NAFCU's inaugural Women's Leadership Summit was a highlight of the trade group'sannual conference and trade show held the last week of July inNashville, Tenn. Below are some photo highlights of the summit.Among the hot topics: Negotiating and growing opportunities for female executives.

Burns-Fazzi, Brock commissioned a study from Clark & ChaseResearch, which found that the average compensation for female topexecutives was about 18% lower than their male counterparts incredit unions with more than $335 million in assets. Jack Clark,pictured here, presented the results during the Women's LeadershipSummit at NAFCU's annual conference on July 24.

Credit unions ranging from $75 million to $335 million inassets, however, appear to earn more than their male counterparts.The education level was also more comparable at this asset size aswell, which may have contributed to the results, according toClark.

Networking is crucial to women stepping up in the workplace, soNan Siemer, principal of Breakers consulting firm, provided fivenetworking tips for the attendees of the summit.

1. Link in to LinkedIn
2. Make time to maintain
3. Take and give
4. Compile a contact list
5. Your network is everyone you know

Credit Union Times Editor-in-Chief Sarah Snell Cookeexplained, using her great-grandmother's costume shop as anexample, the importance of understanding the women who came beforeus, and how many more options we have today. Cooke noted thatMcKinsey & Co., a firm that supports women professionals'promotion in the workplace, found that one-fifth of the working-agepopulation will be at least 65 by 2016, leaving a huge opportunityfor younger, female executives to step into.

NIH FCU President/CEO Juli Ann Callis, one of CU Times'Women to Watch, talkedabout her experiences as female executive in professions wherewomen traditionally “don't belong,” as one oceanography professortold her.

Creativity ruled the day in the deals made during a workshop ledby Nan Siemer, principal of Breakers consulting firm, at theWomen's Leadership Summit. She shared her top ten tips fornegotiating and provided the women with items to negotiate forduring her workshop.

• Negotiate on worth, not need
• Think of negotiating more as bargaining
• Don't show all your cards
• Be selfish
• Ask
• The rainbow outweighs the pot of gold (what do you want otherthan money?)
• Research required
• Negotiating means you have to have the ability to walkaway
• Shoot for the stars before you consider compromising
• Everything is negotiable

A little bit of flair in presentation might help make this smallobject loom a little larger at the negotiating table asparticipants polished their bargaining skills.

These students of negotiating listened closely as they put intoaction the tips they were just provided on the art of the deal.

Just because it's hard bargaining doesn't mean there's hardfeelings, as these newly minted negotiating experts show.