Top OEM Women Executives Map Out Path, Guidance for Next-Gen Leadership

While women may account for a small percentage of executive roles among the industry’s leading manufacturers, there’s no denying the high quality of those among the ranks. Powerful and influential, their documented list of accomplishments and high level of visibility indicate the industry would be stronger with an increase in their numbers.

In conjunction with our August State of the Industry report, we’ve collected the thoughts of 11 impactful female leaders in the OEM space for a roundtable discussion. In promoting the concept of expanding the female presence and influence, these individuals have shared their thoughts on what leadership entails, their female role models, supporting other women in their quest to scale the executive mountain and advice they would offer to the next generation of female industry leaders.

Our panel consists of the following executives: Kerstin Woods, vice president of solutions and outbound marketing, Toshiba America Business Solutions; Kendra Jones, chief legal and sustainability officer, Epson America; Moonsun Park, CFO and senior vice president of finance, Sharp Electronics Corp.; Melanie Hudson, senior vice president and chief commercial officer, Lexmark International; Charlene Fischer, vice president, U.S. channels, southeast region, Xerox Corp.; Caty Di Maggio, vice president, commercial sales, Brother International; Wylie Van Ness, vice president and general legal counsel, Kyocera Document Solutions America; Jennifer Healy, director, marketing strategy and programs, dealer and partner channel, Ricoh USA; Karin Harrington, senior sales director, Canon U.S.A.; Jennie Fisher, vice president and general manager, office equipment group, GreatAmerica Financial Services; and Laura Blackmer, president, dealer sales, Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A.

As we have such a large panel, please check out our weekly TWII newsletter this month for the balance of their responses.

What does leadership mean to you?

Woods: I feel very strongly that many people can manage, but not many people can lead. Especially as we encounter rapid and revolutionary challenges such as the pandemic, the distinction between managers and leaders has become increasingly important. While many individuals possess the skills to manage tasks and supervise work, true leadership goes beyond these responsibilities. It involves creating a vision, fostering a positive culture and establishing authentic connections to empower the individuals who drive success within an organization. Many can control tasks/resources/processes, but few can inspire individuals and teams to work toward a common goal and feel valued and empowered to achieve their best. So, while task lists and process controls have their role, I believe that true leadership lies in inspiring individuals to act with integrity, work hard and embrace the vision and values of the organization.

While many individuals possess the skills to manage tasks and supervise work, true leadership goes beyond these responsibilities. It involves creating a vision, fostering a positive culture and establishing authentic connections to empower the individuals who drive success within an organization.

– Kerstin Woods,, Toshiba America Business Solutions

Fisher: At the very core, leadership is making a positive impact and inspiring and supporting others to reach their fullest potential. Good leaders seek opportunities to build others up and shine a light on those they serve. When I think about some of the best leaders I have had throughout my career, those who inspire me most have a gift to unite, inspire and guide individuals toward a common goal or vision.

Authority or power is only a small part of leadership; truly effective leaders are actively and intentionally “walking the walk.” They’re out there setting a positive example, motivating others and cultivating an environment that encourages collaboration, growth and excellence. It’s not about knowing the answers to everything, in fact, I believe a quality leader will be calculated in surrounding themselves with people they can learn from and grow with.

Jones: I see a leader’s job, at any level of an organization, as inspiring their team, getting the best out of everyone by identifying and leveraging each individual’s strengths, and ultimately getting everyone on board working hard toward a common goal. Personally, I have a very collaborative leadership style, working closely with my teams, learning from them, and trusting and relying on them.

Park: Leadership means supporting the goals of the organization by inspiring my team to work toward those goals. In my career, it’s been building teams and working with individuals to maximize the use of their strengths while supporting each person through areas of growth opportunities. During the “great resignation,” leadership also meant finding talented resources who are skilled and fit in with the culture of the organization while trying to retain existing staff who might have felt overworked due to the reduction in resources.

During the “great resignation,” leadership also meant finding talented resources who are skilled and fit in with the culture of the organization while trying to retain existing staff who might have felt overworked due to the reduction in resources.

– Moonsun Park,, Sharp Electronics Corp.

Hudson: It’s having the opportunity to bring a team together to achieve a vision. Along the way, there’s open and candid dialogue, lively debate, constant learning via successes and failures, and continuous movement towards achieving that vision. All of this must be accomplished in an environment promoting creativity and collaboration.

A more concerted effort in finding the next set of female leaders would benefit our industry—finding ways to provide greater visibility for individual contributors and creating opportunities for them to continue to grow and gain confidence.

– Melanie Hudson, Lexmark International

Fischer: Leadership means articulating the priorities and goals for your organization in a way that shows each individual how they contribute to the overall success of the business, as well as why the achievement of those goals is important to the team and to them. It also means helping every person in the organization achieve their goals—present and future—by providing professional development opportunities that enable them to continue to build a successful career.

Leadership means articulating the priorities and goals for your organization in a way that shows each individual how they contribute to the overall success of the business, as well as why the achievement of those goals is important to the team and to them.

– Charlene Fischer, Xerox Corp.

Who is/was your biggest female influence in your career, and what leadership cues did you take from her?

Di Maggio: The first is Sheryl Sandberg. She’s addressed the issue of the lack of women in her industry and how she made the decision to “own her space.” When I started in consumer technology, there weren’t many women, and Sheryl’s words inspired me.

The second is Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon. After meeting her, I was inspired to start running and ended up completing the NYC Marathon. She attended, and signed “fearless” on my bib—a once-in-a-lifetime experience. From both these women, I learned the importance of perseverance and living fearlessly.

What you say matters. You have a voice, and you’ve earned the position you’re in, so approach it with confidence.

– Caty Di Maggio, Brother International

Van Ness: I don’t have a single biggest female influence in my career. Instead, I draw inspiration from a collective group of women. It begins with my mother, who forged the path I still follow today, and extends to the women I’ve had the privilege of working with, being friends with and being a mother to. I’m also deeply inspired by women I’ve never met but greatly admire, such as Ruth Bader Ginsburg and other glass-ceiling breakers. These remarkable women have imparted valuable leadership cues. They lead by setting powerful examples and demonstrating empathy, skillfully navigating the complexities of their lives while seeking balance. They lean in, supporting and championing others while pursuing their own aspirations. They inspire me to lead with authenticity, compassion and a dedication to empowering those around me.

It begins with my mother, who forged the path I still follow today, and extends to the women I’ve had the privilege of working with, being friends with and being a mother to.

– Wylie Van Ness, Kyocera Document Solutions America

Harrington: My mentor throughout my career at Canon was Nancy Langdale. I ultimately ended up working for her later on in my career, but initially I was on the administrative side for Canon and very much looked up to Nancy. She was always very professional and poised and I admired that about her. Nancy helped me get into sales. She was one of the few people at the time that believed that I could come from an administrative background straight into a sales management position. She was my best advocate and really mentored me from when I first entered the sales side in 2007 through her retirement. She set me up to do what I’m doing now, which is lead the national sales division. Nancy was a great role model.

Healy: Over my 29 years in the industry, I’ve had many female influences, and each brought—and brings—additional insights and value. With that said, there’s a female leader who has remained my mentor and my friend for over 29 years: Christine Carter. She was my first mentor and continues to push me to excel beyond my comfort zone. I’ve watched her stretch herself, remain a team player, inspire others, think outside the box, lean on others’ strengths and chart her own journey. Christine taught me that the road to success is filled with learning moments. The greatest failure is to not try—put a stake in something and learn from both the success and failures.

Christine [Carter] taught me that the road to success is filled with learning moments. The greatest failure is to not try—put a stake in something and learn from both the success and failures.

– Jennifer Healy, Ricoh USA

Blackmer: Meg Whitman, former CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. took incredibly bold steps both upon entering and exiting HP, culminating in the split to HPe and HP Inc. She had the courage to make bold decisions in spite of a very polarized audience, took high risks to save the company and was successful in doing so. I admire her mantra: Be fun to work with and easy to manage. There’s a lot of depth to that statement. Work has to be fun, and our job is to do well at making things simpler, not only for our customer, but for who we work with.

Be willing to put yourself out there. The industry loves great leaders, and anyone can step into that if they want it.

– Laura Blackmer, Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A.

Are we doing enough as an industry to support women in executive career aspirations? If yes, can you provide examples? If no, what more should be done?

Fischer: While we’ve made strides, there’s more to be done. As leaders, we need to make a concerted effort to recruit more women into our organizations and then invest more time in helping each one to see a three-to-five-year path to management and executive positions. We can also help to identify mentoring opportunities to further development.

Hudson: I always think more can be done to support women with executive career aspirations. A more concerted effort in finding the next set of female leaders would benefit our industry—finding ways to provide greater visibility for individual contributors and creating opportunities for them to continue to grow and gain confidence. This will be critical in maintaining women in this industry moving forward.

Park: Where I see the most growth and support of women in this industry is through an industry women’s brunch each November. From the first gathering I attended to the most recent one in 2022, the number of attendees has probably tripled. It’s great to see a force of strong women in this industry and to hear from each other’s experiences. Attracting female talent in this industry is challenging because it hasn’t historically had many female executives. The support from current executives, both men and women, will be critical for the future growth of women in this industry.

Jones: I think there’s always more that can be done as an industry and as individuals. Each person in an executive leadership position, both male and female, has an opportunity to be an ally for women and help them toward their career aspirations. Everyone’s different. Everyone has different obstacles and motivations, and it’s up to leaders to take the time to understand and help team members overcome those obstacles so they can achieve success for themselves and the organization.

Everyone has different obstacles and motivations, and it’s up to leaders to take the time to understand and help team members overcome those obstacles so they can achieve success for themselves and the organization.

– Kendra Jones, Epson America

Woods: I’ve been impressed with our industry’s focus on women in leadership roles during my tenure here. There have been numerous breakout events, women’s luncheons and recognition efforts that elevate the understanding and visibility of women leaders. And COVID notwithstanding, I’m starting to see women across the industry find a deeper level of connection, comradery and support as a result.

Creating these moments to openly acknowledge women in our industry is critical, and we can always do more. If women don’t see other women in leadership positions, it’s much more difficult to see themselves there someday. It’s like having a vision board without pictures; it’s just not as effective. It’s much easier to strive for something you can see is possible, which is why we need to make it visible. It’s possible, and we need to make sure that’s celebrated and promoted externally so we can encourage younger generations to envision their own seat at the table.

I’m also extremely proud to work for Toshiba, where our leadership team takes employee engagement, diversity and inclusion very seriously and is constantly seeking ways to foster talent and opportunities for women in our organization. It takes great leaders, such as our CEO Larry White, to drive positive cultural change in this manner. It’s a top-down activity or it won’t be taken seriously. Toshiba’s leadership team understands that it’s not a checkbox, it’s a business imperative in which diverse teams drive greater results and more innovation. I’m proud to be part of it not only as a member of the executive leadership team but also as the executive sponsor of our DEI task force.

What advice would you give to young women entering our industry who aspire to reach executive levels?

Blackmer: Spend time learning how your dealers make money and what their top priorities are. Really understand and own both your strengths and weaknesses, and look for opportunities where your strength can bring value to your role, company and industry. Work to overcome areas you need to be better at, whether it’s your financial, presentation or leadership skills. Look for opportunities to find mentors who have those skills and from whom you can learn. Be willing to put yourself out there. The industry loves great leaders, and anyone can step into that if they want it.

Healy: Only you can limit yourself. Find people who inspire you—several people in fact—and set up time to brainstorm and run thoughts or issues by them. Pick leaders, whether inside or outside the industry, who may excel in certain areas that complement your strengths or who can coach you in areas that need development. Always remember that success and failure are learning opportunities for the future. Sometimes, you must pick yourself up, dust off the dirt and try a new approach. Finally, bring passion to all that you do—others will notice.

Van Ness: Stay true to yourself, and maintain a balance between your career and personal life as you strive to achieve your goals. Treat everyone you encounter with respect and empathy, for these qualities have a way of being reciprocated in unexpected ways throughout your career. Most importantly, believe in yourself and your potential. Embrace challenges as opportunities for growth, and never give up, even when faced with setbacks. Trust your abilities, surround yourself with a supportive network and keep pushing forward with unwavering determination. Remember, you have the power to shape your own success.

Harrington: For me, it was to key to latch onto somebody like Nancy [Langdale] early on to learn from. I recommend those young in their career to find someone you aspire to be like and take the time to ask them questions and listen to their advice and experiences, and really see what characteristics they hold and how they maneuver. It was extremely beneficial for me. Second, make it known what you want, and communicate it with confidence. Nobody is a mind reader. You have to be an advocate for yourself first and foremost.

Make it known what you want, and communicate it with confidence. Nobody is a mind reader. You have to be an advocate for yourself first and foremost.

– Karin Harrington, Canon U.S.A.

Fisher: One of the most important things women can do to advance their career is to partner with a good mentor (or mentors) who can support them in their career journey. Mentors offer guidance on personal and professional development, as well as expertise and knowledge through different experiences. In seeking a mentor, women should give good thought to what they want to accomplish through the mentorship to ensure they’re partnering with an individual complementary to the skills and knowledge desired. This doesn’t need to be someone in their organization; there’s immense value in seeking someone from a different type of business or industry, too. However, developing a relationship with someone who has gone down a similar path and achieved success in their own career can offer a wealth of helpful insights and information. They may have experienced similar situations or faced obstacles you may eventually encounter. You can learn from these experiences, which can help you to accelerate your own professional growth.

In seeking a mentor, women should give good thought to what they want to accomplish through the mentorship to ensure they’re partnering with an individual complementary to the skills and knowledge desired.

– Jennie Fisher, GreatAmerica Financial Services

Di Maggio: Surround yourself with mentors, and allow your peers and colleagues to provide you with feedback. By accepting feedback, you’re allowing yourself to grow and evolve as a leader and become a well-rounded member of your team. Another piece of advice would be to recognize your impact and worth, and own it. What you say matters. You have a voice, and you’ve earned the position you’re in, so approach it with confidence. Enjoy the ride!