Welcome to our seventh annual Women Business Leaders issue! There’s no doubt that women have come a long way over the years. There are far more opportunities for women in the business world today, but deeply-rooted beliefs continue to persist and there’s still work to do. Just ask Nicole Humber of Bravo Restoration Company, featured in Beyond the Boardroom, about the reaction she gets when people learn she’s the sole owner of a company that offers restoration services for homes that have faced fire, smoke, or water damage—not her husband. (See page 82.)
We dedicate the May issue to women business leaders each year to celebrate the critical work they do in their industries throughout the North Bay. In years past, we’ve focused on women working in construction, banking, education, agriculture, the wine industry and more.
In “Girls United,” writer Christina Julian tells the story of Stacey Vogel and her path to helping young girls connect and bond through sports and summer camps. As a longtime employer, I’m always looking for candidates who are competitive, well-rounded and like to win. I’m particularly interested in seeing what experience a young person has working in team environments. Girls United provides young women with opportunities in sports, and teamwork and gives them the opportunity to succeed that they may not have found in their schools or everyday environments. You may be as surprised as I was to read how skateboarding became a natural pivot during the COVID pandemic and an outlet for many of those young girls as well. Stacey’s story is inspirational and a testament to how women helping girls and young women empowers our next generation of leaders.
The story, “A Passion for Justice,” written by Judith Wilson, profiles Marin County District Attorney, Lori Frugoli. As a teen, Lori envisioned a future career training guide dogs until she had to write an essay about what she wanted to do when she finished school. As part of her research, she rode along with police officers to see how canine units work, and the experience caused her to change course and pursue a career in law enforcement. Her goal was to become a police officer, but she was a half-inch short of the 5-foot-6-inch requirement and couldn’t get hired anywhere. But along the way, she had support from the Marin Community College District Police Department and a visionary chief at the Santa Rosa Police Department, Salvatore Rosano, who took a chance and hired her despite the missing half inch. Today, Ms. Frugoli is Marin’s most influential criminal justice leader and shows absolutely no indication of slowing down. Read about the changes Lori has made to the DA’s office in Marin County to make it more effective, professional, reflective and inclusive to its constituents on page 26.
And finally, in this issue, you will also find out about a hot new (old?) trend: thrift shopping! “Second Hand Magic” by Jane Hodges Young tells us that Gen-Xers are not only into creating their own style but doing that in an Earth-friendly and sustainable way. The second-hand market is projected to reach $77 billion by 2025, up from $36 billion in 2021, according to Global Data and ThreadUp. Read this fun and informative article to learn the history of thrift stores in the U.S. and a few places right here in the North Bay where you might just find something new…for you.
That’s it for now. I hope you enjoy reading about the women leading the way in the North Bay in this month’s issue. In the meantime, remember, that there is power in mentoring our youth. As the father of two teenage daughters, I’ve had many opportunities to see first-hand the empowering impact of mentorship. Taking the time to mentor a young girl may significantly help her push past gender stereotypes, bolster her confidence and make her day a little brighter.
As always, stay in touch. Write to me at Lawrence@NorthBaybiz.com.
