{{Short description|American business organization}} {{About||the website|The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead}} {{Multiple issues| {{Notability|Organizations|date=November 2016}} {{Advert|date=November 2016}} }}
'''Inforum''', headquartered in downtown Detroit and in Grand Rapids, was founded as the Women's Economic Club (WEC) in July 1962.
== History == The WEC was created when Marie Moon, Alice Snider, Thelma Murrell and Dorothy Seifert gathered a group of 23 women together to discuss the formation of a luncheon club.<ref name=MI>{{Cite web |title=About - Inforum Michigan |url=https://myinforum.org/about/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |language=en-US}}</ref> The WEC officially received its charter from the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs (NFBPWC) in 1962. It became an independent organization with its own by-laws in 1965.
In 2005, members voted to change the name of the organization to Inforum: A Professional Women's Alliance. This better reflected the mission of the organization, which was to strengthen the business environment in Michigan by creating opportunities for women to lead and succeed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Inforum |url=http://michiganvca.org/investor/inforum/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Michigan Venture Capital Association |language=en-US}}</ref> Activities and programs encompass luncheons, seminars, leadership courses, and other networking events which allow members to build alliances with colleagues into empowering combinations.
Since 2003, Inforum has published a biennial study with the Wayne State University School of Business Administration to analyze the number of women board members on Fortune 500 companies.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Detroit Free Press |url=https://www.freep.com/restricted/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.freep.com%2Fstory%2Fmoney%2Fbusiness%2Fcolumnists%2Fcarol-cain%2F2024%2F02%2F03%2Fmichigan-women-leadership-report-corporations-inforum%2F72419748007%2F&gps-source=CPROADBLOCKDH |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=www.freep.com}}</ref>
In June 2016, members voted to transfer Inforum's assets to the Inforum Center for Leadership. The combined 501(c)(3) charitable and educational nonprofit operates as Inforum.<ref name=MI />
==Leadership== The 52-person Inforum Board of Directors is led by Diana Tremblay, vice president of global services, General Motors. Terry Barclay is the organization's President and CEO.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Board of Directors & Staff - Inforum Michigan |url=https://myinforum.org/about/inforum-board-directors-staff/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |language=en-US}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}} * ''Detroit Free Press'', “New Women’s Club a Reality,” July 30, 1962 * {{cite web|url=http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20160629/BLOG009/160629707/inforum-consolidation-expected-to-translate-to-more-members-and |title=Crain's Detroit Business Subscription Center |website=Crainsdetroit.com |date= 29 June 2016|accessdate=2016-11-17}} * {{cite web|url=http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20151101/NEWS/311019986/study-number-of-michigan-women-in-top-jobs-stagnates |title=Crain's Detroit Business : Subscription Center |website=Crainsdetroit.com |date= 30 October 2015|accessdate=2016-11-17}}
== External links == *{{Official website|https://myinforum.org/}} *[https://myinforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/121223-Inforum-V4-FINAL.pdf Official website] 2024 report
Category:Women's organizations based in the United States Category:501(c)(3) organizations