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' Women increase presence on state, national boards - 2003-09-22 - The Business Journal (... Page 2 of 3 Linda Hall Whitman, CEO of QuickMedx in Minneapolis. "But every time I come back from a board meeting, I come back with new ideas for my business. It's a wonderful opportunity to continue to grow in my business • knowledge." Whitman is the 35th hardest-working director, according to Business Journal research. For the past eight years she has served on the board of MTS Systems Corp. in Eden Prairie. She also is a director at Health Fitness Corp. and August Technology Corp., both in Bloomington; she is the only female director at both companies. Despite having to commute to her Minnesota board meetings from Denver, Barbara Grogan, chair and president of Western Industrial Contractors Inc., said her board involvement is well worth the time. "It's been an extraordinary opportunity to be involved with these companies during a time when all companies have had to cope with significant challenges," said Grogan, who ranked ninth on the 50 Hardestworking Board Members list. Grogan sits on the boards of Apogee Enterprises Inc. in Bloomington, Deluxe Corp. in Shoreview and Pentair Inc. in Roseville. She became involved with Twin Cities companies through her position as chair of the Federal Reserve Bank in Denver. The chair of the Minneapolis branch sat on the board of Deluxe and when a director position opened, he recommended Grogan for the position. Making a difference The hardworking women directors said in addition to what they have gained by serving on corporate boards, they, like Goldberg, felt they were advancing the cause of women who want a larger role in corporate America. • "I always felt that because I was a woman and there were very few of us, I had better do a good job," Goldberg said. "If not, they are likely to conclude that all women make bad directors. Therefore, I will spoil the opportunity for future women. I don't think that's a burden men carry around." *, Marti Morfitt, CEO of CNS Inc. in Eden Prairie, agreed: "If you talk to those of us who are old enough,you'll find that many or us were the first women to 'fill-in-the-blank.' In those cases, you do feel a certain amount of opportunity and responsibility to clear the path for others." Morfitt raed 42nd out of the 50 Hardest-working Board Members. She's served on the board of Minneapolis. based Graco Inc. for the past eight years. She also serves on CNS'board and is a director at rip yately held SoftPac Industries Inc. in Elk River. She is the only woman serving on both the boards of Gracoand S. Janet Dolan, CEO of Tennant Co. in Golden Valley, rounds out the female members of the top 50 directors list at No. 16. In addition to serving on the board of her own company, Dolan has served on the board of Bloomington-based Donaldson Co. Inc. for seven years and The St.Paul Cos. Inc. in St. Paul for two years. Chipping away at the glass ceiling The reasons for the steady increase in the number of female board members are many. First and foremost, boards are limiting the number of boards their own CEOs can serve on. Some CEOs are not allowed to sit on any boards but their own. This creates a need for a new pool of eligible candidates. "Logically, that opens the door to more women and to people of color," said Whitman of QuickMedx. This makes all the more sense when one considers the strides women have made among leadership positions in http://twincities.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2003/09/22/focus6.html?t=printable 9/22/2003