Network 2000, which promotes the advancement of women in professional and executive roles, will hold its annual Roadmap to the Boardroom symposium Wednesday, April 18 from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at The Center Club (100 Light Street, Baltimore). The event will feature keynote speaker Dianne Mooney, vice chair of the Governance and Nominating Committee, Sanderson Farms, and founder of Southern Living at HOME and CUT IT OUT Salons Against Domestic Violence. She will discuss how Sanderson Farms, the fourth largest poultry producer in the U.S. and a $2 billion publicly traded company on the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC, created and maintains its diverse board of directors.
At the event, Network 2000 will also present the 2012 “Census of Women Board Directors in Maryland,” its annual research publication documenting the status of women gaining seats on corporate boards in Maryland. In addition, the organization will announce the 2012 recipient of its Business 2000 Award.
With a passion for developing the potential in women, Dianne Mooney was the driving force for the creation and implementation of the direct sales division of Southern Progress Corporation in Birmingham, Alabama. Southern Progress is a subsidiary of Time Inc. While Mooney was Vice President of Business Development for Southern Progress in the late ’90s, the company reached a national independent consultant base of 40,000 women living in all 50 states.
Having retired in 2007, Mooney’s career with Southern Progress spanned over 32 years and is distinguished by the creation and implementation of numerous successful business ventures. In 1995 she earned the Time Inc. President’s Award for her work in custom publishing and was recognized a second time with the same award in 2004 for her work in direct selling.
In 2003, Mooney launched CUT IT OUT, a national initiative that mobilizes salon professionals in the fight against domestic violence. Throughout Alabama, Mooney has been recognized and honored for her business achievements and her commitment to fighting domestic violence. She joined the board of Sanderson Farms in 2007.
Roadmap to the Boardroom tickets cost $45 through Friday, April 6th and $55 after April 6. Register and pay online at www.network2000md.org/women_on_boards. For additional information, call 410-783-8225.
Network 2000 (www.network2000md.org) is a statewide not-for-profit organization in Maryland composed of professional women and men. The organization initiates, supports and engages in activities to prepare and promote women to achieve their full professional potential. Network 2000 seeks to place women on corporate and not-for-profit boards and educates the public on the benefits of having women in decision-making positions. Members serve as role models and mentors to women seeking to advance their career.