Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Ladies will have a chance today to come together to help each other deal with the challenges of being a business or professional woman in the Yampa Valley.

"Maybe some of our goals coincide," Yampa Valley Business and Professional Women's Club President Cynthia Vaida said. "We need to reach out together, get to know each other. We may find we already know each other, but now we need to join forces."

This year's annual September BPW meeting, set for this evening, will be different because the organization recently joined forces with the Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association.

Vaida and Chamber Executive Vice President Sandy Evans Hall have been wanting to organize women's forums in the valley for some time. So tonight's meeting will be an introduction to the valley's women about such initiatives.

"We need to tie each other in with different events and activities so that not every small group in the county is trying to accomplish the same thing on its own," Vaida said.

Some of the concerns and issues Vaida believes many Routt County women share include developing scholarship programs, finding adequate child care, equal pay for women, women's legislative issues, social security issues and what it takes to raise daughters in today's world.

In addition to providing a chance to network, the meeting will also feature a presentation on mentoring.

Guest speaker Susan H. Larson will be sharing some of her business-life experiences with local BPW club members, with a particular focus on women and mentoring.

"There are a lot of dos and don'ts for how to be a good mentor, and how to be a good ment-ee," Larson said. "I've run several large businesses, the success of which depended upon rapidly developing talent mentoring young men and women on the job."

Larson just retired from Dell Computer Co., after eight years in a variety of executive and general management positions. For the past six years, Larson has served on the board of directors of Women in Technology, based in the Silicon Valley, Calif., among dozens of other distinguished boards and committees.

Now a full-time Colorado resident, she is active in the Yampa Valley Community Foundation and the Women's Foundation of Colorado.

"Maybe you're starting a new business in the valley, or maybe you're a recent college grad who needs some counsel," Vaida said. "That's what we need mentoring skills for."

The networking and discussion meeting will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Ore House for "heavy appetizers" and drinks.

There are several other upcoming BPW events, including the organization's annual fund-raising foot race "4 Fun Feats" on Sunday, naming of the Yampa Valley BPW's annual woman of the year award and the annual fashion show chaired by Denise Cantafio.

To reach Bonnie Nadzam call 871-4204 or e-mail bnadzam@amigo.net