Ep. 86 - Betsy Berkhemer-Credaire speaks with Nan McKay on the TrailBlazers Impact Podcast and is winning the corporate women on boards game! 2020 Women on Boards is the leading education and advocacy campaign driving the movement toward accelerating gender balance on corporate boards of directors. In 2018, California was the first in the U.S. to pass the historic law requiring corporations to add specific numbers of women directors within three years. European countries were the first to mandate minimum requirements for women directors. Their targets of 30% and 40% have been achieved and are considered normal now. In 2019, US companies exceeded 20%. Berkhemer-Credaire says it's time for the U.S. to catch up. Well-qualified women throughout the world are seeking and serving on corporate boards, to the advantage of enlightened corporations. Now is the time to welcome women to boards, adding their voices to business leaders in the U.S. and the world. Listen to hear how you can become a board member of a public company. You will also hear the importance of the presence of women being on corporation's boards and the difference when they are absent.
Top Takeaways:
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- The success of the 2020 Women on Boards in California and expanding globally
- The importance of women on boards for the success and productivity of companies
- How to get into boards as a woman and areas of expertise you can bring forth
- The importance of having women legislators for the success of the 2020 Women on Boards initiative
"Research from Credit Suisse and other sources shows that when women are on the boards, companies run better and are more profitable."
"My greatest satisfaction is helping companies find executives they can trust and enjoy working with to build something together that is far better."
In this episode you'll discover:
She talks about how the 2020 Women on Boards mission has exceeded its goal a year early and expanded globally [3:17]
Where does the international aspect come in [5:52]
She explains how family-owned companies at the international level are handling women on their boards [10:28]
The challenge of the law taking too long to be passed caused by invalid excuses [11:15]
Betsy describes the process women should go through to serve on a company's board [16:09]
What board positions pay and why money should not be your priority when pitching to get onto boards [21:34]
She explains why nonprofits are not under this law and only public corporations are [23:21]
What are other states doing regarding this law [24:20]
The difference it would make if there were women state governors and or legislators [27:48]
How Betsy is motivated by educating women to be on boards and does not believe in retirement [30:30]
CAREER
Ms. Berkhemer-Credaire is CEO of 2020 Women on Boards and the president and CEO of Berkhemer Clayton, an executive search firm celebrating 25 years in business. Throughout her 20 years in executive search, she has handled searches in corporate communications, public relations, and corporate boards. She wrote the book called She is the only retained executive search firm owner who previously owned a major public relations agency. Betsy knows corporate communications and public relations from her previous career helping client corporations manage their reputations and communicate what made them unique. She knows how to do what her candidates are hired to do. She also knows how to run and build a business.
RESOURCES
PODCASTS LIKE THIS
BOOKS
Betsy wrote "The Board Game-How Smart Women Become Corporate Directors (published in June 2013 by Angel City Press) to advise and inform women about strategic career choices and the visibility needed in order to serve on boards.
List of her books:
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- The Board Game: How Smart Women Become Corporate Directors
- Winning the Board Game: How Women Corporate Directors Make THE Difference
- trailblazersimpact.com/books/