Throughout the years, a significant number of men in the industry have been involved with the OWA and our activities, from supporting the amazing networking events to joining the ranks of our generous sponsors. Their rich and meaningful contributions have prompted us to "give them a shout out" in this new newsletter series. This issue features interviews with the following men who Connect, Inspire and Lead, promoting the leadership role of women in the optical industry:
How has the leadership role of women evolved in the optical industry during the time span of your career?
SB: We are now focused on identifying women for leadership. We groom them and support them through the process to succeed. Eyefinity's own Anita Brookter is one such example.
BC: How far back do you want to go? In 1974, even entry-level business roles in organizations were held by men. The pharma companies, where I cut my teeth, were the trailblazers to put women in significant roles, mostly associated with sales. Fast forward to today where Essilor has 50% or better female lab managers, presidents and executives within the ranks. Even though this seems significant on paper, I believe there is still room to grow in our industry
MD: In 1976 when I helped launch Varilux for Essilor, I really was somewhat "gender blind". At that time one of my trainers who would become a mentor was Barbara McReynolds, Co-founder of l.a.Eyeworks. I was never prejudiced or felt that women played a lesser role. I would have to say that in the 70's I did see preferred or exclusive gender treatment at times in business settings, but it somewhat surprised and shocked me as I was working with and learning from women day in and out. I learned early on about making objective decisions based on facts. Exclude prejudices and surround yourself with the best person for the role.
JS: Women in leadership roles always seem commonplace to me. At Zyloware, the first person to hold a Sr. Vice President VP position outside of our family is a woman. Jennifer Derryberry didn't get that job because she's a woman, she got the role because she's great at what she does! I believe the optical industry has evolved from the "old boys club" mentality to a more forward-thinking, diverse approach to selecting and developing leaders.
What positive changes have you seen regarding how women are able to advance up the corporate ladder?
SB: It is no longer a random act! We are identifying women early and supporting them through the journey of making progress up the ladder.
BC: Many factors contribute to the newly-expanded opportunities for women in business. More women go to college; more women pursue advanced degrees in leadership, business, and management. More women enter the workforce and the roles they excel at are directly relatable to the inherent skills they have and their creative, intuitive approach. For example, women are succeeding in the boardroom because they have a tendency to collaborate and ask questions, whereas men compete. It's just one example of the different "hard wiring" between men and women. It's critical to understand how having both genders working collectively in leadership roles can be a tremendous benefit.
MD: There has been a dramatic change in the amount of women in leadership roles in the last 25 years. In the 70's and 80's women had more behind the scenes power. Today we see women front and center in high visibility roles. I don't believe that women have changed that much. I believe the situations and culture has changed to allow women to utilize their skills and wisdom and approach to leadership. I attribute that to society now being more open, thanks in great part to success breeding success. More women are in leadership roles with very successful companies. To me that means if you're not including women when searching for leaders, you're missing a great opportunity to be successful, as well. The key is to embrace powerful business women as leaders in your organization and being blind to gender in the workplace.
JS: Women have top roles throughout our organization and are very visible leaders in human resources, finance, sales, and marketing. We believe it's not about a man or a woman; at Zyloware, the question is and always will be "who's best for the job?" Although we as an industry have made some great advances, I still think there is a lot of room for more females at the executive level. This is just the beginning of some significant opportunities for women.
How has your company or yourself helped advance the leadership role of women in the industry?
SB: Eyefinity is an opportunistic partner of the OWA. The OWA grows the talent that we can then utilize. I have a two year growth plan for my staff. For women, I encourage them to join the OWA as it will facilitate that growth. Even if that woman does not stay with Eyefinity, I get personal satisfaction knowing that I was instrumental in the growth of that person by connecting them to the OWA.
BC: At Essilor, we have a women's program that functions to provide mentoring, networking and professional development for our female employees. Overall, our organization hires the best people. There is no ceiling block for women or gender-specific roles.
MD: The industry as a whole is optimizing the talent of women; however we still have room to grow. We need to see big companies within our industry have more women engaged and participating at the top executive levels. In addition, the industry needs to be reflective of their customers. A large percentage of students, young Optometrists, as well as many retail buyers and Opticians and just as important, decision makers in the healthcare market, are female. The customer and the world are changing. We need to reflect that diversity. As an industry, we must believe in the power of gender blindness and can't just say it, we need to take action. "Equality — believe in it, and then live it."
JS: We seek the best people to match the culture of our organization. We consider ourselves a frontrunner in embracing and promoting women into leadership roles. It's who we are and what we do as a company; part of our corporate culture.
In your opinion, what is the value of organizations like the Optical Women's Association?
SB: The OWA gives women a phenomenal position in the optical industry: grooming, strategic, and talented. Look at people like Dr. Lorie Lippiatt and Valerie Manso, well-known and respected in the optical industry. Perfect representations of how the OWA has helped women advance.
BC: The value of the OWA is that it provides an opportunity for women in this industry to meet, learn and share with other women in leadership roles. The inclusiveness of the programs and events is also appealing to me. It's not a man/women thing, everyone is welcome to participate, learn, share and recognize the talented women in our industry. Walls are being broken down and it's great to keep everyone looped in to what's going on and have the opportunity to celebrate success together.
MD: I am in favor of the concept of associations in general. They provide forums for groups of like-minded people to share experiences and support and guide each other. Having the OWA gives women in optical an opportunity to have access to some of the brightest minds in the business! I would like to encourage more women to get involved in the OWA and for membership to grow and continue to be inclusive of all women in any facet of the optical business.
JS: The OWA is a tremendous platform to increase the visibility of women in leadership roles and promote the concept that our industry is transitioning from a fraternity to a tapestry. The OWA is a diverse group of women that bring new ideas and talents to the table. I am looking forward to the continued evolution of the OWA to get more women involved in the mentoring of the next generation of leaders.
Who is the woman that was the most influential in guiding you in your career?
SB: My grandmother influenced me greatly. She was a survivor of the Armenian Holocaust. Not only did she survive the holocaust but she managed to raise three kids during the Great Depression. Her drive and perseverance still inspires me to this day. Another fantastic mentor has been Jane Herman, a colleague I worked with during the mid-80s. I greatly respected her and will always remember the lesson that she taught me about keeping the customer's perspective in mind at all times.
BC: "I did not have the luxury of having a woman as a mentor; however, I have had several women who have influenced my career (most notably my wife, Pam). If I had to pick an early influencer in a business setting it would be Becky Stern. Becky taught me much more than business, sales and management skills. She lived her daily life with unmatched optimism, intelligence and a work ethic that demonstrated by example what it was like to truly work because you love what you do. Becky was one of the most professional and just all around super people that shaped my career.
MD: The woman I have the most respect and admiration for is my wife Cathy. She is one of the strongest and most confident women I know. I have tremendous respect for her management of the finest and most valued business ever — our home and family — and I am eternally grateful for that. On the professional side, I have a high regard for Joni Schon, my VP of Finance. Early on in my career, Joni had fantastic business acumen and great leadership skills, as well as a flair for creating a team approach to business and problem-solving through open and equal discussion. I certainly had many other women who have influenced my career; I am most thankful that I had the good sense to listen.
JS: There have been many women who have been influential to me throughout my career; therefore this is a very difficult question to answer. If I were to choose one very influential woman to me, I will need to choose Kara Meyer. Not only was Kara a very good friend, but someone I looked up to and learned from every time I saw her or spoke with her. Kara taught me many things, including not taking myself so seriously. She was someone who was so easy to talk to, and someone who I was able to confide in many of my issues of my career growth within my family business, which wasn't always a very easy path for me. When she passed away, our entire industry suffered a great loss. Kara meant so much to so many throughout the optical world and her personal life. She was one who managed to have a positive influence on all she touched. Even these few years later, I still speak to her from time to time, and I know she finds a way to answer back . . . so in that, her guidance still continues today.
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