State invites
female leaders

Lingle announces a November
conference spotlighting women
at the top of their field

The state administration is organizing a two-day International Women's Leadership Conference for November, possibly featuring National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice as a speaker, Gov. Linda Lingle announced yesterday.

The governor told about 300 women attending the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii Women's Luncheon in Waikiki that the inaugural conference will focus on the personal stories of women who have become leaders.

Lingle said the chamber has been progressive in accepting women in leadership roles, but she chided the Hawaii Business Roundtable, made up by top executives of 50 of the state's largest companies, for having only one woman among its 11 executives and directors.

"They're falling a little behind the times at the Business Roundtable, and maybe by mentioning that there'll be some changes over there," Lingle said.

She said having more women in positions of leadership in government and business has a great significance in giving the next generation a broader perception of who leaders can be.

"Women oftentimes don't understand their own ability to go into leadership and to make change," she said.

The conference is set for Nov. 18-19 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

Lingle said that while her office, with help from a committee that includes people outside government, is putting together the event, it will be paid for through private donations. The registration fee is $300 with a $150 discounted fee for students.

The governor said there has been no confirmation that Rice will attend.

"I didn't want people to come in and talk about really their field that much, so if Condoleezza Rice accepts, I'm not interested in a speech on security issues, but on her personal stories," Lingle said. "Whatever it is they have achieved, what is it about it that they can share with other women."

Among those who have agreed to attend are Michelle Peluso, president and chief executive of Travelocity; Dawn Drew, publisher of National Geographic Traveler; Merle Okawara, chairwoman and CEO of JS Cosma Corp. in Japan; and Brig. Gen. Coral Wong Pietsch, the first Asian/Pacific-American female general and first female chief judge in the Army Judge Advocate General Corps.

"These and many other speakers throughout the conference are going to provide tremendous stories of inspiration to all of us," Lingle said.