February 29, 2024 – ARVADA, CO. For the fourth consecutive year, the Arvada Chamber of Commerce will lead a celebration of women leaders who work or live in Arvada as part of Women’s History Month. The Chamber will celebrate WOW Women of Arvada in business, non-profits, and the community and offer resources and engagement opportunities. Community members can nominate women to highlight as the Chamber celebrates business owners, executives, rising stars, pioneers, badass norm-breakers, entrepreneurs, inventors, influencers, and other leaders in Arvada.
Formerly Badass Women of Arvada, WOW Women of Arvada will include an exclusive networking event for those recognized and culminate in a WOW Women Leadership Luncheon on September 17. The rebranding follows feedback from member businesses, the community, and the Chamber Board on a name that is more accessible to our business community, while aligning with the Chamber’s mission. The new brand stays true to the campaign’s goal to recognize exceptional women and evokes a Chamber core value of curating WOW experiences.
Nominations will be accepted through March 22, 2024 at 5:00 PM. The Arvada Chamber staff will select nominees to be recognized. The Chamber will spotlight one woman each day in March on its Facebook page and a short profile will be added to arvadachamber.org/WOWWomenofArvada.
Arvada is a National Leader for Women in Business
Today, 19.3% of businesses in Arvada are women-owned, higher than the state (16.7%) and national (14.2%) figures. Colorado also maintained its position as the best state for women-led startups for the third year in a row and has even improved its overall score from last year. However, the “broken rung” is still holding back women across the country. For every 100 men promoted to manager, only 86 women are promoted. As a result, men significantly outnumber women at the manager level, which means there are far fewer women to promote to higher levels.
“The WOW Women of Arvada campaign provides a platform to honor women leaders in Arvada, promote an inclusive business environment, and inspire a sustainable, competitive growth of women business owners in the city,” says Kami Welch, President & CEO of the Arvada Chamber of Commerce. “Once again, we’re thrilled to support and celebrate leaders that will help ensure Arvada continues to be a great place to work, live, and play.”
About the Campaign and Women’s History Month
Women’s History Month is celebrated annually in March to highlight women’s achievements and promote gender equality across the globe. The month corresponds with International Women’s Day on March 8, a day of education, empowerment, and action. This year’s IWD theme is #InspireInclusion.
Women’s History Month began as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California. The Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women planned and executed a “Women’s History Week” celebration in 1978. The movement spread across the country as other communities initiated their own Women’s History Week celebrations the following year. In 1987, Congress designated March as “Women’s History Month” and since 1995, each president has issued an annual proclamation designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.”
The 2023 Badass Women of Arvada campaign saw a record 134 nominations, of which the Chamber honored 31 with spotlights on social media. The Chamber also hosted a mixer with all those recognized, had features in the Arvada Press and on the Colorado Living television program, and celebrated those awarded at the Women to Watch Luncheon.
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Visit arvadachamber.org/WOWWomenofArvada to nominate women and view profiles and resources!
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