Greene County News Service

03/29/2005

 

Women’s Resource Collaborative to be Open for Business April 1. 

 

Getting from Giving, by Elizabeth Studebaker, Feature Writer

 

Greene County Community Foundation believed in the vision of Women’s Resource Collaborative (WRC) to provide women in various stages of career transition with a vast array of resources to enable them to start their own business or transition to a new career.  As a direct result, Ed Marrinan, Greene CCF Executive Director, said “the Collaborative has become a component part of the Foundation”.   

 

When WRC needed office space, Greene County Community Foundation was also open to sharing their space in downtown Xenia.  Effective April 1st, second floor offices at Greene and Main Sts., “is a place where women in the greater Miami Valley can come and get the support they need to start their own business or transition their careers”, Catherine Springer, Executive Director, explains. 

 

Over twenty-eight volunteer professionals – both men and women – assist in developing and executing the WRC programs that provide “Resources for women in work and in life”.  These volunteers are representative of an ever increasing adult professional population that brings a depth of knowledge and career expertise to volunteerism in our local communities. 

 

According to Catherine, WRC provides resources to women who are in career transition…both physically (space) and virtually (on the WRC web page @ wrcmv.org – effective 4/1/05).  Women’s Resource Collaborative offers participants:

  • Actual training classes
  • Career and business start-up coaching
  • Professional mentoring
  • Business luncheon series

Most of the training and coaching is held at the offices in Xenia or in partnership with the Small Business Development Center on Research Blvd. in Dayton. 

 

While Catherine and three others, Dr. Patti McCormick, RN, Kate Unrath, and Arini Beaumaris, are founders of WRC, four other volunteers have devoted extensive time and experience to creating the Women’s Resource Collaborative; Victory Dorrian, Stacey White, Peggy Steinberg and Lonnie Mims. 

 

Catherine worked in retail management for 15 years until 1992 when she returned to school full time to purse her degree in Psychology.  While in school, she worked in a granted position with St. Mary Development and also worked with Springer Group Consultants as a trainer for local non-profit organizations.  She graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Dayton in 1996. 

 

Catherine then worked with Standard Register and NCR as a human resources generalist and staffing manager, with responsibility for people and projects throughout the country, which exposed her to the total range of an employee’s life within an organization, from initial hiring plans to exiting the organization, for whatever the reason.  In 2003, Catherine began working full time in her own organization; Springer Group Consultants.  Her business focuses on the people within organizations, from the initial hiring planning to professional development.  Her business works primarily with non-profits and small-to-medium sized businesses.  

 

Marrinan says, “Catherine Springer utilizes her knowledge to help others in the best possible way – providing the tools that may include a job description, interview guide, performance evaluation, succession/progression planning, performance improvement plans and general training.  Collaboration and synergy are very important to her, and she will always seek ways to ensure high quality initiatives while providing the resources needed”. 

 

Springer moved to Greene County in the fall of 2000, residing with her husband Jon in Sugarcreek Township.  They have three adult children.  Jon is the owner of Westar Construction, Inc., an industrial construction company.

 

If you’d like to learn more about Women’s Resource Collaborative, its’ services, how to get involved, volunteer, or donate to the organization, phone 937-862-9980. 

 

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Studebaker, feature writer for Greene County dailies, is a consultant for the Greene County Community Foundation.  For information about Greene CCF, call Ed Marrinan, Executive Director, at (936) 562-5556.  Foundation offices are located at 25 Greene St., in downtown Xenia.