Coastal Women’s Forum celebrates 30 years

Coastal Women’s Forum, the New Bern-based professional networking organization, celebrated 30 years of bringing together women from the local business community during their April 5 dinner anniversary event at New Bern Golf and Country Club.

CWF President and Fairfield Harbour resident, Sandy Eichelberger explained that the organization’s charter members formed CWF because they realized they needed a format for professional women to work together. She said the the first formal meeting was held in the spring of 1988 and membership, which now stands at almost 200, has continued to grow since that time.

Eichelberger said CWF attracts women from a variety of professions and occupations.

“If you’re a member now then you know how much you can get out of Coastal Women’s Forum and how many people you can find through by being a part of what we do,” Eichelberger told the audience.

Keynote speaker Beth Wood, (photo left) N.C. state auditor and a CWA’s charter member, spoke about the challenges she faced as the first woman to be elected to that position.

A native of Cove City, Wood worked for a time as a dental assistant before going back to college in her late twenties and earning an accounting degree from East Carolina University. One of her first jobs after graduating was with McGladrey and Pullen accounting firm in New Bern. She then went on to join the state auditor’s office in Raleigh, where she worked for more than a decade prior to her election as state auditor in 2008.