It is called Belizean Grove, and if you haven’t heard of it, you’re not alone. Founded 12 years ago, it operates mostly under the radar. The first time it received any real public attention was in 2009, when it became known that Sonia Sotomayor, now a Supreme Court justice, was among its 125 or so members. (She has since quit.)
Despite its low profile, Belizean Grove is fast becoming what could be considered the world’s ultimate old girls’ club. Perhaps that’s no surprise, as it is modeled on one of the nation’s most exclusive old boys’ clubs, Bohemian Grove. That hush-hush group, an extension of the 139-year-old Bohemian Club in San Francisco, has counted so many rich and powerful men among its ranks — including the presidents Eisenhower, Carter, Nixon and both Bushes — that it sounds like something out of a Dan Brown novel. Indeed, in 1942, the men of Bohemian Grove, who meet each summer under a canopy of redwoods in Monte Rio, Calif., dreamed up the Manhattan Project.
Some members of Belizean Grove are working on a mission of their own: the White House Project. Its goal is to have a woman elected president. “Grovers,” as the members are known, tend to be in their 50s and 60s, and though most are not household names, they represent a rare confluence of wealth and influence. They serve as directors of companies including Xerox, Procter & Gamble, NYSE Euronext, Nasdaq, Nordstrom, DSW, PetSmart and REI. Some previously held high-level positions at blue-chip companies but then left to form their own businesses. Members also include a Canadian senator and the chief operating officer of the Episcopal Church. Many are Americans, but others are from countries including Colombia, Ecuador, Iceland and New Zealand.
Grovers have capitalized on their network by cutting deals, making multimillion-dollar investments and hiring and mentoring up-and-coming businesswomen. Along the way, the group has become a model for a growing number of women’s business networks.
Members say they have worked and invested together and helped one another join corporate boards, but they are hesitant to reveal details of specific deals. Above all, Grovers protect one another’s privacy.
At Belizean retreats, which are held in January or February, Grovers introduce themselves at an opening dinner and are encouraged to mix with participants they don’t know. Two-thirds of the attendees will have roommates. Occasionally, women who have never met will bunk together.
They spend mornings in panel discussions based on the retreat’s particular theme; in recent years, those themes have included “Complexity,” “Shaping Our Future” and “Wisdom and Spirit.” At the sessions, Grovers showcase their areas of expertise, opining on issues as diverse as military strategy, marine life, philanthropy and how revolutions in the Middle East may affect the geopolitical balance.
At lunchtime, women break into moderated discussion groups on topics like climate change, managing finances in times of crisis, dream interpretation and “Should I get a facelift?” Afternoons are reserved for free time. In the evenings, the women might attend a reception at the United States embassy with the host country’s leading politicians and dignitaries.
As Grovers look ahead, many believe the best way to aid subsequent generations of women is to back female entrepreneurs.
Grovers are not alone in sponsoring up-and-comers, but they have a head start. Five years ago, Belizean Grove formed a group called Today’s Already Rising Achievers, or TARA, for women in their 30s and 40s. The TARAs, with a membership of about 45, are invited to join Grovers for the last two days of their retreats and to participate in less formal events throughout the year.
While some businesswomen celebrate women-only networks as their own “golf game,” others bristle at the idea that gender should inform business alliances. Many senior women say supportive male bosses and mentors have been instrumental in their rise. And because men still hold the keys to power — 97 percent of Fortune 500 C.E.O. positions and 84 percent of corporate board memberships, to be exact — some businesswomen are wary of networking in isolation.
“The most successful women I know are not focused on who has what chromosomes," says Karen White, a former senior executive at Oracle who is now a technology investor and executive chairman of Syncplicity, a company that uses cloud computing for file management. “Investing my time in developing a gender-specific business network doesn’t make sense. There is an incredibly vibrant network in my industry and that’s the playing field I want to be on.”
Source: The New York Times, April 3, 2011
