Women's Economic Round Table.

The brainchild of Maria Rolfe, the Women's Economic Round Table (WERT) was formed in 1978 as an educational and networking forum in the fields of economics, finance, and business. Round table discussions, open to the public, were held every other month and highlighted national and international policy makers. Although both men and women served as panelists, only women were featured as moderators and questioners at the programs. Program topics included business journalism, fashion marketing and trends, micro-finance, investment strategies, national and international economic news and forecasts, and the effects of economic policies. Beginning in 1988, the Maria and Sidney E. Rolfe Awards were given nine times to individuals for contributions affecting national and global economic policy, and for economic education-oriented achievement. From 2000 to 2004, WERT awarded two business journalism prizes, for lifetime achievement, and for reporting on entrepreneurship. In 2004, WERT was reconstituted as an annual Women's Economic Round Table program as part of Columbia University's School of Journalism's Knight-Bagehot Fellowship Program in Business and Economics.

From the description of Records, 1976-2005 (inclusive), 1978-2004 (bulk). (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 123439115

The Women's Economic Round Table®, Inc. (WERT), an educational and networking forum in the fields of national and global economics, finance, and business, was founded in New York City in 1978 by Maria Vernicos Carras Rolfe (1913-1983). Rolfe was an Egyptian-born Greek national who grew up in London and worked in international business, investing, and philanthropy. She emigrated to the United States in 1959, and the following year married her second husband, international economist Sidney E. Rolfe (1921-1976). Upon his death, Maria Rolfe determined to continue his legacy in the field of economics by working to include more women in the higher echelons of that and related fields. Amelia Augustus, who first served WERT as consultant, went on to become executive director, and to head the organization as president following Rolfe's death. Also of Greek heritage, Augustus had previously worked with the United Nations and Amnesty International.

The Women's Economic Round Table®, Inc., a 501 (c)(3) organization, held bimonthly roundtable discussions, open to the public, featuring noted policymakers, and strived to educate its members (who included both men and women) about economic issues, and provide them with access to national decision-makers in the fields of economics, business, and finance. Part of WERT's mission was to highlight and make visible women who were experts in their fields; althought both men and women served as panelists, only women were featured as questioners and moderators at the programs. Program topics included business journalism, fashion marketing and trends, micro-finance, investment strategies, national and international economic news and forecasts, and the effects of national and global economic policies. Speakers included ambassadors and ministers of foreign countries, U.S. Cabinet members, senators and congresspeople, governors of the Federal Reserve Board, journalists and editors at newspapers and television stations, authors, professors and private-sector CEOs and executives.

On its tenth anniversary, WERT launched the Maria and Sidney E. Rolfe Awards for contributions affecting national and global economic policy and for contributions to educating the public about economics, business, and finance. These awards were given nine times between 1988 and 2003. In 1998 WERT celebrated its twentieth anniversary by honoring several founding members with Business Enterprise awards. From 2000 to 2004, WERT awarded two journalism prizes: a Lifetime Achievement award for women financial journalists, and an award for distinguished reporting on entrepreneurship.

In 2004, WERT was dissolved as an organization, but it continues in the form of a yearly Women's Economic Round Table®, Inc. program at the Columbia University School of Journalism's Knight-Bagehot Fellowship Program in Business and Economics.

From the guide to the Records, 1976-2005 (inclusive), 1978-2004 (bulk), (Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute)