This issue of Banker & Tradesman contains the profiles of the eighth annual Women of FIRE award winners. The Women of FIRE – finance, insurance and real estate – awards were conceived as a celebration and recognition of female movers and shakers in traditionally male-dominated industries. They are our way of acknowledging the tremendous effort and determination exhibited by these women, who rose to the top of challenging industries in difficult times. 

There have been many well-known Women of FIRE over the years. There have also been quite a few winners whose names may be less recognizable, but their contributions are no less remarkable. Women like Karen Gill, “a behind-the-scenes financial mastermind” who keeps “millions of dollars running smoothly and efficiently to nonprofit developers.” Women like Ellen Tan, CEO of the Commonwealth Land Trust, who devoted 25 years of her career to the nonprofit and the people it helps. Women like Armenian immigrant Svetlana Javakhyan, a classically trained violist who began her second career in real estate after a neurological issue caused her to give up her first. 

Historically the Women of FIRE have been chosen based on nominations from peers and colleagues, and sometimes friends and family. Many of the nominations are written by women the winners have mentored. Many are written by the winners’ bosses. Increasingly in recent years, the nominations are written by previous Women of FIRE winners. 

For the first time this year, several women were given “judges’ choice” awards, when the judges realized there are some exceptional women in Massachusetts who have never been nominated. They include Dorothy Savarese, president and CEO of Cape Cod Five, who last year was the second woman to serve as chairman of the American Bankers Association in the organization’s more than 140 years of existence. (Fun fact: the ABA is three years younger than Banker & Tradesman.) 

Janice Morse was another judges’ choice winner this year. Morse retired in March as president and CEO of Newburyport Five Cents Savings Bank; she started her career at the bank 41 years ago as a teller. 

This year’s class of Women of FIRE have chosen careers in a wide range of fields and fought hard to become leaders in their respective industries. 

Beyond that, they are whole individuals with a lot more going on in their lives than what work fills the hours between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. (and increasingly beyond). The choices they have made in their personal lives have impacted their professional lives, and vice versa – they are mothers and grandmothers, childless (or child-free, if you prefer); married, never married, divorced, remarried; they have relocated to Boston from the other side of the country or remained in their hometowns. They volunteer at an amazing array of organizations, supporting causes and people far beyond the borders of the commonwealth. 

All of the Women of FIRE, past and present, are tough women who keep this tough world moving towards a better future. Congratulations to all on this well-deserved award, and please keep up the good work.