In just over two years, the Plant City Times & Observer has met a multitude of strong women who call the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World their home. From successful entrepreneurs to generous volunteers, each one has her own light about her that illuminates the town with character and class.
Through many of the stories I’ve written, I have met such a wonderful and diverse collection of leading ladies who have worked to make the community a better place. And through our business dealings, the advertising team has been consistently wowed over the obstacles some female tycoons have conquered to rise to the top.
It is apparent: Plant City has no shortage of pioneering women. And so, we wanted to do something to celebrate them. Something to celebrate their passion, their hope and their dedication.
I am proud to introduce you to our inaugural edition of “Wonder Women,” a special section reserved for the cream of the crop. Our staff chose 10 influential women for this edition, and here, we honor their triumphs and the roads they took to them.
It was nearly impossible to narrow the field to this final 10. Our original list included more than 70 names, and we sat, huddled around the stapled pieces of paper, racking our brains for the best ones.
In the end, we picked a sample that would represent Plant City’s many sides. From a former Strawberry Festival queen to a rough-around-the-edges bar owner with a big heart, we think you’ll agree with our picks.
We hope you enjoy this edition as much as we enjoyed putting it together. We especially would like to thank photographer extraordinaire Stephanie Humphrey, who graciously donated her time and extremely talented eye to produce the beautiful images featured in this edition.
As for the other names on our list, we haven’t forgotten them. Our goal is to make “Wonder Women” an annual celebration, and we’d love to hear from you. If you would like to nominate someone for next year’s edition, email me, ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.
2014 WONDER WOMEN