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Board launches Women’s Leadership Circle

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

By Anna Grimes
Venue: The Westin Bayshore Resort & Marina

Board of Trade vice-chair Sue Paish launches the Women's Leadership Circle. "This is a very exciting day," she said. Photo: Dave Roels

Humorist, international stress management consultant and Emmy Award nominee Loretta LaRoche joined Vancouver Board of Trade vice-chair Sue Paish, QC to launch The Board’s new Women’s Leadership Circle™ (WLC) today, marking the beginning of an innovative community of women business leaders in Vancouver.

“Today is a very exciting day,” Paish said of the launch at a sold-out luncheon held in conjunction with the day-long Power Within for Women at the Westin Bayshore. “It’s amazing that we can partner with world-renowned women speaking at this event for our launch, but also fitting. This is an important and exciting innovation for businesswomen in Vancouver, whatever stage they are at in their careers.”

Paish, the CEO of Pharmasave Drugs National Ltd. and former managing partner at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, chairs the 18-strong WLC Advisory Board with its own star-studded cast of Vancouver’s business leaders who will steer the program.

“The WLC is designed to help identify programs, speakers, topics and other events that will help The Board of Trade be more engaged with women in the community and to help women feel more engaged with The Board,” said Paish. “It allows women to be involved in the social and political issues The Board tackles, as well as the networking and the wonderful relationship-building activities The Board provides.”

The WLC is open to all 5,700 members of The Vancouver Board of Trade, one third of which are women. Almost half of all The Board’s new members currently joining are women.

Calling it “something quite astounding,” LaRoche told the audience that being a part of a group like the Women’s Leadership Circle is really about what individuals can do to make a difference. “When you sit with other like-minded people – and we can use the Women’s Leadership Circle as a perfect metaphor – you start to realize that you have similar concepts and desires, and that there is nothing more empowering than making a difference.”

Humorist Loretta LaRoche helped launch the Leadership Circle at the day-long Power Within for Women conference.

The Vancouver Board of Trade has a long history of championing women leaders amongst its membership. Wendy McDonald, CM, OBC became The Board’s first woman chair in 1990-91, followed by Jill Bodkin in 1994-95 and current B.C. Finance Minister Carole Taylor, OC, OBC in 2001-02.

“The Women’s Leadership Circle is intended to provide a new and relevant forum for women to become engaged with the business community,” commented Henry Lee, Board of Trade chairman.

“I’m particularly pleased with how many busy and talented people have said ‘yes’ to serving on the Advisory Board,” he continued. “Today’s launch event is the first of what will be an annual Women’s Leadership Circle Forum™ for The Board and we are delighted to have been joined by so many distinguished speakers and guests.”

Women’s Leadership Circle Advisory Board
Chair:
Sue Paish, vice-chair, The Vancouver Board of Trade & CEO, Pharmasave Drugs National
Members:
Janet Austin, YWCA Health & Wellness Centre
Kevin Bent, Pacific Newspaper Group
Maureen Daschuk, TELUS
Yvonne de Valone, Vancouver Board of Trade director & Downtown U-Lok Storage Ltd.
Ida Goodreau, Vancouver Board of Trade director & Vancouver Coastal Health Authority
Henry K.S. Lee, chairman, The Vancouver Board of Trade & president, Tom Lee Music
Carol Lee, Vancouver Board of Trade director & Linacare Laboratories
Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia, Vancouver Board of Trade director and co-chair, Spirit of Vancouver® & Absolute Spa Group
Elizabeth Lyall, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Dr. Tracy Monk, MD, Families for School Seismic Safety
Evi Mustel, Vancouver Board of Trade director & Mustel Group
Elise Rees, Ernst & Young
Dr. Don Rix, OC, OBC, senior vice-chair, The Vancouver Board of Trade & MDS Metro Laboratory Services & Cantest Bev VanRuyven, BC Hydro
Judy Thomson, CA, co-author, Work the Pond! & Shepa Learning Company
Donna Wilson, VANOC
Praveen Varshney, Vancouver Board of Trade director & Varshney Capital
Tamara Vrooman, Vancity

Media Coverage:
See Vancouver Sun article
See Province article

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