The Cranbrook Academy of Arts Women’s Committee was founded on February 11, 1966 as the social arm of the Friends of the Academy (the Museum’s new membership program). The committee’s purpose was to promote and undertake activities and projects that would further the welfare of the Academy and the Museum. In the first years, this primarily meant hosting social activities sponsored by the Museum, in order to raise local and national awareness of the Academy as a whole. The committee’s first event was sponsorship (decorations and hors d’oeuvres) of a reception in honor of Zoltan Sepeshy, retiring Academy President, and included a Museum exhibition preview of his paintings. They would hold similar events for subsequent presidents Glen Paulsen (1966-1971), Wallace Mitchell (1970-1977), and Roy Slade (1977-1994).

Officers included a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Recording Secretary, and Corresponding Secretary, forming the Executive Committee or Board. First Chair of the Committee was Academy Board of Trustee, Mary Love Russell, and charter members included Carol Lawson Booth, Helen Keyes, and Margot Synder, among others. Business was conducted through meetings of the Board and general membership meetings, including the Annual Luncheon and New Member’s Tea, which took place at regular intervals throughout each year.

The Committee activities quickly became an integral part of fundraising efforts to primarily support students and academic programming, through student scholarships, subsidization of the visiting artists programs, and sponsorship of visiting lecturers. Other projects over the years have included refurbishing the student lounges, purchasing books for the Academy Library, purchasing studio equipment, and organizing Challenge Fund Drives for significant initiatives like the Student Forum Gallery in the New Studios Building. The group’s major annual fundraiser for the Academy was the Arts Ball, instituted in its first year. The gala event would be a tradition carried throughout its thirty-six-year existence, with various themes and titles, rebranding as the Guy Fawkes Ball in 1977. Other fundraising events throughout the years have included the Serious Moonlight Patron Party, Spring Arts Fair, Brolly Day (a reimagining of the annual student open house and auction instituted during President Slade’s tenure), an Arts & Antique Auction, and a Clifford West film festival.

Aside from hosting and planning refreshments for exhibit openings and raising funds, committee members also volunteered at the museum shop and reception desk, held student hospitality events like the student dinner, assisted students with finding part-time work or housing during holidays, and sponsored panel discussions and lectures for Museum members. Beginning in the 1970s, the Women’s Committee would also plan and host visits to other museums, artist’s studios, private art collections, and art galleries as part of the Museum membership program.

At one time the Women’s Committee boasted a membership roster of over 450, and through its use of creative fundraising endeavors, secured hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Academy. In an effort to be more inclusive and responsive to the Academy's and Museum's strategic visions, the committee reorganized as the Cranbrook Academy of Art/Cranbrook Art Museum Member's Council in 2002, reporting to the CAA/CAM Board of Governors.

Committee Chairs: Mrs. George Russell, 1966-1967 Pipsan Saarinen Swanson, 1967-1968 Marion Mitchell, 1968-1971 Mrs. Richard Strickland, 1971-1972 Mrs. Donald E. Young, 1972-1975 Tay Barclay, 1975-1977 Barbara Hogan, 1977-1979 Jean Schuler, 1979-1981 Mrs. George Zonars, 1981-1983 Marusha Judy, 1983-1985 Mrs. Ramon von Drehle, 1985-1987 mrs. Roger Robinson, 1987-1988 Mrs. Eric A. Wilshire, 1988-1990 Ginger Scott, 1990-1992 Phoebe Goldstein, 1992-1994 Susan Lanciault, 1994-1996 Barbara Czamanske, 1996-1998 Joanna Boeckl, 1998-2000 Karmen Santourian, 2000-2001

1966-1967

Mrs. George Russell

1967-1968

Pipsan Saarinen Swanson

1968-1971

Marion Mitchell

1971-1972

Mrs. Richard Strickland

1972-1975

Mrs. Donald E. Young

1975-1977

Tay Barclay

1977-1979

Barbara Hogan

1979-1981

Jean Schuler

1981-1983

Mrs. George Zonars

1983-1985

Marusha Judy

1985-1987

Mrs. Ramon von Drehle

1987-1988

Mrs. Roger Robinson

1988-1990

Mrs. Eric A. Wilshire

1990-1992

Ginger Scott

1992-1994

Phoebe Goldstein

1994-1996

Susan Lanciault

1996-1998

Barbara Czamanske

1998-2000

Joanna Boeckl

2000-2001

Karmen Santouria