Toronto, November 3, 2009 – Women of Influence are blazing trails to the top of organizations and managing finances both in and outside the home.

The Deloitte Women of Influence Luncheon Series is the flagship program produced by Women of Influence Inc., Canada’s preeminent organization dedicated to recognizing the professional accomplishments of Senior Executive Women. The Series recently conducted a survey to all attendees to see where Women of Influence stood compared to the recent statistics released by the media regarding the current challenges facing professional women today.

“We know that the women who attend the Deloitte Women of Influence Luncheon Series are leaders and influencers. They are actively trying to advance their career, they are often controlling not only household spending but corporate budgets, and these events provide the opportunity for them to increasingly leverage each other for a combined result that is even more powerful,” says Carolyn Lawrence, President, Women of Influence Inc.

The following are findings from a recent survey to Women of Influence across Canada:

• 71% of Women of Influence are the family CFO.
• 99% of Women of Influence are currently employed
• 78% of Women of Influence work between 41 and 80 hours a week.
• 74% aspire to or are holding a Senior Executive role within their firm, and the majority are motivated by the goal of achieving day to day fulfillment and enjoyment.
• Only 26% of the audience have ever considered opting out of their career, while only 15% of those have or would actually do it.

HOW DO THEY ACHIEVE SUCCESS? "There are those people who look back at their careers and say that serendipity often played a part”, says Rose Patten Senior Executive Vice President, BMO. “I would say, being in the right place at the right time helps, but pushing yourself to tackle the challenge of change and possibly fear will be the main ingredients to succeeding.
• 78% of the audience elects to network as their primary tactic for career advancement.

HOW DO THEY MAKE THE TIME? Harvard Business Review says that “[Women] are still far more burdened than men by household tasks; according to our survey, about one-third of men don’t help their spouse or partner with chores.
• Majority of Women of Influence spend less than 5 hours a week on household chores, and 100% of help: 64% have help from their Partner, and 46% have paid help.

WHEN WILL WE ACHIEVE GENDER PARITY IN ECONOMIC PARTICIPATION? World Economic Forum says women around the globe are almost as healthy and educated as men, but the gap is still wide in their economic participation. November 6th, the Deloitte Women of Influence Luncheon Series will host a panel of the top women in financial services to address just this. The expert panel will include:
• Moderator: Patricia Lovett Reid, Senior Vice President, TD Waterhouse Canada
• Barbara Stymiest, Group Head, Strategy, Treasury and Corporate Services, RBC Royal Bank
• Sandra Hanington, Executive Vice President, Product Operations, BMO Financial Group
• Christina Kramer, Executive Vice President, CIBC
• Sylvia Chrominska, Group Head, Global Human Resources & Communications, Scotiabank
• Theresa Bowman, Senior Vice President of Shared Financial Service, TD Bank Financial Group

The Deloitte Women of Influence Luncheon Series presents Canada's most accomplished and influential women sharing stories of professional success, personal triumph and how they have worked their way to the top. Events are across nine cities in an environment conducive to the ongoing professional and personal advancement of Canadian women in business.

Many Canadian companies are proving that they recognize the value of supporting and promoting their female executives, and as such have become partners of the Women of Influence Luncheon Series. For 2009, these include the following national sponsors: Deloitte, Shopper’s Drug Mart, Bell, Queen’s School of Business, Jones New York, Burt’s Bees, Chubb Insurance, The Globe and Mail, Canadian Business Magazine, and more.

To attend the Deloitte Women of Influence Luncheon Series, guests may register online at www.womenofinfluence.ca or by calling: Toronto (416) 923-1688, Montreal (514) 521-8700 or Toll Free: 1 (800) 354-3303. 

About Women of Influence Inc.

Women of Influence Inc. is an event and marketing communications firm that has been specializing in speaking to professional women since 1994. Created to fulfill the needs of the Canadian business women, Women of Influence Inc. produces a series of events focused on creating opportunities for women to inspire and guide each other towards success. Such events include the Women of Influence Golf Tournament, Young Women of Influence Evening Series and the Canadian Woman Entrepreneur Awards.  www.womenofinfluenceinc.ca

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For more information or interview requests contact:

Carolyn Lawrence

President, Women of Influence Inc.

E: clawrence@womenofinfluenceinc.ca   

P: (416) 923-1688 C: (416)567-1201