Meet Diane McGee Founder & Director of WINGS & HEROS "Mentors In Motion"

 Diane McGee Wife, Mother, Grandmother, & Entrepreneur

by Sandy Poitras:written for the Hall of Fame Magazine Spring 2004

When meeting Diane McGee for the first time, one thing becomes apparent very quickly. Aside from her creativity, strong work ethic and spiritual values plus boundless energy, this is one woman who is full of gratitude. Gratitude for all of the people in her life who have inspired and encouraged her to pursue her dreams, many of them mentors.

Diane speaks fondly of one of her most inspiring mentors ... her grandfather who was a simple hardworking labourer who was full of love, wisdom and moral ethics.  "When he told me the rainbow story he would say to me “don't ever think you're better than anyone else". She never forgot those words or that story thus the reason why the rainbow is part of her logo. It is the combination of her grandfather's words of wisdom and those of many other "Mentors" to whom McGee attributes her success in life and business.  Success being measured not by what one has but by the kind of person they are inside and the love and care and giving back that they extend to others. She says “You might not be able to recall a gift someone gave you years ago but you never forget how they made you feel.” In McGee¹s case, she gave back by creating W.I.N.G.S. (Women in Networking Growing Strong), an association with chapters throughout Ontario that links businesswomen and provides support through network meetings, mentoring and the connection to excellent trainers.

Even before W.I.N.G.S. began its own amazing journey McGee was out there in her community giving in many ways... Born in Toronto and raised in Woodbridge by her mother, who had divorced her alcoholic abusive father in the days when being the child of a "divorcee" was practically synonymous with "outcast", growing up was a challenge.  McGee and her brothers were no strangers to hard work and her entrepreneurial spirit was developed out of necessity at a very young age. They had paper routes, picked berries, worked on a farm and cleaned at Mart Kenny’s ranch. "Back then there was no such thing as government help and my mother was too proud to except any handouts."

When her mother took ill, the young McGee quit school and went to work. She began saving money for hairdressing school while working at Loblaws. McGee opened her first salon when still in her teens. "I was proud to be a hairdresser even though at that time it was considered a career you went into because you were not to sharp. Being in that industry I was able to be my own kids' mom and I loved every aspect of my career."

The McGee household was indeed a busy place, as Diane and her husband Bob raised eight children, including three from her brother's family after his wife died in an accident. Still, McGee found time to teach cosmetology at Banting Memorial High School, encouraged by a teacher at the time, New Tecumseth's former mayor, Larry Keogh (another mentor), to apply for that position. She trained students at her salon on weekends, and became the hair stylist for many residents of Simcoe Manor in Beeton as well as in a home of special needs adults.

Her business, which included selling a line of beauty products and women's career fashions, led her to travel, establishing solid business relationships and friendships along the way. Being so well established, McGee was a little bewildered several years later by the lack of support she met from suppliers when she made the move to focus on a home-based business selling career fashions for women. Not one to become discouraged, she began to scan bulletin boards and newspapers for names of other home-based business people. Soon was born The Home-Works Business Association as a Barrie-based support and networking group for women and men who run a home business.

W.I.N.G.S. was developed after McGee noticed home-based businesswomen in particular could benefit from a supportive environment that combined networking and mentoring. W.I.N.G.S. now has 18 chapters in Ontario and is poised to go national as interest about the association continues to grow.

Each chapter coordinator holds monthly meetings with attendance kept at a comfortable maximum of 20. A spin-off from W.I.N.G.S. is “HEROS on Line” a database of men referred by WINGS Associates. These are men that women can feel safe and comfortable doing business with. So if you need a trustworthy mechanic, painter, plumber, etc. visit the directory on the web site.

Karen Carlton is the W.I.N.G.S. coordinator for the Essa Township chapter and couldn¹t say enough about how McGee changed her life. "When I attended my first W.I.N.G.S. meeting. I was just starting out with my business and I was a quiet little mouse who didn¹t say boo. Diane encouraged me and insisted I would be perfect as the coordinator for the Angus chapter. Now, ten years later you can¹t shut me up. Diane was instrumental in getting me to spread my wings and be confident in front of people. She gives and gives and gives. For years she¹s just put her heart and soul into W.I.N.G.S. with very little, if any, monetary award. Caring about people is her passion."

Over the last few years McGee has been recognized and awarded for her support for home-based businesses by the Royal Bank and Home Business Report Magazine, she was twice nominated for the prestigious RBC Canadian Women of the Year award. She was also the recipient of the Hall of Fame award. In 2007 she was chosen for the Legends and Legacy award in Barrie. Being recognized in her community has been a honour.

McGee was invited by the prime minister to Ottawa to attend a meeting to discuss the results of a task force looking into the needs of businesswomen in Canada.

McGee says "I strongly believe in the importance of mentors and highly respect women who care enough to take time out to give back and share words of wisdom.  All in business need help to travel the 'Yellow Brick Road' and we don’t have to do it alone”.

She quotes Acts 20:35 "There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.” McGee like to surround herself with people who are givers as they are 'Happy' people and the kind of people you can learn much from.

McGee’s next project is just being launched. It is Netweaving … a new buzz word. A simple way of bringing Community, Families and Business together.