The Portland Metro Chamber is honoring special achievements by women leaders and companies that support women in various industries in the Pacific Northwest. Reegan Rae is the first female Co-CEO of Arnerich Massena; an independent investment firm in Portland. Lane Powell, one of the Pacific Northwest’s oldest law firms, and Quinn Thomas, a world-class marketing communications agency.
These honorees will be recognized at the Chamber’s annual event, A Place With No Ceiling, on Thursday, September 28, 2023, at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.
Since 2012, A Place With No Ceiling has celebrated, connected and inspired women in the business community by honoring a female executive and companies that support, mentor and foster the advancement of women.
Each year we celebrate those that lead with equity and support the advancement of women – both individual women as well as large and small companies. From the first female CEO of a business to organizations elevating women to the highest positions, we recognize the great work being done in the Pacific Northwest to foster a vision of a place with no ceiling.
Honorees were selected based on a specific set of judging criteria determined by a committee of Portland Metro Chamber members.
Winners of the Sandra K. McDonough Leadership Award are decided based on their mentorship of women in the business community, level of community engagement, and leadership in business.
This year’s winner, Reegan Rae, was named Arnerich Massena Co-CEO in February 2021. Rae continues the tradition of building a culture of inclusion that promotes career advancement and skills training for women.
I am honored to be recognized by the Place With No Ceiling Awards. As a CEO in the investment industry, where only 15% of advisors and only 6% of CEOs are women, I am committed to helping other women find success in our industry and particularly in helping young women and girls find their way to fulfilling careers in finance.
Rae was a finalist in the 2022 Executive Leadership category of the Think Advisor Luminary award. She also earned the 2023 Investment News See It, Be It Role Model in their Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Awards. She is a member of the Oregon chapter of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO).
Company awards are decided based on programs and activities in place that foster the advancement of women. The PMC committee examines how this is demonstrated in the organizational chart and/or reflected in the make-up of the company’s board of directors, as well as how the company is seen as an corporate culture changer in the community.
Lane Powell is committed to diversity and inclusion and that commitment is reflected in their organizational leadership team. 56% of the firm’s Board of Directors is comprised of women. Women make up 64% of C-Suite leaders, and women hold 58% of the leadership positions within the organization.
Lane Powell’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee was established in 1995 and team members meet regularly to innovate and implement DEI programs within the firm and the legal community. The company also strongly supports the professional development of women attorneys by encouraging participation in external leadership programs including Ladder Down, a program designed for women attorneys who are working parents, and National Institute of Trial Advocacy’s special trial training program for women attorneys.
Quinn Thomas strongly supports growth opportunities for women. Three of the company’s top leaders are women, including President Erin Krug, and two Vice Presidents, Kristin MacRostie and Sarah Ninivaggi. Women comprise 60% of the organization’s current leadership team. In addition, their Creative Director, Michelle Gallup, is part of a small group of female creative directors in the industry (estimated at just over 3%).
Quinn Thomas supports employees personal as well as professional development, including 100% paid healthcare benefits for employees and their families, 12 weeks of paid maternity leave and flexible or reduced hours for new parents returning to work. Each member of their leadership team receives individual coaching on leadership development from an outside consultant, and they fund academic degrees and certifications to grow their team’s hard and soft skills.