Lately we’ve all been reading about the state of working women in the 21st century.  The Shriver Report was recently released, validating the fact that, for the first time in our history, half of all US workers are women.  Time Magazine also broached the topic, revisiting their story from 1972 in which they studied the state of the women in “the throes of women’s lib.”  These, and many other confirming reports, are bringing the issues of the modern-day working woman to the forefront. 

We’ve decided to add to this cultural discussion by introducing several of the Inspiring Women of HOK.  We hope to bring forth some dialog as to these women’s motivation, their life stories, and the way that they have carved a very deep and enduring path for others in our formerly male-dominated professions.  This upcoming series will be a weekly effort to highlight some of the many women who have inspired people and continue to do so.  We hope that this will serve as inspiration and encouragement to all the wonderful people at HOK, as well as our non HOK readers.

We are pretty lucky; HOK is a place that has been formed with women in mind.  Check out Valerie’s wonderful post highlighting Veronica Kunkemueller’s efforts for flexible work hours, or Jaki’s awe-inspiring post on Susan Mitchell-Ketzes’ literal and figurative breaking of the glass ceiling, or Leigh’s post on her awesome The Green Workplace book launch.  We hope that highlighting these women, and inspiring generations of others, will further assert women as a full half of the workforce. 

Ladies, we have an amazing opportunity at this point in time, more than any other before, to form our lives, to live them to the fullest, and to kick some butt in and out of the office.  Women are more educated than ever before, workplaces all over are beginning to change to allow for better work and life management, and, according to the Shriver Report, over 80 percent of men and women agree that businesses which fail to adapt to the needs of modern families risk losing good workers. 

We can do this.  We ARE doing this.  Enjoy the series!

The women featured in our series are:

Leigh Stringer

Jodi Williams

Jan Harmon

Megan Holder

Barb Ciesla

Sheila Cahnman

Jeannette Thompson

Michelle Pinkston

Anica Landreneau

Sandra Paret

Kimberly Dowdell

Valerie Greer

Sherin Aminossehe

Teresa Durkin

Marta Willgoose

Marsha Littell

LaRee DeFreece

Penny Malina

Rosa Cheney

Melissa Schmitz

Abbey Roberson

Sabine Bartzke

Sue Wiest