VIEEW Meets in Boston
Dec 1, 2015
photos by John Dimaio
On September 28, early in the week of the National Association of Elevator Contractors’ Convention in Boston, the Vertical Initiative for Elevator & Escalator Women (VIEEW) members gathered for a biannual get together. This meeting was prepared by Grace Greco (Columbia Elevator Products Co. Inc.) and Mary Beeson (Unitec) and focused on the topic “Women and Safety.” Columbia and Unitec sponsored the meeting, providing the snacks and wine, plus favors for all.
The program was full of great hints on how to be safe at home, in your car, at work and when traveling. One that really hit home for your author was that 40% of home robberies are not forced entry – the doors are simply found unlocked. For someone learning to live alone or often traveling alone, there were many great suggestions.
The last part of the program was a demonstration by Lisa Grimes (Vator Accessories, Inc.) on “How to Survive” an attack. Grimes is a black belt, and she demonstrated her moves on one of our waiters. He was very cooperative in pretending to attack her, but he really didn’t have a chance. She was tough and loud. Her suggestions when under attack: run and yell “Fire!”; hide; scream and act like a “crazy lady”; and, finally, when all else fails, fight and have a mindset of survival.
The VIEEW always has a great program, but this was an amazing tour de force. It was attended by 25-30 women who work in the industry.
At least 25 women in the industry attended the biannual meeting. 
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(KONE); (l-r) Dotty Stanlaske, McDonald, your author and Jackie Mortman (JM Associates/Burnham + Co., a division of HUB International); ( (l-r) Martha Hulgan, Forgie (KONE) and Lisa Grimes, Hulgan, McDonald and Hiroko Shirakata; (l-r) Sheila Bowers, Ellie Webb and Shelley Jenkins-Coffin (Delaware Elevator)
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