Dear WIP Members,
We are excited to announce the launch of a new award that will be honored at the Annual Trailblazer Award Dinner. Since 2007, WIP has honored a Distinguished Investment Professional of the Year at our awards dinner, affectionately known as “Trailblazers.” Our awards dinner has grown to become WIP’s largest and most prestigious event. This year’s awards dinner will be bigger and better than ever! In addition to hosting the event in a larger venue to meet strong demand, we are also delighted to announce the launch of the Joanne Hickman Dodd Award!
The Joanne Hickman Dodd Award recognizes a woman in the investment industry who demonstrates outstanding leadership characteristics and exemplifies the next generation of industry leaders. The candidate has five to seven years of industry experience and demonstrates her commitment to teamwork, professional development, and inclusivity. She is empathetic, known for professional excellence, and has already exhibited qualities of mentorship and guidance.
The award is named after Joanne “Jo” Hickman Dodd, who co-founded WIP in 1996 and has been a passionate advocate for women and children and a mentor for professionals throughout her distinguished career. For over 36 years, Jo has served the industry in senior executive asset management roles and in leadership roles at non-profit organizations. Jo currently chairs WIP’s Professional Development Committee and serves on its Advisory Council. Jo was recently appointed to the Advisory Board of Lotus Women’s Institute, LLC (LWI). The mission of the LWI is to create an ecosystem where women of all demographics (age, ethnicity, and race) are recruited, trained, and developed to be in financial services. Jo also serves as Board Member Emeritus for Deborah’s Place, the largest provider of permanent housing for homeless women in Chicago. She has been an active member of AIMSE for over 21 years and served as a Board Member for seven years. Given Jo’s contributions to WIP, the industry and her community, the WIP Board is proud to officially name our new award, which seeks to recognize the next generation of industry leaders, the Joanne Hickman Dodd Award.
Nomination Criteria:
- Member of Women Investment Professionals (WIP)
- 5-7 years of investment industry experience
- Making outsized contributions to her team, firm, and community
- Exhibiting leadership qualities
- Fostering a diverse and inclusive culture
- Please note that nominees do not need to live in Chicago
We look forward to honoring both awards at this year’s dinner on October 13th, 2022.
Thank you,
WIP