International Women’s Day 2022 will be observed on Tuesday, March 8th. In honor of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, Barcoding is celebrating some of our most inspiring and hardworking women.
International Women’s Day was launched in 1911 by “New Women” and their fellow suffragettes. Today, International Women’s Day commemorates the agency of women and their socioeconomic, sociopolitical, cultural, academic, and legal achievements.
The theme for this year’s IWD is #BreakTheBias. Imagine a gender-equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women's equality. Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias.
Whether deliberate or unconscious, bias makes it difficult for women to move ahead. Knowing that bias exists isn’t enough, action is needed to level the playing field. Are you in? Will you actively call out gender bias, discrimination, and stereotyping each time you see it? Will you help break the bias? Cross your arms to show solidarity.
Strike the IWD 2022 pose and share your #BreakTheBias photo on social media today using the hashtags #IWD2022 #BreakTheBias! Together we will help encourage further people to commit to helping forge an inclusive world. Get to know some incredibly strong women here at Barcoding, Inc., and Barcoding-Canada!
KERI CORBIN,
VICE PRESIDENT, CLIENT SOLUTIONS
Describe your job and role at Barcoding.
My role at Barcoding comes in many forms. On the surface, I am accountable for the Product and Managed Services Portfolio. Ensuring the Sales team has all they need to support our customers, working with Partners on new solutions and Digital Transformation in support of customers growing needs. My team includes Product management, AIDC engineering and configuration, IoT, Architecture, and Data Analysis.
In order to deliver the best possible products and managed services to our customers, I also have the responsibilily to provide concise and efficient Delivery Framework and project tools, allowing our customers to understand what to expect working with us.
With my background on the customer side, I also spend time with the Account Managers and their customers working through mobile user experience, pain points from different customer personas, and efficiency sticky points, providing a customer-focused, boutique solution.
And while I love all of these parts of my role, my favorite part of the job and the thing I am most excited about is development and growth, for myself, my team, and anyone that works at Barcoding. People management is where my true passion lies so learning new things from my peers and staff, helping those with career growth and goals in mind is truly my greatest honor as a leader.
Who is your biggest female role model and why?
From a business perspective, her name is Betsy Davis. Her husband coached with my dad and her daughters were two of my best friends growing up. I remember the day she got the call from Nationwide Insurance that she got an executive job. She was working as a teacher and made a career change. I literally can remember it like it was yesterday, how excited she was when she hung up the phone from getting the offer.
I didn’t understand entirely how big of a deal it was until much later. I had dropped out of college and at this time, Betsy was in an extremely influential c-suite position. She got me a job in the call center as a temp and that was the beginning of my career. I remember seeing her around the office, and how much respect she got, how she carried herself and cared about her staff. This was the first time I realized she was one of very few female executives in a large financial company. She left Nationwide for MetLife several years later and I secretly followed her career as mine started and progressed.
I had so much respect for her approach and ability to operate in a male-dominated world with such grace. And she would fight for women every single day.
Betsy, unfortunately, passed away a few years back, but I saw her at a surprise party for my dad a few months before and I was able to give her the flowers she deserved and thank her for opening up a world for me. She was my career superhero and I strive to be the leader she was and make the impact she did.
How have you supported other women in their careers?
I have been incredibly lucky to have so many female mentors throughout my career, it is simply impossible for me to live up to all they have done for me. But I strive every day to be what my mentors were to me. I have spent time volunteering at Girls in STEM events to help encourage the younger generation. Informally, and day-to-day, I ensure that the women I work with are seen, heard, and respected for their tremendous knowledge, ability, and unique approach to the world. We NEED diversity, of mind, of thought, of approach in every workspace. This comes with encouraging, lifting up, offering opportunities, and being vulnerable enough to share our fears and shortcomings so they understand, it’s not about being perfect, it’s about being real.
To honor the greatest that ever did it, “woman belong in all places where decisions are being made” Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
SHANNON HAMMER,
PROJECT COORDINATOR
Describe your job and role at Barcoding.
I’ve been called the Jack (or Jill) of all trades at Barcoding, as I’ve worked many roles during my time on the Operations team. From starting as a temp and working on mobile-computer deployments for a major retailer, to shipping, receiving, and RMA Repair. My latest adventure will be taking on a Project Coordinator role. Learn how I helped make a difference when we moved to our building in Highlandtown.
Who is your biggest female role model and why?
"I am my own role model" the person I want to become, the best version of myself is my role model. I’m constantly striving to become my best self, by improving my relationships with my fellow humans and working on my own personal growth.
How have you supported other women in their careers?
Two of my closest friends are women entrepreneurs! And supporting their small businesses is very important to me. By buying her art or having her cut my hair. And that support doesn’t stop just in the work environment, I believe in encouraging women to live their lives authentically in all aspects of life whether it’s career or on a personal level, living our truth makes us better leaders and better humans overall. I love when women are in their element, when they’re embodying their most authentic life. That’s powerful.
DOROTHY CIESLIK,
BUSINESS OPERATIONS MANAGER
Describe your job and role at Barcoding-Canada?
My role at Barcoding is overseeing all operations for the Canadian Division. Planning long-term initiatives and working with various teams on improvements and solutions. We monitor the supply chain trends and changes to make sure all processes are effective, up to date, and adjust plans accordingly. We support every department to lead them to success and growth from the beginning to the end of a sales cycle. The operational team ensures the sales teams, and our customers have a successful deployments.
Who is your biggest female role model and why?
Throughout my life, my mother showed me what it is to have courage, she is my biggest role model. At the age of 22, living in a country under a strict communist regime, she was determined to offer her children a better life, with opportunities. She left her home and family to adventure the unknown. Immigrated to Canada, where she worked extremely hard to rebuild her life. Today she is a very successful woman and excelled throughout the years in leadership roles in the pharmaceutical industry. Going this far in a foreign country is simply inspirational.
How have you supported other women in their careers?
Even in 2022 according to statistics, only 15% of women hold CEO roles and 25% Vice President roles (according to canadianwomen.org). It can make it more challenging for a woman to be in a leadership role than it is for a man. As a woman in the IT world, throughout my career I have made it a priority to support, coach and lead other women to grow professionally and personally. As I have the ongoing opportunity to work with driven women throughout various department in our organization, together we are successful in creating initiatives, supporting each others strengths and challenging each other to further our careers.
HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY!
Barcoding aspires to celebrate and commemorate all women this International Women’s Day. Through our active efforts and our leaders, we pursue equity and justice for all women. Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias. Check out our blog posts in 2020 and 2021 about our remarkable women at Barcoding!
