The Salt Lake Chamber has named seven recipients of its 2005 Pathfinder Award, given annually to community leaders who demonstrate excellence in business and work to champion the cause of women.
The 2005 winners are:
Susan Peterson and The Jones Waldo Women Lawyers Group.
Allison Bridges, vice president of commercial operations for Northwest Pipeline.
Ana Maria Fereday, owner of the Hispanic Yellow Pages.
Mary Mark, owner of Mark & Associates.
Kevin Potts, vice president and chief operating officer of Union Pacific Railroad Employes Health System.
Jennifer Scoffield, small business liaison officer for ATK Thiokol in Utah.
Lauryn Wingate, owner of LWCommunications.
The 2005 winners will receive their awards at a luncheon Nov. 2 in conjunction with the 29th Annual American Express Women & Business Conference at the Grand America Hotel.
"These are people who are working for women," said Kathy Hillis, vice president of Wells Fargo's Women's Financial Services group. Wells Fargo is a sponsor of the award and luncheon. "They're women who are successful. They are people who have helped women and can be thought of as mentors for women."
According to Susan Peterson, the Women Lawyers Group at Jones Waldo developed organically as the result of an e-mail invitation to the women in the law firm to go to lunch.
"We had never really done anything concerted as a group," Peterson said. "So we got together for lunch and started talking about things we'd like to do."
From that, Peterson — who was already a member of the board of directors at the firm — requested a budget, which was approved. And the rest, as they say . . .
"We realized that it is good for our group and good for our firm," she said. "It's good for women to have the recognition that we're stronger together than we are alone."
Kevin Potts was nominated because of his support for women-owned businesses, and his wife, corporate executive Becky Berkey Potts. Becky Berkey Potts is a former Athena Award and Pathfinder Award winner.
"Women have always played a vital role in my life," Kevin Potts said in a statement to the Deseret Morning News. "My mother was my first mentor and instilled in me that anything is possible if you are willing to work hard and take risks. Many of the women who are past Pathfinder Award and Athena recipients continue to be personal and business mentors to me. As I watch my wife, Becky, manage her career, our home, our children and her spouse, and participate with many community boards, I am amazed how she is able to balance all of this while being successful.
"Throughout my life, women have supported me. It is only fitting that I support them and their causes when I can."
Both Potts and Peterson said the business world is opening up to women, and women are stepping up to the challenge.
"Women-owned businesses are making huge strides, not only in Utah but across this country," Potts said. "Women are now engaged in many industries that were once considered male-dominated, and they are making a difference in how products and services are delivered. As I look around Utah, women-owned businesses are providing a large number of new jobs, new products and new opportunities."
But there are still pay equity issues, Hillis said. There are still workplace flexibility issues. There is still discrimination.
"Conversely, that may have an impact on women business owners," Hillis said, noting surveys that show Utah women own or are equal owners of half of all small businesses and employ more than 220,000 people.
"That's one of the things that causes women to decide 'I'm going to do my own thing.' Because their opportunities aren't as good as they'd like them to be in the corporate world."
Still, Nancy Mitchell, executive director of the Women's Business Center at the Salt Lake Chamber, said there is cause for optimism.
During the 2001 recession, Mitchell said many of her clients were out-of-work middle managers who were starting consulting businesses. They were caterers or others in traditionally woman-dominated fields. Today, Mitchell said, the situation is different.
"Studies are showing that women are going into non-traditional fields," Mitchell said. "That's where they're seeing the greatest growth, in areas like construction. And yes, I have women going into every aspect of construction, from electrical work to renovation. The financial fields for women are growing."
E-mail: jnii@desnews.com