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News | Media | Press Releases
DRESS FOR SUCCESS CONVENES 4TH ANNUAL SUCCESS SUMMIT IN LOS ANGELES
Patricia Harris, Global Chief Diversity Officer of McDonald’s Corporation to be keynote speaker
Los Angeles, CA
Dress for Success will convene its 4th annual Professional Women’s Group Success Summit July 11-13 at the Hotel Palomar in Los Angeles. The keynote speaker will be Patricia Harris, Global Chief Diversity Officer of McDonald’s Corporation. Sponsors of the event include CREW Foundation, Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, lia sophia, Office Depot, Robert Half International and Rona Jaffe Foundation.
The Success Summit is a leadership conference designed for Professional Women’s Group (PWG) members to develop and enhance their leadership skills. This year, 40 Dress for Success affiliates from around the world will be represented by one delegate and one PWG coordinator. Industry leaders will conduct seminars and interactive sessions on topics such as Successful Women and Their Secrets to Success, Leadership, Financial Success, and Health and Wellness. The Professional Women’s Group is an international employment retention program, which provides women with support, practical information and inspiration to achieve self-defined success in career and life. There are currently more than 10,000 members in over 50 Professional Women’s Groups at Dress for Success affiliates globally.
“Employment retention and career development are the cornerstones of our organization,” said Joi Gordon, Chief Executive Officer of Dress for Success Worldwide. “The Success Summit provides tools for our remarkable women to become powerful leaders in their communities.”
Patricia Harris was selected as the keynote speaker of this year’s Success Summit because she is a true inspiration. She began her career with McDonald’s more than 30 years ago in the legal department and has steadily advanced to her current executive position. Many of the attendees will relate to her struggles and success as a mother trying to balance family and work. The recipient of several industry awards, Ms. Harris dedicates her time by serving on several charitable and professional Boards of Directors.
The delegates attending this year’s Success Summit are a diverse and impressive group of women and have been PWG members for an average of three years. All are currently employed with nearly half having supervisory responsibilities in their jobs. They range in age from 26 to 57, and 78% have children. 84% have taken at least some college courses and 50% of all delegates have earned an undergraduate or graduate degree.
A highlight of the conference is the third annual Professional Women’s Group Achievement Awards. This year the awards will be presented to two delegates and one Dress for Success affiliate who utilized the leadership skills they acquired at last year’s conference to help their PWG and local community. Lynn Gilkey from Dress for Success Wichita and Linda Rousseau from Dress for Success Indianapolis are the 2008 delegate honorees. The affiliate recipient will be announced at the awards dinner on July 12.
Lynn spearheaded an Appreciation Day Banquet for the counselors at the Women’s Recovery Center in Wichita. Lynn was able to motivate her volunteers, involve the community and pay tribute to more than 70 people who are often underappreciated in their professional lives.
“This project has been such a blessing to me. I realized that success does not mean how many material things one possesses, but rather what obstacles one has overcome,” Lynn Gilkey explained. “The only advice I have for the next delegate is to always believe in yourself and when situations look impossible, do not be afraid to ask for help.”
With the help of 25 PWG members, Linda was able to create a lasting impression on the families at the Holy Family Shelter in Indianapolis. Her team developed a six-month long program to assist the shelter with their needs and support more than 30 families.
“The Summit and the opportunity to lead my sisters in this project was a great experience for me and has truly changed my life,” said Linda Rousseau.
About Dress for Success
Dress for Success is an international not-for-profit organization with the mission to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support, and the career development tools to help them thrive in work and in life. Since starting operations in 1997, Dress for Success has expanded to more than 85 locations in the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, the Netherlands and the U.K. To date, Dress for Success has helped more than 400,000 women work towards self-sufficiency. Visit www.dressforsuccess.org to learn more.
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