Denver business and professional women who make it happen

Open and uplifting support to grow your business profession

Denver Tech Center Business and Professional Women (DTC BPW) is an organization developed to empower women since 1919, a year before women got the vote! In 1917 World War I was raging - the United States was at war in Europe. With the absence of the men to operate the businesses and factories, the federal government turned to the women of the U.S. to keep the country running. The War Department engaged the services of the YWCA in identifying and unifying business and professional women across the U.S.

After two years of research, information exchange and rallying of female forces, the National Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs of the USA (BPW/USA) was born. Created alongside BPW/USA was the Colorado Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc. (BPW/Colorado). Both organizations were founded in the summer of 1919 and together helped keep the country running during time of war, while paving the way for future generations of business and professional women.

The roots go deep with a history of trailblazers making history with a mission to achieve equity for all women in the workplace through advocacy, education, and information. In 2008-2009, in addition to the National theme of Building Powerful Women, the DTC BPW theme is Go-Givers. This idea comes from a recent book, The Go-Giver, written by Bob Burg and John David Mann. As we plan our new fiscal year, our theme, Go-Givers will inspire us to do random acts of kindness and help our members and guests in any way that we can think of that is all about giving.

DTC BPW is part of BPW, a National organization, and located in Greenwood Village, Colorado. Their mission is to achieve equity for all women in the work place through advocacy, education and information; dtcbpwpres@comcast.net.

PLEASE JOIN DTC BPW FOR THE MONTHLY LUNCHEON
The meeting begins at 11 a.m. and will be held at the Cool River Café, 8000 E. Belleview Ave. in Greenwood Village the second Wednesday each month.

To make a reservation for the DTC BPW luncheon and program, visit dtcbpw.org or call 303-277-8292. Cost is $18 for members and $25 for guests and everyone without a reservation made 24 hours in advance. Make your reservation today.

History of the Colorado Federation of Business and Professional Women's Organization

Over the years, BPW/Colorado has initiated, supported and participated in various endeavors, including legislative and political issues, human and civil rights issues, and health, education and quality of life issues. Beginning in 1922 with the establishment of a state scholarship fund to assist young women with educational endeavors, to today and the support for pay equity, BPW/Colorado has been active at both the state and national levels to improve the working and living world of working women.

Here are just a few of BPW’s accomplishments and endeavors:

• 1922 Established state scholarship fund to assist young women with educational endeavors;
• 1924 Endorsed and lobbied for passage of Child Labor Law;
• 1930 International Federation of Business and Professional Women was established;
• 1944 Obtained jury service for women;
• 1947 Established the Florence Sabin Grant for graduate work in public health;
• 1955 Equal Pay for Equal Work bill passed in the Colorado Legislature;
• 1950 -1959 Instrumental in introducing driver’s education into Colorado high school system; and participated in a national study to make traffic signs and signals uniform across the country;
• 1964 Colorado Commission on the Status of Women was created by Governor John Love;
• 1964 Young Career Woman Program established at the national and state levels to honor and assist successful young women;
• 1972 Chartered the first Samothrace Club for college-age business and professional women;
• 1972 Colorado passed the Equal Rights Amendment;
• 1976 Colorado Business and Professional Women’s Foundation established to grant loans and scholarships to Colorado women who need assistance in achieving educational goals;
• 1981 Anasazi National Conservation Area was established by Congress at the request of the BPW/Colorado to preserve and protect the ruins;
• 1985 -1986 Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame created;
• 1989 Colorado Women’s Leadership Coalition founded;
• 1990 -1994 Colorado Coalition for Choice was formed.

These are only a sampling of the many initiatives and endeavors in which BPW/Colorado has been involved for over eighty years. The road ahead is waiting with exciting challenges, and the opportunity to continue making history.

The Colorado BPW Education Foundation, a statewide non-profit organization with 501(c)(3) status, invests in women who are transforming their lives through education . . . for themselves, their families, and their communities. Since its inception in 1976, the Foundation has provided over 350 women with scholarships totaling over $265,000. A Colorado leader supporting women’s education, the Foundation recognizes that education is a vital force for women to increase their standing in and value to the community.

Upcoming event:

An Empowered Woman: March 11th at Cool River
Nancy Sharpe, Mayor of the City of Greenwood Village, will join us to share what she learned during her 25-year business career and, ultimately, what took her from work in the private sector to running for elected office. Nancy has been Mayor for more than five years, chairing the City Council (Board of Directors) of Greenwood Village. The city has a $40M annual budget, 250 employees, 15,000 residents and more than 35,000 people who work in the city for more than 3,000 businesses.

She will tell us how she moved to the public sector after a 19-year career working with Allstate, Control Data Corporation, Great West Life Assurance and, on her own, as a project management consultant. As mayor, she worked to bring light rail to the south I-25 corridor; has worked with developers to bring mixed use projects to the Orchard and Arapahoe Light Rail Stations; encourages economic development; is a strong supporter of regionalism; was Chair of the Denver Regional Council of Governments; is currently Chair of Metro Mayors Caucus (38 mayors in the Denver area); and presides over a city that, even in these difficult economic times has almost no debt and strong general fund reserves