About Indiana

Our History

The Indiana Chapter was chartered June 25, 1976, by EWRT National President Reidum Crowley, “just 11 days before our nation’s bicentennial,” according to chapter archives.

Twenty-five women from across the state were charter members, and that number grew to 31 by the chapter’s first anniversary.

Among the chapter’s activities during its first year was assisting Bluegrass Chapter with the EWRT National Conference at the Executive Inn in Louisville, Kentucky. The contingent of 16 Indiana women helped prepare and serve the “Sunbeam Breakfast” the second day of the meeting. The chapter’s first chairperson, Suzanne Badenhop, noted in the chapter’s records that, “Getting up at 5 a.m. to cook and serve breakfast was a ‘special project’ for most of our members!”

Badenhop would become EWRT national president in 1983-84. Other Indiana Chapter members who have served as EWRT or WiNUP national/international president are Winnie Berry, a former Chicago Chapter member who moved to Indiana upon her retirement, 1968-70; Emily Born Schilling,1999; Anita Banister, 2000; and Holly Huffman, 2019. Berry was the chapter's first Honorary Life Member. Schilling and Banister also are international Honorary Life Members.

The chapter has hosted three national/international conferences — 1993, 1998 and 2011 — and members have assisted with conferences held in other locations as well. The Indiana Chapter has been honored with the organization’s Chapter Achievement Award five times and has published one of the organization’s top three chapter newsletters for eight years.

Through the years, 11 current or former members have been honored for their achievements within EWRT/WiNUP and the utility industry by receiving Member of the Year, OAK or POWER awards or other recognitions. Chapter members have hailed from northwest, southern and central Indiana.