Summit is at forefront of movement

PAINTING ON A NEW CANVAS: Sick of her office job, Betsy Fine set out four years ago to start her own art studio. After attending the Bryant University Women's Summit, she is today the owner-operator of Betsy Cameron Fine Studio. / PBN PHOTO/DAVID LEVESQUE
PAINTING ON A NEW CANVAS: Sick of her office job, Betsy Fine set out four years ago to start her own art studio. After attending the Bryant University Women's Summit, she is today the owner-operator of Betsy Cameron Fine Studio. / PBN PHOTO/DAVID LEVESQUE

Betsy Fine had reached the point in her life when it was time to make a change. Sick of working in an office cubicle, the Cumberland resident attended the Bryant University Women’s Summit. There, said Fine, the inspiration to make that change came. “I got ideas from women who had a dream and found a way to do it.”
Fine’s dream was to start her own art studio. Armed with a new sense that she could do anything in business that she put her mind to – and a few tips for actually starting her own business – Fine quit her office job and set out to make her dream a reality.
In the four years since, Fine has found success running her Betsy Cameron Fine Studio out of her home. She makes elaborate, hand-sculpted vases that can be used functionally, or more often than not, simply as a decorative sculpture. Her pieces are now being shown in several galleries and art shows. Fine traces her success back to the Women’s Summit.
“The women that attend keep learning new things,” she said. “It helps us do what we do better.”
Held on March 15, the 2012 Bryant University Women’s Summit marked the 15th anniversary of the event, which provides women in business with an opportunity to network, attend workshops, be recognized for their work in the business world, and hear keynote speakers who are particularly successful or inspirational women. This year’s event was the most successful to date, with more than 1,100 attendees.
The growing success of the summit has put it at the forefront of a movement. Opportunities for women in business to attend forums, workshops, support groups, and award events continue to grow in the region. There are events hosted by politicians, chambers of commerce, nonprofit organizations and media outlets. Providence Business News will celebrate its annual Business Women awards at a luncheon on May 31. In the week following the Bryant summit alone; the Women’s Fund of Rhode Island and Providence Mayor Angel Taveras announced an initiative to increase the number of women appointed to city boards and commissions; Rep. David N. Cicilline hosted a women’s forum featuring House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and other influential female business and community leaders; and the Warwick Museum of Art hosted a panel discussion for female artists, wrapping up a month-long exhibit of their work.
When the Bryant summit began, “We were looking to help boost the number of young women enrolled at Bryant by showing them all the opportunities that existed for women in the business world,” recalled Kati Machtley, wife of university President Ronald K. Machtley and founder and director of the event.
“Now, the mission is to provide professional and personal development so that all women who attend can achieve economic stability and go out into the community,” she said. “We want to inspire women to do great things, like start a business. We do have a lot of people who are budding entrepreneurs, so we’re trying to show them how to take the next step.”
Women’s Fund Executive Director Marcia Cone says the increase in initiatives and events geared toward women in business is not a surprise.
“They are an opportunity for women to network and share best practices, just like men have been doing for years. It’s the natural and logical progression aimed at leveling the playing field,” she said.
The panel discussion hosted by the Warwick Museum of Art focused on women marketing their work; a key to an artist’s chance of business success. “We wanted to create opportunities for networking, discuss the business of art, and provide a venue for women artists to grow their business and raise their profile.” said Pam Unwin-Barkley, a member of the Warwick Museum of Art executive board and a professor of foundational design at the Rhode Island School of Design. In addition to entire events geared toward women, other events focus a specific portion on women. During the May 3 Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce Rhode Island Business Expo, the keynote speaker, nationally syndicated columnist, radio and television personality and entrepreneur Mel Robbins, will host a boot camp geared toward local businesswomen.
Throughout the range of events offered, the ability to network is the common thread.
“We wanted female attorneys in the firm to have an outlet to advance professionally and to help foster relationships with clients and business sources,” said Lauren Verni, a senior associate at Providence-based Partridge, Snow, & Hahn LLP. Verni leads the law firm’s Women Advocates for Enterprise, or WAVE, initiative.
The initiative began in 2007 and, “it’s been very valuable,” said Verni.
Attendees believe the Bryant summit has become a leader among events supporting women because of its ability to facilitate connections.
“It is a wonderful platform for women to come together, network and listen to the various experts on their subject matter,” said Bryant graduate Regina Mead.
Mead owns and operates an international project finance and trade company. She began coming to the summit in 2001. Since then both her involvement – she was a presenter at this year’s event – and the success of her business have grown.
“The summit has served as a catalyst of change for my business working with women throughout the world,” she said. •

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1 COMMENT

  1. Thanks for printing an article which illustrates what can happen when someone is inspired to put an idea into action.
    with direction and support from experts. The Women’s Summit is a great resource for our state.