief Diversity Officer and SVP of Talent at AT&T.
- Non-profits winners: Vision 20/20, Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce, Catalyst, UN Foundation’s Girl Up, the Nike Foundation, CARE, BRAC, The Cherie Blair Foundation, The Impact Center, and Women On Boards International.
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“In 2011 we were in one nation (the U.S.) and now we are in 52 countries with 40 different languages through our at-large and Linkedin group membership,” said Romero. “We are also reaching 2,500 women a day throughout the world that are now able to find out about skills for success, read about women leaders and policy changes around the world. Those women are also instrumental in growing the organization as they are championing for new chapters in cities such as Rio (De Janiero), London, Sydney, Hong Kong, Beijing, Tokyo, Mexico City and nations such as Egypt, UAE, Germany, France, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey, Spain, Italy and India (over 10 cities have been suggested in India).”
–Alanna Stage, @AlannaTweets
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