RSG B Ee PRESS BH TODAY’S WOMAN is like- ly to be a_ high-powered businessperson who holds a key post in her company and plays an important role in the major decisions that dic- tate its success. More and more, women are making their way into middle and senior manage- ment .positions, an occur- rence showing all signs of continuing for years to come. West Vancouver businesswoman Fyfe Brown, who recently struck out on her own to open a public relations firm, sees women clients will attest. & -. 7101 Kapllano 100 making inroads in a number of fields. Previously almost the ex- clusive domain of men, pro- fessions such as business, fi- nance, medicine, real estate and law are seeing an in- creased number of women who have now reached the middle- to high-level management positions. “T would say there is a significant increase there,”’ explains Brown. “Many top people are women — we have women sitting as judges and in med- icine we have women in research positions and who are running groups of doc- Peg Pitt-Brooke, manager of the North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, notes that there are five women sitting on the chamber’s present board of directors. “About five years ago we maybe had only one (woman director),’’ she recalls. As well, more women are chair- ing chamber committees, a rarity a few years ago. More women are now striking out to open small businesses, Pitt-Brooke says. “We have quite a few calls BECKY LOHN “Professional service leading to positive results.”’ Becky, who is a lifelong resident of West Vancouver obtained her real estate licence 8 years ago. Becky.specializes in residential real estate and is the recipient of many sales achievement awards. year member of the M.L.S. Medallion Club. Becky has received advanced education in all aspects of creative financing which helped result in the sale of dozens of difficult real estate transactions. She prides herself on the fact 100% of all properties she has listed in the past 3 years have sold. Her hobbies include boating on the Sunshine Coast and skiing on our local mountains. The catalyst for Becky's success has been her positive attitude, enthusiasm and commitment to hard work as her many satisfied 8. ° “West Vancouver -_ $22-6166 and inquiries from women about how to open a small business — certainly many more than we did five years ago,’’ she explains. For Brown and Pitt- Brooke, the increased number of women in _ these high-powered positions may be attributed to one short phrase: a change in attitudes. . “T think = the business world has realized that women can do these things and that women want to do these things,’ explains chamber Pitt- Brooke. Brown agrees, saying women are now recognized for their skills and abilities. “In the business area it’s refreshing that people who are capable of doing (a job) are now allowed to do it — it’s no longer a hindrance to be a woman.”’ Ten years ago, the few women in business were lucky if they reached a mid- dle management position. Today, the horizons are much broader, the limits fewer. ‘T find it refreshing that leaders in the business com- munity are being more receptive to women because manager 23 - Wednesday, January 28, 1987 - North Shore News they are capable of doing the job,’’ says Brown. While just as capable as men, women bring a unique approach to the job. Generally, women tackle a problem differently than men, says Brown, bringing a new outlook to the job. Although these women might have started with the company in a ‘token’ post, their skills and business sense have sent them to the top of the company heap. ‘They have the skills and the intellect to do the job,”’ explains Brown, who points to recent statistics that show women are better en- trepreneurs than men. “Women seem to be more careful in planning than men are and women give extra investigation that really makes the enterprise work,’’ Brown explains. But despite the changing attitudes in much of the business community, women still face an uphill battle. “There are certainly more doors open to different fields than there were 25 to 30 years ago,’? Brown says. “Fr know it’s a difficult world out there.”” “There will always be a percentage (of women in business) who will have to struggle ‘anyway,’’ says Brown. ‘‘It depends on how progressive management is. “Is the management still in yesterday’s world or is it - in today’s world?” For the most part, Brown sees an increasing number of women in business as a new direction in the field, not just some passing trend or popular fad. In a world of tough com- petition, business needs to be good at doing business. Women have the manage- ment and personnel skills that can make a firm work well. ““As women become more involved in the workplace they will be better able to show their strengths and be chosen (for high-level management positions).”’ . Pitt-Brooke agrees that. the number of women in business will increase fur- ther, as women continue to make advances into the senior management posi- tions. : “We are coming into our own,"’ Pitt-Brooke says.