Beatrice Wolper to Receive International Women’s Forum Award
Award honors women who make a difference around the world
October 10, 2013 – COLUMBUS, OHIO – On Friday, October 18, before an audience of more than 1,300 women leaders in Vancouver, Canada, the International Women’s Forum (IWF) will present Columbus lawyer, mentor and women’s advocate Beatrice (Bea) Wolper with its Women Who Make a Difference Award.
The Women Who Make a Difference Awards are conveyed each year by IWF at its World Leadership Conference in recognition of women around the world who, by way of their example, contributions and exceptional leadership, have advanced opportunities for women and promoted better leadership for our world.
“I am honored and humbled by this wonderful recognition,” Wolper said. “Issues around women in leadership are very important to me personally, and much of the work I do – both professionally and personally – revolves around mentoring women and advancing women in their career and personal lives.”
Bea is a co-founder of the Conway Center for Family Business and serves as an Advisory Board member. She facilitates the Women in Family Business Peer Group. In these sessions, participants discuss issues and opportunities unique to women who own, lead or work within a family business.
In addition to her roles with the Conway Center for Family Business, Bea is the managing partner in the law firm of Emens & Wolper Law Firm LPA, in Columbus, Ohio. Her practice focuses on succession planning, estate planning, general corporate law, oil and gas law, and the buying and selling of businesses, with an emphasis on family-owned businesses.
She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Cincinnati (‘74) and received her Juris Doctor cum laude from Northern Kentucky University’s Chase College of Law (’78).
Bea serves as the Ohio President for the International Women’s Forum. In this role, in her practice, and in her personal endeavors, she has served as a mentor for hundreds women in the Central Ohio business community for many years.
“Long before we knew we needed one, Bea was building a network for women with the Women’s Business Center, the forerunner to the Conway Center for Family Business. This is just one example of her many efforts on behalf of women in business,” said Jean Patrick, co-owner of Cuzzins Yogurt in Columbus, Ohio.
“Bea’s trailblazing work started decades ago, and is still having an impact on today’s women leaders. She is one of the first ladies of leadership in the Columbus area, and we all continue to benefit from the work she’s done and continues to do,” said Mary Lynn Foster, president and CEO of the Children’s Hunger Alliance, a statewide non-profit organization.
“Bea Wolper has been instrumental in mentoring women in the Conway Family Business Center by providing many educational forums on all aspects of business and personal advancement,” said Suzanne Amstutz, vice president and treasurer at Ohio Power Tool, Inc. “By sharing her expert legal advice, she empowers women to make informed decisions that impact their business, family and assets. She challenges women to achieve success, while enjoying life and finding a balance between career and family.”
“The International Women’s Forum award is very special to me, and I will continue to work hard to make sure women in Columbus, Ohio, and all over our country have the right resources they need to achieve any dream they might have,” Wolper said.
The International Women’s Forum advances leadership across career, cultures and continents. Founded in 1982 in the United States, the IWF is a diverse association of more than 5,000 women leaders from academia, business, government, military, non-profit organizations, science and more.
