Financial History Issue 117 (Spring 2016) | Page 38
were only a few hundred on all of
Wall Street at the very most. But their
isolation actually forced them to seek
out other women (like themselves) by
attending FWA meetings and in some
cases becoming active members of the
FWA board. One striking strength of
the FWA was its ability to provide its
members with not only some of the
resources necessary to learn to maneuver on Wall Street, but also to provide a female space for the women to
meet one another and build important
ties and friendships with one another.
This domain was attached to but separate from Wall Street firms. Regularly
attending meetings, and forging ties of
mutual understanding, they fostered
deep friendships that provided emotional support as they dealt with difficult male bosses, for example. This
does not mean that the women did not
at times compete with one another or
even like one another. But to ignore
the role of female networks and friendships in the history of Wall Street
women’s advancement is to obscure
the meaning and impact of all female
ties on women’s careers in finance.
Looking forward, the FWA continues
to be a leading partner in professional
women’s success, dedicated to enhancing
the role of women in finance and investing
in the community, showcasing outstanding role models and mentoring and inspiring the pipeline of tomorrow’s talent.
Proclamation signed by President Bill Clinton declaring Women’s Equality Day, August 16, 1995.
36 FINANCIAL HISTORY | Spring 2016 | www.MoAF.org
Kimberly Weinrick is Head of Public
Affairs for OppenheimerFunds, a global
asset manager. She is past president of
the FWA (2013–2014) and actively serves
on its Board of Directors. Ria Davis is
General Counsel and Chief Compliance
Officer of Semper Capital Management,
L.P., an independent investment firm
specializing in residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities. She has
been a member of the FWA since 2002
and is currently FWA president-elect
(2017–2019).