Skip to main content
                       

                                  

          The Association for Women in Communications

HomeAWC History: 1990s

AWC Timeline: 1990s

 
 
 
 
 
<< Back to AWC’s History

Baby boomers dominated the work force. The Small Business Administration declared that in the ‘90s women would own 80 percent of all new businesses. However, despite the growing number of female entrepreneurs, women still were underrepresented in the news, both as reporters and newsmakers.

WICI leaders instituted the Rising Star Award in 1990 for outstanding student members.

In 1993, representatives of WICI were re-elected to the board of directors of the National Committee on Pay Equity. Toward the end of the year, WICI joined forces with Capital Cities/ABE, Inc. on Phase II of the national “Stop Sexual Harassment” campaign.

When WICI celebrated its 85th anniversary in 1994, its members discussed a new mission and vision. The organization reiterated its commitment to the following principles:  to promote the advancement of women in all fields of communications, to work for First Amendment rights and responsibilities of communicators, to recognize distinguished professional achievements and to promote high professional standards throughout the communications industry.

The period from 1993 to 1996 was turbulent for Women in Communications, Inc. The organization began a serious self-examination effort coordinated by former national president Christy Bulkeley. The “Fundamentals for the Future” task force made the recommendation the organization be restructured for more effective operations.

At the WICI annual conference in Portland, Oregon, in October 1996, the delegates voted to dissolve Women in Communications, Inc., and form The Association for Women in Communications (AWC) as its successor organization. They envisioned a new organization true to its heritage and founding principles. The new structure had an 11-member board with broad geographic and chapter size coverage and was managed by Patricia H. Troy CAE, Next Wave Group, LLC.

In 1998 the AWC Board of Directors established the International Matrix Award. The first recipient was Jane Pauley of NBC Dateline at the National Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In 1999, AWC was once again at the forefront of organizations as it moved more of its communications online:  membership directory, electronic magazine, chapter leader guides, conference and membership registration and more.