Words From Our WISE Chair Jen Linke
To say 2020 delivered unexpected surprises is an understatement. At the beginning of 2020, I was steadily gaining momentum to become the Chairperson of WISE at the end of 2021. Suddenly, in May, I quickly had to pivot to become the Chairperson on July 1st. I am honored to be in this position and to continue the momentum started by the organization’s founder, Peggy Davies. The people involved in this organization are top notch and we are planning some really amazing things in 2021.
WISE has grown to have over 50 partners and over 300 members because those involved believe in the mission of WISE. We want to lead change through increased emphasis on diversity and we have plans for 2021 to make this more evident in the industry. We are discussing:
- how to engage more with younger generations
- how to attract and retain employees with more diversity
- how to educate people more on the subject of D&I
- how leaders can motivate diverse teams
- how can we best measure diversity in our industry
We are evaluating the best way to address these topics and finding new ways to partner with subject matter experts. Our organization is made up entirely of volunteers who tirelessly take action to build a safe space in our industry for women to share, learn and lead.
I am very excited to continue the tradition of our WISE Annual Meeting in 2020. While it’s virtual and I feel the loss of the in-person networking, we are doing many great things including bringing in a distinguished keynote speaker with Katie Sowers, the San Francisco 49ers Offensive Assistant Coach and first woman and openly gay coach to coach in a Super Bowl. We will still recognize the Top Women in Storebrands Award honorees and I will bring even more details about our plans for WISE in 2021 and beyond.
I look forward to “seeing” you at the Annual meeting and please know that if you have ideas or questions about WISE. I welcome them.
Joyfully yours,
Jen Linke