In 1938, Elsie B. Mayer and C. Bertha Rachofsky joined with nine other Denver insurance women to form an organization for educational purposes. To launch the organization they had to:
1. Solicit prospective members;
2. Convince employers of the non-union nature of the association.
The first dinner meetings were devoted to insurance education and discussion of a national organization. Because of the favorable response to the local group in Denver, Elsie and Bertha began to investigate the possibility of a national association. The organizational meeting was announced in "National Underwriter” magazine and all insurance groups were invited to send representatives. The organizational meeting was held June 21–23, 1940, at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Denver. Elsie was appointed general chairman. Sixty-five delegates attended representing 19 groups from Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington. Total registration was 187. The meeting resulted in the formation of the National Association of Insurance Women, with the following slate of elected officers:
Office Name
President Elsie B. Mayer, Denver , CO
First Vice-president Eugenia Smith, Los Angeles, CA
Second Vice-president Anita M. Richardson, Tacoma, WA
Corresponding Secretary C. Bertha Rachofsky, Denver, CO
Recording Secretary Ethel A. Brink, Tulsa, OK
Treasurer Berneeda Faulk Crum, Wichita, KS
Executive Board Ada V. Doyle, Caldwell, NJ (chairman 2-year term)
Mildred Robertson, Nashville, TN (2-year term)
Erma V. Scottum, St. Paul, MN (1-year term)
Gussye Bennett, Dallas, TX (1-year term)
J. L. "Lou” Ward, Atlanta, GA (1-year term)
NAIW was organized with 17 groups representing 2,000 members. The constitution and bylaws were adopted, as well as the creed: "Fellowship-Loyalty-Education”.
The first program cover depicted all the means of transportation into Denver and proclaimed, "Colorado, Here We Come.” Nashville, TN was selected as the first convention site (1941). St. Paul and Atlanta also submitted bids. The Board of Directors accepted an invitation from the representative from Atlanta to hold the pre-convention Board meeting in Atlanta. Time has brought many changes to the association. The use of the word club has been discontinued, and association adopted to reflect the professionalism of the organization. To recognize the Canadian members, the word International was added to the official name. Puerto Rico has also affiliated with NAIW.
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