In December 2007, Network of Memphis celebrates its thirtieth year of being. Being a “unique oasis”1 in Memphis, Tennessee for professional women.

In the fall of 1977, Sally Ordway, a stockbroker with Merrill Lynch and a newcomer to Memphis, called Betsey King, a banker with First Tennessee Bank, and Mary Robinson, a stockbroker with the Robinson, Humphrey Company, asking them to lunch. She wanted to get together with other women in executive financial fields and form a support group to share experiences, opportunities, and obstacles and just have fun together.²   They each called their friends, who called their friends.

On December 8, 1977, about forty professional women, many of whom had been very active in civil rights and women’s rights, met at the Petroleum Club. As Mary Robinson recalls, “We stood in a circle, introducing ourselves to each other. We weren’t interested in another women’s group with a project or a purpose; there were already enough of those”.³   These “new women” wanted something else; a rest from so much seriousness. They wanted a “good ole girls club.” This was a gathering of women who had found each other via the telephone, eager to gather and “share with each other the experiences of being a sociological phenomenon – women working on equal professional levels with men.”⁴   They were lawyers, doctors, stock and insurance brokers, elected women, professors, teachers, real estate agents, actresses, artists, therapists and politically active housewives.

Sally, Betsey and Mary must have been overwhelmed, thrilled and intoxicated by the number of women who attended that first meeting. You can imagine how they may have felt when "10 valiant souls braved the snow on January 19 [1978] to drink together at The Pier. No grand plans were formulated, but the consensus was ‘continue to get together in unstructured atmospheres and the sooner the better.’ So . . . your steering committee has made a command decision: We meet for lunch."⁵

The group played around with names for a while before finally choosing “Network.” The March 1978 newsletter, Network Doings, began with the following paragraph: "For this edition of the newsletter, at least, we are to be known as the ‘Network.’ Our erstwhile attempts at naming the group have included the words ‘professional women.’ That somehow brings to mind massive clubwomen in navy blue serge or ladies of the evening! Whosoever feels creative is welcome to christen us."

Just two months later, in May 1978, another newsletter was published entitled Good Ole Girls Newsletter. In this edition, editor Helen Denton reported that the “consensus was that ‘network’ was too vague and may be more intimidating than descriptive. We all liked ‘Good Ole Girls’ for this is exactly what we are for the moment: we believe the ‘network’ aspect is implicit and will gain momentum, evolving as we go.”

The newly created Network organization “waxed and waned for some months, deciding what a network ought to do or be.”⁶  Mary Robinson hosted a cookout in June 1978 to discuss organization and direction. They shouldn’t have bothered, for it became what these women were – “a coalition of people with rare and special talents who need no structure or organizational plan to express what we feel or get what we have to do done.”⁷   The legend of an early newsletters described Network as “an informal organization of professional women whose goal is to promote, enhance and support each other through business contacts and social interaction.” As Helen Denton said it, “We were our own cause; supporting ourselves and each other was our only cause.”⁸

Before Network was even one year old, the self-appointed steering committee decided it was time to take advantage of the expertise of the membership. In November 1978, with 46 members present, the dinner program was introduced. Happy Jones and Mimi Rice, associated with the Center for Personal Growth moderated Scripts Women Live. The program focused on the psychological decisions women make based on their own circumstances and how society reinforces them.

As founding mother Mary Robinson tells it, “We were a group of women. We had informal leadership with no officers or board. A self-appointed steering committee chose a chairman to serve for three or four months, who chose the program, usually from among the members. One of our best programs was when Martha Little was chair. It was an excerpt from Eudora Welty’s Why I Live at the P.O. The rotating steering committee members collected the dues, put out the newsletter, paid the bills and generally took care of any business.”⁹

Another founding mother, Sally Ordway (Goodner) wrote: “I sometimes say that Network is the best testimony for anarchy. Without rules, by-laws, officers or procedures, we have succeeded in giving every woman a platform for self-expression. We’ve avoided power struggles, factionalism; all the pitfalls that plague male and female groups formed for ‘purposes.’ We are our own purpose.”¹⁰

As the organization was growing, it was also gaining a reputation. It continued to attract a diverse group of professional women including company presidents, doctors, politicians and government officials. Deborah Clubb recorded that during the 1982 election, candidates for office came to Network meetings, followed by reporters who asked: “What is this thing called Network?” Every female candidate was a member. ¹¹

In 1983, Network was still without by-laws or elections; it had more than 200 members, two meeting locations and dues were $18.00. As the organization celebrated its sixth birthday, Deborah Clubb wrote: “Network is our ‘psychic turf’ where we gather to share success stories, contacts, support and friendship.”¹²

In 1984 Network redefined how women were recognized in Memphis. At this time "men of the year" awards were regularly presented at various large civic clubs before hundreds of diners and duly reported by the news media. While at the same time, recognition of women's work in the community was done within single clubs or groups and rarely drew public attention. In the winter of that year, Deborah Clubb asked the Network organization for seed money to support the idea of a major awards event to honor women. She believed strongly that what Memphis needed was a full-scale, high-visibility program to highlight the achievements of women and educate the public about them. This was to be a festive celebration. It would document and publicize the wide array of women's work and it would be created with a base of support from all kinds of women and women's groups.

Network stepped up to the front and provided $1000 in seed money. With the support of Network behind her, Deborah met with Jeanne Dreifus and gathered a group of about a dozen other women. This steering committee planned the Women of Achievement coalition and developed the idea for seven awards to be given at a dinner in honor or women's history in March 1985.

The awards were based on qualities of character that underlies achievement. The seven Women of Achievement awards honor: Initiative, Determination, Courage, Heroism, Vision, Steadfastness and Heritage. Network of Memphis continues to support Women of Achievement twenty-three years after its inception.

As Network continued to be a “unique oasis” in Memphis for professional women, the steering committee, composed of volunteer members continued to carry out administrative tasks; publishing a newsletter, arranging for speakers, collecting dues and publishing an annual membership directory. Ten years after Network of Memphis was born the organization had to change their culture; their way of being. The treasury of this dynamic women's organization was large. If Network did not become a not-for-profit, 501C (3) entity they would have tax liabilities. Under the guidance of Deborah Clubb, in 1987, Network of Memphis, Inc. was created as a not-for-profit corporation, adopted its first set of by-laws and elected its first president – Happy Jones. During this time the purpose of the corporation was committed to paper: To provide educational forums for the exchange of ideas, to provide opportunities to share career experience and for support of projects that benefit women in the larger community. By-laws, created in 1987 and amended in 1990, were once again amended in 2002 to reflect the impact of electronic mail on our lives.

Over the years, Network of Memphis has held firm to the founding mothers’ reason for being: to meet our mutual need to network. In 2002 when the organization celebrated its 25th anniversary it had over eighty paid members. A monthly electronic newsletter was launched, the “Lunch Bunch” was meeting the first Wednesday of each month, a directory was published annually, and the annual dues were $36.00. Each monthly dinner meeting had “its own life; created by the mix of women and interests gathered at the time.”¹³ For the first time in the history of Network, dinner meetings were held in the summer because members wanted/needed network time. By-laws, created in 1987 and amended in 1990, were once again amended in this the second year of the new millennium to reflect the impact of electronic mail on our lives.

Now, in December 2007, the organization annually makes donations to not-for-profits that benefit women and their families, and we have a website that provides members, guests and interested individuals with insight into our organization through our monthly newsletters, our history and FAQ’s. The annual printed directory has gone by the wayside as a directory of members is constantly kept current on this website. The first Wednesday “Lunch Bunch” was disbanded. Over the past 5 years, the Board has maintained a strong commitment to not raising its dues so women find it affordable to join. Each monthly dinner meeting continues to have “its own life.” Members and guests constantly comment on the diversity of the group, women from different professional and personal backgrounds and with different points of view. Part of this diversity comes from Network’s role as an excellent place for newcomers to the Memphis area, setting the tone for a positive and hopeful view of the city. As women’s lives become increasingly complex, and as some face personal and professional transitions, members report a growing need for networking and the fun-loving, friendly, helpful support of their Network sisters. There have been peaks and valleys in membership and attendance as Network outgrew its meeting place at Napa Café and has searched for the best “home.” As we enter our 31st year, we look forward to the new location for our dinner meetings, Café Toscana.

The members of Network of Memphis today seek out the organization for a variety of reasons based on where they are in their professional and personal lives. As Mary Robinson told a prospective member in the early 1980’s holds true today: “Just come to a meeting and if you like us, you join us.”¹⁴  The organization continues to provide a haven for women to connect, to develop friendships, to become allies. It continues to be Memphis’ unique oasis for professional women.