You may have noticed that we’ve added a little feature called “From the Archives” as a nod to the early days of MRA and Michigan Retailer. Being a sucker for nostalgia, I really enjoy paging through the 1950s issues of Michigan Retailer. It’s fun to check out old ads and headlines like “Color TV Boom Predicted” and review relevant issues of that time.
For this month’s “From the Archives,” to honor Women’s History Month in March, I pored over early issues of the Retailer for stories honoring women. I envisioned finding images of pioneering female store owners or committee leads. Something typical that demonstrates the ideal women in leadership and complements the trailblazing leadership tone promoted frequently for Women’s History Month. In my hunt for these images, what caught my attention was a photo of Dorothy Noyce. In the photo, Dorothy is referred to as Mrs. Dorothy Noyce as was common at that time. According to the story, Dorothy managed all the administrative duties for MRA’s executive staff. I can’t imagine what that was like back then! I’m willing to bet she had her fair share of difficult days managing executives, who were exclusively male. It appears the author humbly acknowledges this too in the copy of the article. When I think about all the glamorization that tends to happen during Women’s History Month, I think of Dorothy and others like her. There were no accolades for women back then other than an occasional pat on the back. For the most part women like Dorothy quietly worked hard and devoted their time to running a smooth operation.
In my opinion, it’s women like Dorothy that deserve the real recognition of Women’s History Month. It’s these unsung heroes upon whose shoulders the rest of us stand that created the future we know today. Without the Dorothy’s of the world, there would be no Women’s History Month.
Thanks, Dorothy, we owe you one!
Seeing Things in a New Way
In February, we celebrate the achievements of African Americans. Recently, there’s been an increased focus on diversity and inclusion initiatives that’s long overdue. When I looked up the definition of diversity, the meaning of the word truly stuck with me – “the quality or state of having many different forms, types, ideas, etc.” I thought about that definition when reviewing February’s bundle of features. This month, we celebrate the concept of diversity by looking at things in a new way. From a 100-year-old business that continues to evolve (Barden Lumber) to Ashlee Willis, a leading event planner in Lansing, showing us new rules for event planning, each story shares examples of how business owners, industry leaders, and my colleagues here at MRA add new perspectives to many common practices such as hiring and retaining talent. I hope this month’s issue inspires you to look at and truly see your business practices in a new light.
If you have story ideas or news about your business, send me a note at: jrook@retailers.com We’d love to share it!
