Chambers to share secrets of success at BPW annual networking breakfast

WESTMINSTER — Merle Chambers, chief executive officer of Leith Ventures, a family investment business, will be the keynote speaker at The Colorado Boulder Professional Women’s Foundation’s annual networking event: Women Mean Business.

Chambers became the chief executive officer of Axem Resources Inc., an oil and gas exploration and production company, after taking over the business from her father in 1986. She grew the firm to a multimillion-dollar company and sold it in 1997.

Chambers now devotes considerable time to philanthropy as president of Chambers Family Fund, a private family foundation. She is also a board member of the Temple Hoyne Buell Foundations and other philanthropic boards.

She is an avid supporter of women’s self-sufficiency and was the recipient of the Committee of 200’s Philanthropic Innovator Award.

At the event, being held Tuesday, March 14 at the new Westin Westminster, Chambers will be sharing the secrets to her success.

In addition to Chamber’s speech, there will be exhibits and breakfast. There also will be optional breakout sessions. The sessions are free and will include a presentation by Sylvia Palms, vice president of Supplier Diversity at U S West. The Boulder County Business Report is a media sponsor for the event.

Palms will be speaking on learning how to become a woman business enterprise. Other activities include a technology tour of the new hotel, given by the Westin, and scholarship recipient recognition.

The event will benefit the Colorado BPW Foundation, a non-profit organization that raises money to provide educational scholarships to low-income women of non-traditional student age. Since 1976, the foundation has provided scholarships and loans to nearly 200 women, totaling more than $179,500.

Attendees also will be able to increase their support for the organization by cleaning out their closets. For each women’s suit brought to the event, Arthur Andersen will donate $10 to the BPW Foundation. The suits will benefit Dress for Success, a non-profit organization that helps low-income women make tailored transitions to the work force.

For information about the event or scholarship opportunities, call (303) 595-5405 ext. 2, or visit bcn.boulder.co.us/business/colobpwf.

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