LRA members help launch WFF 100k Strong Commitment to advancing women leaders campaign

LRA Members Haley Bittermann, Lauren Brennan Brower,
Karen Coaxum, Anna Tusa, Ti Martin, Susan Spicer, Debbie Pierce,
Katy Casbarian with LRA President/CEO Stan Harris,
 NRA President/CEO Dawn Sweeney, WFF Board Chair Susan
Gambardella and WFF President Hattie Hill. 

Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF), the nation’s largest nonprofit organization focused on advancing women leaders and gender parity on executive teams , launched the WFF 100K Strong Commitment Campaign, an industry-wide call to action to support the advancement of women leaders, at its annual Executive Summit.  Over 200 foodservice industry leaders and several prominent New Orleans restaurateurs—Haley Bittermann, Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group; Lauren Brennan Brower, Dickie Brennan & Co.; Karen Coaxum, Coaxum Enterprises; Anna Tusa, The Crazy Lobster; Ti Martin, Commander’s Palace, Sobou, Café Adelaide; Susan Spicer, Bayona Restaurant; Debbie Pierce, Bon Ton Café; Katy Casbarian, Arnaud’s & Remoulade Restaurants & French 75 Bar—joined to lend their support to the national campaign.

“Women are significantly under-represented in C-suite and executive teams and we are asking the foodservice industry to create more opportunities for this group,” said Hattie Hill, WFF President and CEO. “We officially launched the WFF 100K Strong Commitment to Advancing Women Leaders Campaign at our Executive Summit in order to enlist industry support in our mission to help create a pipeline of talent to increase representation in the executive ranks of our nation’s second largest industry.“

The WFF 100K Strong Commitment Campaign is designed to spur foodservice leaders nationally to publicly acknowledge the importance of advancing women leaders, as well as:

1. Encourage others to take on and sign the commitment at their company
2. Sponsor women leaders in their organizations
3. Partner with WFF to create leadership development programs that build key competencies.

Women represent 60 percent of first-line food prep managers and service workers, yet only 15 percent of foodservice companies have 30 percent or more of women represented in senior teams. “We all have work to do to achieve our goal of advancing women leaders and the support that we receive will help to reinvigorate and set a path for greater things to come,” said Hill.

The advancement is not only the right thing to do but, according to a study by the American Sociological Organization, there is considerable economic value in better gender-balanced leadership teams, noting that improving gender diversity by a mere one percent leads to a three percent increase in sales.  (Source: http://www.asanet.org/press/20090331.cfm)

Throughout the campaign, WFF will provide resources to help women navigate their road to leadership.  That support began July 28 with the release of a WFF whitepaper entitled – “A Roadmap to the C-Suite.” Sponsored by Rich’s Foods, the whitepaper is the result of a year-long research study that focused on critical factors that influenced the success of women in the C-Suite, including: risk taking, strategic thinking, business and financial acumen and driving for results.

WFF encourages all leaders to log on and sign the WFF 100K Strong Commitment to Advance Women Leaders campaign at www.WFF100KStrong.org. The campaign will run through December 2015.  

Foodservice Industry Statistics

• The restaurant industry is the nation’s second largest private sector employer with a workforce of 13.5 million. (Source: National Restaurant Association)
• The foodservice industry, which includes retail sales, operator purchases and manufacturer shipments, is expected to generate $1.2 trillion in aggregate sales in 2014.  (Source: Technomic). 
• One in 10 people have worked in the foodservice industry at some point in their career
• Today, women represent 51% of the population and influence $12 trillion of the overall $18.4 trillion in global consumer spending (Catalyst), and have always played the lead role in the food choice decisions for her and her family.  (Source: www.catalyst.org/knowledge/buying-power)

ABOUT WFF 

WFF is the industry’s premier leadership development organization with more than 25 years of experience advancing women in the foodservice industry. WFF serves thousands of individuals and hundreds of employers in all segments of the industry including operations, manufacturing, distribution, publishing, consulting, and more. Through highly effective and educational events such as the Annual Leadership Development Conference, Executive Summit and Regional Connects as well as professional development and networking opportunities, WFF delivers competency-based leadership development programs and builds strategic industry connections that make a positive difference in the careers of women in the foodservice industry. For more information, visit wff.org.

WFF White Paper: Research study identifies key factors & competencies for leadership development & advancement to the C-Suite

Findings Released In “A Roadmap To The C-Suite” White Paper Sponsored By Rich Products

With sights set on gender parity on executive teams, Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF)--the trusted leadership development organization in the foodservice sector--and Kenexa--an IBM company that is a pioneer in employee research and workforce performance—announce the release of - “A Roadmap to the C-Suite”, a white paper detailing the findings of its year-long research study on the  factors and competencies that influence women’s leadership development and advancement to the C-Suite.

The white paper debuted at the 12th Annual WFF 2014 Executive Summit in New Orleans, July 28-30,  where more than 300 executives are in attendance to deepen leadership skills and explore future trends.  “A Roadmap to the C-Suite” will be made available to the public July 29, by download on the WFF website – www.wff.org.  Rich Products Corporation, global food supplier to the foodservice, in-store bakery and retail market places, provided a significant grant to fund the research.

“We conducted this research study to acquire an understanding into the key competencies and factors that have contributed to success for those who have already achieved C-level roles,” said Hattie Hill, WFF President & CEO. “It is our intention to use this information to assist women in purposefully and strategically developing their career progression roadmap for advancement to the C-suite. “
 
For this survey, WFF members were asked to respond to a series of questions related to the critical factors that influenced their success at different levels of their careers (Emerging Leader [Managers], Emerging Executive [Directors], Executive [Vice Presidents], C-Suite [CXO]).Addressing one fundamental question: “What factors influence women’s success in achieving the highest levels of leadership in the food service industry?”, the research study results point to several valuable conclusions which correlate to WFF’s Leadership Competency Model:

• Early in their careers, women at the top gained competence in delivering results and demonstrating financial acumen. Pivotal competencies such as Strategic Thinking and Visioning and understanding the business climate, become most critical in their ascension to the C-suite.
• Executive leaders are confident and take action. They make things happen and they are not easily deterred, even when the stakes and the pressures are high.
• Executive leaders drive for results and aren’t afraid to take risks to gain success. They are more willing to push themselves out of their comfort zones to take on new assignments, experiences and roles - even if they don’t think they are fully prepared.
• Regardless of functional expertise, building overall business and financial acumen has been important in their career growth and success.
• Women in the top spots didn’t get there by accident. Most set their sights on the top spots early in their careers by establishing career goals and following personal development plans.
• Women in top positions didn’t waste time in getting there. Those who eventually reach the C-suite often progressed through lower levels of leadership far quicker than those whose careers plateaued at lower levels.

Currently, only 17 percent of directors and 14 percent of C-Suite executives at Fortune 500 companies are women.[i]  By recognizing the key factors that have proven successful for women currently in top business positions, we can best develop leaders and increase the representation of women in the C-suite and boardroom.

  
“We are thankful for Rich Products Corporation’s sponsorship of the research study and longtime support of the WFF mission,” said Hill.  “The key findings will enable us to continuously evolve our training and development for our members, at all levels of their careers, and best serve our mission of advancing women leaders.”

“It was of the utmost importance for Rich Products to support this endeavor as it mirrors the value our organization places on career development and advancing women leaders within Rich Products,” said Bill Gisel, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rich Products, headquartered in Buffalo, N.Y. “We too will use the study findings to reinforce our current career development strategies at Rich’s, and we are also very proud of the positive implications this will have on the industry at large.”

ABOUT WFF 
WFF is the industry’s premier leadership development organization with more than 25 years of experience advancing women in the foodservice industry. WFF serves thousands of individuals and hundreds of employers in all segments of the industry including operations, manufacturing, distribution, publishing, consulting, and more. Through highly effective and educational events such as the Annual Leadership Development Conference, Executive Summit and Regional Connects as well as professional development and networking opportunities, WFF provides the competence, content and strategic connections needed to make a positive difference in the careers of women in the foodservice industry. For more information, visit wff.org.