CWLI Impact dinner
The annual CWLI Impact Leadership Dinner is scheduled from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 22 at the Chattanooga Convention Center. Information about tickets and sponsorship is available online at www.cwli.org or by calling 423-394-8173.
Jennifer Hyman, co-founder and chief executive officer of Rent the Runway, will be the keynote speaker at the Chattanooga Women's Leadership Institute's (CWLI) 13th annual IMPACT Leadership Dinner in February.
Hyman founded Rent the Runway in 2009 as an online service that provides designer dress and accessory rentals and has grown the business to more than 6 million members and 1,100 employees. In the competitive $1.7 trillion fashion industry, Hyman raised more than $190 million in venture capital for her business, which has a staff that is more than 60 percent female and 70 percent minority.
"Jennifer has built a thriving IT and logistics company within the online fashion sector and is a great example of female business leadership in the typically male-dominated tech and startup worlds," said Holly Ashley, executive director of CWLI. "She helped build Rent the Runway from scratch with a female classmate from business school and is now prepping for an initial public stock offering just eight years later. Her message of strong female leadership and business foresight will be inspiring to our membership and IMPACT event guests."
The CWLI Impact Dinner will be held at the Chattanooga Convention Center from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 22. Julie Baumgardner, 2018 IMPACT chairwoman, said the fundraising dinner "serves as a celebration of CWLI's impact and gives its attendees and sponsors a way to financially support the organization's efforts.
"And it doesn't hurt that we get to meet some of the country's most successful women in leadership at the same time," Baumgardner said.
Founded in 1996, CWLI has more than 600 members and works to increase the leadership capabilities and influence of women in the Chattanooga community.
Hyman has been honored with recognitions including Forbes' "12 Most Disruptive Names in Business," Fortune's "Most Powerful Female Entrepreneurs," and Fast Company's "Most Creative People in Business."
Rent the Runway was named one of the "25 Most Disruptive Brands" by Forbes, one of the "50 companies disrupting the status- quo" by CNBC, and one of the "50 Best Websites" by Time magazine.