Column

Women step up to high power potential

By ERNEST HOOPER
Published July 4, 2007

You don't expect a 26-year-old woman who wears dusty Nike construction boots to be a driving force behind a women-only networking event centered around peep-toe pumps, wedge sandals and flats.

Yet the daily footwear of Brooke May, an assistant project manager for Skanska construction, played a role in bringing one of the business world's latest trends here. Members of May's Leadership Tampa Bay class often teased that the group's outings gave her a rare chance to wear shoes without steel toes.

"It was the only chance I ever got to wear my cute shoes, my heels ... and get to show my pedicured toes, " laughed May, who noted that the women in her leadership group often talked about shoe fashions. "One day one of the women said (she) just read an article in the Wall Street Journal about women who are networking by going shoe shopping or going to spas or going to lunch.

"They were doing this outside of their male counterparts who are on the golf course making business deals, smoking cigars. I said, 'We can do that.' "

So May joined with two Leadership Tampa Bay classmates to start High Power In High Heels, an event at International Plaza's Nordstrom on July 15 before the store opens for business. Women will enjoy a champagne brunch and check out the latest shoes. Proceeds benefit Dress For Success Tampa Bay.

May and her co-chairs, Catalina Marketing's Nicole Andriso and TaylorWhite's Mary Kavanshansky, initially planned for a small gathering of maybe 35 to 40 people. Word of mouth, however, now has the trio anticipating between 250 and 500 people.

Shoe shopping and charity are draws, but women also are stepping up to network.

"I haven't really noticed that there's anything here strictly for women that encompasses what women like to do, " May said. "I hate to be cliche and say all women like to shoe shop, but when you talk about business women and business apparel, I think it's something that piques women's interest."

Practicality more than Prada drives this fashion interest, especially with the emphasis placed on a woman's workplace appearance. I suspect when these ladies swap tips about Kate Spade slingbacks, they will also talk about what can help you climb the corporate ladder.

And I also bet business connections will thrive. If golf outings can result in new deals, so can festivities about Dolce Vita espadrilles.

(Note: the shoe knowledge displayed in this column comes from the Nordstrom Web site, not from this fashion-challenged columnist who limits his purchases to Nike and Reebok.)

That's all I'm saying.

If you go

High Power In High Heels

When: Sunday, July 15, 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Where: Nordstrom shoe department, International Plaza

Cost: $20 on or before July 6; $25 after July 6

Proceeds: Dress For Success Tampa Bay

For more information: salesdigital.com/taylorwhite/tw2.htm

[Last modified July 3, 2007, 23:46:01]