Women in the Lead 2017

SPONSORED IN PART BY

WORDS: LAUREN FISHER + TOM GIFFEY + EMILY KINZEL + CASSANDRA KYSER + HALEY WRIGHT PHOTOS: ANDREA PAULSETH DESIGN: JANAE BREUNIG & ERIC CHRISTENSON

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POWER OF THE PURSE local women use collective giving to support community WORDS: LAUREN FISHER • PHOTO: ANDREA PAULSETH

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ozens of local women gathered Dec. 6 for the Eau Claire Women’s Giving Circle Gift of Giving Breakfast, where the organization awarded more than $40,000 in grants to eight local community support programs. Thanks to the participation of 265 active women members and more past contributors, the Women’s Giving Circle, a Fund of the Eau Claire Community Foundation, was able to surpass last year’s total donations by more than $5,000.

There are two Women’s Giving Circles in the Chippewa Valley, operating as funds of the community foundations in Eau Claire and Dunn counties. These women-founded and -operated organizations combine donors’ efforts to increase the power of contributions in a practice called “collective giving.”

The Eau Claire Women’s Giving Circle was founded in 2006 by 103 women who all pledged to donate $1,000 in annual installments of $250 over four years. Of contributions to the Circle, 50 percent are placed in an endowment fund (a pooled investment account), 5 percent is used to cover administrative costs, and 45 percent is distributed annually through a grant process. A percentage of the endowment account, approved by the Eau Claire Community Foundation Board of Trustees, is added to the granting dollars each year. Any funds not awarded are carried over for the next year’s granting cycle.

Four organizations that support women and families earned awards totaling $10,000 from the Eau Claire Circle during its first distribution year in 2008.

Since then the awards, and the number of services and programs that receive them, have grown each year. Now, the endowment holds nearly $350,000, and continues to increase thanks to member and nonmember donations and accumulative earnings.

Five years after the first Eau Claire awards were given, Debbie Labs of Downing brought together a group of women to begin the Dunn County Women’s Giving Circle. Using a similar system, the group was able to distribute $3,500 in grants during its first year. This year, the organization broke the $50,000 mark to qualify to become an endowment, making it eligible for earnings to be used in conjunction with the pass-through.

Women have significant philanthropic power, according to multiple studies compiled by Grosskickle & Associates for The Giving Institute. Not only are women more likely to give money to charitable causes, but they hold 51 percent of all wealth in the United States. In heterosexual marriages, women are more likely to be responsible for charitable giving, and because they have a life expectancy that is on average six years longer than men, they are more likely to finish accounting for what happens to a couples’ assets after death.

Organizations like these serve to increase giving power among groups as well as to provide community to women, according to Susan Bornick, executive

The Eau Claire Women’s Giving Circle Gift of Giving Breakfast at the Eau Claire Golf and Country Club

director of the Eau Claire Community Foundation.

The Giving Circle often welcomes women who are new to the area as members, giving them the opportunity to learn about the Chippewa Valley and forge new friendships.

“It’s all about empowering women, and the purse is rather powerful,” said Marianne Klinkhammer, a founding member of the Eau Claire Circle. She was selected to speak at the Dunn County Circle’s inaugural event and served as the 2014 chairwoman of the Eau Claire Circle.

“Women are collaborators, women are networkers, and when women see a need, they want to affect change for women and families,” Klinkhammer said. In her experience, women think longer about giving – and do more research about the causes they contribute to – than men do.

When Klinkhammer assumed the chairwoman role, she saw a need to increase membership and invest in engagement among current members.

She established a newsletter, a book group, and a membership outreach event called Wine, Women, and Chocolate in order to maintain a connection between the organization and its members, reminding them and the community about the spirit of collaboration that brings them together.

Klinkhammer and Ryan Ruegnitz, the incoming chair of the Dunn County Giving Circle, both emphasize the growing power of women’s giving circles. They allow women to pool their funds for greater community impact and act as a gateway for education and expansion of philanthropy and volunteerism.

“They’re already incredibly generous people, but participating in the organization allows them to learn about their community,” Ruegnitz said of giving circle members. Many women who participate in collective giving organizations find they act as gateways to more involvement. They learn more about local nonprofits, sometimes redirecting or increasing their giving or volunteerism to maximize their effect.

“It doesn’t just end with the Women’s Giving Circle,” Klinkhammer said. “It spreads the web even wider.”

Georgina Tegart, executive director of the Dunn County Community Foundation, believes that the Women’s Giving Circle is an approachable organization. “They feel like they’re coming to a group of women, rather than coming to a board,” she said of grant applicants. Klinkhammer says that women have a “heart connection” with their giving, which is felt throughout the community.

Perhaps the most important aspect of a giving circle is its permanency. Endowment funds are forever, according to Klinkhammer, meaning that local charity programs can benefit from contributions to a Women’s Giving Circle in perpetuity. “That legacy is what we as a group of women are excited about,” Klinkhammer said.

More information about local Women’s Giving Circles can be found online at the Eau Claire and Dunn County community foundations’ websites (eccommunityfoundation.org and cfdunncounty.org).

The Eau Claire Women’s Giving Circle currently offers a young philanthropists program, which allows women ages 22-39 to purchase a membership at a reduced rate.

“Wome n are co llaborators, wome n are networkers, an d wh e n wome n see a nee d, th ey want to affect change for wome n an d families.”

Marianne Klinkhammer •

founding member of Women's Giving Circle

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A LIFETIME CLIMB

Chippewa Valley WOMAN HEADS UP EAU CLAIRE manufacturing company WORDS: HALEY WRIGHT • PHOTO: ANDREA PAULSETH

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ue (Kildahl) Tietz, president/CEO of McDonough Manufacturing, truly is a Chippewa Valley Woman in the Lead. She is a trailblazer as leader of an Eau Claire-based company that has been in business since the 19th century producing sawmill machinery that is shipped all over the country and the world.

McDonough Manufacturing Co. was incorporated on Nov. 18, 1888, and has produced McDonough Sawmill Machinery since its inception. The founder, Frank McDonough, died in 1904 and the company struggled under the leadership of others, according to Tietz.

In 1921 Tietz’s grandfather, John M. Kildahl, bought the assets from the family, and Tietz’s family has owned it ever since. The Kildahl family has seen the company through wars and economic ups and downs. Tietz has been working at McDonough almost continuously since she was a teenager, helping the company grow and evolve with changing times.

The company presently employs 42 people in Eau Claire and eight in Canada.

Tietz is proud of her humble start with the company, and her lifelong career at McDonough. When she started ninth grade in 1962, she asked her father if she could work at the office after school. Her parents were divorced and she wanted to earn her own money.

He agreed to a temporary arrangement.

She was 14 at the time, so she needed a work permit that would allow her to work, as long as she didn’t work enough to be considered “full time.” She went to work after school, calling her father for a ride, and worked on weekends, holidays, and summer vacations.

“That was NOT less than full-time, but I loved it,” Tietz said. She did any-

“I f you have a jo b that suits you, th e n it doesn’t matter what you r ge n der is.”

Sue Tietz • president and CEO of McDonough Manufacturing thing and everything her father asked.

She typed letters, and did the order preparation and invoicing. Tietz also typed checks for her uncle. “I just couldn’t get enough of it,” she said.

“When Dad said the job was temporary, I believed him, but when it developed in to more, I was delighted,” Tietz said. “Having a career spanning a lifetime is something I’m very proud of.”

After high school, Tietz attended UW-Eau Claire, where she earned a bachelor of arts and science degree in social welfare. She chose this field with the intention of working with children with Down syndrome, but when she graduated in 1971, she was just three months from giving birth to her second child. Instead of looking for work in her field, she went back to McDonough to help in the office. Shortly after that, her father started giving her stock. That’s when she knew it was a “forever thing.”

Kildahl died in January 1990. Tietz’s

sister was working there at the time, and together they took over the management of the company. Many of the engineers and sales people Kildahl hired stayed with the company. “I was 42 and my sister was 47,” Tietz said. “We both had families (two kids each), and we made it work.”

Tietz and her husband, Roger, have a daughter, Jenny, and son, Matt. She said she made running a business and being a mother work by managing her time well and ensuring that when she was home, she was focused on her family rather than work. She also makes time to go on vacation and make special memories with her family. In 1995, Tietz took over leadership of the company with the retirement of her sister. Matt, a recent UWEC graduate at that time, took on a position with the company and still works with his mother in the family business.

Tietz says she does not single herself out as a woman in business, but rather views business as an equal

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opportunity enterprise where you can earn respect regardless of your gender by treating others well and doing a good job at what you do.

“If a woman wants to succeed in a male-dominated industry, she needs to forget she’s a woman and prove she doesn’t need any special treatment,” Tietz said. “If you have a job that suits you, then it doesn’t matter what your gender is. If a woman feels she needs to be singled out and treated differently, she needs to find another job.”

“I believe the employees respected me because I respected them,” Tietz said. “We’re a family here and are working together to build a stronger company for the future.”

Tietz advises people who are starting out in business to watch, learn, and ask questions. “If you want to change something be sure you have the blessing of others who have been in the business longer than you,” she said.

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A WOMAN OF ACTION

UW-Eau Claire professor SELIKA DUCKSWORTH-LAWTON improves HER community by doing WORDS: LAUREN FISHER • PHOTO: ANDREA PAULSETH

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elika Ducksworth-Lawton compares herself to church ladies and deacons.

She is an organizer and a doer, much like those who ensure there’s food on tables and tissues are within reach at a memorial service. Skilled in logistics, she often finds herself involved with crisis management, both in preparation and in response.

A historian and history professor at UWEau Claire for the past 24 years, DucksworthLawton specializes in military and civil rights history. She earned her Ph.D. from Ohio State University while studying African American military history. Her research has taken many turns throughout her life, and now focuses on the Deacons for Defense and Justice, a civil rights militia group that defended against the Klu Klux Klan in the late 1800s, for a book she is publishing in fall 2018.

She places a high value on “doing.” She often finds herself calling for action when her collaborators are caught up in talk and theory. “I’m the one sitting here going, ‘We’ve been talking about this for 20 years, can we DO something?’” she said.

“People need to live a philosophy,” she continued. Hers is informed by her Catholic faith and by Womanism, a subgroup of black feminist thought. Womanism recognizes that biases based on race, gender, and class intersect, which means that addressing one issue at a time doesn’t help affected groups as effectively as acknowledging and fighting all issues simultaneously, she said. She and others within this group focus on survival and practical solutions, advocating action over theoretical discussion.

Ducksworth-Lawton considers herself

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a “Red Letter to the nature of Christian.” The her studies and words of Jesus due to her race Christ from the and gender. Other Bible are the heart scholars and of her faith, and all administrators other parts of the of various social book and religion and political are “commentary.” philosophies Matthew 25:40, sometimes claim where Jesus says, that her beliefs “Truly, I say to and research you, as you did it to are incompatible one of the least of with being a black these my brothers, woman. This you did it to me,” and other forms informs her actions of stereotyping and outlook. create difficulties Playing to and occasionally Selika Ducksworthher strengths, eliminate Lawton • professor of she works toward opportunity for her. a healthier “They see h i s t o r y a t U W - E a u C l a i r e black community by women as educating. She loud, aggressive, employs strategies from the academic intimidating, etc., no matter what we discipline of “Public History,” which is do,” Ducksworth-Lawton said. “It is a the practice of publicizing historical class stereotype given a racial overlay. information in order to empower society.

Because I don’t really fit that stereotype, She does so by acting as a consultant they either try to impose it, or they for various community organizations, explain away my race. (If I had a dollar using a historical lens and her own for every white person who told my personal experience to lend expertise children or me that we were ‘not really in various areas. Ducksworthblack,’ I would be rich.)”

Lawton advises the Eau Claire Police “Figure out who you can educate, who Department in the handling of cases you can work with, and who you can walk involving racial factors, as well as in away from,” she said. She believes she has training the force against racial biases. strength in bringing people together to She is involved with implementing active have conversations, referring to herself shooter training programs at UWEC, and as a “peacemaker and a bridge.” is beginning to collaborate with the Eau Though she continues to assist in Claire Area School District to devise community efforts, an August 2016 training concerning racial issues. breast cancer diagnosis has encouraged Besides consulting, she volunteers Ducksworth-Lawton to slow down. her time to organizing the Eau Claire She continued to teach and volunteer Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth through a cycle of radiation treatment, observances. She is involved with the learning who she could rely on for help, Minneapolis-based SheRock camp, which and where she could step back. “I do educates women in music and fundraises fewer things, but I try to do them more for a girl’s youth music camp, and was deeply,” she said. elected as a board member of the Chippewa “I have been blessed to find good Valley ACLU in November. She helped with people here who look past race to work the marketing efforts for the Eau Claire with me,” she said. “These problems Women’s March, acted as the African can be bridged with good will and a American History Month director for willingness to listen. I strongly hold several years, and performed as a musician people of ALL races to the same standard: at a recent Midwest Feminist fundraiser.

We must treat each other with respect.”

Ducksworth-Lawton follows the Ducksworth-Lawton wears a pin on teachings of Martin Luther King Jr., her lapel that reads “Eagle Scout Mom.” espousing the value of nonviolence in Her son recently earned the rank of Eagle political action. However, she believes the Scout within the Boy Scouts, a process that option to be nonviolent is best protected requires years of work and culminates by the ability to defend oneself. Her in a community service project. Her research has shown that armed groups, daughter is in the Girl Scouts, and Selika public and private, were essential to the has volunteered in both organizations civil rights movement, both in protecting throughout their involvement. against terror groups and in ensuring Ducksworth-Lawton will continue safety for nonviolent protesters. to prioritize action over the highly “To discuss armed defense in the theoretical dialogue that often Civil Rights movement, we had to wait surrounds issues of subjugation, placing for some people to retire,” she said. problems of survival for all groups to the Academia periodically finds itself center of focus. “The idea of people who wrapped in consensus, she explained, have separate identities being able to which sometimes makes it difficult to work together and make the world better research and publish new perspectives. is utopian … and I am utopian,” she said.

She faces barriers in academia due “I want a better world for my kids.”

“Fi gu re out wh o you can e ducate, wh o you can work with, an d wh o you can walk away from.”

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LOTS OF DOTS

Eau Claire-founded network connects dynamic WOMEN IN BUSINESS WORDS: EMILY KINZEL

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omen nationwide and beyond are banding together in the community-based organization, Polka Dot Powerhouse. This women’s network, founded in Eau Claire by Shannon Crotty, allows members to communicate, bond, and become activists on a large scale. Through the organization’s global reach, all those who wish to get involved can. This sisterhood is composed of lively women trying to improve the workforce for each other.

With all-female leaders and organizers, the energy is addictive!

Polka Dot Powerhouse’s slogan genuinely summarizes its mission: “Changing the world by connecting the dots.” With thousands of members worldwide, Polka Dot Powerhouse is positively impacting women everywhere and is constantly growing.

PDP’s website hosts a plethora of information and opportunity. Women can partake in workshops and monthly online connection meetings, contribute to the PDP blog, and more. An interac-

tive map displays regional chapters, and a calendar of event listings is available. Women who would like to test the water may attend as a guest for free to observe and participate.

This organization stretches beyond the United States, with chapters in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. However, locally, PDP has about 120 diverse members. Participants vary greatly by career and age, from young women just entering their field to retirees exploring new career paths.

Eau Claire chapter member Tracey Smiskey found time to attend PDP meetings upon switching careers to work at Northwestern Bank. “These meetings are more than a typical networking event: The setting is warm, welcoming, and encouraging,” Smiskey said. “It removes any awkwardness and allows women to meet fellow women.”

Although Smiskey joined the Eau Claire chapter only about a year ago, she has assumed a leadership position within the chapter as Life & Times Member Keeper.

“Women are expected to do all and be all,” said Denise Bender, managing director of the Eau Claire chapter.

PDP meetings allow women to set aside needed personal time to build their professional business skills, exchange advice and support, and celebrate accomplishments. “PDP is a no-drama, inclusive connections group for women,” Bender said. “We call it ‘The Sisterhood.’”

PDP gives back both to members

“Women are expected to do all and be all ... Polka Dot Powerhouse is a no-drama, inclusive connections group for women. We call it ‘The Sisterhood.’”

Denise Bender • managing director • Eau Claire chapter of Polka Dot Powerhouse

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and to the surrounding community as well. Chapters plan social events such as run/walks and bowling teams in support of local charities and causes. During the holidays, Eau Claire’s PDP collects gifts, money, and food donations for local families, surprising them with the donations prior to Christmas. This year’s drive netted donations totaling more than $3,200.

Briannon Cypher, managing director of the Menomonie branch, referenced the organization's mission statement, “We connect (women) to network together.” This social and professional outlet is an amazing tool for any woman to use. With the help of Polka Dot Powerhouse, the possibilities are endless.

Learn more about Polka Dot Powerhouse at polkadotpowerhouse.com.

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WHERE THERE’S A WILL, THERE’S WAY Kimera Way is key to UWEC’s future

WORDS: TOM GIFFEY • PHOTO: ANDREA PAULSETH

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imera Way has played a crucial role in some of the biggest headlines impacting UW-Eau Claire – and the Chippewa Valley as a whole – in recent years. Through her positions overseeing both the UWEC Foundation and the Blugold Real Estate Foundation, Way has had a hand in the Confluence Project, the proposed Sonnentag Event and Recreation Complex, and even the creation of Blugold Radio.

Add to that working with major donors, focusing on largescale real estate projects, advising Chancellor James Schmidt, serving on the university’s executive staff, and working with the foundations’ volunteer boards, and Way’s agenda is always full.

“No two days are the same, and often what I think I’ll be doing when I come to the office is totally different from what I end up doing,” she says. “I’m never bored.” Way came from Michigan Tech University to UWEC in 2001 to oversee the university’s first fundraising campaign, becoming executive director – and later president – of the UWEC Foundation. (And in keeping with the university’s “Power of AND” slogan, she holds two other titles: executive director of university advancement AND executive director of the Blugold Real Estate Foundation.) Through her multiple roles, Way is constantly seeking ways to improve the university. “My favorite saying is when opportunity knocks you can’t say no one is home,” she says. “You also have to be willing to ask and also be willing to say ‘yes.’ ” Way talked with Volume One about her multiple roles supporting the university, why women are better at owning up to bad decisions, and the fallacy of maintaining a perfect family and career.

Volume One: The shorthand description of a university foundation is that it raises money for a university.

What else does the UWEC Foundation do that people might be surprised to learn?

Kimera Way: The foundation is responsible for the official alumni database. We are the official/legal entity designated to solicit, receive, manage, steward, and disburse private gifts on behalf of the university.

We pay a ton of bills, provide around $2 million in scholarships annually, and also work with investment managers to protect and grow the foundation’s assets.

We also have several emergency funds to help students who encounter crises that make it difficult for them to focus on their education. ...

We work with donors who want to give “things” – like an extensive jazz collection, Southwestern pottery, and the Robert Frost Collection. I’m dating myself but I use the analogy of Yenta the Matchmaker in Fiddler on the Roof: Our role is to build relationships with individuals/entities who have the ability and desire to be philanthropic and then match them up with the needs of the university.

The UWEC Foundation has played a leadership role in a number of major projects, including the Confluence Arts Center. Has the success of the Confluence effort helped build momentum for the future of the founda-

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tion and the university?

Certainly the work on the Confluence project has caused people to look at the foundation in a different light and opened up conversations for other opportunities. I’ve been approached a number of times since we embarked on the Confluence journey about other real estate projects. Not all of them fit into our strategy nor do they meet a pressing need of the university. We have a risk assessment/management committee of the foundation board, and every project that isn’t strictly receiving gifts for specific funds or projects has to meet a litmus test regarding the “WHY” we would do something. I’m sure some of the gifts we’ve received since the Confluence wouldn’t have come to us if people weren’t aware that we did think creatively and look for opportunity.

In your role you move among leaders in the public and private sectors. As a woman in a leadership role, do you find yourself perceived or treated differently in these different spheres?

I’ve been lucky in my career in that I’ve never really felt that I’ve been treated differently because I’m a woman. There are a few times, and I usually laugh when happens. I’ll say something and it goes by people at the table and then a man will say pretty much the same thing and it’s the greatest thing in the world. You just can’t focus on those things. I guess I’ve been in a fairly male-dominated leadership role for so long I just never worry about if someone says something that could be perceived as a slight. When I started in this work I was so much younger than anyone else, I was more worried about not having credibility because of my age, not my gender. I don’t have to worry about that any more, I guess.

Do you believe you make decisions, big or small, differently than a man would in similar situations?

I think I tend to look at the nuances of things more to take into consideration how the outcome is going to look to different populations.

Honestly, I think my decision-making has changed more the older I’ve gotten not necessarily because I’m a woman. I tend to be someone who makes decisions quickly. I learned from a great mentor who told me that whatever decision you make is the right one, so I tend not to look back to say “what if.” I also learned that you have to own your decisions and that you can’t pass on your mistakes to others.

One thing I do that I don’t think men do very well is if I’ve made a mistake I’m quick to admit I screwed up – I accept responsibility for my mistakes and look not to pin blame on anyone but to figure out how we can avoid doing that dumb thing over again. I think women tend to be more willing to accept and own their mistakes then men.

What advice would you offer to young women aiming for leadership roles, whether in education, business, or philanthropy?

Whatever you do – put your heart into it. Don’t go at anything half-way. Be willing to make sacrifices. I think the notion that women can have it all is a big fat lie. You can’t – you are always going to have to make sacrifices. No matter how “liberated” we think we are and “equal” we are, if you choose to have a career AND a family, you have to sacrifice something. I think acknowledging that early on is important for women to realize. That doesn’t mean you can’t do one and then do the other but to do both and to be stellar at both parenting and professional life is a myth. During my whole life as a working mother (and I’ve always worked) I’ve experienced great guilt. I never felt I devoted enough time to my kids and there were times when I felt I wasn’t giving 110 percent to work. ...

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Still, I’ve worked really hard and probably still shortchanged my family. That said, I think my kids have turned out pretty well, and I think I’ve been able to do OK at work, too. You just have decide what you can and can’t live with and then build and live your life to those standards.

I think we live in this world where we expect everything we do to be perfect. Women especially are hard on themselves and each other about this idealized version of perfection. Once you get over that notion that you won’t have the perfect children and the perfect job, your mental status and life will be much better.

We have to decide where to place our energies where they are going to make the most difference to us and to those to whom we owe a level of responsibility.

We also have to be willing to accept that some days our best work is only average. I keep focusing on trying to do the very best I can and if it falls short of other’s expectations, so be it.

I also would advise young women to seek and rely on mentors – I don’t think women mentor each other enough. I’m blessed to have a tremendous mentor in a former boss who still is a key person in my world.

Take risks. Unless you are a brain or heart surgeon if you make a mistake it’s likely going to be OK. Be willing to take some risks in areas where the consequences aren’t that grave and if you fail, learn from that and move on.

Finally, create a close network of friends who will have your back and you will have theirs. You really need people – especially other women – who are your champions and who have your back.

I can count on two hands the number of days in my career where I didn’t like my job. I’ve been blessed to do something I so love, to hopefully make a difference from time to time, and to work with amazing people.

You just can’t beat that.

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CHOSEN TO LEAD

female officeholders challenge the status quo WORDS: TOM GIFFEY • PHOTO: ANDREA PAULSETH

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t’s been nearly a century since Wisconsin became the first state in the union to ratify the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guaranteed women the right to vote, and yet women hold less than onequarter of elected offices in the state.

Why don’t more women run for office? Do women offer different leadership skills than men? And would our communities, state, and nation benefit from having more women in office?

The answers to these questions are as varied and nuanced as the views of the Chippewa Valley’s female officeholders themselves.

Kerry Kincaid has served 13 years on the Eau Claire City Council, the past eight of them as president. She said her perspective on women’s leadership traits has changed over time.

When she came of age in the 1960s, the standard feminist answer to the question of whether men and women were fundamentally different was “no,” and the goal of the women’s movement was to gain equality in all aspects of society. For women, being different than men had always meant being inferior to them, Kincaid explained. As she’s gotten older, however, her thinking

has evolved. “We have different work habits, different perspectives,” Kincaid said of women. “Would it be better to say, yes, we are different? … I tend to think that among women – and mostly I’m around women leaders now – there is a different perspective, although it is hard to define it.”

Whatever it is – a shared method of communication, similar habits, experiencing a similar culture – Kincaid said she and the other three women on the Eau Claire City Council share a similar language during debates and discussions.

Kathy Mitchell, who has served on the council since 2011, agreed that women and men reach decisions differently. “As we make decisions and as we govern, we’re influenced by our gender, our experiences, our background, our education,” Mitchell said. “There’s research to show that women do make decisions in some areas differently than men. ... I would say for myself personally, because I am a woman, I am more patient, more understanding. I have spent a lot of time over the years in nurturing neighborhoods.”

Mitchell said she’s never felt opposition from voters because of her gender.

I te n d to think that amo ng wome n – an d mostly I’m arou n d wome n leaders now – th ere is a differe nt perspective, alth oug h it is hard to de fine it.” K e r r y K i n c a i d • E a u C l a i r e C i t y C o u n c i l p r e s i d e n t

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However, during her previous career (she was a longtime official at UW-Eau Claire), she sometimes felt that, as a woman, she didn’t receive the respect she should have. Because of this, she made doubly sure she did her homework. “That habit has stuck with me, and it has been helpful,” she said.

Councilwoman Catherine Emmanuelle, a veteran of five years on the council, said she has encountered sexism in the political arena, including a “whispering campaign” that she had never held a job before seeking office (which was untrue).

“I also remember people encouraging me not to run because someone had to take care of my young child,” she said. “And truly, someone told me that as a young woman I wouldn’t know how to properly vote on sidewalk policies.” In reality, she explained, being a mother informs her decision-making on many issues – including the need for sidewalks.

With four seats on the 11-member Eau Claire City Council, women make up 36 percent of the body. Meanwhile, 11 of 29 members of the Eau Claire County – or 38 percent – are women.

Those figures are comparatively high: Statewide, women hold only 23 percent of all local elected offices, a 2015 survey by the Wisconsin Women’s Council found. The figure for the state Legislature is identical, while roughly 20 percent of seats in the U.S. House and Senate are held by women.

Female elected officials in the Chippewa Valley include, left to right, Chris Hambuch-Boyle, Catherine Emmanuelle, Colleen Bates, and Kathy Mitchell.

When Colleen Bates was first elected to the Eau Claire County Board in 1982, she was one of only four women.

“I can say very honestly that I had a few incidents where the door was closed in my face and I was told they would never vote for a woman,” she said of her early campaigns.

Bates acknowledged that being one of the few women on the board was intimidating, so she worked especially hard to make sure she was wellinformed. “The whole issue was trying to gain credibility, to be someone who the board thought came prepared,” she said. Over the decades, things have changed for women in elected office, as more females have risen upward in higher education and the workforce.

“I feel we have a lot of very bright, very capable women who have to look inside themselves and see if this is something they want to do,” Bates said.

Emmanuelle, the City Council member, said there are many factors at play in the dearth of women in public office. “There is research that says that women don’t feel they are qualified to run, need to wait for the ‘right time,’ are conflicted on how to balance fam-

ily responsibilities, and don’t think they have the right credentials to be involved,” she said. Improved familyfriendly policies are needed to encourage more people – regardless of gender, income, sexual orientation, or other status – to run for office, Emmanuelle added. “Having more women elected would help to normalize women sharing political power and lending their voices to literally give life and shape our communities – through policy ideas, actions, and successes,” she said.

Chris Hambuch-Boyle, president of the Eau Claire school board, said running for public office four years ago was a difficult choice. Even after she decided to run, she would look with dread at lists of houses whose doors she had to knock. “But when I was done,” she explained, “I was euphoric.”

Today, Hambuch-Boyle is pleased to see more women seeking office. “I have to say that we are in a change right now because I know a lot of women run-

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ning for office,” she said. “I know a lot of women are stepping up: If we need someone, why not me?”

More female officeholders would improve the nation, she added: “I don’t want to get down on men at all, but I think we need men to stand up for women, in terms of how we contribute and who we are, and we need to get treated that way.”

Mitchell, the City Council member, said the nation’s current political climate has given women more impetus to seek elected office. “I think that goes right back to our president and his views on women,” she said, alluding to the women-led protests that followed the inauguration of Donald Trump and the subsequent profusion of female political candidates nationwide.

“If I look at the political arena right now,” Mitchell added, “I think a woman can run for any office at the state and local levels and not worry about the fact that she is a woman being a detriment.”

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RED LETTER ROUNDUP UP-AND-COMING Women-owned businesses WORDS: CASSANDRA KYSER

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wice a year, the Red Letter Grant is awarded to female entrepreneurs right here in the Chippewa Valley. Becca Cooke, owner of Red’s Mercantile, 224 N. Dewey St., Eau Claire, started the grant to encourage women to pursue their business endeavors. Michelle Anthony and Rachel Duffenbach at Moonrise Aerials, and Brittany Tainter at Giizhig Design Company were the most recent grant winners. The applicant pool was full of businesses offering fun and unique services. These entrepreneurs represent a trend of independent, women-led businesses. Here’s a quick look at what they’re up to:

Dotters Books

Rebel Writing Company

Elizabeth de Cleyre, Jill Heinke Moen, and Margaret Leonard are the team behind Dotters Books. The store currently operates online, and hosts popup shops around Eau Claire. To find out where they’ll be next, check out dottersbooks.com/pages/events.

Sara Hansen helps businesses manage their online presence by offering social media management, content creation, and travel writing. Check out rebelwritingco.com.

Drama Llama Deanna Metcalf was designing llamas long before the adorable animals were trendy. During her senior year at UW-Stout as a graphic design student, she came up with the idea to create a successful brand line of sassy and unique llama-themed merchandise.

From double-sided sticker packs to postcard books to knit socks, you can find it all at dramallamashop.com

Lacey’s Lingerie Lacey Ashwell’s store (101 N. Bridge Street, Chippewa Falls) isn’t your “typical” lingerie store. It celebrates women of all ages, sizes, and shapes.

The store’s merchandise includes nursing, mastectomy, and post open-heart surgery bras. Lacey’s is on Facebook (facebook.com/lacedbylacey/).

Maggie Leigh Media Based in Chippewa Falls, Maggie Cook provides remote marketing services to small businesses and nonprofits.

Services include digital market, event coordination, and photography. Find out more at maggieleighmedia.com.

Sky Yoga Located at 415 1/2 S. Barstow St. in Eau Claire, the studio offers classes for children and adults. Childcare is available during many of the adult classes. Other services include Reiki sessions and essential oil consultations. Learn more online at skyyoga.yoga.

Three Foodies LLC Still in the planning stages, Three Foodies is a partnership among Michelle Lien, Amanda Olson, and Nick White.

The trio will be offering a food and history tour in downtown Eau Claire. Stay tuned for all the tasty details.

Together Farms Located outside of Mondovi, Andy and Stephanie Schneider raise pork, beef, lamb, and poultry. They also make and sell skincare products and candles.

Workshops and other events are hosted right on the farm. Visit togetherfarms. com/annual-events to see what’s happening next.

The next round of Red Letter Grants will be awarded in the spring. For more information on the grant, visit redsmercantile.com/pages/the-red-letter.

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VolumeOne.org 43 Dec. 13, 2017