Chamber set to host Women of Westman Conference

The Women of Westman (WoW) Conference is returning to the Keystone Centre on March 11, bringing together hundreds of women from across the region for a day of inspiration, networking and leadership development.

Organized by the Brandon Chamber of Commerce, the annual event — formerly known as the Superwomen Conference — has the theme of Future in Focus: Women Shaping Tomorrow, president Jennifer Ludwig told the Sun.

“It is built around three pillars: empower, connect and lead,” Ludwig said in an interview.

The pillars reflect what the conference aims to provide, event co-ordinator Sandra Affun told the Sun.

“When we look at women in Westman, one of the things that this conference provides is a platform, a platform for women to come together to learn and to be empowered, to have the resources that they need in terms of skills to be ready for the future,” Affun said.

A new addition this year is the introduction of breakout sessions, allowing attendees to choose focused discussions aligned with their interests rather than spending the entire day in one general session, the president said.

“There are lots of fun and new things,” Ludwig said. “I would highlight that this year’s keynote speaker is Colleen Monro, who is the president of Monro Group. She’ll be speaking to the group as a whole. And new this session are some breakout sessions … there will be an opportunity for attendees to choose a breakout session of their choice and really drill down on certain topics.”

The conference will also feature a dedicated event app, allowing participants to continue conversations and build connections beyond the day itself.

“If you do make a connection with someone and maybe you don’t feel like you get enough time to talk to that person, the connection is right in there that you can direct message or continue to build,” Ludwig said. “So it’s not just that one day.”

A key focus this year will be rural women, particularly those in agribusiness. Affun said the decision reflects the realities and resilience of the region.

“One of the areas this particular conference is really going to impact is the rural women in Westman, particularly those in agribusiness — entrepreneurs, those who have platforms and those who finance them,” Affun said.

With changing economic conditions and global uncertainties over the past year, Affun said that women have demonstrated an ability to adapt.

“One of the things that women do well when there’s a crisis is pivot,” she said. “When we bring women from rural communities together to have those conversations — how they’ve pivoted, how they’ve shown resilience — we hope that translates into the economy and also into building leaders for the future.”

The panel will include industry voices such as Kristen Phillips of Ag Days and Indigenous leader Trechelle Bunn, aimed not only at established entrepreneurs but also at women considering entering the field.

“This conference is about evolving,” Affun said. “We’re looking at those who are also looking to go into those businesses. That panel discussion is going to be so rich with insightful stories that will give courage to those who are trying to make that first move.”

The event’s growth has been significant. Attendance has climbed from about 200 in its early years to 300 last year. Organizers initially planned for 350 this year, but demand quickly surpassed expectations.

“We would be extremely happy with 300,” Ludwig said. “Then all of a sudden, we hit 350, and now we’re at 400. The official cut-off for tickets isn’t until Monday, and we are 95 per cent sold out of the extra that we’ve added.”

She said that word-of-mouth has played a major role in that growth.

“For many programs at the Chamber, we put it on the website and begin to promote. But for the Women of Westman conference, it was word of mouth,” she said. “When people who’ve attended the conference begin to invite others to come, it shows you you’re doing something right.”

The conference’s impact extends beyond professional development. With up to 400 attendees converging on Brandon for the day, some travelling from outside the city, the event also contributes to the local economy.

“It brings a lot of people to Brandon,” Ludwig said. “It’s also an opportunity to highlight what Brandon as a whole can offer.”

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