BANKER HAS BIG PLANS FOR BOY SCOUTS.Byline: R.A. Hutchinson Daily News Staff Writer Sue Chadwick agrees right off that she's something of a nontraditionalist. Her career is in finance, and she's just signed on for a year as president of the Boy Scouts of America Noun 1. Boy Scouts of America - a corporation that operates through a national council that charters local councils all over the United States; the purpose is character building and citizenship training Ventura County Council. ``I don't look at it as a male or female thing. I look at it as having leadership abilities. I know I'm the first woman president, but that's not what I want to focus on,'' Chadwick explains. ``It's about leadership ability - anyone can have those abilities.'' Chadwick has honed her skills steadily since moving to California in 1972. When a youthful marriage failed, the single mother left her native Michigan and came west to California, where she got a job as a teller at Bank of A. Levy. For 21 years, Chadwick studied and refined her abilities in finance and management with classes at local community colleges and through professional organizations. ``I joined the National Association of Banking Women. That's where I started learning leadership skills,'' she said. In 1994, she finished the Pacific Coast Banking School, a graduate program for bankers at the University of Washington in Seattle. Just before Bank of A. Levy was bought out in 1994 by Los Angeles-based First Interstate, Chadwick accepted a new job in Santa Barbara Santa Barbara (săn'tə bär`brə, –bərə), city (1990 pop. 85,571), seat of Santa Barbara co., S Calif., on the Pacific Ocean; inc. 1850. working for Santa Barbara Bank and Trust. Within months, the family run Bank of A. Levy was gone, leaving a void in Ventura County for community-style banking. Chadwick said her new employer recognized an opportunity and named Chadwick as vice president in charge of establishing a three-branch operation in Ventura County. The three branches she manages in Camarillo, Oxnard and Ventura have acquired more than $70 million since opening in 1993. ``We became profitable in less than a year,'' she said. Now Chadwick is turning her financial wizardry wiz·ard·ry n. pl. wiz·ard·ries 1. The art, skill, or practice of a wizard; sorcery. 2. a. A power or effect that appears magical by its capacity to transform: to helping the Boy Scouts organization obtain a reserve of $250,000 within the next five years. The local nonprofit A corporation or an association that conducts business for the benefit of the general public without shareholders and without a profit motive. Nonprofits are also called not-for-profit corporations. Nonprofit corporations are created according to state law. group operates with about $1 million in its annual budget. ``It all comes back to who you have on the board, to who can open doors for you,'' she said. ``It's all about relationship-building.'' One relationship she hopes will develop is a partnership between local businesses and the Scouting scouting: see Boy Scouts; Girl Scouts. scouting Activities of various national and worldwide organizations for youth aimed at developing character, citizenship, and individual skills. Scouting began when Robert S. program. Businesses already participate as posts for the Explorers program, which is open to teen-age boys and girls boys and girls mercurialisannua. . The Explorers meet at a business site and learn about skills needed for a particular occupation. But Chadwick wants businesses to participate more, especially financially, because she believes the values learned through Scouting will make excellent employees out of former Scouts. ``I'd hire an Eagle Scout Ea·gle Scout n. One who has achieved the highest rank in the Boy Scouts. Noun 1. Eagle Scout - a Boy Scout who has earned many merit badges Boy Scout - a boy who is a member of the Boy Scouts . I know that person has been trained in leadership and character-building,'' she said. ``Businesses should recognize these are their future employees.'' Her other primary goal as president will be to increase enrollment in Scouting programs. Chadwick said there are so many choices for youths that Scouting must offer something the children can't get elsewhere. She plans to look for partnership opportunities with other youth groups, such as soccer leagues or skating groups, to find ways of sparking the interest of young people. Next year, for example, Scouts will for the first time be able to earn a merit badge in crime prevention. Although Chadwick did not participate in Scouting while growing up in Monroe, Mich., near Lake Erie Lake Erie Great Lake; once so polluted, referred to as Lake Eerie. [Am. Hist.: NCE, 887] See : Filth , her son and grandson both were Cub Scouts. Nor is Scouting her only charitable interest. Chadwick serves on 11 different boards. Those include St. John's Regional Medical Center St. John's Regional Medical Center may refer to: In the United States:
``I like being a part of a group, especially a group that wants to help people. When you're part of a team, it's not so overwhelming,'' Chadwick said. ``My parents instilled a strong work ethic work ethic n. A set of values based on the moral virtues of hard work and diligence. work ethic Noun a belief in the moral value of work in me.'' Her childhood in the Great Lakes Great Lakes, group of five freshwater lakes, central North America, creating a natural border between the United States and Canada and forming the largest body of freshwater in the world, with a combined surface area of c.95,000 sq mi (246,050 sq km). area also instilled a continued love of the water. Chadwick lives near the harbor in Oxnard. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: (color) Sue Chadwick, a bank vice president, is thefirst female president of the Boy Scouts of America Ventura County Council. Myung J. Chun/Daily News |
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