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About Forum: Then and Now
Forum: THEN (continued)

Insurance woman Evelyn Farrell founded the organization.  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.

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

2022..........Patty Kolin

​2020/21......Marty Wait

​2018/19......Lori Ross

2017.........  Marianne Messer

2016...........Kerry Campbell-Price

2014/15..... Donna Spilman

2012/13..... Rosa Turner

2010/11..... Pat Edelstein

2009.........  Janet Thorpe

2008 ........  Nancy Hoskins

2007.........  Sarah Ahlsten

2006.........  Alona Thomas

2005.........  Pat Edelstein
2004.........  Jetta Saharoff

2003.........  Gale Brownell

​2002.........  Joanne Enemark

2001.........  Kathryn Raimondi

1999/2000...Kathie Murphy

1998.........  Pat Edelstein

1997.........  Judy Glenn

1996.........  Beverly Mooney 

1995.........  Laurie Ramzy 

1994.......... Muriel Ray

1993.......... Barbara Baker

1992.........  Linda Kachiu


1991........  Jan Gabrielson Tansil

1990.....  Michele Imbach

1989.....  Zeanette Williams

1988.....  Katie Edwards

1987.....  Laurie Westdahl

1986 ....  Barbara Detrich Gallagher

1985.....  Lynne McMahon-Trowbridge

1984 ....  Mickey Cooke

1983.....  Cathleen Barnier

1982 ....  Reba Roberts

1981.....  Evelyn Farrell

1980...... Nancy Henshaw
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Sonoma  County  Forum
PO Box 4193
Santa Rosa, CA 95402

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