History of the Sonoma County Forum
The Sonoma County Forum was founded in October 1979 to serve the needs of female community leaders; much the way the Empire Breakfast Club had been providing a meeting place for men in the business community.
All of the original members of the Forum point to Santa Rosa insurance woman Evelyn Farrell as the organization’s founder. Farrell was new to business in 1977, having been a homemaker for 25 years. She soon realized there was a need in Sonoma County for a way to share information and meet other businesswomen. She invited 10-12 women whom she considered to be community leaders to meet with her and listen to speaker Hugh Turner describe how the men’s breakfast club was formed.
In the beginning the Forum did not have enough members to attract speakers so the members would take turns speaking. The first meetings had eight to ten people. The meetings consisted of the members going to restaurants and getting a table. A typical meeting would take place at the back of a coffee shop with everyone describing how they got to Santa Rosa. From there, the Forum grew.
Although founding member Beverly Thiele was not working outside the home at the time the Forum was formed, she was invited because of her outstanding community contributions. Thiele had been active in the League of Women Voters, helped found Law Wives and the Volunteer Center, and had served as president of the Volunteer bureau. According to Thiele, “We needed something like the men had to meet each other, an organization for networking. We knew that we were not going to have the exact same organization the men had; we knew it had to be similar but different.”
Some of the things they decided against were fining, as well as blatant advertising and self-promotion. “We thought it was important to control the fact that people could not be up on their feet advertising,” said Farrell. Although, she pointed out, the members were very much encouraged to do business together. When the By-laws were created, the distribution of promotional materials and fundraising items such as tickets were prohibited at the meetings.
Founding Members of the Sonoma County Forum
All of the original members of the Forum point to Santa Rosa insurance woman Evelyn Farrell as the organization’s founder. Farrell was new to business in 1977, having been a homemaker for 25 years. She soon realized there was a need in Sonoma County for a way to share information and meet other businesswomen. She invited 10-12 women whom she considered to be community leaders to meet with her and listen to speaker Hugh Turner describe how the men’s breakfast club was formed.
In the beginning the Forum did not have enough members to attract speakers so the members would take turns speaking. The first meetings had eight to ten people. The meetings consisted of the members going to restaurants and getting a table. A typical meeting would take place at the back of a coffee shop with everyone describing how they got to Santa Rosa. From there, the Forum grew.
Although founding member Beverly Thiele was not working outside the home at the time the Forum was formed, she was invited because of her outstanding community contributions. Thiele had been active in the League of Women Voters, helped found Law Wives and the Volunteer Center, and had served as president of the Volunteer bureau. According to Thiele, “We needed something like the men had to meet each other, an organization for networking. We knew that we were not going to have the exact same organization the men had; we knew it had to be similar but different.”
Some of the things they decided against were fining, as well as blatant advertising and self-promotion. “We thought it was important to control the fact that people could not be up on their feet advertising,” said Farrell. Although, she pointed out, the members were very much encouraged to do business together. When the By-laws were created, the distribution of promotional materials and fundraising items such as tickets were prohibited at the meetings.
Founding Members of the Sonoma County Forum
Nina Arrabit
Evelyn Farrell Nancy Henshaw Padi Selwyn | Beverly Thiel
Beverly Viesselman Caryl Weiss |
Past Presidents of the Sonoma County Forum
2011 Pat Edelstein 1995 Laurie Ramzy
2010 Pat Edelstein 1994 Muriel Ray
2009 Janet Thorpe 1993 Barbara Baker
2008 Nancy Hoskins 1992 Linda Kachiu
2007 Sarah Ahlsten 1991 Jan Gabrielson Tansil
2006 Alona Thomas 1990 Michele Imbach
2005 Pat Edelstein 1989 Zeanette Williams
2004 Jetta Saharoff 1988 Katie Edwards
2003 Gale Brownell 1987 Laurie Westdahl
2002 Joanne Enemark 1986 Barbara Detrich Gallagher
2001 Kathryn Raimondi 1985 Lynne McMahon-Trowbridge
2000 Kathie Murphy 1984 Mickey Cooke
1999 Kathie Murphy 1983 Cathleen Barnier
1998 Pat Edelstein 1982 Reba Roberts
1997 Judy Glenn 1981 Evelyn Farrell
1996 Beverly Mooney 1980 Nancy Henshaw
