Women For Economic And Leadership Development

DEVELOP & ADVANCE WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP TO STRENGTHEN THE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY OF THE COMMUNITIES.

PROGRAMMING: WELD HOLDS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO TEACH SKILLS USEFUL FOR LEADERS AT VARIOUS STAGES IN THEIR CAREERS. TYPICALLY, THESE ARE A BLEND OF IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL EVENTS. DUE TO COVID-19 NEARLY ALL EVENTS WERE HELD VIRTUALLY AND THEREFORE BROADCAST NATIONALLY. THESE EVENTS INCLUDE THE EMERGING PROFESSIONAL SERIES PROGRAMS TARGETED TO THOSE JUST STARTING OUT IN THEIR CAREERS, THE LEADERSHIP SERIES PROGRAMS TARGETED TO MID-CAREER PROFESSIONALS COVERING A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS AND AN EXECUTIVE WOMEN'S SERIES FOR SENIOR LEADERS AND C-SUITE EXECUTIVES. WELD CONTINUED TO OFFER SEVERAL PROGRAMS WITH SHRM, CPE AND OH AND WV CLE. IN 2021 WELD LAUNCHED A FULL YEAR OF BOARD PROGRAMS/C-SUITE SERIES DESIGNED TO HELP WOMEN OBTAIN THEIR FIRST SEAT ON A NONPROFIT BOARD. THE TOPICS FOCUSED ON PUBLIC COMPANY FINANCIALS, NONPROFIT FINANCIALS, PREPARING FOR THE BOARD INTERVIEW AND OTHER BOARD PREPARATION TOPICS. WELD CONDUCTED SEVERAL NEW MEMBER PROGRAMS ACROSS ITS CHAPTER BASE AND ALSO HOSTED ITS ANNUAL AFFINITY GROUPS BEST PRACTICES SESSION FOR ITS CORPORATE MEMBERS.WELD ALSO LAUNCHED TWO NEW COHORT-BASED LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS. THE WELD PATHWAY TO MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO PREPARE WOMEN FOR THEIR FIRST PROMOTION INTO A MANAGEMENT ROLE. THE WELD PATHWAY TO EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO HELP WOMEN STUCK IN MIDDLE MANAGEMENT LEARN WHAT IT TAKES TO BE CONSIDERED FOR EXECUTIVE ROLES. WELD ALSO LAUNCHED A PROGRAM FOCUSED ON INCREASING AFRICAN AMERICAN REPRESENTATION ON PUBLIC COMPANY BOARDS IN OHIO, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN DIRECTORS FORUM, FOUNDED IN PITTSBURGH.IN ALL, WELD HAD NEARLY 4,200 WOMEN AND MEN ATTEND OUR LEADERSHIP AND MEMBER PROGRAMS AND SIGNATURE EVENTS. OVER TWO HUNDRED WOMEN AND MEN SERVED AS PROGRAM SPEAKERS.

MEMBERSHIP SERVICES: WELD LAUNCHED A NEW STATE LEVEL CHAPTER IN CALIFORNIA THIS YEAR, AN E-CHAPTER WITH HUBS IN LA, SAN DIEGO AND THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA. WELD HAS MAINTAINED STRONG MEMBERSHIP THROUGHOUT COVID-19 BY CONTINUING A STRONG LINE UP OF MEMBER ONLY PROGRAMS (NEW AND RENEWING MEMBER PROGRAMS, BOARD PROGRAMS, SPECIALTY PROGRAMS) AND CORPORATE MEMBER ONLY PROGRAMS (EXECUTIVE WOMEN'S SERIES, AFFINITY GROUPS BEST PRACTICES SERIES). IN ADDITION, WELD PROVIDED ALL OF ITS TELL IT LIKE IT IS THURSDAY WEBINAR SERIES PROGRAMS FREE TO MEMBERS AND CONTINUED DEEP REGISTRATION DISCOUNTS FOR MEMBERS.

EVENTS: KEYNOTE: WELD HELD TWO KEYNOTES IN 2021. AS A RESULT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THE WELD COLUMBUS CHAPTER 2021 KEYNOTE EVENT WAS HELD AS A VIRTUAL EVENT IN JUNE. THE EVENT FEATURED JOHN ROGERS, CHAIRMAN, CO-CEO AND CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER OF ARIEL INVESTMENTS AND COLLEEN JAY, DIRECTOR, THE COOPER COMPANIES AND TREASURY WINE ESTATES. IT FOCUSED ON THE TOPIC MOVING FORWARD: THE PLAYBOOK FOR ADVOCACY. THE PITTSBURGH CHAPTER HELD THE FIRST IN PERSON SIGNATURE EVENT IN WELD WITH NEARLY 200 ATTENDEES. IT FEATURED AUDRA CHRISTIE ON THE TOPIC OF EXECUTIVE PRESENCE.WOMEN WELDING THE WAY CALENDAR(R) RECEPTION:THE WELD COLUMBUS CHAPTER LAUNCHED ITS 18TH ANNUAL WOMEN WELDING THE WAY (R) CALENDAR. THESE CALENDARS SHOWCASE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF 12 WOMEN WHO ARE NOMINATED BY THE COMMUNITY AND SELECTED BY KEY BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. THE CALENDAR HONOREES ARE A DIVERSE MIX OF WOMEN WHO ARE LEADERS IN THEIR COMPANIES AND INDUSTRIES, HAVE POSITIVELY IMPACTED THEIR COMMUNITIES AND HAVE INSPIRED WOMEN TO STRIVE FOR THEIR CAREER ASPIRATIONS WHILE REACHING BACK FOR OTHERS. A PRINTED CALENDAR IS CREATED FOR EACH OF THESE CHAPTERS THAT SHOWCASES THE TALENT AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF THESE WOMEN. THIS EVENT WAS HELD IN PERSON FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE ONSET OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF REGISTRATIONS FOR THE EVENT WERE 226.