WOMEN HEAD FOR CORPORATE BOARDROOMS NONPROFIT TRAINS IGNORED SEGMENT FOR BIG BUSINESS.Byline: JULIA M. SCOTT Staff Writer Women have penetrated the upper echelons of Fortune 500 companies and started their own businesses in droves. But there's one part of the work force that has scarcely been touched by the so-called gentler sex. The boardroom. Now, one organization has set out to change that. Boardroom Bound, a 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. that trains candidates for board positions with classes and seminars, is launching its Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. office today. The firm is based in Washington, D.C., and has offices in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of and Chicago. ``We've been in the kitchen since the 1950s,'' said founder Linda Bolliger. ``Men have been at this 6,000 years. ``You think in 40 to 50 years we can turn this around?'' The company decided to open an L.A. office because of the concentration of businesses and minorities here. ``You are a hotbed hotbed, low, glass-covered frame structure for starting tender plants. It differs from a cold frame only in that the soil is heated—either artificially as by underground electric wiring or steampipes, or naturally with partially fermented stable manure, which of people we want to get into our pipeline,'' Bolliger said. The firm's most popular class is a $1,500, two-day seminar that covers all the basics, Bolliger said. Students learn to translate their skills from sitting on nonprofit boards, learn about corporate responsibility under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act See SOX. , and hone their presentation abilities. Boardroom also offers individual coaching and advanced classes. Those who finish the training process are included in a database of candidates. In the past 18 months, the organization has placed 26 candidates on corporate boards, including Wyndham International and Holland Mutual Fund, Bolliger said. Those appointments are tipping the scales toward a balance that reflects the marketplace, but there is still a long way to go. Women hold 16.7 percent of all Fortune 100 board seats, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a study done by the Alliance for Board Diversity, a partnership of three leadership firms. The numbers are even lower for minorities. African-Americans fill about 6 percent of board seats and Latinos hold just under 4 percent. In greater Los Angeles, women hold just 7 percent of board seats on public companies, according to the National Association of Women Business Owners The National Association of Women's Business Owners (NAWBO) is an organization in the United States founded in 1975 that has the purpose of networking the approximately 10. . Many women prefer to serve on the boards of nonprofits, said Helen Han, who heads the association's L.A. chapter. ``Women are very much into giving back to different organizations that they believe in,'' Han said. ``It's in the character of women.'' But serving on a corporate board is considered more prestigious and it can be worth thousands of dollars, unlike volunteer spots on nonprofit boards. Han believes women will close the gap in the next generation. One place where women have made strides is WellPoint, which owns Blue Cross of California California (kăl'ĭfôr`nyə), most populous state in the United States, located in the Far West; bordered by Oregon (N), Nevada and, across the Colorado River, Arizona (E), Mexico (S), and the Pacific Ocean (W). in Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. . Of its 16 board members, five are women and two more are minorities. ``Diversity is a very important part of our overall business strategy,'' said spokesman Jim Kappel. Selecting women and minorities for the board is part of the firm's commitment to providing career opportunities for all, he added. Amgen in Thousand Oaks has a less-than-stellar record when it comes to women and minorities on its board. Out of 11 members, only one is a woman and it's unclear how many, if any, are minorities. ``There are many other companies across the board ... that still have some work to do,'' said Amgen spokesman David Polk. ``We would be included in that group, but I think we do have a very, very diverse company.'' Charts on Amgen's Web site state the company is on par with the pharmaceutical industry when it comes to hiring minorities and women. Disney has a fair record, with two women and two minorities on a board of 13, according to its Web site. Disney did not immediately return calls for comment. For women and minorities who want to get ahead, there are plenty of resources. ``There are just gazillions of courses being offered at community colleges, on the Internet Internet Publicly accessible computer network connecting many smaller networks from around the world. It grew out of a U.S. Defense Department program called ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), established in 1969 with connections between computers at the ,'' said Judy Rosener, a professor at the Paul Merage School of Business UC Irvine's Paul Merage School of Business Formerly known as the Graduate School of Management, the school was renamed in Spring 2005 to the Paul Merage School of Business, after receiving a generous donation by philanthropist, entrepreneur, and Chef America founder, Paul at University of California The University of California has a combined student body of more than 191,000 students, over 1,340,000 living alumni, and a combined systemwide and campus endowment of just over $7.3 billion (8th largest in the United States). , Irvine. ``If there are some things you don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. , ... it's good to bone up on your weaknesses.'' Women, especially, should figure out where they will get the cash to open up shop. ``Venture-capital companies and banks are less likely to loan start-up Start-up The earliest stage of a new business venture. money for women,'' Rosener said. julia.scott(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3735 Tips for women to get ahead KNOW WHAT YOU WANT. To find a company that fits your lifestyle, ask yourself: What do you like to do? Do you want to work for a small company or a big company? Do you need a flexible schedule or can you work long hours? GET ON THE BOARD OF A NONPROFIT. you can use your experience as leverage to get on a corporate board. PLAY UP YOUR CONNECTIONS. Find out where people you know are working or serving on a board and pitch yourself to them, highlighting what you bring to the table. YOU DON'T NEED AN MBA MBA abbr. Master of Business Administration Noun 1. MBA - a master's degree in business Master in Business, Master in Business Administration OR PH.D. But if there are areas you aren't familiar with, shore up your weaknesses by taking classes in those subjects. This way, you won't feel inadequate and can play up your strengths during the interview. DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Research the company you are interested in and tell its officials why you want to work for them. Show them why they need you instead of squeezing yourself into a position. KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED FOR OPPORTUNITIES. You never know when a casual acquantaince might have a lead. LOOK FOR WOMEN-FRIENDLY BUSINESSES. Check whether women sit on the board of directors, whether top managers are women and whether the company offers the benefits you need. RESEARCH HOW TO START A BUSINESS. Use the Internet and the library to find seminars, classes and tools to become an entrepreneur entrepreneur (än'trəprənûr`) [Fr.,=one who undertakes], person who assumes the organization, management, and risks of a business enterprise. . FIND THE MONEY. Venture capital companies and banks are less likely to lend start-up money to women. Think about where you will get cash to open up shop, whether it be from friends or your credit card. DON'T WAIT FOR OPENINGS. Figure out the city you want to work in and scout the area for companies that you could add to. SOURCE: Judy Rosener, professor CAPTION(S): box Box: Tips for women to get ahead (see text) |
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