Approximately 125 women CEOs, COOs, politicians and professionals attended the Women in Leadership Conference at Milwaukee's -Country Club to network, play golf and listen to keynote speakers Kathleen Falk, Brenda Blanchard, Julie Penman and Tammy Baldwin. The law firm of Michael Best & Friedrich organized the program, which was the first in what is intended to become an annual event, designed to create a forum for the increasing number of women in leadership roles to exchange ideas and to create a network of contacts.

However, far from discussing issues pertaining only to women, the speakers' agendas included topics pertinent to all citizens of Wisconsin, including economic and workforce development issues as well as the controversial question of land use.

Dane County Executive Falk began the proceedings by discussing the business environment for women in Dane County. "It's not surprising that women succeed in the business environment, what's surprising is that it's taken so long." In 1970, 43% of Wisconsin women participated in the labor force and by 1996 that number had increased to 70%. 1996 also saw 134,000 women small business owners accounting for over $42 billion in sales, in Wisconsin that makes about 37% of all firms owned by women, she says.

Considering our 1% unemployment rate, job creation is certainly not as crucial an issue for Falk as is making Dane County a "work-friendly" place, for example increasing the opportunities available for working up the economic career ladder. "The economic disparity in our community of lots of high-end jobs and lots of low-end jobs is our challenge in getting people to move up into the middle level jobs." It is no surprise to Dane County employers that skilled workers are in high demand, but for such prolific companies as Oscar Meyer and Midland Builders the scarcity has reached detrimental proportions. Falk says the Economic Summit Council has been a good forum to discuss solutions to such problems. Welfare reform has also made great strides recently, decreasing the number of recipients from 1,500 to 300 families in the community.

As the first woman elected to her post, Falk also expressed views of a more personal nature. She comments that she did not run "as a woman" nor did she focus her campaign on women's issues. Having been a lawyer for over 20 years focusing heavily on land use problems and trying to make people ignore her gender in order to see instead her credentials, she feels touched that so many women, young and old, identify with her by continually showing their support.

Blanchard, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, in addition to providing brochures describing both the technical and financial resources for businesses and communities available through the Department of Commerce also provided some real life examples on how some of these programs have worked for businesses across the state. The three legs of development on which the department focuses are: business retention, business recruitment, and entrepreneurship to which Blanchard adds a fourth, workforce development.

She notes that Wisconsin is among the top ten states in technological development and the newly introduced CAPCO Program (Certified Capital Company) is designed to help technology-related companies gain access to capital. Venture capital companies seeking to participate in the CAPCO Program can now obtain application materials and administrative rules. For more information, check the Department of Commerce's web site at www.commerce.state.wi.us Blanchard states, "Wisconsin has the top-notch research capability to generate a positive climate for fast-growing firms, but a lack of venture capital has restricted opportunities, the CAPCO Program will help us improve the availability of venture capital for entrepreneurs and also create exciting opportunities for investors."

Commissioner of the Department of City Development for the City of Milwaukee, Julie Penman, discussed the department's strategic goals including the revitalization and beautification of downtown Milwaukee as well as how the department works with outside service providers. Appraisers, environmental firms, lawyers, architects, contractors, real estate professionals and market analysts are just of the outside consultant positions sought by the department for their expertise.

As the grand finale, U.S Representative Baldwin shared some of her insights "into shattering the glass ceiling without messing your hair." Remarking on the importance of women in key positions who act as role models and prioritize issues as women understand them, Baldwin exemplifies how women bring a different and necessary perspective to the table. For her, overcoming the "No Mantra," was cornerstone to her success. She insists that women not accept the opinions of the "nay-sayers, the cynics and the keepers of the status quo," which many times comes from the people that one would least expect, like well-meaning friends.

Citing the recent Madison magazine cover picturing - women in powerful positions in Wisconsin (Madison?) , Baldwin comments that had that same photo been taken ten years ago, there would not have been a woman among them. However, she notes that women in such key positions is still "extra-ordinary" considering that still only 13% of house and 9% of senate seats are occupied by women. She emphasizes that "There are incredible substantive benefits to having women in positions of power."

This is certainly the converging belief of each of the speakers and the best advice they feel they can offer to women aspiring to leadership roles is take risks and be willing to fail, but never not try.