Name an industry sector in Chicago and there’s a good chance you’ll find some dynamic women who are influencing the sustainable direction of companies in that field. If you want to know who some of them are, you might find them at the next Women in Green Chicago gathering Thursday night at Green Home Chicago in the West Loop.
Helen Cameron says she and the group’s co-founders wanted to connect, share ideas and socialize with like-minded women in a relaxed setting. Ms. Cameron is co-owner of Uncommon Ground, a restaurant with two locations on the city’s North Side that last month was named the greenest restaurant in America.
A recent gathering at Green Goddess Boutique
The idea behind Women in Green was hatched by Claire Woolley, who until recently was executive director of Chicago Gateway Green, a non-profit partnership dedicated to greening and beautifying the city’s expressways and neighborhoods. She recently moved to Denver. Other founding members included Karen Weigert, Chicago’s chief sustainability officer, and Stephanie Wolcott, who was content director for KIN Global, an affiliate of Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. She has since moved to New York.
Initially, a small cluster of women began meeting every six to eight weeks at a downtown restaurant. Membership hovers around 400, according to Isabel Schechter, another organizer. Ms. Schechter owns Attention to Detail Event Productions, an event-planning firm that arranges sustainable events for businesses and non-profits.
These days, the gatherings take place at members’ retail storefronts, restaurants and other business locations to showcase the variety of green companies and organizations that women in Chicago are leading, Ms. Schechter says. Recent hosts have included Marilyn Jones, longtime owner of Consolidated Printing, an eco-friendly printing service, and Elyce Rembos, who owns the Green Goddess Boutiquein Lincoln Park and Hinsdale.
Crain’s met with Ms. Schechter to learn more about Women in Green and its members.
Crain’s: Are there any qualifications for membership in Women in Green, and how can someone join?
Ms. Schechter: There’s no membership fees, no dues, no secret handshake. You just get on the mailing list or show up at an event if you want to join. We’ve never turned anyone away. Men don’t usually attend our events unless they’re one of the hosts or a staffer helping to run it.
Crain’s: What industries are represented among WIG’s membership?
A 2009 gathering at Uncommon Ground
Ms. Schechter: There are bankers and graphic designers, architects and women who work in the non-profit and medical sectors. We have women in public relations and event planners, government officials and corporate sustainability officers. There’s lots of industry leaders, like Marilyn Jones of Consolidated Printing, and local business advocates like Suzanne Keers of Local First Chicago. We have young women right out of college to seasoned professionals.
Crain’s: Why isn’t there an emphasis at these gatherings on networking for business purposes?
Ms. Schechter: These events are really about taking a break, recharging our batteries and learning about what other people are doing in the green space in Chicago. Obviously once you get to know people at these meetings, you may end up doing business with them when you think of who you need for certain situations. We also have a LinkedIn page and a Facebook page for people to connect if they want to.
Crain’s: Can you describe the commonalities among the members of WIG?
Ms. Schechter: The women in this group are working toward a greener Chicago, but they’re also serious about greening the world. You meet these women and they’re all inspiring. You just see all the different ways that someone could be green or try to make an industry go green, but you don’t have to own a green business to make that happen. It’s great for women to meet others who are like them. It makes me feel like I’m not always the green freak in the room.
The group’s event this evening is at 5:30 p.m. at Green Home Chicago, 213 N. Morgan St., No. 1D. The next gathering is scheduled for Feb. 27, 5:30 p.m. at Provenance Food and Wine, 2528 N. California Ave. For more information: wig.chicago@gmail.com
