‘Women of Influence’ roundtable to return to Troy

TROY — On Wednesday, Oct. 11, the Troy Chamber of Commerce will host its Top of Troy: Women of Influence roundtable.

This panel discussion presents the opportunity for attendees to meet some of the area’s top female business leaders. The panel members will discuss the challenges they faced on their paths to success, how they navigated societal expectations, key tools they have used to remain focused along their journey, the hard decisions they are faced with on a daily basis and how being a woman has affected the choices they made to get where they are today.

“The discussion with all of these women is to learn how they as women got to where they are today and share the leadership roles they are in,” explained Sydney Dych, the director of marketing and events for the Troy Chamber of Commerce. “This has been a big hit for us every year. It’s hosted by the Women’s Business Forum. It’s an event to empower not only women, but to give women a chance to share how they went through challenges and humanize them. Success can take a lot of forms and make you happy despite different hurdles you might have to get through.”

The event will take place 8:30 a.m.-10 a.m. at the Walsh College Barry Center Auditorium, 3838 Livernois Road in Troy. Tickets cost $30 for Troy chamber members and $40 for nonmembers. Tickets are available at www.troychamber.com. For more information, call (248) 641-8151 or email theteam@troychamber.com.

“We will have a moderator, Priya Mann, with WDIV,” said Dych. “We typically, for this panel discussion, have four leaders. There will be Beth Correa, from Flagstar Bank, who is their director of corporate responsibility and will provide some business insights and perspectives. There’s Eunice Jeffries, who is with Oakland Community College and is their director of government and community relations. Our beloved Cindy Stewart is the community affairs director with the city of Troy and she will be speaking. Lastly, Kate Walsh is an editor with Hour Detroit and Hour Media and pulls in a lot of publishing experience to the event. We try to pull a diverse crowd for the panel. We have a pretty broad spectrum this year, so we can cover a lot of diverse topics.”

Stewart said she was thrilled to be included as a panelist this year, having attended the event in the past.

“I’ve attended it in the past, and it’s always a mix of different women from different backgrounds and careers,” she said. “I love that the city is such a partner with the Troy chamber. I love us working together. I respect the women running the Troy chamber and I was flattered when they asked me to be one of the panelists. It’s a great mix from the media, the city, the banking industry and education.”

She hopes they will get to touch on a variety of topics relevant to the community, and to young women, in particular.

“This is the first time I’ve ever been a panelist here,” said Stewart. “We will get asked a lot about our careers. We will likely discuss some things like if we had any mentors, what we know today that we wish we knew in the past and what we learned along the way. We will probably talk about obstacles we’ve faced in our fields or if it’s easier for young women today than it was when we started.”

Dych said it’s a great opportunity for a frank and honest discussion about important facets of society.

“I really like this event because the women on our panel always give different perspectives on their experiences and they don’t sugarcoat how they got to where they are today,” she said. “They keep it real and they keep it relatable. You might find your struggles coincide with theirs and might find some comfort or advice based on how they got past those challenges.”

“Over the years, I believe women have had a tougher time in business than men breaking that glass ceiling,” added Stewart. “My master’s thesis was on the topic of the glass ceiling. I think having the public meeting with some of the women running local institutions is important. It’s always a good idea to find out who is out there making decisions and what challenges are being faced that future generations of women may or may not have to face as they plan their futures.”

Breakfast and coffee will be provided. Walk-ins on the day of the event are welcome, but registration prior to the event is preferred. Donations will be collected for two local nonprofits at the event.

“We are taking donations for nonprofits at the event,” said Dych. “Both are chamber members: Grace Centers of Hope and the Sparkle Network. Sparkle Network accepts prom dresses for girls who need help getting dresses for formal events. Grace Centers of Hope collects a lot of toiletries, beauty products and formal outfits to help women apply for and hold a job.”