NJBIA To Host Women Business Leaders Forum “Building the Next Generation of Women Executives”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – July 21, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Women currently hold 4.6 percent of CEO positions at S&P 500 companies and 16.9 percent of public company board seats. While these numbers may be improved from even one decade ago, the message is clear—there is plenty of room for stronger representation of women at the top of the corporate ladder. What does it take to get there? The right skills and the right opportunities.
NJBIA is proud to provide one of those “right opportunities.”
In September, NJBIA will host a conference that will provide tools for developing the leadership skills that the C-suite demands in an atmosphere where relationship building can lead to new opportunities.
NJBIA’s Women Business Leaders Forum “Building the Next Generation of Women Executives” will examine ways women can reach top executive positions in industry and in the boardroom, featuring keynote speaker Gloria Feldt, co-founder and president of Take The Lead women’s leadership movement, along with keynotes and panel discussions from many of the state’s most prominent women. The event will be held 8:00 a.m. September 25 at the Parsippany Hilton.
The event features a morning keynote address from Barbara Byrne, vice chairman of the banking division at Barclays; a panel discussion featuring New Jersey CEO’s including Kathryn Wengel from Johnson & Johnson, Celestina Quintana, owner and operator of McDonald’s Restaurants, and Brenda Ross-Dulan of Wells Fargo; and two breakout sessions: “Getting to the C-Suite” and “Becoming a Board Member.”
“This forum is about the hard core leadership skills that are in demand in the C-suite and the boardroom,” said NJBIA President and CEO Michele Siekerka. “Women need to know what it takes, and need access to the tools and the people that can help them get there. This last component is critical because the ‘who you know’ still applies.”
“The NJBIA Women Business Leaders Forum will bring women together to network, exchange ideas, and identify how to make headway in corporate leadership.” Siekerka said. “And the forum itself is only the start. We plan to include follow-up action items and establish an agenda for driving results.”
In addition to Feldt and Siekerka, the program will include:
? Kim Guadagno, New Jersey’s Lieutenant Governor (conference opening);
? Barbara Byrne, vice chairman in the Banking Division at Barclays (morning keynote);
? Mary Alice Williams, anchor of NJTV News;
? Kathryn E. Wengel, vice president of Johnson & Johnson Supply Chain.
? Brenda Ross-Dulan, executive vice president and Southern New Jersey Region president of Wells Fargo Company;
? Celestina S. Quintana, owner operator of McDonald’s Restaurants;
? Leanne Leonard, executive coach and senior HR consultant of A.J. O’Connor Associates;
? Erin M. Hamrick, founding partner of Sterling James;
? Cynthia Hamburger, chief operating and chief information officer at Leaning Ally;
? Candace L. Straight, independent director and investment banking consultant;
? Caren S. Franzini, president of Franzini Consulting, LLC; and
? Joanne Pace, global Fortune 100 senior executive.