NOVA SCOTIA INSURANCE WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION
1960 – 2010

 The year was 1959, before the days of computers, email, fax machines, cell phones, etc. We had heard that colleagues in the Toronto area had gone to the U.S.A. to look into an organization known as the National Association of Insurance Women (NAIW) which had been in existence for some time and that some women in the Western Provinces were members. When they returned to Canada, they started looking into the possibility of having a similar organization in their own areas. Naturally, rumors will fly, and soon we became aware of this activity.

In the latter part of 1959, there happened to be an Insurance Institute Seminar with a small number of women in attendance, who got together and started discussing the subject. They decided that they would write some letters, make some phone calls, talk to their employers, etc. to get the general feeling on going ahead with such an endeavour locally. This group of women were Kathy Harrington, Gertrude Peters (Jack & Co.), Allie Ahern and Noreen Lawlor (Simpson-Hurst), Ernestine Lee (Bell and Grant), Gertrude Pyke (Stewart Ins.) and Gladys Venturini (N.S. Board of Ins. Underwriters). These women subsequently became known as the founding members of N.S.I.W.A.

A notice was sent out to local agencies (now called brokers), adjusters, insurance companies, etc. for a meeting to be held the first week of April, 1960, with the intention of establishing an organization for women in the insurance industry locally. About 20 women attended. The meeting was chaired by Gladys Venturini, with her Manager, Bill Shakespeare, as guest speaker.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Shakespeare, while assuring us we had his total support, cautioned us to have patience, that we would probably have to prove that we were going to be a serious part of our industry, that we would not become a union or a social group and our main focus would be furthering the knowledge and education of our members.

The attendees voted unanimously that we should go ahead with our plans and thus the Insurance Women’s Club of Halifax became a reality. The first President elected was Noreen Lawlor. We took as our main purpose the broadening of the education of our members, of new employees coming into the industry and to assist all members to become more responsive to the needs of their employers and themselves.

In the beginning, meetings were held at noon on the third Wednesday of each month at the Y.W.C.A. on Barrington Street. The agenda was usually a 10 – 15 minute business meeting, followed by a speaker or an educational program.

Some of the subjects discussed included policy wordings, statutory conditions, public relations and office protocol. Most of the speakers were from our industry. We became a very active association, both within our industry and throughout the community.
In subsequent years, we offered all day seminars covering the Fundamentals of Insurance, which included Personal and Commercial Lines, Claims, Office Etiquette, particularly geared to new employees, but accepting all who wished to take part. All of the instructors were our own members. This was very successful and was repeated for a number of years.

Colleen Sampson gave a course on “Assertiveness Training”, which was very popular with our members. We sponsored a Defensive Driving Course for our members.

We encouraged our members to take part in Public Speaking with short impromptu speeches at the regular meetings and we held an annual Public Speaking Contest in-house. After 1966, when C.A.I.W. was formed and they began a National Public Speaking Contest, we provided financial assistance to our winner so that she could participate in the National Public Speaking Contest and Convention.

Each year we award a cash prize at the Insurance Institute’s Awards Dinner to the student in Nova Scotia who has the best results in the Associateship exams. We also present a gift to any N.S.I.W.A. member receiving an Associateship or Fellowship degree from the Insurance Institute or an Associateship degree from the Life Management Institute.

In the 1960’s, while we were still holding luncheon meetings at the Y.W.C.A., we invited our bosses or employers (call them what you wish) to one of our meetings. They were suitably impressed and assured us of their wholehearted support. We continued on with “Bosses Night” or “V.I.P. Night” each year but this has evolved now into “Associate’s Night”, when we encourage members to bring an Associate with them to the Annual General Meeting held in May. Years later, in the 80’s, we decided to have a contest for “Boss of the Year”. This award was very popular and we were pleased when two of our members were recipients – Margaret Gillies in 1984 and Betty Walker in 1990. This practice was discontinued in 1993.

As our membership increased, so did our need to change our name and to also move our meetings to a more convenient time. Women in other areas of the Province wished to join with us and were showing an interest in our organization. Subsequently, we became the Nova Scotia Insurance Womens Association and our meetings were held at 5 – 5:30 p.m. As a matter of interest, two of our members from the Truro area joined with us in the early 60’s and were faithful attendees at meetings and conventions over the years until their passing. Shirley McDormand and Mary Sutherland are truly missed by those who knew them.

Our membership has steadily increased from our 20 original members to now surpassing the 100 mark. Much of this can be credited to the dedication and hard work of Ann
Joudrey and her Membership Committees. Ann has chaired this committee for over 15 years.

As our organization has progressed locally and nationally, so has our interest in broadening our relationship with members of other associations and/or groups. From time to time we have had requests from industry groups to be responsible for their registration and information desks at their conferences. Lottie McAlpine and her committee voluntarily agreed to do this when called upon. Generous donations made to N.S.I.W.A. on their behalf were much appreciated. We also voluntarily “manned the desks” for the Brain Injury Association of Nova Scotia when requested. In 1972 some of our members, upon request, made a weekend trip to Saint John, N.B. to assist them in planning their first convention for 1974.

During their terms as National President, Gladys Venturini and Colleen Sampson and a group of NSIWA members traveled to Portland, Maine, at their invitation, to attend a Regional Conference of NAIW. We received a warm welcome and we found their meetings to be interesting and informative. In subsequent years, Colleen also attended their Annual Convention in Chicago and Jody Porter went to Detroit on behalf of CAIW.

It was thought that we should get together with the other Associations who had formed in the Atlantic Region and whose members could not necessarily attend annual Conventions. To this end, Tri-Conferences were held with members from Moncton, Saint John and Cape Breton and proved very successful and enjoyable. After a few years, these had to be discontinued as the other associations had to disband.

Members, on behalf of our Association, have been very generous with their time doing volunteer work with other associations, such as the Cancer Society, Operation Red Nose, the R.C.M.P., Blue Goose and the Brokers Association.

Each Christmas, we donate money to worthwhile charities such as Burn Units at the I.W.K. Children’s Hospital, residences for the abused, homeless shelters and the food bank.

Our first attempt at a Wine and Cheese night was held at the City Club. We called it our “Bunny Night” where some of our members (specifically the younger ones) dressed as Playboy Bunnies. Needless to say, this was a huge success, so it was held a second year. Years later, in 1993, we decided to try again with a Wine and Cheese, but with a different format. The late Donna Landry (who passed away in 2009) was the Chairman with a committee of Past Presidents. These started with 100 attendees but became very successful and attendance increased each year, so that by 2010, the attendance hit 800.
Other ways we raised money over the years included:

Walk-a-thon -- the first in 1974
Séance Night -- Bill Shakespeare read palms, Lottie McAlpine & Colleen Sampson
read tarot cards and Marg Gillies read tea leaves
Hawaiin Night -- a dance held at the Jubilee Boat Club – grass skirts, leis and all!
Golf Day -- Chester Golf Club
Bake Sale & Silent auction – December meeting
Basket of “Cheer” tickets – drawn for in December

Since May, 1997, the N.S.I.W.A. Cancer Crusade has been our most important fund raiser. Money is received through a walk-a-thon and donations go to the Nova Scotia Cancer Society. The first year this project was taken on, the money raised was $7,600. The total raised up to 2009 was $149,168.12. In 2009, the first Newfoundland Kitchen Party was held to add to the contributions given to the Cancer Society. The contributions from this just about doubled the amount contributed that year. We congratulate and thank Gilberte Theriault who has been our Chairman. We have received several awards from the Nova Scotia Division of the Canadian Cancer Society in recognition of our significant contributions to their mission.

In 2009, our Association set up a Fellowship Fund to provide financial assistance to N.S.I.W.A. members who qualify and wish to experience a National Convention. As this fund was set up shortly after the untimely passing of one of our very active Life Members, it was decided to name the fund “The Donna Landry Memorial Fellowship Fund.”

By 1966 associations had been formed in other cities in Canada. The Toronto Association (now known as T.I.W.A.) sent out invitations to each of them to send delegates to a meeting to discuss the formation of a National Group. Margaret Miller and Kathy Harrington attended and returned to inform us of the birth of the Canadian Association of Insurance Women, with the first annual meeting and convention to be held in Hamilton in June, 1967. The purpose of this organization was to give members the opportunity to meet colleagues from across Canada and exchange ideas, programs, etc.

The formation of CAIW brought about changes in our own association. Money would have to be available to host conventions. There would be delegates to send to conventions, public speaking contests, essay contests, awards, etc.

At the time C.A.I.W. was formed in 1966, there were 8 associations – Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Saint John, Windsor, ON, Ottawa and Nova Scotia. Others have come and gone but 6 of the originals still remain. Nova Scotia has always been an active member and has done us proud many times.

9 of our members have been C.A.I.W. Presidents
8 members have received the Insurance Woman of the Year Award,
9 members have either won, or been runners-up in the Public Speaking Contest
9 members have received the Essay Contest prize.
11 other awards have been won
The Insurance Information Award has been won 15 times
Conventions have been hosted 4 times, with the 5th coming up in 2010.


To be present at the first meeting in 1960 and to be writing this story on the 50th anniversary in 2010 seems unreal but interesting to recall. Forgive me for anything that has been inadvertently omitted.

Certainly the “founding members” had no wild dreams that 50 years later, we would be observing our 50th anniversary and be stronger than ever. This can only be credited to the dedicated members themselves who have served on the executive and the many committees over the years. Also it could not have been accomplished without the support we have received from the insurance industry. NSIWA is, and has always been, an integral part of our industry and has earned the respect of all who have come in contact with it. Our original motto of “Education, Fellowship and Loyalty” and the expanded new version, have served us well.

Keep up the good work – who knows, there may be another 50 years to come!



Written by Gladys Venturini
May, 2010