Worcester Business Journal

12 Worcester Business Journal | October 24, 2016 | wbjournal.com F OC U S O U T S T A N D I N G W O M E N I N B U S I N E S S The Honorees This year's judges Businesses need more women-inclusive policies Women continue to rise to business leadership positions, and the country is a few weeks away from its first presidential election with a woman as a major party nominee. Yet, women professionals still make 80 cents for every $1 dollar their male counterparts do, corporate boards are 81 percent male and CEOs are 95 percent men. When polled, WBJ readers said businesses and the government needs to be more hands-on, so men and women are treated equally. F L A S H P O L L Does more need to be done to ensure equality between professional men and women? Yes. Governments need to be more forceful to ensure equal treatment. 22% "Things are much better now than when I first started working in the early 1970s, but there is still a very long way to go." "The government needs to stay out of it." No. The movement toward equality is heading in a positive direction and needs to occur naturally. 26% "Businesses may have inclusive policies, but it is their practices that need improvement. Get more women on corporate boards and in officer- level positions, and not just a token one or two. Government incentives could help this. Generally, there are more senior women in government jobs than in the private sector." Yes. Businesses need to adopt more inclusive policies. 44% 6% No. The balance between the genders is fine as is. COMMENTS: Paul Belsito is president of The Hanover Insurance Group Foundation, oversee- ing The Hanover's communi- ty engagement programs. He is on the board of the EcoTarium, Worcester Tree Initiative, Y.O.U, Inc., and the Worcester Regional Research Bureau. Belsito was a recipient of the Worcester Business Journal's 40 under Forty in 2012. He resides in Shrewsbury with his wife Christie and daughter Isabelle. Susan Lawrence is the co-owner of Pepper's Fine Catering, after having started Pepper's Fine Foods & Café in Northborough in 1987. Along with her hus- band and chef John Law- rence, the couple will soon announce their next chapter, Peppers Artful Events. Lawrence was a 2015 WBJ Outstanding Women in Business honoree. Carolyn Stempler is a former chief information officer for WR Grace, a Fortune 500 company. In 2003, Stempler retired from technology and turned her sights on an entrepreneurial career as a Ben & Jerry's Franchisee. Shortly before she moved to Worcester in 2007, she sold her franchise and launched her own design and planning business, which special- izes in event design and planning. She is married to Howard Stempler, a partner with the law firm Seder & Chandler, LLP and has two step-daughters, Emily and Sally. A record 47 women were nominated and considered to be the six honorees for this year's Outstanding Women in Business. The vote was very close, too, as 12 different women were within one point from the combined judges' scores of being in one of those select six positions. Of course, having a large number of nominations and a strong candidate pool means WBJ now has one of its strongest Outstanding Women in Business classes in the award's history. The winners were selected on their career achievements, ability to transcend both male- and female-dom- inated professions, their contributions to the Central Massachusetts community, and their mentor- ship of young professionals in the region. It was a very close call, but all of this year's winners repre- sent the best of what professionals in the region can be. More than any other Worcester Business Journal award, in addition to honoring the best of the best in Central Massachusetts, WBJ strives to use this honor for social change, by showcasing the power of women in business. As the long-time underrepresented gen- der in the professional world, it remains vital to the causes of gender equality and economic growth (since businesses with better female representation in leadership positions typically outperform those without) that we hold up examples for men and women to follow. In addition to this special section, WBJ will host our Outstanding Women in Business luncheon Nov. 18 at Tuckerman Hall in Worcester. I invite all of you to come and learn exactly how strong women have made a positive impact on the region. Hurry up and reserve your spot, though, as this event typically sells out the quickest of all the ones WBJ offers. - Brad Kane, editor Katie Crockett Vice president, Lamoureux Pagano Associates Architects & Project Managers, Worcester Matilde "Mattie" Castiel, MD Commissioner of health and human services, city of Worcester Liora Stone President & owner, Precision Engineering Inc., Uxbridge Michelle Drolet CEO, Towerwall, Inc., Framingham Antonia G. McGuire President & CEO, Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center, Worcester Julie Crowley Regional project manager for the Advanced Manufacturing, Mechatronics and Quality Consortium, Mount Wachusett Community College, Devens The best of the best

• Cover