The Hardin County Chamber & Business Alliance will be making a public announcement in the weeks ahead about a new opportunity for women professionals and women in business throughout Hardin County and surrounding communities, as the Alliance has developed a new board-approved program and organization called Women L.E.A.D, "Women Leading Women Forward."

Women L.E.A.D. strives to be Hardin County's premier women's group, providing networking, collaborations, educational workshops, and guest speakers for current and prospective women members of the Alliance. Topics will range from how to start a new business and entrepreneurship opportunities to career and leadership development.

The mission is to create an engaging environment for women leaders in Hardin County and of the Alliance organization, by providing a venue and platform to build connections that will facilitate their success in business and in life. 

It is both a membership value-add and recruitment arm of the Alliance that provides an opportunity for women to learn, lead, connect, and build career-advancing relationships.  

The word L.E.A.D. stands for the following:   
      
Leadership through actions.

Embracing and encouraging personal growth.

Advancing career opportunities.

Developing strategic relationships.

The founders and 2015-2016 Co-Chairs are Christina Cross, a local business attorney and educator, and Jesse Purcell, Community Manager for the American Cancer Society.

In developing this new program from the ground-up, both Christina and Jesse saw an opportunity in the county for women professionals, of all ages, titles and positions, to network while also providing an education and training outlet. Many chambers of commerce in other counties and states include a women's professional-leadership group, and Women L.E.A.D. will now be implemented as part of the Alliance's new program development.

If you are interested in participating or having your business partner with this new program, please contact Christina Cross or Jesse Purcell via email at [email protected].  As soon as the details of the first program are scheduled (Fall of 2015), we will make this announcement public. 

Below is some additional information about the structure of the new program:
All women members of the Alliance will be included in the Women L.E.A.D. program.
Women L.E.A.D. members are encouraged to invite guests to meetings and events.  Women Alliance members attend meetings for free.

Guests are permitted to attend one (1) Women L.E.A.D. meeting or event per calendar year for free, unless there is a cost associated for putting on the event.  If so, guests will pay a small non-member fee.

The goal is for all guests to join the Alliance within 60 to 90 days of attending a Women L.E.A.D. meeting, helping to engage more business and community leaders to become members of the Alliance.

The Alliance staff will help with the recruitment of new Alliance members via Women L.E.A.D.

Any fees paid by a guest attending a Women L.E.A.D. meeting or event will be credited toward their future Alliance membership.

As of now, Women L.E.A.D. committee members are in the planning stages for upcoming events for 2015-2016 year, which include speaker series, networking meetings, workshops, etc.  In the days ahead, we will be sending a brief online survey to obtain your feedback in terms of cost, time, structure and value for the group.  We value your input, as your responses will help shape future events and offerings by Women L.E.A.D.