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EWI leader wants to see
Hawaii businesswomen
gain self-confidenceWhat do you do at C. S. Wo & Sons Ltd.?
>> New post: 2003 president of Executive Women International, Hawaii chapter Susan Tanigawa
>> Day job: Executive secretary at C. S. Wo & Sons Ltd.
>> EWI: Brings together people from diverse businesses to promote member firms, enhance personal and professional development and encourage community involvement.
>> Other new officers: Vice President Shera Tamanaha, Secretary Eloise Sasaki and Treasurer Ka Noi Lam.
>> Directors: Shannon Castillo, Janet Kosaka, Karen Lynden, Kay Sasaki, Susan Uyetake and Joanne Watase-Yang.
Everything. Myself and an administrative assistant support seven executive offices. We do statistical reports, we coordinate meetings, we're the in-between for the other departments and the executive offices.
How long have you been a member of EWI?
Six years.
How did you get involved with the group?
The former executive secretary here resigned because her new job made it difficult for her to participate and she asked me to replace her.
What do you get out of it?
The firm is the member, I'm just the representative. In agreement with our mission at EWI we promote the member firm and we engage in the personal and professional development of the representative. There's a lot of networking involved. An executive here will need information or services and I'll go to member firms to help him. Or, for a recent example, a vendor called from the mainland before Christmas to say he wanted to come to Hawaii over the holidays, but couldn't get a room. I called Sheraton, which is a member firm, and got him a reservation. And EWI is international, so I could do the same thing say in New York. I'd feel comfortable calling and doing that, just telling them I was with the Hawaii chapter of EWI. On a personal basis, you would not have seen me up here as president, not in a million years, if I hadn't been a member. It just pushes you to try to be better. I just conducted my first membership meeting as president, and of course I had to have my notes all written out to get up in front of all those people, but I did it.
What are your goals as president?
My basic goal is to leave EWI better than it was. I want to strengthen each point of our mission statement: To promote member firms, enhance personal and professional development and encourage community involvement. Last year we had a big push to sign new members. We had 14 new companies join. My goal is retention, making sure these firms are getting what they want out of EWI.
Have you seen any changes in the nature of the jobs held by women executives since you've been involved?
We've really seen a lot of small business owners become members. One in particular was very skeptical when she first started. Her goal was to get more business. Now you could not pull her away from EWI, her business has grown so much through networking with other members.
Do you think the heightened concern about corporate ethics has any ramifications for women executives?
I think we just have to be on the watch for it. I think men and women are equally ethical. The ones being prosecuted now are men, but that's because they are the ones that occupy the top jobs. More women are on their way to the top, not because they are seen as more ethical, but because they've earned their way.
Where do you think Hawaii is at in terms of gender parity in the workplace?
I think we follow the mainland, and I think we're still behind them. I look at the member firms we have locally and most of them are male-run. I just went to the mainland EWI convention and it seems to me women in business in Hawaii are more laid-back. I was impressed with the women in the mainland. These were women of power. They're not pushy and they're not super aggressive, but they just have this way about them, they expect to be taken seriously. I'd like to see more of that here.
Part of EWI's mission is personal and professional development. In what areas have you developed as a member?
My confidence in myself. I was in charge of the golf tournament two years ago and that was something new. That's how we raise money for our scholarships. I'm not a golfer. But, to me, if you want to do something, if you have a passion for it, you will do better. That's what I like about EWI. They let you run things. They let you make mistakes, and that's how you grow.
Are you a golfer now?
No, but I know more about the game; and I know what golfers like.
