LEADING LADIES
AN INDEPENDENT SERIES • PART 1
BY MARY LANCASTER INDEPENDENT WRITER

This week The Nantucket Independent begins a new series dedicated to the influence of women in the island's community. Their presence and power as decision makers, economic drivers and leaders of charitable organizations has developed far beyond the scope of Nantucket's whaling era - when women ran businesses because the men were at sea for lengthy periods of time- to where they are now, a majority voice in most sectors of island life. From time to time, we may even include a male opinion on this local and fascinating phenonmenon. Not only is the island's government led by a female Town Manager, its important departments such as the Town Clerk's office, Finance and Assessor's offices, the island's nursing home and Visitor Services Bureau, among others, are all headed by women. Walking through the main town building's first floor, it is plain that every office is run and staffed by females.

On the second floor, each of the three courts as well as the Registry of Motor Vehicles has women in charge and on staff with the only full-time males being the county sheriff and probation officer. Even the new-this-year primary court security officer is a female along with nearly half of the per diem court officers.

Many people are familiar with Nantucket's historical whaling period when island men were at sea for years and its women, out of necessity, were thrust into the world of local business to keep the marketplace moving and care for their families. Centre Street was named Petticoat Row because most of its merchants were women. Today, nearly every commercial area on the island could be called Petticoat Row as over the centuries the female presence and influence in the community has grown to include the majority of businesses except in the building trades, and spread to governance, the numerous nonprofit groups, the churches, human and animal health care, banking, law practices and beyond.

"We are the community," said Liz Winship, owner of Nantucket Looms, which is entirely staffed by women except for her husband Todd who deals with shipping and handling. "And he's been fired a few times," she joked.

"I think that going back to Petticoat Row run by women, women are equipped to multi-task. Not only are they good in business and making decisions, they are also the ones who run the household," Winship continued, saying that women are nurturing at the same time they are savvy. "I think we are capable of running things efficiently and I think it's been proven through the years that that's what we do. Women are good about following through - when they say they're going to do something it really gets done. It became easy for them to move into the town administration. My thing was being so appreciative for what the community gave Nantucket Looms and myself I felt it was important to give back and got involved in nonprofits. I've thought a lot about running for selectman."

The history of how women became involved in running the island is a prevalent theme in many of the philosophical observations today's female leaders offer on why Nantucket is such a matriarchal community, but they also note how changing times have created an even greater opportunity for women to lend their talents and expertise. And the bottom line seems to be that here, people are chosen for their ability and not their gender.

"It's amazing to look around the island and see the number of women who are in leadership roles and contributing to the community," said Patty Roggeveen, a selectman who, in that position is one of the board's five bosses of Town Manager Libby Gibson. Roggeveen is also Executive Director of Nantucket's Community School. "Having the colleagues out there who are talented and intelligent and share a commitment encouraged me to be part of the political scene. It's fun to be a part of the history. I have a certain admiration for a lot of women on the island, whether we have a title or not. It is nice to be considered part of the group."

Tracy Bakalar is the current Executive Director of the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce and latest in a line of female directors since Edouard Stackpole was appointed in 1966 and was the last man in that role to date.

"Besides the history of the independence of women on Nantucket, Nantucketers have a strong sense of independence combined with the fact that we are a very accepting community with not a lot of predjudices. In general, people are judged and respected for their work and abilities, not their gender," said Bakalar. "One could say, back in the days of Petticoat Row, the men were out whaling and the women took over the community, but today I think we are truly an accepting community in general, whether it's race, gender or level of wealth. Everyone is treated equally."

Jean Grimmer, Executive Director of the Egan Maritime Foundation, appreciates the consideration she was given by her trustees, who were so anxious to take advantage of her abilities they postponed choosing anyone else, including any potential and qualified male candidates, until she was available.

"I do think there is a historic tradition on this island with women following their stars, literally, and doing what they want to do," said Grimmer, whose organization recently hosted "Gutsy Gals," a display showcasing successful island women of the past and present. "[Nantucket astronomer] Maria Mitchell was a great example. She was incredibly motivated. There are so many examples in historic tradition it's really woven into the fabric of the island.

"I think the flexibility here and creativity allows women to find a niche and thrive in that niche," she added. "There are more choices here - how you are going to build your law practice. I was blown away by being approached by the Egan Maritime Foundation who were willing to wait for me to finish the fundraiser for the Nantucket Historical Association's capital campaign to take over as executive director. I don't think that would have happened on the mainland. It is flexibility, choices, and that I think women thrive in the creative atmosphere on the island that makes it enabling."

Rhoda Weinman is one of the island's 16 female attorneys. Most now own their own firms, having branched off from initial affiliations with male-owned offices, or they share an office with other women lawyers. When she first came here in the 1980s from the mainland corporate world where men dominated in numerous aspects, Weinman was pleased to discover the island's welcoming climate for women professionals. Prior to the Nantucket Women's Bar Association's founding in the mid-1990s with five lady lawyers, legal counsel was represented by males. That has changed.

"Over the years, speaking for myself, women had to work a lot harder and prove themselves more than men did. I think here, using Libby Gibson as an example, in my opinion she works harder, smarter and better than most of the men who have been in that position," said Weinman. "I think women have always taken a strong role in the community, and that goes back to whaling days. If you look at the layout of the town, most of the shops are run by women. I think it

` takes longer to gain respect [as a woman], but I think what falls out of it is they do gain respect and continue in a leadership role. There are so many women on town boards and stuff, but I think people who live on an island have to be more independent. Women are more able to succeed here and that's why we're here."

Margaretta Andrews is Chairman of the Nantucket Cottage Hospital Board of Trustees, who recently hired Sylvia Sather Getman as its second hospital president in a row, with Getman succeeding Lucille Giddings who served for 11 years and who was the second woman after Joanne Skokan to lead the hospital's administration. The recent final decision came down to a male and a female finalist, and Andrews said Getman was hired for her abilities and experience. She will be working with the male president of Massachusetts General Hospital with which NCH struck an affiliation in March. It is also interesting to note that the local hospital's emergency room head is a woman.

"Women think differently and women muti-task. Traditionally, there is a history of women holding things together here, but now I don't know if it's a cultural thing," said Andrews. "In my mother's day women volunteered, period. With this generation and moving [ahead] the option is there for women to step

forward and be recognized." I

Next week the series Leading Ladies will focus on the island's women in government.