Global Fastener News

2010 FIN – When and who was the first woman leader of a fastener association?

With the launch of a fastener women’s networking event in May 2010, FIN surveyed association records to find the first woman president.

The search so far has found Linda Beaver to be the first woman president. In 1979-80 she headed the Los Angeles Fastener Association. Beaver repeated as president for 1980-81 and 1983-84.
Other LAFA woman presidents are: Anne Sullivan (1984-86), Sharon Davis (1993-94) and Dale Tarantino (1998-2000).

• Mary McClure of Capitol Bolt & Supply became chair of the Southwestern Fastener Association for 1987.
Subsequent SFA woman chairs were Chris Longyear, Metric & Multistandard Components, 1994; Cindy Summers, Fastener Sales, 2002; and Mary Jane Carr, Stelfast Inc. 2006.
The first SFA woman president was Fran Jacoby in 1984. Subsequent SFA woman presidents were: Paula Sens, Advanced Components, 1990; Kathy Malkemes, Fastener Sales, 1994; Susan Davis, Fastener Sales, 1999; Mary Chambers, Isodyne Sales Inc., 2001; and Mary Jane Carr, Stelfast Inc., 2005.

• A year after her SFA role McClure also became the first woman president of the National Fastener Distributors Association for 1988-89.
Subsequent woman NFDA presidents were Bryn Tuttle Stock (2006-2007) and Wendy Rose (2009-2010).
Rebecca Branson was the first female NFDA associate chair (2003-05) and since then Char Cooper was associate chair for 2007-08.

• The first female president of the Southeastern Fastener Association was Em Web in 1991-92. Current president Joanne Bialas is the second.

• Bobby Barnhill (1994-96) of Barnhill Bolt was the first Western Association of Fastener Distributors woman president. Women presidents of WAFD since then were Alison Hubbard (2004-07) and Suzanne Dukes (2007-09).

• Alina Agresto of Delta Secondary was the 1994-95 president of the Chicago Bolt, Nut & Screw Association (now known as the Mid-West Fastener Association). As of 2010 Agresto remains the only woman president in the 64-year of CBNSA or M-WFA.

• Leslie Sieper of Fastbolt was the 1999-2002 president of the Metropolitan Fastener Distributors Association. That made her president during four years, two decades, two centuries and two millenniums.

• Carol Peters of Atlantic Fasteners was president of the New England Fastener Distributors Association in 2005-2006.

• Tammy Huang of Rexlen Corp. is the current president of the Taiwan Fastener Trading Association.

• Founded in 1931, the Industrial Fasteners Institute is likely to have its first woman chair in 2011 as Jennifer Johns Friel of Mid West Fabricating Co. is the current vice chair. ©2010 GlobalFastenerNews.com