IWLC to start Central Iowa Women Connect group

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Officials with IWLC, Iowa Women Lead Change, met in Des Moines last week with a group of about 20 women representing 14 leading Des Moines companies, to gauge interest in starting a Women Connect group similar to the one that serves the Iowa City-Cedar Rapids Corridor.

Ramsey

Diane Ramsey, IWLC CEO, said the effort is part of her organization’s plan to expand its initial educational events approach to increase the number of female leaders in Iowa businesses, nonprofits and governmental entities.

“We’ve worked with the women, and now we’re going inside the organizations to help the organizations move the needle” on female leadership, she said.

The June 28 meeting included women from 15 businesses that generally have been supportive of the cause: Aureon, American Equity Investment Life Holding Co., Davis Brown Law Firm, Delta Dental of Iowa, Fareway Stores Inc., Holmes Murphy & Associates, Mercy Medical Center, MidAmerican Energy, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co., PrivateBank, Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino, Principal Financial Group, PwC, Nationwide Insurance and Unity Point Health.  

Another nine companies have expressed interest in supporting the group, said IWLC officials.

Ramsey cited Iowa Women in Leadership Study findings that indicate a direct correlation between women’s leadership networks and the numbers of women executives in an organization. IWLC has already won a grant from Polk County to start the group here.

She said the organizational model for the existing Women Connect group is similar to a chamber of commerce model, where the company is the member and can designate representatives to send the the group’s events and trainings. She suggested a membership cost of $3,000 per company. IWLC would perform administrative duties for the group.

Ramsey said she hopes that the companies will designate senior-level women who will know what’s needed to advance female leadership in their companies and who have access to the organization’s pocketbook.

Women in the room suggested specifically that the group reach out to women of color, women working at nonprofits, and women working in education. 

Several women left their business cards to indicate that they wanted to help form the group. A meeting will be held in July for the purposes of forming the group. Interested companies, institutions and women may contact Bobbi Segura, IWLC’s regional manager in Des Moines for more information. Her email isbobbi.segura@iwlcleads.org and phone is 515-240-7883.