New Member Candidate Guidelines

Membership is by invitation only. All candidates must be Sponsored by one member and Co-Sponsored by one member. If you are interested in membership in WEDC, your sponsor must submit an Intent to Sponsor form by May 31st. If selected to apply, you will be notified and invited to apply in June. Applications are reviewed in July and New Member Candidates are notified in August. If the membership process is successfully completed, new members are inducted in September.

Professional Requirements:

The candidate must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Business owner (with a business license) who has worked full time in her business for at least one year and has at least one employee
• Business executive or manager whose responsibilities include supervising other employees
• Degreed or licensed professional (e.g. doctor, lawyer, CPA, etc.)
• A category for the board to consider for individual merit (e.g. serving in public office, technical career field, etc.)
• Retired woman who previously belonged to one of the above categories
• A candidate that has successfully completed the WEDC Milestones Program

Attendance Requirements:

Member candidates must have attended at least three (3) member leadership training meetings during the calendar year of membership induction or five (5) member leadership training meetings during the calendar year of membership induction and the previous calendar year combined before applying for membership. One WEDC networking event may be substituted for a leadership training meeting.

Timeline:

The WEDC inducts new members at our September Leadership Training Meeting. Candidates who are interested must be sponsored by a current member, meet all application requirements by mid-June, apply in June ($50 non-refundable application fee), attend a Mandatory New Member Orientation in August, and pay the current/next year's dues ($250) in August. 

Additional Information

These guidelines enable us to maintain the professional integrity of our organization. Qualified candidates will be invited to complete a membership application and submit a profile, resume, picture and an application fee.

WEDC New Member Requirements

Attendance:

Regular attendance at WEDC meetings, events, and your participation on WEDC committees will ensure you get the most out of your membership.

Monthly Leadership Training Meetings:

• Monthly WEDC Leadership Training Meetings serve as an excellent way to hone our members’ personal and professional development while allowing our members to connect with each other. Meetings are held on the second Thursday of the month from 11:30 to 1:00 p.m. The cost is $36.50 per meeting, which includes lunch and the program.
• The January meeting is for members only (closed to guests) and serves as a General Membership meeting. Participation at this meeting is strongly suggested.

Connecting and Other Community Events:

• The WEDC offers numerous Connecting and other sponsored events throughout the year. Some of these events will be offered outside of normal business hours. These events provide the opportunity to create a connection with WEDC members in a more relaxed environment.
• The Women Honoring Women dinner is held in September each year and is a way to honor successful women in business who have left a legacy in the community.

Committee Participation

• Regular participation with one or more WEDC committees is important for the continued success of the organization. If you find that you cannot attend your committee meetings, you are encouraged to switch to another committee or find a way to support the committee outside of meeting attendance.

Thank you for your interest in becoming a member of this extraordinary organization!