The Belizean Grove--Old Girls' Club Rising
At a time when even highly-achieved women are still defined by what they wear, it's great to see the old girls' club changing its style.
Members of the highly-selective, all-female Belizean Grove met February in Cartagena, Colombia for their annual retreat--a four-day event that likely included recreation, panel discussions and focus groups, as well as evening receptions with dignitaries and politicians, as in years past.
Although the club prefers to stay out of the public eye, they received quite a bit of attention in 2009, when soon-to-be Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor was criticized for her membership in the exclusive group, which she subsequently quit. Belizean Club founder Susan Stautberg, president of PartnerCom and co-founder of WomenCorporateDirectors, told the press, "The Belizean Grove is proud and privileged to have had Sonia Sotomayor as a member."
Slowly and inconspicuously, the group has grown from 25 to 125 in a little over a decade. According to a recent New York Times article, "The Grovers originally gathered because they otherwise had few outlets for their concerns as they climbed the corporate ladder. But their meetings have led to a continuing dialogue about business, with members gaining access to capital and connections outside their established circles."
Participants in the group's elite gatherings meet yearly in Belize or another Central or South American country, with additional convocations at their New York headquarters or other locations sponsored by members. They make up some of the world's great movers and shakers in various disciplines, from technology to media, from the military to the arts.
It isn't as easy as being the best in your field--or the richest--in order to join. Much like the 139-year-old, all-male Bohemian Grove in California (after which which the Belizean Grove is partially modeled), initiation rites remain a mystery. It appears prospective members must first be sponsored, carefully interviewed, and introduced around at meetings and retreats. If the group agrees she's a good fit, the membership committee passes the candidate through.
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