W2W Community: Generational Perspectives from a Female Workforce

By: Judy Miller, Channel Account Manager at NCR

The RSPA W2W (Women in Retail) Committee hosted our annual community event, this year titled “Generational Perspectives from a Female Work Force.” This event was a hit, with over 80 attendees participating.

Industry consultant Kelli Stewart and Epson’s Linda Sudderth co-moderated the panel of six brilliant women from the industry: Bixolon’s Ann Klein, BlueStar’s Emily Wright, NCC’s Mary Harris, Pinnacle Hospitality’s Michelle MacKeith, Qlaborate’s Jules Curs, and CBS NorthStar’s Allie Haskell. The attendees were engaged throughout the conversation that included topics such as male/female bias in the workforce, constant job changes that differ among generations, women working in the technology space today, and how can more women be brought into retail technology. Some of the top quotes from the panel included:

  • “There are two reasonable growth paths — you can grow within your company or grow outside of it. I love my company, my work, and being valued for what I do.” NorthStar’s Haskell
  • “The industry is changing so rapidly, we have a chance to create our own path. Show you can grow — the positions aren’t going to be the same in five or ten ” BlueStar’s Wright
  • “You need to let team members know that there’s room to grow inside your organization. It’s our job to encourage others to grow themselves. We need to teach them, not give everyone a medal.” Pinnacle’s Mackeith
  • “Everybody has this vision of technology being sitting at a screen and coding. But it’s really more working with our customers and helping them.” Qlaborate’s Curs

During the event, attendees enjoyed wine, cheese, and cupcakes, providing the perfect setting for peer-to-peer collaboration. At the end of the session, event organizers presented door prizes and attendees spent time networking and continuing the conversation.

RSPA’s W2W Community, sponsored by BlueStar and APG Cash Drawer and led by Chairperson Cindy Marcoux of Worldpay, was created to provide a support network and resources for women as they enter and continue to advance in the retail technology industry. By joining the group, you will receive information about upcoming W2W events and networking opportunities. The committee advises on content development and presenter selection for the W2W event at RetailNOW and also provides content for the RSPA Community Connection e-newsletter.

The mission of the W2W Community is “to unite, lift and empower women in technology by providing educational opportunities and peer to peer collaboration in a supportive environment.”

About RetailNOW
RetailNOW 2019 was held July 28-31 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, TX. Known as “Where the Industry Meets,” RetailNOW annually brings together retail IT professionals, channel leaders, and innovators from around the globe. RetailNOW 2020 will be held at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas August 2-5. For more information, contact Events@GoRSPA.org.