Pearls and Purpose

Bringing together incredible leaders in our community is such a rewarding part of my job. How wonderful to be able to create positive value for the audience and make a positive impact on our community. Recently all this positivity came together in a way I couldn’t imagine.

I had the great honor of hosting General Angie Salinas, CEO of the Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas, at the first PwC “Power and Purpose” women’s event in San Antonio. Angie discussed the importance of empowering the next generation of young female leaders and how to raise young girls to grow up to be capable and confident, knowing they can achieve anything if they work hard enough.

Angie would know.

Prior to her role with the Girl Scouts, she served in the U.S. Marine Corps for 39 years. She was the first Latina selected and promoted to the general officer ranks in the U.S. Marine Corps. At the time of her retirement in September 2013, she was the senior ranking woman and Hispanic in the Corps.

She spoke with candor about challenges in a male-dominated field, and how her experience serving our country for almost four decades translated into a role where she inspires and champions young women on a daily basis.

Pearls

At the event, Angie actually surprised me with a simple strand of pearls. It was her way of saying thank you for my involvement as a founding member of Juliette's Circle in San Antonio. The group is named after Juliette Gordon Low who founded Girl Scouts in 1912. I was moved and touched by this gesture, and feel inclined to share with my network how important the Girl Scouts are, and how you, as business leaders in San Antonio, can also get involved.

Purpose

Angie polled the all-female audience at our event, "Who here has been in the Girl Scouts?" I was surprised to see almost every single hand go up, mine included. Here are some more fun facts about the far reaches of the Girl Scouts:

• Successful businesswomen who are Girl Scout alumnae include Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube, and Virginia Rometty, CEO of IBM.
• Girl Scout alumnae in the world of public service include former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
• There are currently six women serving as governors across the U.S.—and five are Girl Scouts.
• The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest girl-led business in the world.
• Digital Cookie gives girls a robust, hands-on, and entertaining learning experience to sell cookies via website or mobile app. The program teaches girls budgeting and resource allocation using a “spend, save, and give” model.

Are you convinced? Angie told our group a simple statement “However much you want to get involved, we have a spot just for you.” Here's a few simple links to get started with the Girl Scouts:

1. Volunteer - As a volunteer, you’ll introduce girls to new experiences that show them they’re capable of more than they imagined. You’ll be a role model and mentor, helping them develop skills and confidence that will last a lifetime.

2. Donate – Did you know just $150 will provide a financial literacy program for 15 girls to help them learn how to save for their future?

The Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas is empowering an army of young girls who have courage, confidence, and character, and are making the world a better place-- and I couldn’t be happier to do my small part to help them get there.

By Susan Hough, PwC San Antonio Director of Marketing and Sales