Openshaw is the second person to serve as executive director for the organization since it was founded in 1956. She succeeds Nancy Sellar, who served for nearly 30 years.

Openshaw’s financial industry experience includes serving as press secretary in the California State Treasurer’s Office and in senior roles at Bank of America, Wilshire Associates and BankOne, where she was senior vice president of corporate marketing.

She is best known, the FWA said, as the founder and chief executive of Women’s Financial Network, a financial services company created for women, which was later acquired by Wall Street legend Muriel Siebert.

Openshaw most recently served as president of Finect, a social networking platform for wealth advisors and other financial professionals.