February 2026-CBWC Luncheon

Tuesday, February 24^th, 2026

Doors Open: 11:30am

Program: 11:45am – 1:00pm

Location: Pardini's Catering & Banquets – Shaw @Van Ness 

Who can attend: Women Only

$30 per person (Includes $2.00 convenience fee per ticket)

Table of 8 $240 (Includes $2.00 convenience fee per ticket)

Door Prize: 2 Tickets to the next month’s Luncheon

Raffle: $50 Gift Card

Please email with any dietary restrictions. 

Speaker: Margaret Mims

Bio: Margaret Mims is a first generation Californian. Her parents came to the central valley when they were young. Her mother from Oklahoma and her father from Arkansas. She was born in Selma, California and grew up in the communities of San Joaquin and Caruthers.

Sheriff Mims is a graduate of Caruthers High School. She is also a graduate of Fresno Pacific University, and has her Master’s Degree in Public Administration from National University. She is a graduate of California POST (Peace Officer Standards & Training) Supervisory Leadership Institute, and she is also a graduate of the Senior Management Institute for Police coordinated through Boston University and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

She started her career in law enforcement in January of 1980, when she was hired as the first female police officer in the city of Kerman. In 1983, she became a deputy sheriff for Fresno County, and in 1986 became the first female canine handler for the Sheriff’s Office. She later became the first female Sergeant to supervise field patrol units, first female to attain the rank of Sheriff’s Lieutenant, first female Captain, first female Assistant Sheriff and became the first elected female Sheriff of Fresno County in which was established in 1856. She served as Sheriff for 16 years and retired in 2023 after a 42 year law enforcement career.

Margaret is married to her husband, Gary Mims. They have two adult children, Randal and Jacklyn, four grandchildren, Lynzy, Erin, Nolan, and Hank and five great-grandchildren, Keatyn, Huntley, Oaks, Roxy and Davani.

Sheriff Mims has served on many committees and boards throughout the County, including being a past member of the Cultural Arts Rotary Club and serving on the Board of Directors of the Marjaree Mason Center, a local women’s shelter. She has served as a past member of the Fresno County Rape Counseling Service Board of Directors. She is a lifetime member of the California State Sheriffs’ Association.

As a result of her diagnosis with malignant breast cancer and her successful treatment, Sheriff Mims has been an outspoken advocate for the importance of early detection.

Topic: Seizing Opportunity

Description: 

Seizing opportunity is about recognizing moments when you can make a meaningful impact, both personally and professionally. It means staying open to new experiences, acting quickly, and being willing to step outside your comfort zone. By being proactive and embracing change, you position yourself to achieve growth and success in ways you might never have imagined.