OIWC Launches Education Foundation to Provide Career Development Programs

August 27, 2008 – Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition (OIWC) is proud to announce the launch of its new Education Foundation, a non-profit, tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization dedicated specifically to providing women in the outdoor industries with educational programs and career development resources. Designed to generate champions across all outdoor industries, the OIWC Education Foundation provides a diverse program of learning to serve a wide range of interests and needs while ensuring that OIWC partners receive full tax deductions.

“The launch of the Education Foundation is a pivotal milestone for the OIWC as we are now able to offer a wider range of resources and opportunities to all members while offering contributors a huge benefit to continue their support through its tax-exempt status,” said Kathy Murphy, President of the OIWC Education Foundation. “OIWC now has the potential to reach every woman at any level, in all industry-related companies. And we are excited to provide our members with even more relevant tools to succeed and become future industry leaders.”

Diverse Educational Programs
The OIWC Education Foundation aims to stimulate professional development by offering strategic and tactical training programs and providing access to advanced learning forums. Events and activities will include seminars conducted by recognized leaders in their respective fields, covering such relevant subjects as leadership training; personnel development and management; and strategic planning and new business development. In addition, the OIWC website will include a wide range of resources and virtual programs, providing ongoing education to presentation attendees as well as all OIWC members. These website programs will include transcripts of past seminars and panel presentations, Q&A columns with industry leaders, mentoring information and more.

Launch and Fundraiser Event
On the second night of Outdoor Retailer’s Summer Market 2008 (08.09.08) OIWC hosted a long-anticipated, entertaining and creative event: Polly-Esther Dance Party (We’ve Come a Long Way, Baby). This industry-wide party gave everyone a chance to boogie down and celebrate as industry icons, famous and infamous, strutted their dress-your-polyester-best costumes. To make donations to support future OIWC educational programs and see pictures, flattering and not so flattering of outdoor industry execs dressed in their polyester finest, go to www.OIWC.org.

About OIWC
OIWC is a 501(c) 6 non-profit corporation focused on the mission of equipping women to achieve their success. The OIWC Education Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated specifically to providing women educational programs and career development resources. To learn more about the OIWC online member community or to become a new member or sponsor, please visit www.oiwc.org.
OIWC is sponsored at the Gold Plus level by EMS, Fox River, Keen, REI, Vasque and W.L. Gore & Associates. At the Gold level, sponsors are Jansport, Mountain Hardwear, and The North Face. Silver sponsors are Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, Burton, Camelbak, SNEWS®, Giant Bicycles, Hi-Tec, Interbike, KPS3, Marmot, Outdoor Industry Association, Outdoor Retailer, SIA, Timberland, Tubbs Snowshoes, Twenty Four Seven, and Yakima. Bronze sponsors are Backpacker, Bikes Belong Coalition, Black Diamond, Cascade Designs, CGPR, Chaco, Contourwear, ExOfficio, Falcon Guides, Filson, Fuji Bicycles, GoLite, Gramicci, Guyot Designs, Kokatat, Moving Comfort, Nuun Active Hydration, Open Creative, Osprey, Outdoor Research, Plum, Primaloft, Quality Bicycle Products, Rogers Corporation, Schoeller, Shimano, Sierra Magazine, Specialized, Specialty Sports Venture, Terramar, Thule, and Turtle Fur. Friends of OIWC include, Aloe Up, Chaos, EarMitts, Earth Creations, Kiss My Face, ProTech Skin Care, Trade Association of Paddlesports, Wallaroo Hat Company and Zeal Optics.