About Us

History of WIP

WIP began as a small, loosely knit group of about 15 women who were investment professionals on the institutional side of the business. Joanne Hickman and Carla Straeten were the co-founders of the organization established in 1996. Joanne said, "We established WIP to offer women from all constituencies in the pension investment business a means to network and share business and career experiences as we all worked to meet the common needs of our clients and colleagues. As the organization took on a more formal look, we were able to offer meetings, educational workshops, and charity events to meet the needs of our membership."

Early members found that creating networking opportunities for themselves helped them in exchanging ideas and creating more personal connections within the industry. Where appropriate, they shared business ideas and opportunities as they arose. As word spread and events began to attract more participants, the group decided to become incorporated as Women Investment Professionals in 2000.

Today, WIP Chicago is a non-profit organization that provides a forum for networking and professional development for women involved in institutional investing, including plan sponsors, investment managers, consultants, accountants and attorneys. WIP achieves this objective through a variety of activities, including quarterly events, committee involvement, philanthropic initiatives, its website and newsletter. WIP provides members access to information on job opportunities within the industry by posting positions on its website.

Mission Statement

Women Investment Professionals (WIP) is a professional women's organization that supports women in the institutional investment community. We accomplish this by providing networking, professional and personal development opportunities, and education programs to our diverse membership. Our core values are integrity and collaboration.

Strategic Goals