Women in the Forefront

Edie Weiner

The 19th annual Women in the Forefront Luncheon was held on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at the Hilton Chicago. Mayor Daley spoke to the overflow crowd of 1,000 and thanked The Chicago Network for its “wonderful contribution to the entire city of Chicago.” Keynote speaker, Edie Weiner, President, Weiner, Edrich, Brown, Inc. stressed that business leaders of both genders need to strike a balance between such “male” concerns as transportation, communication infrastructure and capital formation and the “female” interests of health, education and ecological integrity. “Men and women have different views,” Weiner said. “That is the point of diversity, that is good. If the present is about women fighting very hard for a seat at the table of influence, the future is about women being allowed to take the challenge to change the table.”

We were thrilled to have Allstate as our Platinum Sponsor. Thank you again to our Gold Sponsors Abbott, Alberto-Culver, AT&T, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP, Ernst & Young, Exelon Corporation, Harris, Huron Consulting, ITW, KPMG LLP, Peoples Energy, Perkins-Will | Eva Maddox Branded Environments and Sara Lee Corporation.

Since 1989, The Chicago Network has hosted its Women in the Forefront Luncheon to honor the leadership role of women in the Chicago metropolitan area. The event features a prominent woman at the forefront of her industry as keynote speaker, sharing both her professional and personal accomplishments and insights with an audience now exceeding 1,000. The event's nationally known speakers have included such acclaimed leaders as Charlotte Beers, Ann Fudge, Rosabeth Moss Kantor, Indra Nooyi, Marjorie Scardino, Gloria Steinem, and several of The Chicago Network's members; Brenda Barnes, Chairman and CEO, Sara Lee Corporation, Betsy Holden, then Co-CEO, Kraft Foods, Inc., Ann Marie Lipinski, Senior Vice President and Editor, the Chicago Tribune and Sheli Rosenberg, corporate business leader and advocate for women.

Watch highlights from the 19th annual Women in the Forefront Luncheon, including our keynote speaker, Edie Weiner.