HISTORY OF THE KANSAS CITY CHAPTER
1909
On April 8, 1909, seven young women who were students in the journalism program at the University of Washington in Seattle formed a women's journalism society that they called Theta Sigma Phi. They founded the society to enhance their visibility at the university and to newspapers around the country.
1915
Interest in the society grew, and by 1915 there were student chapters at the Universities of Missouri, Kansas, Indiana, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Oregon and Ohio State. These chapters formed the nucleus of a national organization that published The Matrix Magazine, which was mailed to each member.
1918
The first national convention of student chapters was held at the University of Kansas in Lawrence.
1919
In May 1919, the Greater Kansas City Professional Chapter of Theta Sigma Phi was founded. It was the national organization's first professional chapter.
1920
The Greater Kansas City Chapter grew, and at the national convention in Madison, Wisconsin, it was decided that professionals who were not members of Theta Sigma Phi could become members if they had two years of experience in the communications field. Applications for membership had to be approved by national headquarters. The Greater Kansas City Chapter grew rapidly and included members from Kansas City, Independence and North Kansas City in Missouri and Kansas City, Manhattan, Topeka, Paola and Leavenworth in Kansas. It was not unusual for these members to attend all the regular meetings, which were usually in members' homes.
1930-1940
As stated in the national bylaws, each chapter, both student and professional, celebrated the founding of Theta sigma Phi in April of each year by sponsoring a community project. Professional chapters had an event that honored outstanding women in communications. Student chapters announced their pledges and scholarship winners. These events became known as Matrix Tables. The forerunners of the Matrix Table were literary teas with celebrity speakers. Guests were asked for a donation, and half of these funds were sent to national to pay for a register of members who were seeking employment. Greater Kansas City Chapter teas were held in members' homes and were a very popular social event in this area.
1949
The Greater Kansas City Chapter sponsored its first Matrix Table at the Hotel Muehlbach. Gladys Feld Helzberg was chairman. Nelly Don of Nelly Dress Co. fame supplied favors for all who attended. Six area women were chosen as honorees at the Matrix Table. These women were outstanding in their fields of employment or volunteer work. The event was a huge success and became an affair that was greatly anticipated each year.
1951
The Hospitalized Veterans Writing Project was adopted as a national project at the national convention in Kansas City at the Hotel Muehlbach.
1952
The Greater Kansas City Chapter began publication of Veterans' Voices, a magazine written by veterans in U.S. Veterans Hospitals. Margaret Sally Keach was the first editor. Other staff members were Gladys Feld Helzberg, Charlotte McKenzie, Doris Quinn, Mary Jane Pieronnet, Josephine May, Helen Huyck, Betty Butler, Kay Dyer, Dorothy Martin, Lucille Doores and Mary Marcene Thomson.
1956
Nell Snead, women's editor for The Kansas City Star and Times, was named a national headliner at the national convention in Madison, Wisconsin.
1958
The Greater Kansas City Chapter received the Award of Excellence at the national convention in Seattle.
1959
President Harry S Truman and his wife, Bess, were invited to attend Matrix Table at the Hotel Muehlbach by Greater Kansas City Chapter member Susannah Gentry, city editor for the Independence Examiner. They both attended.
1960
Susannah Gentry extended another invitation to President and Mrs. Truman, and they again were guests at the Matrix Table.
1961
The national convention was in Lawrence, Kansas, sponsored by the Greater Kansas City Professional Chapter and the University of Kansas Student Chapter. Margaret Sally Keach was chairman, and every member of both chapters served on a committee. Lucille Doores, federal government reporter for the Kansas City Kansan, was named a national Headliner and Margaret Sally Keach received the National Distinguished Service Award at the convention.
1967
Jessie-Lea Williams received the National Distinguished Service Award at the national convention in Detroit, Michigan.
1972
With the Greek letters of Theta Sigma Phi indicating a social fraternity, delegates to the national convention in Houston voted to change the name to Women in Communications, Inc. (WICI). They also voted to admit men to membership. John Mack Carter, editor of Good Housekeeping and a speaker at the convention, applied and was the first man to join. Margaret Clark was our delegate and witnessed the signing.
1974
Margaret Clark was named editor of Veterans' Voices and has continued in that position for 25 years.
1976
The Bicentennial Edition of Veterans' Voices was published. The 100-page edition was awarded the Henry Ford Freedom Foundation Award. Margaret Sally Keach accepted the award at Valley Forge.
1985
Christine Craft was the keynote speaker at the 1985 Matrix dinner, which generated lots of media attention. Craft, a news anchor, sued the CBS Kansas City affiliate for unlawful dismissal. The television station considered Craft too unattractive (they called her a "dog") and too old to read the news.
1987
Ginny Ward Graves, a pioneer in educating children about the "built environment," was the Matrix Award recipient at the last Matrix dinner sponsored by the Greaater Kansas City Chapter.
1988
Sally Keach, long-time WICI member and founder of the Hospitalized Veterans Writing Project, received the Headliner Award at the national conference in Washington, D.C.
1989
The Greater Kansas City Chapter established the Leading Change Award to recognize a chapter member who demonstrates outstanding leadership, promotes the image of WICI or leads change within WICI or the country. Kirstin McBride was the first recipient, recognizing the Freedom of Information program she chaired. It brought together representatives from all areas of the media. The event garnered national attention when members of the Ku Klux Klan picketed outside the Unicorn Theatre where the program was held.
Later additional awards were established recognizing "A Friend of AWC," "Unsung Hero" and "Super Newcomer."
These are not annual awards. They are presented only when one deserves to be recognized for superior achievement benefiting the organization.
1992
"Get to the Heart of the Matter," the Midwest Regional Conference was chaired by Pat Meads. More than 100 representatives from WICI chapters in Kansas City, Denver, Manhattan, Topeka, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Springfield and St. Louis attended the two-day event at the Plaza Inn.
1993
Kansas City wins the Outstanding Chapter Award at the national conference.
1993 and 1994
An area freelance directory is compiled and updated by the chapter. Copies are sold to freelancers.
1994
A summer social event, a brunch held on a Saturday morning in August, is inaugurated by Pat Meads to introduce prospective members to WICI and its members.
The Greater Kansas City Chapter, the oldest professional chapter founded in 1919, celebrated its 75th anniversary at a formal dinner at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The keynote speaker was Sharon Brown, a principal in Brown vs. The Board of Education, a landmark case whose ruling paved the way for the end of segregated public schools.
1995
The Greater Kansas City Chapter hosted the National Professional Conference at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. It attracted more than 400 members from around the country. Linda Meierhoffer and Pat Meads chaired the conference, which added $3,000 to the chapter's treasury. Michelle Strang Moore orchestrated the "Night Out," which featured a trolley ride to the Plaza and dinner at Figlio's Tower. Guests were entertained by a local jazz trio. The event helped offset expenses related to the 75th anniversary celebration.
1997
Mary Pitchford, editor of American Careers magazine, accepted the Clarion Award for the publisher, Career Communications, Inc., at the national conference in Minneapolis.
1998-1999
Linda Cruse was among the first chapter presidents at the national Professional Conference in Philadelphia to obtain a chapter Web site, one of her goals as president, through an arrangement between the national headquarters and KOZ Communications. Krista Rogers produced the chapter's first Web site, which had sections devoted to the newsletter, calendar and threaded discussion.
1999
The Entrepreneur Conference, held on the University of Missouri-Kansas City campus and chaired by Elaine Scott, won an Outstanding Special Project Award for the Greater Kansas City Chapter at the national conference in Austin, Texas.
1999-2000
To commemorate Kansas City's 150th anniversary, chapter members write a history of the city that appeared in installments over a 12-month period in the Kansas City Small Business Monthly published by Kelly Scanlon. Mary Reed coordinated the project.
2000
The national organization officially changes its name to the Association for Women in communications (AWC) from Women in Communications, Inc., to satisfy a legal clarification.
2001
"How to Dot-Com," an e-commerce seminar, is sponsored by the Greater Kansas City Chapter. The "new media" program earns the top award for an outstanding special project at the national conference.
A new chapter Web site designed by member Lisa Holmes, co-owner of Yulan Studio, makes its debut. It includes monthly online chapter news, which saves the chapter a considerable amount of money to produce and mail a monthly printed newsletter.