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Words of wisdom from women
By TIM GRANT, Times Staff Writer
CARROLLWOOD -- Working women should mentor each other, give money to female candidates, get more education, encourage their daughters to play sports, and by all means, learn to play golf. "That is one way that women move up. Guys have been doing it for years," said Sandy Freedman, Tampa's first female mayor. Members of the Carrollwood Business and Professional Women club heard those words of wisdom Wednesday from an all-star panel of females who should know what it takes to succeed in a man's world. As part of Women's History Month, the group invited six trailblazing local women to its March meeting at the Country Club of Carrollwood to talk about their experiences and encourage members to pursue their dreams. The panel included Freedman; Betty Castor, Hillsborough's first female county commissioner and president of the University of South Florida; and Renu Khator, the first female dean of USF's College of Arts and Sciences. Also spotlighted were Theresa Manuel, the first female Olympian from Florida; Jamie Rosenkrans, Florida's first female owner of a Harley-Davidson dealership; and Celeste "Ce Ce" Valdez, president of Kalemeris Construction, Inc. "They have gone where no woman has gone before," said Elaine Kaufman, president of the Carrollwood BPW Foundation, Inc. "They are the first in their fields." They weighed the possibility of a female in the Oval Office, predicted a woman will be Tampa's next mayor and, among other things, questioned why teachers' salaries are so low. "Women have always dominated the teaching profession," said Castor, the state's former Commissioner of Education. "I guaran-damn-tee you if the teaching profession were male-dominated, the legislature would not be having all these problems finding funds to pay teachers more." Khator told the club that women are gaining success in the business world not just because of education, but because they bring valuable skills to the table. Women are "more holistic, better team-builders and negotiators," she said, "which is why they are breaking those barriers, and we'll see more of them in more successful roles." The Carrollwood BPW promotes the advancement of women in the workplace. It provides opportunities for professional women to network and scholarships to assist them in their careers or fields of study, based on academic achievement and financial need. The club awarded $4,950 in individual scholarships to four women Wednesday bringing this year's total to $10,825, said Diane Jamai, past president of the organization. Carrollwood BPW was chartered in 1989. It raises money for its scholarships through an annual arts and crafts festival, an annual golf tournament and sales of T-shirts, holiday gift wrap and calendars. -- Tim Grant can be reached at (813) 269-5311 or at rant@sptimes.com
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