Anne Steinbeck

Anne Steinbeck was the first Colorado woman to serve as president of the National Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc. (BPW). Steinbeck first joined BPW in Gunnison, Colorado, in 1963, becoming an active member, officer, and volunteer over the next three decades. Born in 1929, she combined her work in teaching, accounting, journalism, and social work with being a wife and mother. She was appointed by four Colorado governors to serve on state commissions and often testified before the Colorado legislature as well as the U.S. Congress. She was named Citizen of the Year by the Gunnison County Chamber of Commerce and also by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Steinbeck was selected Colorado Woman of the Year by the Colorado BPW and by Common Cause. She has been a commencement speaker, lecturer, and instructor for her alma mater, Western State College, and was selected as a Distinguished Alumna in 1985.