When three business women in the Spanish Fork area — Cary Hanks, Amy Dickerson and Randi Kaufman — got together last year to organize a group of women for networking, training and friendship, they had no idea where the group would take them and just how beneficial it would be for South Utah County businesswomen. Just one year after its start, the Women in Business South Utah County celebrated their first anniversary on Wednesday.

“We were seeing all these women who had home businesses and we thought that having a unique network would be a great thing,” said Kaufman, President of WIBSUC. “We also knew that many of the businesses they owned had products geared toward woman and that through networking they could also hit a certain customer base.”

At the first meeting, the three women were hoping to have at least 20 to 25 women attend. They ended up having 45 women show up and sign up and now, a year later, they currently have more than 80 members from Spanish Fork, Salem, Payson and Santaquin.

The group holds a monthly meeting the last Wednesday of each month where they can network, get to know each other and ask questions. The second part of the meeting is an education speaker. The women have heard from Cary Hanks, with the Spanish Fork Chamber, about financial topics, taxes, nonprofits and even from Senator Deidre Henderson.

“We are always looking for the best speakers who can come and bring the best information,” Kaufman said. “We want these presentations to provide information that is useful to these women.”

The group runs with a typical board with a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and an adviser and also has 10 active board members.

“It has been fun to see the women come in and build relationships with one another,” Kaufman said. “It has also helped their confidence. Some women came in so quiet and shy at the first meeting but now they are just shiny and share their voices.”

Alisha Casey, with HRC Climate Services, joined WIBSUC in February 2013.

“I liked the fact that it was a way to network our business, but it also had a focus on women,” Casey said. “It has been fun to get to know these ladies personally and learn about business.”

Robyn Parker, a Realtor in Spanish Fork, joined WIBSUC in January 2013.

“I recently moved here and wanted to expand my circle of friends,” Parker said. “The group is really friendly and nice. It is nice to have a connection with people. It is also is a good way to advertise because your friend might need something and you know someone in WIBSUC that has a business for that.”

Besides monthly meetings, the group also tries to give back to the community through charitable means. Last year, the women donated to the Promise Program to help with their pantry and to Landmark High Schools Prom closet, where they donated dresses, suits and shoes for students to wear to Prom.

Kaufman hopes that as more word gets out about WIBSUC, more women will want to attend.

“Women are welcome to attend without joining,” Kaufman said. “But there are more perks if you do join.”

Barbara Anderson, an interior designer who owns Design Hintz Interior Design, joined the group in November and Wednesday’s meeting was her first.

“I am just hoping to network and get to know people in the community,” Anderson said.

For more information about Women in Business South Utah County, please visit their website at www.wibsuc.org.