2021 Spring President's Message
Thursday, Apr 8, 2021
Hello springtime! Spring is my favorite time of year. As the snow melts and signs of spring arrive, there is always a new energy stirring. And this year, more so than ever, as I’ve reflected on all CREW Calgary has accomplished in Q1, I am excited for what is to come this spring.
The CREW Calgary Board and all our Committees have been very busy in the last three months. We launched 2021 with a new look through our logo redesign and website revamp. As you will see, our new logo includes a forward-facing arrow depicting our movement to drive transformation in the industry and to advance women forward, companies forward and business deals forward.
One of the ways, we have been supporting the advancement of our members is through our mentorship program, and I am so happy to report that due to incredible interest in our mentorship program, it was expanded this year almost doubling in numbers from that of our 2020 inaugural year. The mentorship groupings have been made and our members are off on their mentorship journeys!
We have also continued to offer valuable online events, including a professional development session on reinventing online profiles, a riveting North American panel discussion on the hard facts coming out of the 2020 CREW Network Benchmark Study, an insightful presentation on The Well located in Toronto and our annual new members’ welcome. All these programs could not be possible without the overwhelming support we have received from our sponsors. We continue to expand our sponsorship base with new organizations interested in supporting our mission to drive change, and I would like to extend a huge thank you to all our sponsors for your continued involvement and support of CREW Calgary.
Within 3 short months, we have also shattered 2 records. First, we reached a record number of members, which our Board views as a testament to the value of our network in such extraordinary times. Welcome, to those of you who are new to CREW Calgary, and welcome back, returning members! Second, our Chapter has completed the CREW Network Foundation Trifecta challenge. Congratulations everyone! This is the first time our Chapter has accomplished this achievement in Q1, and we are the first Canadian Chapter to reach Trifecta in 2021. Completing this challenge is important to us as it is proof of our dedication to transform the industry from the ground up – providing scholarships and career outreach programs to those who follow behind us.
As we look forward to Q2, our Events & Education Committee has been hard at work planning amazing events for the upcoming months, and we will be continuing to collaborate with the other CREW Network Canadian chapters to provide quarterly Canadian events. Keep up to date on all event offerings through our website, newsletter and social media. Our Golf Committee also has some fabulous news brewing, and our Recognition Committee is hard at work with our 2021 awards - so stay tuned on both fronts!
As the world around us continues on the rollercoaster ride that started last year, I know CREW Calgary will continue to be a foundation of support for our members. Let’s appreciate the springtime energy that surrounds us and continue to recharge, regroup, reengage, reinvent, reignite and reconnect in everything that we do.
Happy Spring!
Larissa Svekla
2021 President CREW Calgary