Every year, the Financial Women's Association (FWA) recognizes changemakers in the public and private sectors who have made a difference.
This year, to mark its 65th Anniversary and gala dinner in New York City, the FWA recognized the contributions of NYSE Chair, Sharon Bowen as Public Sector Woman of the Year, and BMO Capital Markets Chief Executive Officer Dan Barclay as Male Ally of the Year. In addition, the FWA celebrates its Past Presidents for their legacy in making the FWA the success it is today, recognizing them as Private Sector Women of the Year.
"It gives us great pleasure to recognize Sharon and Dan for their contributions to our mission to promote the professional development and advancement of all women through education, mentorship, scholarships, networking, alliances, and advocacy across the financial community," said FWA President Hermina 'Nina' Batson, who is also the association's first Black president. "This year's in-person gala dinner, which comes a day after International Women's Day and as we celebrate Women's History Month, is an opportunity to thank our leadership and members, past and present, for helping to drive IDEA – Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access – as we pave the way forward for all women in finance."
The March 9th event at Convene, located in the heart of New York City overlooking Times Square, also recognized FWA undergraduate scholars and mentors from the FWA's educational initiatives.
The FWA provides a forum for women to demonstrate their leadership and advisory skills through networking, ground-breaking educational programs, distinguished speakers, with peer-to-peer and next generation mentoring, along with practical and professional development training.
Since its founding, the FWA has shown unwavering commitment and dedication in supporting these goals and sharing best practices and building a stronger pipeline.
"Thanks to the FWA leadership team and especially thanks and congratulations to Nina Batson, a trailblazer and history maker in her own right," said Sharon Bowen, who broke barriers by becoming the first woman and the first person of color to become Chair of the Board of Directors of the New York Stock Exchange. "I also want to congratulate those who are being honored."
"BMO is proud to celebrate the long-standing and impactful partnership with the Financial Women's Association," said Dan Barclay, who has 31 years of investment banking experience in a broad range of industries and has been recognized as a Champion of Change. "Congratulations to the FWA for its 65th anniversary. BMO is honored to play a part in accelerating the success of women in the financial sector."
The FWA's Awards Ceremony is an annual tribute to the FWA's robust history and to its ongoing mission to advance the leadership growth and accelerate the success of all women in the financial sector by fostering alliances and preparing the current and next generation of professionals.
FWA President's Circle Supporters
The FWA gratefully acknowledged the generosity and commitment of its President's Circle Fortune 500 partners, who support the FWA in providing mentoring programs and scholarships to over 6,500 underrepresented and underserved young professionals and students. In particular, the FWA acknowledged the contributions of BMO Capital Markets to the FWA Education Fund over the past 11 years, including through the BMO "Equity Through Education" program and the Back2Business Program.
About the FWA
The FWA was founded in 1956 to help advance the leadership of women in the financial community. The New York-based organization partners with companies to share best practices and provides opportunities for members to build their careers, meet industry leaders, earn the support of powerful women and major companies, and contribute to the next generation of female leaders. The FWA's community activities include mentoring, scholarships, and training programs. The FWA High School Mentoring Program has impacted the lives of dozens of young women, empowering them to overcome sometimes overwhelming odds to graduate from high school and attend college. The FWA's Wall Street Exchange Program has helped over a thousand interns develop professional and networking skills; the FWA Adult Financial Literacy training programs have helped educate over 200 underserved women about personal financial matters, and 2,000 students have participated in the FWA's Financial Backpack Literacy training. In addition, 140 scholarships have been awarded to MBA students and 250 Undergraduate FWA/BMO Scholarships have been awarded to undergraduate students.
Photo: L-to-R: FWA BMO Student Honoree Jenny He; FWA President Hermina “Nina” Batson and FWA Baruch Student Honoree Amber Watts (CNW Group/Financial Women's Association)
