Wireform Manufacturer Heads to Camp

June 14, 2010 (PRLEAP.COM) Business News
MYSTIC, CT – For the second year in a row, Acme Wire Products President Mary Fitzgerald is heading to camp – the Girl Scouts of Connecticut's Camp CEO, that is.

Camp CEO, which has run in other parts of the U.S., as well, is designed to give girls ages 14-17 the chance to learn more about the experiences of female executives and to expose participants to careers they may not have considered.

"Most teens have a limited exposure to different types of professions and have a limited view of the leadership roles women play in a variety of industries," Fitzgerald said. "The camp challenges common teen expectations that women are not in fields such as technology, engineering, construction and manufacturing."

Aside from Fitzgerald's wireform expertise, other participating executives work in such fields as insurance, banking, higher education and government services.

During group meals, structured activities and downtime, the teen participants learn professional skills, explore different occupations and develop relationships that help open the girls' minds to the wide range of leadership opportunities available to them as adults.

For their part, the adult participants gain insight into the hopes, fears and interests of today's teenagers – and get the often rare chance to network with female leaders from other industries.

"There's definitely as much learning going on between the professional women as there is between the Scouts and the adults," Fitzgerald said. "I can attest to the positive experiences of both the executives and the girls."

Connecticut's 2010 Camp CEO runs from June 26 through June 30 at Camp Laurel in Lebanon, CT. For more details on the camp, visit www.gsofct.org.

As a teen, Fitzgerald attended her own sort of Camp CEO – working at her father's small factory during the summer. Those experiences led her to a 30-year+ career in manufacturing, culminating in her current position at Acme Wire Products. For more information on the wireform company, visit www.acmewire.com.