These women mean business

These inspirational descriptions describe Top Women in theory. But for next-level inspiration, check out these actual descriptions taken from the nomination forms of some of our real-world Top Women from the class of 2021.

 Gina Cashner of Beacon Building Products is described on her nomination form as a pro who has “excelled at all levels, positions and responsibilities. She’s a tested veteran who executes well, builds a high-performing team, creates customer loyalty and continues to mentor and coach new talent coming into our industry.”

Leigh Hudspeth of BlueLinx “understands the need for diversity within our industry and is committed to changing how the LBM business is viewed and looks.”

Heather Young of Shelly’s Supply “has created a culture of shared accountability and process discipline in a fun and motivational manner. This has fostered an improved experience for the customer, the employees and anyone interacting with the business.”

Here’s a passage from the nomination form of Stanley Black & Decker’s Maria Ford: “She had the courage to lead in an uncertain period with honesty and transparency, and created a new standard for empathetic leadership that drove employee engagement and a sense of belonging, just as critically as business results.”

You can read more about Maria Ford in our Top Women profile series here.

“Our class of  2021 Top Women includes some fantastic leaders and role models,” said HBSDealer’s Amy Grant, who is spearheading the program. “We were thrilled with the quantity and high quality of nominations for the awards ceremony, as well as the enthusiasm that the industry is bringing to this year-round project.”

The Top Women in Hardware & Building Supply program will culminate in the first-ever, live, Top Women in Hardware & Building Supply awards and networking event in Chicago, Nov. 10-11.