French Finance Minister Lagarde, Toni Preckwinkle, Terry Savage and Christie Hefner Among Top Women Leaders Participating in The Executives' Club of Chicago Women's Leadership Summit March 25

CHICAGO, March 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebrating a 100-year history of supporting Chicago's business and civic communities, The Executives' Club of Chicago will continue with its full schedule of 2011 activities with the first of four full-day summits, the Women's Leadership Centennial Summit on March 25 at The Hilton Chicago.

Women of Consequence: Building Financial, Political, and Corporate Clout is a full-day summit developed in collaboration with The Chicago Network and presented in partnership with The Wall Street Journal, featuring six different segments, highlighted by the Global Woman of the Year Luncheon honoring Her Excellency Christine Lagarde, Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry for France.

The Women's Leadership Centennial Summit is the first of four summits in 2011 that provide information and resources that support effective global partnerships, enhance intellectual exchange, develop future diverse business leaders, and promote Chicago as a world class global business center.

"Women play a vital and essential role in global business and bringing together such a diverse array of powerful, influential female business leaders provides an exciting leadership development program," said Melissa Bean, President & CEO of The Executives' Club. "The Women's Leadership Summit speakers and panelists represent financial, political, technology expertise, and will bring to life the challenges and opportunities for women leaders."

The full-day Summit agenda includes:

Securing Your Financial Future

7:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Moderator: Terry Savage, Nationally Syndicated Financial Columnist, Chicago Sun-Times

Panelists:

• Susan Whiting, Vice Chairman and Chief Diversity Officer, The Nielsen Company
• Stephanie Neely, Treasurer, City of Chicago
• Ellen Rogin, President, Strategic Financial Designs

Your Path to the Boardroom

10:00 a.m. to 10:50 a.m.

Moderator: Kapila Anand, National Partner-in-Charge, Public Policy Initiatives, KPMG

Panelists:

• Susan Schiffer Stautberg, Co-Founder and Co-Chair, WCD, President, PartnerCom Corporation
• Michele Hooper, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, The Directors' Council
• Brenda Gaines, Former President and CEO, Citicorp Diners Club North America

Women in Politics: Shattering the Marble Ceiling

11:00 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.

Moderator: Cheryle Jackson, Vice President, Government Affairs and Corporate Development, AAR CORP.

Panelists:

• Marie Wilson, Founder and President, The White House Project
• Carolyn Gable, President and CEO, New Age Transportation, Distribution & Warehousing Inc.
• Victoria Podesta, Vice President and Chief Communications Officer, Archer Daniels Midland Company
• Toni Preckwinkle, President, Cook County Board of Commissioners

Global Woman Leader of the Year Luncheon

12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Honoree: Christine Lagarde, Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry, Republic of France

* A press conference with Christine Lagarde will follow the luncheon. Please contact Lauren Hammond at 312-263-3500 ext. 36 for more information

Zero Degrees of Separation: Building a Powerful Network

2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Moderator: Christie Hefner, Director, Center for American Progress

Panelists:

• Katie Burke Mitic, Director, Platform and Mobile Marketing, Facebook
• Ellen Levy, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, LinkedIn

Mentorship: Inviting Other Women to the Club

3:25 to 4:25 p.m.

Moderator: Maria Wynne, Chief Executive Officer, Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and NW Indiana

Panelists:

• Nuria Fernandez, Senior Vice President, CH2M Hill
• Ann Marie Goddard, Lead Partner, International Executive Services and KPMG's Networking of Women, KPMG
• Jane Thompson, President, Wal-Mart Financial Services

A short cocktail reception will immediately follow Mentorship: Inviting Other Women to the Club

Additional information about the Summit is available at http://centennial.executivesclub.org/centennial-summits

About The Executives' Club of Chicago

The Executives' Club of Chicago (EC) is a business forum for thought leadership, education and best business practices. Founded in 1911, the EC is one of the oldest and most respected business organizations in the Midwest. The Club serves the community by providing information and resources needed to establish effective global partnerships, enhance intellectual exchange, develop future diverse business leaders and promote Chicago as a world class business center.

About The Chicago Network

The Chicago Network (TCN) is an organization of Chicago's most distinguished professional women.  Founded in 1979, TCN creates empowering relationships for women leaders that enable its members to increase their impact on their organizations and the community at large through peer networking, mutual support and issue awareness. The Chicago Network's more than 400 members are the leading women of Chicago's business, professional, cultural, nonprofit and educational communities. 

SOURCE The Executives' Club of Chicago