Women’s Leadership Academy Summit 2013
BRYN MAWR, PA – April 2, 2013 – According to a study conducted by Catalyst in 2010, women account for 57.5 percent of the financial industry’s labor force but only 19.1 percent of executive officers, 17.4 percent of board directors and 1.2 percent of CEOs. Companies are increasingly interested in addressing this inequity and developing their female leaders in order to increase their organization’s productivity and market share. Research conducted by Pepperdine University found that companies with the best records in promoting women outperformed their competitors by 41 to 116 percent.
In an effort to provide aspiring female leaders with the tools they need to advance their careers, the State Farm® Center for Women and Financial Services at The American College will be holding its second annual Women’s Leadership Academy Summit on April 17-19, 2013 at the Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center in Grapevine, Texas; in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
Event attendees will have the opportunity to refine their leadership skills through practical education, networking and inspirational workshops. Featured presentations at this vibrant conference include:
• You Can’t Make the Climb Unless You Make the Time: How to Prepare for a Rewarding Career. Speaker: Caroline Feeney, CLU®, ChFC®, President, Agency Distribution, Prudential Financial, Inc.
• Permission to LEAD – an Accountability Workshop. Speaker: Sharen L. King, MSM, Executive Director of the Northwestern Mutual Granum Center for Financial Security at The American College.
• Navigating the Corporate Matrix in High Heels and a Skirt. Speaker: Anne Doss, Executive Vice President, Head of Personal and Small Business Insurance, Wells Fargo Insurance.
• Leading on the Cutting Edge – Without Slipping Over! Speaker: Michelle Pedigo, Regional Vice President, Mid-Atlantic Region, MetLife.
“Advanced leadership training is essential for women in the financial services industry who want a competitive edge,” said Sandra Carr, Assistant Director of the State Farm Center for Women and Financial Services. “The education available at this summit can be leveraged to help level the playing field and give career-oriented women the knowledge they need to climb the corporate ladder to the highest levels.”
Individuals attending the summit will receive three credits toward The American College’s prestigious Chartered Leadership Fellow® (CLF®) designation. The CLF® program prepares professionals to address the leadership challenges found within home office and field organizations. Financial services managers who complete the program are given the knowledge and tools they need to achieve key organizational goals including: recruiting and retaining top performers; developing effective business plans; setting performance objectives and improving managerial skills.
Leading companies from across the financial services industry have joined forces to sponsor this unique industry event. State Farm®, recognized for its ongoing commitment to women is the Title sponsor of the event. Northwestern Mutual is the Platinum sponsor; Prudential and MetLife are Gold sponsors, while Wells Fargo Insurance and Mutual of Omaha are Silver sponsors. GAMA International made an additional contribution at the Bronze level. Women in Insurance & Financial Services (WIFS) is a patron sponsor of the event.
Tuition for the Women’s Leadership Academy Summit includes the cost of matriculation into the CLF® designation program (if applicable), registration, study materials, and hotel meals during the summit. The Hilton will provide complimentary shuttles from/to DFW Airport.
Attendee hotel room/lodging and flight/travel expenses are at the participant's or sponsoring company's responsibility. To register or to get more information visit www.theamericancollege.edu/wla2013.
Financial services professionals interested in learning more about why the summit is an excellent choice for female leaders who seek to enhance their careers through education can view a video presentation at www.theamericancollege.edu/wla2013/sponsors featuring Denise Hardin, Agency Vice President and Christy Moberly, Senior Vice President from State Farm. An interview with Sandra Carr talking about this year’s presentation entitled, “A Premier Learning Opportunity” is also available and can be found on TheWealthChannel.com.
About the Center:
The State Farm Center for Women and Financial Services is the first and only independent, academic center in the country devoted exclusively to studying women and financial services issues. The Center actively works to increase our understanding of women’s financially related expectations, attitudes and actions.
About The American College:
The American College of Financial Services is the nation’s largest non-profit educational institution devoted to financial services. Holding the highest level of academic accreditation, The College has served as a valued business partner to banks, brokerage firms, insurance companies and others since 1927. The American College’s faculty represents some of the financial services industry’s foremost thought leaders. For more information, visit TheAmericanCollege.edu
Contact:
Dominique Echols
Public Relations Associate
(610) 526-1455
Dominique.Echols@TheAmericanCollege.edu
