Deborah Frett to Head BPW/USA & BPW Foundation

[WASHINGTON,  May16, 2005] -- Business and Professional Women/USA (BPW/USA) and the BPW Foundation announced today that Deborah (Debbie) L. Frett has been named Chief Executive Officer of the two organizations. 

As an accomplished executive, Ms. Frett brings more than 26 years of experience in providing and implementing strategic direction and executive management for associations, for-profit and non-profit organizations. 

BPW/USA President Nancy Hurlbert and BPW Foundation Chair Pat Cornish said, “Debbie Frett is exactly the right leader for our organizations.  Her proven track record of leadership, strategic vision, creativity and operational excellence will be key to maintaining BPW’s role as the leading advocate for workingwomen as well as meeting new challenges for growth and expansion.”

“It is truly an honor to be entrusted with the responsibility of guiding these two great organizations as they work to ensure equitable workplaces, work-life balance and equal pay for women across the country,” Ms. Frett said.  “These are issues of great importance to me and I know that we will be successful as BPW/USA with its active grassroots membership works on the challenges facing workingwomen today and the BPW Foundation through research and education sets the agenda for the workplace issues of tomorrow.  Together BPW/USA and the BPW Foundation will continue to set the standard as the leading advocates for working women through hands on activities by BPW/USA members and the development of trend setting workplace standards by the BPW Foundation.” 

Recently Ms. Frett served as executive director of SeniorNavigator, an award winning innovative public service program designed to link seniors, their families and caregivers with community-level health and aging information supported by a network of volunteers. As the first executive director of this Richmond, Virginia non-profit start-up, she developed the strategic and business plans and infrastructure to support the program and its ongoing operations.  She was a successful fundraiser and developed relationships that raised the organizations visibility.    

Prior to her appointment at SeniorNavigator, Ms. Frett held a number of key roles at the American Hospital Association in Chicago including: COO of the Health Forum, President of Healthcare InfoSource, Inc., Vice President of the Data & Information Group and Vice President of Special Membership Services.  

Ms. Frett has a Certificate of Achievement in Nonprofit Management from The Nonprofit Organizations Program at Virginia Commonwealth University and a B.A., Magna Cum Laude from Quincy University.  She is a member of the Association for Community Health Improvement, the American Society of Association Executives, the Virginia Society of Association Executives and the American Management Association. 

About BPW/USA and the BPW Foundation
Business and Professional Women/USA, founded in 1919, promotes equity for all women in the workplace through advocacy, education and information. With 1,500 Local Organizations across the country and members in every congressional district, BPW/USA is the leading advocate for millions of workingwomen on work-life balance and workplace equity issues. BPW Local Organizations provide members with professional development programs, networking, participation in grassroots activism, and opportunities to support scholarships for disadvantaged women.

The Business and Professional Women’s Foundation empowers workingwomen to achieve their full potential and to partner with employers to build successful workplaces.  Established in 1956, the Foundation promotes equity for workingwomen through education, information and research and as well as serving as a resource on issues affecting women in the workplace. The Foundation also provides financial aid for disadvantaged women having awarded over $6 million in scholarships, loans, and grants to over 8,000 women since 1969.  The BPW Foundation is supported by foundations, corporations, BPW/USA members and other individuals who share a common belief in equity for workingwomen.

For more information about BPW/USA and the BPW Foundation see www.bpwusa.org.