We mourn the loss of IPWS co-founder and dear friend, Diane E. Long, to cancer late last week. Diane was a remarkable, insightful, and powerful woman who paved the way for so many of us in this community and also leaves a legacy throughout all of Shanghai.
The Expat Professional Women Society (EPWS), later the International Professional Women Society (IPWS), was founded in Shanghai Jax restaurant in March 1993 with 12 other professional women.
At the time, Diane was Chair of the American Chamber of Commerce where she was surrounded by black and blue suits. Yet as time advanced, both Pam Slutz, US Consul General in 1993, and Diane noticed more colors emerging in the audience. Diane excitedly asked, "Is it my imagination? Are there more women? Who are these women? Maybe we should all get together?"
Thus, before the advent of WeChat and smartphones, they began informally meeting, and our international community of women began. Diane and others wanted a place where women could inspire, learn, and most importantly, make meaningful friendships regardless of background.
If you know Diane, you know that this did not stop with IPWS but throughout the business community and the numerous organizations she championed. Her spirit illuminated what was required and created environments where individuals flourished and were their best.
Never one to "sugarcoat," she was the calm, collected voice that helped people see things more clearly and put things in perspective. Whatever you needed to hear, she would tell you. Her availability to guide and advise was unwavering, regardless of her workload. She was happy to serve as a strategic counselor on a wide range of subjects, including personal branding, leadership, and, yes, even breathing methods.
We were fortunate to have Diane join us for our 30th anniversary, where she inspired a new generation of community members. I felt privileged to share the stage with her that evening on behalf of the IPWS Board. One takeaway from that evening that I intend to pass on to my son is how to support women on their journeys, as she has done with her four sons.
Diane did not share with many that she was sick; instead, she focused on what brought her joy and what inspired her, which was serving the community. She wouldn’t want us to be sad because, in her words, "We still have A LOT of work to do!"
On behalf of IPWS, we send healing thoughts to her family and express how much she meant to all of us. We will continue to pursue her vision, with her legacy of light and vitality guiding us.
