Vail Valley Business Women celebrated 40 years of serving the community at its annual Membership Open House event on Wednesday, September 13 at Larkspur in Vail. Founded in 1977, VVBW promotes the advancement and future growth of professional women in the Vail Valley. The annual event gives local business-minded women the chance to learn about the benefits VVBW members receive, including numerous marketing and networking opportunities.
“We provide women in the Vail Valley an outlet to network with each other and exchange ideas in a fun atmosphere,” said VVBW President Lori Gleason. “Each meeting has a great cross section of ladies, and it’s always exciting to meet new colleagues which often develop into friendships.”
VVBW hosts monthly meetings, held at valley wide locations on the second Wednesday of every month. Meetings generally provide members with a sit-down dinner or buffet and a guest speaker who provides a presentation on a business related topic. For example, one month features a speaker on social media, while the next month is a Speed Networking event.
Additionally, members receive marketing benefits like running ads in VVBW’s monthly newsletter, or the opportunity to be a Spotlight Speaker at a monthly meeting. Benefits vary according to each level; Associate, Executive or Corporate.
The Open House included a trivia contest where participants visited different informational stations and guessed the price of different items in 1977, like a bikini or a tank of gas. All participants were entered in a raffle drawing, one of three prize drawings that evening, for prizes like Underground Sound Concert Series Passes at the Vilar Performing Arts Center or a certificate to Root & Flower.
As an added benefit, attendees could sit for a professional headshot photo session with Olga Barron Photography. Barron is a Vail-area portrait and wedding photographer who is also a VVBW member.
“Professional headshots are so important in this day and age,” said VVBW Programming Director Tricia Swenson. “There are now so many business-oriented social networking sites, like LinkedIn where your photo should make the best impression.”
For more information on membership benefits, or to register, please visit VVBW’s Membership tiers page.
Take a stab at the special trivia questions from the Open House! Answers are listed below.
- What was the cost of gas in 1977?
- What was the cost of a bikini in 1977?
- Who was the president in term in 1977?
- Which Vail Resort ski mountain broke ground in 1977?
- $.65
- $9.00
- Gerald R. Ford
- Beaver Creek Resort