Polycor Honors Four Industry Leaders
Polycor Selects Four Women for Outstanding Achievements In the Stone Industry
Genevieve Robichaud
Guest Contributor, Polycor
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From left: Kathleen Carle of J.C. Stone, Barbara Cohen of Miller Druck Specialty Contracting, Patrick Perus of Polycor, Monica Gawet of Tennessee Marble Company and Brenda Edwards of TexaStone Quarries. |
We all love natural stone for its endurance through time, testing and trends. It can withstand great pressure and all the elements and still retain its integrity and natural beauty. Sounds like the definition of a strong female leader doesn’t it?
In our industry, our leaders must have these same qualities of strength and endurance, especially those who are women, as they face an industry that is still largely occupied by men. At Polycor we’re grateful for the women who have pioneered leadership in the stone world. Yet to say women in the industry have made great strides isn’t enough.
To encourage more women to pursue a career in stone, and encourage the ones laboring in it to reach for leadership roles, we need to showcase the talent, experience and leadership of the women working there today.
That’s why we partner with Women In Stone - the MIA trade group that provides resources and opportunities to recruit, retain, and advance women in the stone industry. Since we helped launch WIS two years ago in Las Vegas, its services to industry women have grown from simple networking to mentoring and now to a premier stage to show off these strong women in business who are an inspiration to many, including me.
Last week at the Polycor Black Equinox event in Chicago we honored four of these women who have built and maintained stone companies with excellence, through changes in society and the industry: Barbara Cohen of Miller Druck Specialty Contracting; Brenda Edwards of TexaStone Quarries; Kathleen Carle of J.C. Stone; and Monica Gawet of Tennessee Marble Company.
At the event, Polycor CEO Patrick Perus presented each leader with an achievement award hand carved by one of our employees, Steve Schrenk, from a block of Alberene Soapstone. The image on the carvings is as unique as the women we honored.
“I was thinking, What can I give these women that shows what it takes to be a leader in this industry? It must be something that is beautiful, strong, can weather any storm and a little bit hot-headed. What can I be? A ram?” he said with a laugh to the hundreds of stone industry members there. “I hope it will inspire other women.”
Over time the stone will change, with softer edges and a deep patina that tell the story of where it’s been, but its strength will never depreciate. And neither will the strength of these women or their accomplishments for their industry.
Barbara, Brenda, Kathleen and Monica, Polycor salutes you for your good work and perseverance. Rock on.
For more information, photos and video of this event, visit www.polycor.com .