Belizean Grove Explained

The Belizean Grove is an elite, invitation-only American women's social club, located in New York City.[1] The club was founded in 2001 by Susan Stautberg, a former Westinghouse Broadcasting executive, and author and futurist Edie Weiner.

Modeled after the San Francisco-based Bohemian Club[2] Belizean Grove formed to duplicate for women how the "old boy's network supported one another", stated co-founder Stautberg,[3] the membership of which was known to bond at annual retreats held at Bohemian Grove in California.

The Belizean Grove meets annually in Belize or similar Central American locations.[4] They also meet in New York and other U.S. cities, for activities they describe as "a balance of fun, substantive programs and bonding".

Members, known as "grovers", numbered 125 in 2009, including military, financial and diplomatic leaders, and 390 in 2015.[5] Members have included former General Services Administration Administrator Lurita Doan and U.S. Army General Ann E. Dunwoody.[6] [7] C-suite executives from Goldman Sachs,[8] Victoria's Secret, and Harley-Davidson also belong to the Grove, as do some ambassadors.[9] Other business leaders include Mary C. Pearl [10] and Christine Toretti.[11]

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor is a former member of Belizean Grove. She resigned membership June 19, 2009, after Republican senators voiced concerns over the group's women-only membership policy.[12] [13] [14] [15]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Gutner . Toddi . Move Over, Bohemian Grove . . 2001-02-19 . 2009-06-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20090612215142/http://www.businessweek.com/2001/01_08/b3720156.htm. 12 June 2009 . dead.
  2. News: Belizean Grove, a Mighty Women's Club, Keeps a Low Profile . The New York Times . Pamela . Ryckman . 2011-04-02 . 2020-07-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171201134709/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/03/business/03grove.html?pagewanted=all . 2017-12-01 . live .
  3. https://www.forbes.com/2009/06/22/sotomayor-gender-politics-forbes-woman-power-belizean-grove.html?sh=53c970844b63 "Sotomayor: Under the Microscope"
  4. Web site: The Belizean Grove--Old Girls' Club Rising - Technorati Technorati Women . 2012-10-29 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120110145843/http://technorati.com/women/article/the-belizean-grove-old-girls-club . 2012-01-10 .
  5. https://fortune.com/2015/01/30/6-of-the-worlds-most-exclusive-clubs-can-you-join/ "8 of the world’s most exclusive clubs — can you join?"
  6. Web site: Vogel . Kenneth P. . Sonia Sotomayor found friends in elite group . . 2009-06-04 . 2009-06-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20090608075931/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0609/23375.html. 8 June 2009 . live.
  7. Cohen . Andrew . Is Sotomayor Supremely Stylish? . . 2009-06-05 . 2009-06-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20090609101039/http://www.vanityfair.com/online/politics/2009/06/is-sotomayor-supremely-stylish.html. 9 June 2009 . live.
  8. Web site: Members of the Professional Women's Club Belizean Grove to Mentor Artists from the Maket | Santa Fe International Folk Art Market . www.folkartmarket.org . 6 June 2022 . https://archive.today/20130414193714/http://www.folkartmarket.org/news/members-of-the-professional-womens-club-belizean-grove-to-mentor-artists-from-the-maket/ . 14 April 2013 . dead.
  9. News: Sotomayor Defends Ties to Association . Savage, Charlie . Kirkpatrick, David D. . amp . . 2009-06-15 . 2009-06-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110408015847/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/16/us/politics/16judge.html . April 8, 2011 . live .
  10. https://news.stonybrook.edu/newsroom/press-release/general/conservationist021109/ "Internationally Renowned Conservationist Named Dean Of Stony Brook Southampton"
  11. https://www.indianagazette.com/women_in_business/christine-toretti-indiana-businesswoman-wields-national-influence/article_b15e7c7e-814d-11e8-b4a7-b76eafa63779.html "CHRISTINE TORETTI: Indiana businesswoman wields national influence"
  12. News: Sotomayor Quits Belizean Grove . Sherman . Mark . . 2009-06-19 . 2009-06-19 . Huffington Post. https://web.archive.org/web/20090620195549/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/19/sotomayor-quits-belizean-_n_218307.html. 20 June 2009 . live.
  13. News: Court Nominee Sotomayor Quits Women-Only Group . Bravin . Jess . . 2009-06-20 . 2009-06-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20090623055740/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124546141891333435.html?mod=googlenews_wsj. 23 June 2009 . live.
  14. News: Sotomayor resigns from women's club . . 2009-06-19 . 2009-06-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20090624151119/http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/06/19/sotomayor.womens.club/?iref=mpstoryview. 24 June 2009 . live.
  15. News: Sotomayor quits club . . 2009-06-20 . 2009-06-20 . Helene . Cooper. https://web.archive.org/web/20090621235434/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2009362174_dad20.html. 21 June 2009 . live.