About BPWN

 Women’s Network was born during the summer of 1983. A small group of women felt that Pitt County did not have a forum for meeting one another and establishing connections other than in one’s own professional specialty. Early discussions of this concert were held by Karen Kale, a computer sales professional, Terry Shank, Director of Cooperative Education at PCC, and Dr. Penny Axelrod, President of Word for Word data management. The initial Executive Committee was composed of Karen Kale, Penny Axelrod, Katherine Vinson, Sandra Maness and Trish Bynum. In 1991, the membership voted to affiliate with the National Association of Female Executives.

    The Women Business Owners organization was founded as an informal group in 1986 by Louise B. Downing, Director of the Small Business Center for Pitt Community College. The purpose of the organization was to bring together a network of business women who could assist each other in developing their skills of problem solving, negotiating, and business management in order to increase their individual companies’ ability to grow and prosper. The second goal of the organization was to offer informational seminars and meetings for women business owners. Marjorie Franck, owner of Franck & Associates, and instructor for the Small Business Center assisted Ms. Downing in developing meetings for the WBO. Anne Sneed, President and CEO of Anne’s Temporaries, was elected President of the newly formed group in 1987.

    Over the years, it became evident that these two groups were becoming increasingly similar. Many members belonged to both organizations. In 2005, a committee was formed from members of both WBO and WN to explore the feasibility of either combining the two into one, having one dissolve and be absorbed into the other, or forming a brand new entity. Members of this committee were June Graves, Principal of Dukes and Graves, Ltd., Sharon Paoloni, owner of The Final Touch, Janet Horton, owner of Island Jack’s Travel, Mary Parsons, President of Parsons and Robinson Insurance, and Jean Hall, co-owner of Frames by James. The membership of both organizations voted in the summer of 2005 to form a new organization, based on the recommendation of this committee. The Business and Professional Women’s Network was established on January 1, 2006.

    In appreciation for their pioneering spirit, Louise McGinty, Marjorie Franck and Barbara Siegfried are hereby recognized as founders and architects of the newly formed organization.  To learn more, call Laura Maser (252) 258-0967, or email info@bpwn-greenvillenc.org

Join today for great opportunities and experiences!

Call (252) 258-0967

BPWN
P.O. BOX 20538
Greenville, NC 27858
info@BPWN-GreenvilleNC.org