Three hundred women from throughout Vermont gathered at the Sheraton on November 2 for the 10th annual Key4Women Forum to discuss courage in leadership and why courage is vital to the achievement of success by women in business.
All proceeds from the Key4Women Forum were donated to Vermont Women’s Fund and totaled more than $6,000. Over the event's 10 years, more than $55,000 has gone to the organization.
“The Vermont Women’s Fund appreciates KeyBank’s ongoing commitment to women’s leadership and professional development,” said Catherine Kalkstein, executive director of the organization. “We also applaud Key’s efforts to support the Vermont Women’s Fund’s mission of empowering women and girls.”
The Forum, “Creating a Culture of Courage: The New Leadership Challenge,” featured leadership and customer service expert Cindy Solomon, who returned to the Key4Women Forum for the second consecutive year. The Forum is designed to educate and empower women in business — business owners, leaders, decision makers and non-profit directors — through the insight and advice of a dynamic national speaker. Cindy’s presentation discussed the four types of courage and when and how to invoke each for success in business, why finding the courage to move forward is the key to success in today’s new business economy, and how to inspire courage personally and professionally.
“Courage in the face of uncertainty is something that every woman in business is familiar with,” said KeyBanker Amy Mailloux. “Timely sharing of information is a big part of Key4Women’s goal of providing ongoing education for women. We feel that this year’s theme is something that everyone can relate to, and we’re glad that women will be able to use what they’ve learned to achieve personal and professional success.”
The forum also featured the presentation of the 2011 Key4Women Achieve Award Mary Powell, CEO of Green Mountain Power and member of the boards of directors of Vermont Public Radio, the Vermont Land Trust, Champlain College, VELCO, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield. The Achieve Award recognizes a woman who has provided inspirational leadership in business and her community.
As one of the nation’s largest financial services companies and top small business lenders, Key provides financial services to thousands of women-owned businesses in 14 states. Founded in 2005, Key4Women helps women business owners achieve their goals by providing access to capital, customized service, networking events, and educational opportunities. Key4Women has lent $3 billion to qualified women business owners since 2005 and committed to lending another $3 billion by 2012.
KeyBank N.A. is one of Vermont’s largest financial services companies. A strong proponent for local economic growth, Key companies provide investment management, retail and commercial banking, retirement, consumer finance, and investment banking products and services to individuals and companies throughout the United States and, for certain businesses, internationally. The company's businesses deliver their products and services through branches and offices; a network of approximately 1,500 ATMs; telephone banking centers (1.800.KEY2YOU); and a Web site, Key.com, that provides account access and financial products 24 hours a day.