• Message from the Dean
  
• The Committee of 200
  Women Leaders

Business Week called The Committee of 200 “the most high-powered organization you've never heard of.” The group was founded in 1982 by top businesswomen including Katherine Graham, long-time Washington Post publisher; Sherry Lansing, 20th Century Fox studio head; Patricia Cloherty of Patricof & Co. Ventures; and Muriel Siebert of Muriel Siebert & Co., among many others.

They met to raise funds for another association dedicated to entrepreneurs. Since then, "...the most high powered organization you've never heard of."C200 grew to more than 490 members – some of the most powerful women in business. Seventy percent are entrepreneurs. Thirty percent are corporate executives. They range in age from 35 to 90. Over the decades their mission evolved into nurturing younger women MBA students who want to start their own company or survive and thrive among corporate brass.

Rigorous membership requirements emphasize business leadership and preeminence. Members own companies that earn at least $15 million in annual sales or head companies or divisions with annual revenues of at least $250 million.

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They act as role models to an elite group – women MBA students - through outreach programs. Twice each year a portion of the C200 membership gather for a one-day conference at some of the nation's leading business schools, including Harvard, Columbia, Duke, Wharton, University of Michigan, Stanford, University of Colorado, Thunderbird, Emory, Vanderbilt, and most recently, University of Houston.

In November, twenty-two members of this dynamic organization headed up “Women at the Top” hosted by the UH Bauer College of Business MBA Society, MassMutual Financial Group, and Strategic Financial. “The biggest take away is the incredible energy generated by these successful confident women,” said Jaime Smith, the Bauer College Development Manager. “Everyone left the conference empowered!”

The three-track conference attracted women MBA students, regional entrepreneurs and corporate executives. Keynote speakers were C200 members Henrietta Holsman Fore, 37th Director, U.S. Mint and Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, Chairman, American Red Cross, founder and CEO, Pace Communications, and former U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Finland.

These sessions provide women graduate students the opportunity to talk with nationally successful business women. Said one MBA student, “They tell you stories from the board room. It's like having ‘a good old girl' network willing to share the reality of business.” C200 has addressed more than 11,000 women MBA students through its one-day seminars.

During the day, three scholarships were awarded – one for $25,000 from C200 and two for $6,250 from MassMutual and Strategic Financial Group – all to UH Bauer College of Business women graduate students. C200 has awarded more than $450,000 through their outreach seminars.

"...C200 saw a need for case studiesffeaturing women business leaders." C200 has other initiatives in addition to outreach conferences. One is the Marjorie Alfus Harvard Business School Case Study Program. Because MBA courses focus on actual business case studies, C200 saw a need for case studies featuring women business leaders. Member Marjorie Alfus took the need to Harvard Business School. Together they launched the C200 Fund at HBS to create case studies of women-led businesses. More than 60 case studies, complete with teaching notes, have been completed to date and are used in MBA programs worldwide.

C200 wanted to know at what level girls were making career decisions. To find out they collaborated with Simmons College on the survey, “ Teen Girls on Business: Are They Being Empowered? ” The study discovered that 80% of the 4,000 girls surveyed in grades 7-12 saw themselves as having careers the rest of their lives, but less than 9% saw business as a career opportunity for them. Boys' top priority for their careers was “making money.” Girls' top priority in their careers was “helping others.” Girls didn't link business with doing good for the community. C200 showed that an essential first step is to provide girls with a more accurate view of business.

Each time a woman gains some landmark position, the headlines say that the glass ceiling has been shattered. The C200 Business Leadership Index , first issued in 2002, established ten benchmarks to measure how businesswomen fare compared to businessmen. In 2004, the only benchmark where the ceiling was shattered (i.e. women surpassed men) was in serving as honorary chairperson of one of the top-10 U.S. charities.

C200 members also give one-on-one mentoring to women entrepreneurs whose businesses gross $3 million to $10 million in annual revenues. Three C200 members work with each candidate in a year-long program. On average the women who have completed the program have achieved a 40% growth rate in revenues in their businesses.

C200 members give back what they've received or have not received but wished they had. Their first scholarships were donated from their own funds. Members donate their time as panelists at Outreach Seminars, team up in threes to mentor growing entrepreneurs, and speak widely throughout the year. Members also work behind the scenes in major corporations, ensuring that more doors open for women business leaders.

C200 is helping redefine the face of business. It is using the power, success, and influence of its members on behalf of other women. The University of Houston Bauer College of Business is proud to have hosted C200s Fall MBA Outreach Conference. Our thanks go to MassMutual Financial and Strategic Financial Group for underwriting the event.

RELATED LINKS
http://www.bauer.uh.edu/wib

For more information about The Committee of 200, please visit their Web site at www.c200.org