The Women Presidents' Organization Announces Leadership Transition

NEW YORK, Nov. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Women Presidents' Organization, the international membership organization for successful women entrepreneurs, has announced a leadership transition. Camille Burns, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, assumes the role of Chief Executive Officer, as of November 1, 2019. Dr. Marsha Firestone, WPO President & Founder, will remain in her current role through the end of 2020, at which time she will retire to pursue the next phase of her career.

Succession planning for the WPO has been underway for the last few years, modeling a process to develop a successor and ensure continuity. The change in accountability will be based on a timeline of shared responsibility through the middle of 2020.  Camille Burns will assume immediate responsibility for the organization's day-to-day management, fiscal oversight and implementation of operations. She will take full responsibility for WPO programming, human resources and chapter expansion in first quarter of 2020. Camille will continue to collaborate with Dr. Firestone on key initiatives, such as the WPO Annual Conference, which will take place from Wednesday, April 29^th — Friday, May 1^st, 2020 in Montréal, Canada, at the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth.

"Marsha Firestone's dream to help second-stage women entrepreneurs increase their profitability, based on peer learning, has had an explosive effect in so many ways. Over 20 years ago she opened the door for women entrepreneurs to be taken seriously by the public and the nation's media. Thanks to Marsha's courage and tenacity, WPO ballooned from one chapter based in New York City to 139 chapters on six continents, supported by prestigious annual sponsors. There is no doubt that the future of our global economy will be fueled by the rising number of women entrepreneurs who have used their wit and wisdom to bring life to business across the economic spectrum," said Margery Kraus, WPO Board Chair, Founder and Executive Chairman of APCO Worldwide.

"I am honored to have this opportunity to continue to work with such extraordinary women growing impactful businesses. I knew when I joined WPO in 2000 that this was a company with vision that could change the landscape for women entrepreneurs. In those days the organization had 240 U.S.-based members. Today we are a global organization and membership is over eight times that size. It has been my privilege to work alongside Dr. Marsha Firestone to help bring her vision to fruition for the organization. I am confident that with the support of the Board of Directors, Chapter Chairs, members and staff, we can continue to help the next generation of women business owners grow and thrive," said Camille Burns, WPO Chief Executive Officer.

"The Women Presidents' Organization will always have a special place in my heart. I am committed to making sure the organization I built continues to grow and thrive as we transition to new leadership. I am happy that WPO will continue to serve these women to accelerate growth, enhance competitiveness and particularly to promote economic security for themselves, their families and their employees.  As I move out of the day-to-day management of the organization, I plan to spend time on a special project for which I have great passion -- a new category of membership called WPO Next. This will focus on WPO members who have transitioned their businesses. We want to keep them in the WPO family and benefit from their wisdom and shared experience. I am so very proud that WPO's legacy of peer learning will continue to provide successful women entrepreneurs with a powerful resource to scale their businesses. We have undertaken these efforts to continue to reach farther, together," said Dr. Marsha Firestone, WPO President & Founder.

About the Women Presidents' Organization
The WPO is the premier peer advisory organization connecting successful women who own multi-million-dollar companies. Members in chapters across six continents participate in confidential monthly meetings to share business expertise and experience, based on a peer learning methodology designed to accelerate the growth of their businesses to the next level of prosperity. Local WPO chapters are coordinated by a professional facilitator. For more information please visit our website www.womenpresidentsorg.com. Follow us on Twitter and  Twitter @womenpresidents and Instagram. Like us on Facebook @TheWPO.

SOURCE Women Presidents' Organization

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