The Women’s Leadership Conference — Back In Las Vegas

May 8, 2015 3:00 PM ET

By Jim Murren

2007, MGM Resorts International partnered with community organizations and Las Vegas businesses to create an event that has evolved to the Women’s Leadership Conference. This year’s conference is July 13 & 14 at MGM Grand Las Vegas.

The idea behind the conference – or WLC – is to provide women and their colleagues with an enrichment experience that will help them advance in their professional roles. A nonprofit event, we view WLC as an opportunity to enrich our communities and pay it forward to the organizations in our communities who support the growth and resilience of girls and women. All proceeds collected from the conference, after costs, are donated.

After last year’s conference, $30,000 was donated to WestCare Nevada’s Women and Children’s Campus, a place that provides a variety of services to women and families including counseling and substance abuse treatment, health education and wellness, transitional housing, and more.

Why a conference to further develop gender diversity and leadership?

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, women are a powerful demographic in the U.S. workforce. In 2010, they comprised 46.8 percent of the total U.S. labor force. They are also expanding their roles, taking on more leadership and entrepreneurial opportunities. In recent years, women-owned businesses have become a major force in the U.S. economy; since 2007, they have employed 7.6 million workers and reported $1.2 trillion in sales.

Last year’s conference drew a record crowd with more than 900 people attending signifying that communities and their women are seeking guidance on how to grow in their professional lives. As a testament, a large percentage of attendees return yearly to network, receive training, and attend workshops and keynote addresses that touch on topics that have a real and lasting impact on their careers.

To read the article in it's entirety, please visit: http://www.triplepundit.com/special/women-in-leadership/the-womens-leadership-conference-back-in-las-vegas/