Girl Power

The irony of it is it took a man to make the woman what she is today. Harriet Weiss, chief executive officer of the Pennsauken, New Jersey-based CRW Graphics, got her break in the printing industry from her husband Larry. More than 30 years ago, he hired her as a general manager at his forms business. She nearly quadrupled business for him in less than two years time, earning her the position of president of the company.

"He was my mentor," Weiss said. "He gave me the opportunity."

"There were few women in the business in 1978," Weiss recalled. "Things could get sticky when bills were not paid or a problem came up. Males wouldn't want to deal with you. They would say, 'I prefer not to talk to you. I would rather talk to your husband.'"

Today's paper mills and companies may not be overflowing with women, but there are more than ever before and they no longer have to deal with being alone in a man's world. And the ones there, are bringing a special touch to the industry.

Many things have changed since the days when simply the location of Weiss' desk made her a target for disrespect.

"I sat by the front door," she explained. "People were so rude to me. They thought I was the receptionist. If it wasn't for my husband—men were not very welcoming to women then. There was an assumption that you were never a leader."

Cindy Glass, director of sales and marketing for the Green Bay, Wisconsin-based H.C. Miller Company, can empathize with Weiss.

"This is and continues to be a 'male-dominated' industry," Glass added. "Most men looked at me with a jaundiced eye toward equipment knowledge and application. I saw this as a challenge, not a barrier. Today, this is not the same issue it was in the past, with more women entering the print arena. It has gotten easier for me, however, because my customers now realize that my expertise in used printing equipment is equal to or superior to many of my male counterparts."

Nancy Langdale, senior director for field sales, imaging systems with the Japan-based Canon, was only one of two district sales managers when she joined the company in 1990.

"But more women have joined," Langdale declared. "When it comes to this, Canon is very progressive. Canon recognizes the individual."

Glass also sees firsthand the breakdown of men and women as a member of the company's executive management committee, where she represents press division on all issues related to the senior management team and actively participates in decision-making that involves the entire corporation.

"I work with a few women, but generally there 
are few women in positions of authority relative to the sale or purchase of printing equipment," she explained. "If I had to take a guess, the ratio of women to men [would] be somewhere about 10 percent [women] to 90 percent [men]."

Nevertheless, all three participants agreed there are many more women in the industry than there were years ago.

"It's definitely not 50-50, but there are generally more women in the industry [than there were when I started,]" Weiss said.

Glass doesn't believe the printing industry is unique relative to 'women in the industry' when compared to other service or manufacturing industries. She noted every industry has stereotypical challenges with both men and women, but largely, and due to the competencies and successes of both sexes, these 'glass ceilings' have been coming down over the past 25 years. However, machinery & equipment sales continue to be dominated by men because it is not a generally selected career path for women as they enter the workforce.

It's a cliché, but call it a woman's touch.

Glass said women add a component to the sales opportunity that focuses on aspects of the selling solution that links to the 'win-win' component.

"I truly feel that a passion for the sale is clearly docked to a compassion in helping the customer. I know that my greatest satisfaction is not the result of securing the best deal for our company but instead meeting the needs of a customer under the most challenging circumstance so that both our organizations feel the sale was of significant mutual benefit," she explained.

Weiss agreed that women lead differently. "There is more of a consensus and they are more participatory," she continued. "Women are more detail-oriented and can juggle many things. These are necessary traits in our deadline-driven business."

So does the future look brighter for women? Weiss said that's a definite.

"In the next 10 years? I think a lot more women will start owning their own businesses," Weiss noted.

Glass went on further, saying women's roles are clearly changing.

Once relegated to mostly clerical or 'back-office' functions, Glass noted today they are on the front-lines and in many instances the 'touch point' for customers.

"Women are advancing as well to positions of prominence in senior leadership and continue to expand their share of the corporate ownership pie," Glass remarked. "Women will continue to advance inside our industry—that is certainly a given. Where we go from here will largely be determined not so much by industry acceptance or barriers to advancement, but by the individual desires and competencies of the women who choose to enter into it."

Weiss added those who become business owners and those who continue to be a part of a company's team will succeed if they are creative, flexible and open to new ideas.

"Our industry is in a great state of flux and [we are] continuously reinventing ourselves," Weiss commented. "Doing so will be important whether you are a woman or not."

Weiss enthused that the secret to her success is rooted in three very important ideas: "First, never be afraid to fail. If you don't try, you failed. Second, build a strong team. Third, give it your best always."

And those women who aren't thinking about a career in the printing industry, should. Langdale said women can earn a pretty penny in this industry.

When asked what advice she would give to fellow gals in the industry, Glass said, "Just Do it,"—an idea that works for more than just a sneaker.

"I know I am stealing this slogan, but it is that simple. There are great opportunities, plus any number of normal challenges that women face, and with enough self-confidence and a strong will to succeed, the print profession can be a dynamic and rewarding career path."

She also encouraged women to take the advice of her former CEO.

"Strive for constant & continuous self-improvement. Look not at what you have achieved, but what you have yet to achieve and identify those things that are holding you back. Most of the time, it is not the 'external forces' most would like to blame—but, in fact, it is usually a deficiency in your own make-up. Then, simply fix it."

Langdale admitted that her advice for women is pretty basic.

"Bring your 'A' game. Do what's expected and more, and take your job seriously," she added. "It's not rocket science."