ATLANTA – Each year, the NACS Show connects diverse groups of people searching for new relationships and desiring to strengthen existing ties. Nowhere was that intent more evident than at the Network of Executive Women (NEW) breakfast roundtable on the last day of the Show.

Nearly 100 committed women and men gathered early morning to witness a panel discussion by three prominent female leaders in the industry. Deftly moderated by Lucia Crater, director of sales, convenience channel for KIND Healthy Snacks, the panel included Sonja Hubbard, CEO of E-Z Mart Stores; Alison Moran, CEO of RaceTrac; and Kathleen Ciaramello, president, national foodservice and on-premise at Coca-Cola Refreshments. 

Before the panel started, Michelle Hanson, CEO of ExecuInsight LLC and one of the founding members of NEW, shared with attendees the story behind the inception of the now 8,000-strong member leadership organization. NEW was founded 12 years ago to “attract, retain and advance women’s leadership in the retail consumer goods industry,” she said, at a time when much of the advice being given out to women was “look less attractive and more men will listen to what you have to say.”

The three panelists offered up more substantive advice based on their career experiences.  For each, a pivotal event in their lives and careers led to some growth opportunities, which they seized and which led them to their current success. For Hubbard, the death of her father when she was 37 catapulted her into a leadership role that let her discover her untapped strength and forced her to make decisions he would have made while also asking herself, ‘What would Sonja do?’ instead of ‘What would dad do?’”

For Moran, a few years outside the family business made her realize she really did want to be a part of RaceTrac, so she asked for the opportunity to run the company’s HR department, which started her on the path to the C-suite, where she resides today. “I can do this,” she told herself, emphasizing to all the importance of self-advocacy.

Ciaramello spent many years building her career and waiting until she was 99% sure to take on a new role before ever committing to it. But one day she had a revelation: She wasn’t stretching herself. So she searched and asked her bosses to find her a stretch role, and she’s been stretching ever since.

The panel was full of leadership advice for women as well as ways that companies can enhance the contribution of women. A few gems:

• Find ways to steward the great work you are doing and build trust with the people who are impacted by your decisions.
• Mentors are important, but also find sponsors who can advocate for you and give you the challenges you need to move ahead.
• Find the courage to ask at work for the things that can help you can achieve a good work/life balance.
• Diverse leadership teams make the best decisions — and women can provide some of that diversity.
• The “power of three” fuels Coca-Cola’s teams. After three females join a group the semantics of the conversation often change from “a new woman” on the team to a “new member” of the team. The company’s Global Women’s Initiative and Council keep this in mind as they advocate for women’s presence and leadership within the company worldwide.

For more information about NEW and how to become more engaged visit NEWonline.org. 

(From left to right) Panelists Sonja Hubbard, CEO of E-Z Mart Stores; Kathleen Ciaramello, president, national foodservice and on-premise at Coca-Cola Refreshments; Alison Moran, CEO of RaceTrac; and moderator Lucia Crater, director of sales, convenience channel for KIND Healthy Snacks.