Our History

The Iowa Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW Iowa) was officially organized on April 5, 1920, bringing together six local clubs and 48 pioneering members. Waterloo was the first organization in the state to pay both state and national dues, soon joined by Clinton, Cedar Rapids, Mason City, Boone, and Des Moines. Our first president, Mrs. W.D. (Mamie) Ives of Waterloo, set the tone for a century of women helping women.

By 1924, BPW Iowa had filed its original Articles of Incorporation in Black Hawk County, establishing a firm foundation for growth. Over the decades, updates to those articles have reflected our resilience and adaptability—including restatements in 1974 and again in 2021, when BPW Iowa also formally adopted its current name.

For more than 100 years, BPW Iowa has advanced equity for women through advocacy, education, and leadership development. What began with 48 trailblazing women is now a statewide network dedicated to creating opportunities for generations to come. We also actively support the Iowa Business and Professional Women's Foundation with their advancement of education through scholarships for Iowa women.