When Vision Monday first inaugurated “The Most Influential Women in Optical” report in 2003, we were asked, and often, about why we felt the need to isolate the achievements of individual women in the field.

“Weren’t men just as accomplished, haven’t they also made indelible contributions, aren’t there many visible leaders and unsung heroes out there among them, too?” were some of those questions.

Those queries missed the point, though, as the goal of our 12 years of Influential Women special reports, and the mini-profiles of hundreds of leaders from the Executive Suite, Rising Stars, Mentors and Innovators, has not been to “compare.”

In fact, it’s been to “share.”

 
And, yes, to shine a light on women making significant contributions to every aspect of this complex vision care and eyewear space in times when women’s progress hasn’t always been so visible, and, to underscore the diverse, innovative, dedicated and strategic roles that they have been taking on in moving the optical, vision and eyewear-related business forward.

Collectively and individually, they’re achieving and balancing, driving and learning, designing and teaching, selling and training, managing and strategizing.

Women are bringing their own unique stories and skills to leadership companies and organizations, some in corporate settings, some on their own.

Together, these #WonderWomen are shaping a 21st century optical industry—in true collaboration with their male colleagues.

maxelrad@jobson.com