Pet Industry Herstory

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Thank you for reading our May issue. You are holding a piece of history in your hands because in this issue, we are awarding the pet industry’s top 25 Women of Influence for the first time. Our winners were either self-nominated or nominated by another person. To qualify, a nominee had to be a woman holding a senior management-level position with significant authority in decision making for her organization.

The results were astounding. We had over 100 nominations. Winners were selected by our panel of three independent women. They were Callie Hartzell, commerce sales and marketing manager at Natural Balance, Marci Hickey, director of meetings and member services at PIDA and Marian Thielson, sales and marketing at APPA.

Our judges had a hard time narrowing the list to 25 winners. Every woman nominated has accomplished so much. While we were floored by the response, we just wish we could have honored everybody.

Given the success of the awards, we will be holding them again next year. Unfortunately, this year’s award winners will not be eligible. It is a once in a lifetime award.

We have another event coming up in the next few months as well. The ICON awards will be given to those who have shown a long term commitment to the success of the pet industry based on experience, integrity and leadership. Candidates must have 20 plus years in the industry. I have had over 30 years in this industry myself so I have known a lot of you for 20 plus years. I encourage you to self-nominate.

We will be recognizing the ICON award recipients in the September issue of Pet Age which will be here before we know it! Please check out our website, petage.com, for more information or to make a nomination.

As for this issue, please read through our Women of Influence section and get to know these wonderful women and how they have impacted the industry.

-Craig Rexford