From: shores@hiatt.unx.sas.com (Veronica Shores)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Anyone ever hear of "National Assn. of Female Execs (NAFE")?
Date: 7 Oct 92 19:22:45 GMT
Organization: SAS Institute Inc.

In article <1992Oct7.042126.28006@spectra.com> johnson@spectra.com (boyd johnson) writes:
>
>My wife just received a solicitation for membership in the "National
>Association for Female Executives" or NAFE based in NY, NY.
> 
>Does anyone have any information about the organization they could
>share with me?  
> 

This is a great networking organization.  I've been a member for several
years and I'm the director of the Triangle Network, a business and social
network for women in the triangle area (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, 
Garner, etc. North Carolina). We are a member network affiliated with NAFE.

Even if there are no local networks in your area, the magazine alone is 
worth the $29!  If you travel, the contacts in other cities can be 
invaluable.  NAFE sends it's members a network directory listing 
directors, phone#, address, etc. for local networks all over the USA.  
You can contact the various directors in the cities you'll be visiting
to find out about local meetings/events that you can attend while you're 
there.  All the discounts you get on various services (hotel rooms, car 
rentals, insurance, etc.) are nice, too.


>It looks like a reputable professional networking group, but we have
>reason to be suspicious of it.
>It came bulk rate.
>They claim to have a "local organization in virtually every major city
>-- including the one nearest you", but they are not listed in the San
>Diego phone book.

Bulk rate is used by everyone today :-)  The Triangle Network is not
listed in the phone book, but we are listed with the Chamber of Commerce
and other associations that typically track/maintain lists of local
resources/professional associations. Just because they're not in the 
phone book doesn't mean that they don't exist or are not reputable.  
They may just be poor :-)  Most networks are non-profit (though some do
operate as profit oriented organizations) and some are specific to a 
particular industry or segment (computer industry, women business owners,
accountants, etc).  

The Triangle Network meets once a month for regular meetings and we also 
organize social events (dinners, plays, etc.) and coordinate group 
seating/attendance at professional seminars/workshops in the area. Our
network is open to all women in the triangle--we're not tied to a specific
industry or segment. 

Please remember that the local networks are separate from the national
organization.  Most local networks have annual dues and meeting fees, too.
The Triangle Network dues are $20/yr.  So, for $49/year you get national 
and local membership in our area.  Each network sets their own fees and
operating structure. The great thing about local networks is that they
are unique!

Networking is getting together with people and sharing information and
resources. If you're working on a business plan, you can ask other members
for help/suggestions.  Or maybe you're looking for a good attorney and
would like some recommendations.  Or maybe you just attended a great 
seminar and would like to talk about some things you learned. There's 
really no end to the possibilities.

-- 
                     | "It's a new place, but you've always been here
Veronica L. Shores   |  You're just listening to old voices with a new ear"
(shores@unx.sas.com) |                      --  John Hiatt