Bionic Women: The Bozeman chapter of Business and Professional Women
Amber Patterson
For all you women out there who want to
get actively involved in the business community here, the Bozeman chapter
of Business and Professional Women (BPW) is a great place to start. BPW
has been around since 1919 and the Bozeman chapter held its first meeting
on September 18, 1930. Today the Bozeman BPW is still working to achieve
the same goals it was founded on: “to achieve equity for all women in the
workplace through advocacy, education, and information.” Bozeman’s chapter
just happens to be the largest in the state, so it’s a great place for
business women to meet fellow comrades.
Bozeman BPW hosts many events throughout
the year to raise awareness about women in the workplace. The third full
business week in October is National Business Women’s Week. During this
time, Bozeman BPW holds its annual fundraiser as well as a Women of
Achievement program, a Young Careerist program, and an Equal Pay Day. In
the past it held a seminar on “Increasing Women’s Political Engagement in
Montana.” Margot Kidder was the keynote speaker.
Outside Bozeman had a chance to
talk to a past local winner of the Young Careerist award, Stacey Haugland,
CPM. Stacey delivers babies here in the Bozeman area on a regular basis.
Haugland was just beginning her career in reproductive health when she was
nominated for the award. As she explains, “I thought I would just be my
radical self and shock these business ladies. Well, that was a young
person's assumption. Obviously, I was not shocking. I won the award and I
came to know many of the women in the organization well. These were the
women who were making change for the better and had been at it for a
while. They were the women who had pushed the boundaries of what women
could do. It wasn't all suits and pantyhose.” Winning the award helped
Haugland accept and value the business skills necessary to fulfill her
career ideals and ultimately helped guide her in opening a clinic.
Bozeman BPW is a great way for business
women to network and to learn valuable lessons from experienced members
about being active and involved in the issues facing women in the
workplace. Members pay dues and as Haugland points out, “local dues help
support changes at the state and federal levels. We really do need
advocates at those levels for women and families. I remember just this
April for Wage Equity Week, BPW organized an awareness campaign on the
difference rates of pay by gender. I was driving in my car and heard a
public radio report that in Wyoming women made 57 cents to every dollar a
man made. 57cents! This was in 2007, not 1957. Over the course of a
working life, that is a huge imbalance. Obviously, we still need to
advocate for women economically.”
Being active in the community means more than staying
physically active. Get involved! Make a difference—attend a meeting.
Bozeman BPW holds meetings at the Comfort Inn the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of
every month. Go to www.bozemanbpw.org
for more information or email
bozemanbpw@yahoo.com.
