Less than 7% of Fortune 500 Companies are led by women. Yet, according to a recent Harvard Business Review survey, female leaders are rated as equal to or better than their male counterparts in almost every core competency, including initiative, integrity, problem solving, and communication. So then why the discrepancy? Some young women may not have had the exposure or support to even consider such a career path, or maybe they lacked the right education and mentoring to get there. This is why the N.E.W Conference exists.
N.E.W stands for Non-Traditional Employment for Women. The purpose of N.E.W is to expose young women to a diverse array of careers in which women have typically been underrepresented. It gives students the opportunity to learn from the women who came before them, and to receive encouragement and advice. The A.K.Smith Career Center, located in Michigan City Indiana, hosted its own NEW Conference on October 20th. The event began with words from keynote speaker Alicia Cannon, the CEO of Apex Filling Systems.
“Stay Determined, Stay Focused and Don’t Take No for an Answer!”
Alicia spoke to an audience of local 8th grade girls about her journey to where she is now. She gave words of empowerment and advice, discussing a variety of traits that are crucial to being a CEO, including steps that can be taken to develop and nourish them. Her parting words were a reminder to stay determined, stay focused and to not take no for an answer.
Following the opening address, the event moved onto the next portion of the day, the roundtables. A variety of local women in non-traditional employment had come and set up tables, which the students would visit in small groups. They represented careers such as electricians, EMTs, police officers, as well as many other types of leadership positions such as CEO, COO, and CFO. Apex Filling Systems had a table with CEO Alicia Cannon, Procurement Specialist Pam Regenold, and Director of Finances Melissa Hamilton. In their roundtable discussions, the students had the opportunity to ask questions and to hear more about that specific career. Some tables even had hands-on asp
ects, such as the police officers who brought examples of equipment they wear every day which students were able to try on.
Service and Empathy
Apex Filling Systems has a culture of service and empathy that makes them stand out in their industry. C.E.O Alicia Cannon is dedicated to helping to open the door to non-traditional employment options to as many women as she can. Apex Filling Systems is proud to have been a part of the N.E.W Conference and to give back to their community.
Sammi
Sammi is an employee of Apex Filling Systems. She serves as an executive assistant to help deliver functional, efficient, and affordable filling solutions to Apex's customers.