On Wednesday, March 26 Women in Manufacturing (WiM) kicked off their first community chapter in Wisconsin at the Turner Hall Restaurant downtown Milwaukee. The event brought together women working in the manufacturing industry to network, share ideas with one another and learn about the WiM organization. WiM Wisconsin (WiM WI) is directed by Madeleine Hayes and Amanda Lalley of Waukesha® Metal Products and is currently building a local committee for the chapter. We are thrilled to be launching WiM Wisconsin, said WiM Executive Director Allison Grealis. Having held our annual summit in Milwaukee in 2012 with great support from women manufacturers across the state, Wisconsin is the perfect location for our inaugural WiM community. The event had a great turnout of 50+ women who networked and shared their stories with one another. Mary Scheibel, Principal Owner of Trefoil Group, gave a small speech and addressed the importance of showing women the true potential the manufacturing industry can provide as a career. She also provided a brief insight on future events to come from WiM WI and what to expect. WiM chapters are designed to bring together women in their states, allowing them to develop new contacts, participate in local networking events and become an advocate for women in the manufacturing industry. These chapters are especially beneficial for women who may not be able to attend WiM national events but still want to be involved. Having a local chapter provides them an opportunity to still engage and be involved with WiM without the worry of needing to travel too far. To find out more information about the WiM Wisconsin chapter, contact Kristin Moore: KMoore@pma.com, Maddie Hayes: MHayes@waukeshametal.com, or Amanda Lalley: ALalley@waukeshametal.com. Women in Manufacturing is a nearly 400-member-strong national organization dedicated to the attraction, retention and advancement of women who are pursuing or have chosen a career in the manufacturing industry. This group encourages the engagement of women who want to share perspectives, gain cutting-edge manufacturing information, improve leadership and communication skills, participate in sponsoring programs and network with industry peers. Members benefit from exclusive access to regional and national programming, networking opportunities, mentoring and sponsoring programs, monthly professional development webinars, a customized employment tool called WiMWorks, online discussion communities, the quarterly Impact e-newsletter and a robust searchable online directory.
WiM | Wisconsin Chapter Night in Milwaukee
