How long has The Cannata Report’s Women Influencers issue been making an impact? If you were paying attention last year, you may remember that we proudly celebrated the franchise’s 10th anniversary. This issue marks the beginning of the second decade of the Women Influencers franchise as we continue to celebrate women’s increasing prominence in our industry.
Some of us have mixed feelings about celebrating women in the industry, especially now that so many have been elevated to prominent roles in their organizations compared to more than four decades ago when Frank G. Cannata launched the industry newsletter that would evolve into The Cannata Report. Comparatively, for much of my first two decades in the industry, beginning in 1986, women in the industry were not all that visible other than in public relations positions. Despite all the positive changes, we at The Cannata Report believe it’s still important to draw attention to remarkable women who are influencing our industry.
Reflecting on the past, it’s remarkable to see how our industry has evolved. Today, finding a woman or multiple women at the forefront of industry events, delivering keynote addresses, participating in panels, and hosting breakout sessions is not unusual. This was a rarity even in the early 2000s. This progress is a testament to the increasing recognition of women in our industry and should fill us all with hope and optimism for the future.
In this issue, we have the privilege of profiling three exceptional women from three prominent companies in the office technology dealer channel. Each of them is a true women influencer, making a significant mark on their organizations and the office technology industry. Their stories are not to be missed.
In addition to our cover story, we’re featuring a Q&A with five notable women from the channel. We’re thrilled to present their perspectives on their careers and their current views on the office technology industry.
Other notable features this month include what’s new in print management software, recruiting from outside the industry, selling to the education market, and strategies for hiring sales reps.
We hope you’ll be as inspired as we are by the women featured on our cover and those participating in our Q&A. Each of them is an influencer for good reason, and we should all be honored to consider them our colleagues in this ever-evolving industry.
