New Officers for 2010-2011

Barbara do Amaral, Carol Scott, Kelly Gaugler, Sally Babcock, Tanaya Carter, Sarah Marshall

Honors Program-Story Mansion-April 22, 2010
Young Career Woman, Employer of the Year, Woman of Achievement Awards

Arison Antonucci-Burns, Chrissy Frank, Amber Guth YC Candidates

Sally Broughton, 2009; Pat Simmons, 2010 Woman of Achievement

What is Equal Pay Day?
April 20 symbolizes the day when women’s wages catch up to men’s wages from the previous year. Every year in April, Business and Professional Women’s Foundation along with hundreds of other women’s, civil rights, labor, and community organizations team up with the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE) for a national day of action promoting fair pay known as Equal Pay Day.

“The bottom line for women and businesses is that pay discrimination happens and steps need to be taken to remedy it. This persistent wage gap not only impacts the economic security of women and their families today; it also directly affects women’s retirement security down the road.” said Roslyn Ridgeway, Chair of National BPW Foundation.

Gender Wage Disparity Continues
In 2007, the gap between men's and women's earnings was 22 cents. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, full-time working women earned, on average, 78 cents to every dollar earned by men. The gap is even worse for women of color.
Over a lifetime of work this loss adds up. On average, the families of working women lose out on $9,575 per year because of the earnings gap. Women may lose $434,000 in income, on average, due to the career wage gap.
Wage disparity persists across all educational levels and in all states. Women with the most education lose the most in earnings. Studies show that women with a college degree or higher lose approximately $713,000 over a 40-year period versus a $270,000 loss for women who did not finish high school.
Forty-six years after President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act women working full time earn on average 22% less than their male counterparts. This is a marked improvement over the 41 cent gap in 1963, but it is far from true economic and social equality.

What Next?
In 2009, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act was passed ensuring that victims of discrimination have fair access to the courts on pay equity issues. However, additional legislation is needed to close the persistent gap between men’s and women’s wages. The Paycheck Fairness Act (HR 12/S 182) will strengthen the Equal Pay Act in ways necessary to guarantee that women workers are not shortchanged solely because of their gender. This bill would strengthen the Equal Pay Act closing loopholes and improving the laws effectiveness.
By Carol Scott, Recording Secretary
Download a copy by clicking here
 

Bozeman BPW Electronic Vote - on Revised Bylaws
April 15, 2010
Dear valued Bozeman Business and Professional Women members,                                                                    
                At the Bozeman BPW Board meeting on April 7, 2010, a quorum of board members was present and unanimously approved the following motion concerning participation with the Montana Business and Professional Women: The Bozeman Business and Professional Women's (BBPW) local board voted NOT IN FAVOR of joining Montana Business and Professional Women (MTBPW). Rather, we vote to sign the license agreement directly with the Business and Professional Women's Foundation (BPWF) and ENCOURAGE  local BBPW members to join directly as members-at-large of MTBPW if desired.
                The decision to sign the license agreement directly with the Business and Professional Women's Foundation came after hours of Bozeman Executive Team meetings, Board meetings, and MTBPW Board representation to discuss and consider the pros and cons of this decision over the last two years.
                Several of the issues that supported the decision to vote NOT IN FAVOR of joining MTBPW are: 1) Younger members lack of interest in the state organization, 2) Work-life balance demands, 3) Finances-Dues payments to MTBPW, 4) Continued participation on legislative issues can be done by Bozeman BPW, 5) Lack of flexibility of MTBPW to streamline, change, and re-purpose.
                The active Bozeman BPW members are from the younger generations who have a lack of interest in MTBPW due to work life demands. Bozeman had 10 members who joined before 2000, 8 between 2000-2004 and the balance of the 77 have joined since 2005. In an interest survey of BBPW members conducted last fall, the interests were in local networking, socials, presentations, and leadership opportunities.
                Work/life balance is a major concern. BBPW active members know that if they support the state, their time and energy will be taken away from the local BPW mission and purpose. BBPW has difficulty getting officers, and few members are interested in traveling for a business meeting. Participation is also a concern for retired members who travel and have additional interests. MTBPW had a great deal of difficulty filling chairmanships and committee members over the last three or more years.
                Finances are a major concern this year. Seventy plus percent of the members of the MTBPW are from Bozeman. Last year we paid $15 per member to be part of state for over $1000 contribution for 2009-2010. The proposed MTBPW dues increase is substantial. BBPW would pay $25 per member for around 80 members for a total of roughly $2000. The BBPW membership does not know what programs will be supported at the State level. The BBPW business contributions were down about $2,000 this year. BBPW board members are financial stewards with their treasury and find contributing to the MTBPW not in our financial interest. There is $155 in the BBPW budget to pay $30 for individual registrations for the State BPW convention. Contact our treasurer, Chrissy Frank, for reimbursement.
                BBPW will continue to participate in legislative issues, both state and nationally. At present we coordinate with organizations such as Montana Women's Vote, Montana Women's Lobby  (MWL), and American Association of University Women. We increased our contribution to MWL to $3.00 per member this year.
                The MTBPW leadership lacks the flexibility to streamline, change, and re-purpose. Technology keeps us in touch through Facebook and social media so there is no need to travel for a business meeting hours from Bozeman. The bylaws of both MTBPW and BBPW need to be guiding, not hindering and stressful.
                The BBPW Board encourages all members who would like to affiliate with the state to join MTBPW as a member-at-large. Thank you for your continued membership and support of the Bozeman Business and Professional Women. The Board has revised the bylaws to address the changes with the Business and Professional Women's Foundation (BPWF) and the not- in-favor vote for the MTBPW. The proposed bylaws are enclosed. Please take a moment to review them. A postcard ballot will be mailed to you shortly, in which the board requests your vote to approve or not approve the revised BBPW bylaws.  Please take the time to fill out your anonymous ballot and return it via US mail at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,

Sally Larson Babcock, President BBPW/Enclosure (Click for bylaws amendment)

Montana BPW Electronic Vote - on Licensing - Cancelled by the Montana BPW Board of Directors
Based on the vote of the Board of Directors last night (3/15/10), we need to cancel the Survey Monkey that was scheduled to start yesterday and remove all information from the website.  New information has been received from National regarding the choices individual Local Organizations may have once the State Organization has signed the License.  For that reason, the whole issue has been kicked back to the Futures Committee for further research.  Once the research is completed, a new proposal will be presented from the Board of Directors to all members, via snail mail, to be voted on during State Convention.  Melanie Marotta, Board Member

Bozeman BPW was founded in 1930 and seeks to empower women and girls in the Gallatin Valley. Our goal is to help women succeed, professionally, politically, and personally. We offer networking and leadership opportunities, education and training programs and educational scholarships. We also advocate legislatively for economic and social equity for women in the workplace. We incorporated our organization in 1985 in the State of Montana and received Federal IRS tax exempt status as a 501 (c) (6) organization. Bozeman BPW is a member of the Montana Business & Professional Women’s Organization  (MTBPW); and is licensed with the BPW Foundation organization through MTBPW for this fiscal year only. We currently have 81 members, are the largest local BPW organization in Montana, and make up 2/3 of MTBPW. The total dues are $90 and now $73 of that directly supports Bozeman BPW’s activities and mission.

Business and Professional Women’s (BPW) Foundation formed in 1956, primarily offering research and a library on working women’s issues and career scholarships to women. They now are creating successful workplaces by focusing on issues which impact women, families and employers and that embrace and practice diversity, equity and work life balance. In July 2009 BPW/USA, which formed in 1919, merged into the BPW Foundation. The new mission of the combined organization is “BPW Foundation empowers workingwomen to achieve their full potential and partners with employers to build successful workplaces through education, research, knowledge, and policy.” With this merger the combined non-profit, 501(c) (3) organization, BPW Foundation eliminated its previous BPW federated structure of controlling the actions of state BPW federations and local BPW organizations. It is now offering state BPW federations and local BPW organizations to stay affiliated with BPW through licensing agreements rather than bylaws and membership dues. By signing a license agreement with BPW Foundation, it means that state and local organizations can continue to use the BPW name, logo and programs. Last September, MTBPW members voted to license with the BPW Foundation, with the caveat that members would vote again in the spring of 2010. Signing that license agreement required the MTBPW to pay a license fee of $40 per member.

·         MTBPW shall sign the license agreement by July 1, 2010 with the BPW Foundation and pay the annual fees as required by the licensing agreement. Each local organization shall sign a sub-licensing agreement with MTBPW. 

·         MTBPW will sign a license agreement with the BPW Foundation as long as one local organization signs a sub-license agreement with MTBPW (Missoula BPW has voted to do this). Each local organization may decide for itself whether to sign a sub-license agreement with MTBPW, or alternatively, to sign directly with the BPW Foundation.  

·         Neither MTBPW nor any local organization signs the license agreement with the BPW Foundation, which means we cannot call our state and local organizations BPW, nor use any of the BPW copyrights, logos, programs.  

Therefore Bozeman BPW members must decide what is best for our own local BPW organization. We discussed these options at a recent board of directors meeting. One board member said this: “What I like about “Option 2” is that it allows the State Federation to continue (because Missoula has already voted that it will be the Local to support the State’s existence if no other Local does), yet gives every other Local the right to decide if they want to sub-license through the State or license directly with National. As many of us said last night, the bottom line is that Option 2 provides “flexibility.””
Another board member said “There is a great deal of confusion about the upcoming vote on whether or not individual local organizations should join MT BPW, or National BPW, both, or neither” She wants more information in order to make a decision. That is why we are providing this document and we will be discussing this vote at the March 10 meeting prior to the speaker.

Members can also review the full Futures Committee report and several documents from BPW Foundation about the license reduction and the revised license agreement on the MTBPW website: http://www.montanabpw.org/files/index.php?id=17

3/4/10

Highlights from Gallatin Mental Health Program - 1/27/10
Top Ten Reasons to Offer Suicide Prevention in the Workplace:

1. Suicide is a public health issue and workplaces are an important component of a comprehensive strategy in addressing this concern.
2. Workplaces provide a sense of belonging and community that helps protect against risk factors.
3. Workplaces may provide a sense of purposefulness, which may decrease desire for suicide.
4. Co-workers often have more face time than family and may be able to pick up on changing behaviors.
5. Built in methods for dissemination of training and information already exist.
6. Built in referral mechanisms for mental health usually exist.
7. Organizations that demonstrate care for their workplace community by developing wellness programs improve employee morale and retention while keeping costs down.
8. Most workplaces are already tuned into the needs of preventing “workplace violence”.
9. Workplaces are finding a holistic environment improves productivity.
10. Workplaces institute a suicide prevention plan after it’s’ too late.

–Working Minds: Suicide Prevention in the Workplace, www.workingminds.org

Other Resources:

My contact info:
Katherine L. Isaacson, LCPC
Outpatient Program Manager
Gallatin Mental Health Center
300 N. Willson Suite 3005
Bozeman, MT 59715
kisaacson@wmmhc.org
406.522.7357 phone
406.522.8361 fax

Educational Scholarship for Career Advancement
(Click on Scholarship to get Details)
Scholarship - $500 to $1,000

National Business Women’s Week October 18^th – 24^th, 2009

Lindsey installing Chrissy Frank, Carol Scott, Marlene Ostby,
Sydney Rick, Bonnie Anzick, Jen Healy

Bozeman BPW's Woman of Achievement recognized and 3 Members elected as State Officers at State Convention on April 25, 2009
   
Sally Broughton, WOA  Lindsey VanHemelryck, President


Marian Steffes, Vice President

Bozeman BPW Social - April 21, 2009
Montana Import Group

Committee: Sydney, Heather, Jen, Rosie, Lindsey

Attendees watching Woman of Achievement awards

Bozeman BPW Social - April 1, 2008 - Emerson Weaver Room

Bozeman BPW on the phones for Montana PBS Television

Bozeman BPW was asked to "Wo-man" the telephones for the Montana Public Television (PBS) pledge drive for an evening on Tuesday, November 27. We'll got statewide publicity about Bozeman BPW for our contribution of time, a free dinner from Gallatin Valley Catering, recorded the pledge information, and it was a fun evening together.  The programs on MT PBS that evening were "Homefront: United or Divided" about Montana veterans, and The War "When Things Get Tough", hosted by Lisa Titus and William Marcus.
Members participating: Lindsey VanHemelryck, Sally Babcock, Peggy Foster, Casey Magan, Kathy Hayner, Carol Scott, and Pat Simmons.

Bozeman BPW Woman of Achievement 2007
and
Montana BPW Woman of Achievement 2007

Bozeman BPW Young Careerist 2007

Marie McSpadden receiving award

Montana BPW Employer of the Year

American Land Title Company Awarded “Employer of the Year” 

American Land Title Company was recently awarded “Employer of the Year 2006” by the Montana Business & Professional Women, for demonstrating a commitment to the development and advancement of women in the workplace. 

American Land Title Company (ALTC) has demonstrated through their policies and actions a dedication to their employees. The title company encourages community involvement, continuing training and education, and an equal opportunity for all employees. ALTC is a very family oriented organization that provides employees the opportunity to be active in their family’s lives.

American Land Title Company was nominated by two of their employees who are currently involved in the Bozeman Business & Professional Women’s Organization.

American Land Title Company is locally owned, by Jinny and Brad Stratton, and was established in 1970. ALTC, with locations in Bozeman, Big Sky and Ennis, provides insurance quotes for real estate in southwest Montana, as well as escrow and closing services and title searches. American Land Title Company’s professional staff, comprised of approximately 78% women, has over 150 years of combined title and escrow experience.

Bozeman BPW Newsletters

Go to Newsletters

Business Sponsors

Go to Business Sponsors

Go to Special Programs for details about the program. Past Winners:

Employer of the Year

Ginny & Brad Stratton, American Land Title
Jacki McGuire, McGuire & Associates
JLF Architects
 

Local Volunteer Services

Arts Organizations: Emerson Cultural Center, 587-9797; Symphony Society, 585-9774; Intermountain Opera, 587-2889; Montana Arts Foundation, 585-9551; Performing Arts Center, 586-4669

Human Services Organizations: Connections, 556-1139; Family Outreach, 587-2477; H I Case Management, 587-7703; Heartland Support Services, 586-6769; Hearts & Home, 585-8544

Humane Societies: Heart of the Valley, 556-4651; Humane Society of Gallatin Valley Animal Shelter, 587-0456

Museums: American Computer Museum, 587-7545; Children's Museum of Bozeman, 522-9087; Gallatin Historical Society & Pioneer Museum, 522-8122; Museum of the Rockies & Taylor Planetarium, 994-2251

Senior Citizens Services: Area IV Agency on Aging, 522-8976; Bear Creek Respite Care Center, 587-7002; Befrienders, 522-8169; Bozeman Adult Day Center, 586-2421; Bozeman Deaconess Healthcare Connections, 585-5038; Bozeman Senior Center, 586-2421; Chestnut Mountain Aging Services, 586-2882

Social Service Organization: American Red Cross, 587-4611; Big Brothers & Sisters of Gallatin County, 587-1216; Food Bank, 586-7600; Galavan, 587-2434; Help Center-Sexual Assault Counseling Center, 586-3333; Human Resource Development Council, 587-4486; Reach Inc., 587-1271; Retired Senior Volunteer Program, 587-5444; Salvation Army, 586-5813

Youth Organization & Centers: Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Montana, 587-8442; Community Youthworks, 522-0101; Gateway Youth Group, 582-8667; Girl Scouts of Big Sky Council, 800-823-4475; Montana Conservation Corps, 587-4475; Turner Youth Initiative, 556-1123; Youth Imperative, 522-9998

101 Facts on the Status of Working Women