WISE Chair Peggy Davies Steps Down
It is with equal parts sadness and elation that the WISE Board of Directors announces WISE founder Peggy Davies has resigned her position as Board Chair in order to devote her full energy and focus to her new role as acting President of the PLMA organization.
Peggy has led Women Impacting Storebrand Excellence (WISE) since 2012. As a result of her vision for bringing professionals in the private brand industry together to advocate for diversity in leadership, WISE has blossomed into a seasoned non-profit organization with more than 50 partner companies and 300 members bonded in a deep desire to effect real change.
“From its very beginnings, the WISE organization has been blessed with the ability to attract great talent,” said Davies. “Through the years, the board and committee members have been an amazing group of passionate, dedicated volunteers, and this will continue to be so well into the future. The industry has been empowered by their strategic focus and drive to make an impact. I leave the organization in truly exceptional hands. It has been a joy to contribute and to lead this strong and devoted team.”
Stepping immediately into the position of Chair of the Board is Jen Linke, Vice President of Private Brands, Federated Group. Jen has served as the Chair of the Professional Development Committee for WISE since its inception. She has spearheaded the WISE webinar series, introduced innovative programs such as WISE Connect, and secured our many talented annual meeting speakers. “Peggy has been a wonderful leader and I have learned so much from her. I really believe in our mission to foster diversity and provide leadership opportunities in the store brand industry,” Jen says. Jen is stepping into her new role in a time where business practices and connection have a new normal. “As an organization, WISE has matured and grown, and our next big adventure will be to bring more opportunities to the companies we are fortunate enough to call partners. So much has transformed in 2020 and everyone is adapting to change. I believe that WISE can help companies address their concerns about diversity and provide opportunities for people to flourish. Being a volunteer for WISE has been a wonderful experience and I am working with some of the best volunteers in the business. It’s amazing what we’ve accomplished and I know our future will be remarkable.”
With Jen’s transition to her position as Board Chair, Lexi Ward, Senior Director of IT, TreeHouse Foods, will step up as Chair of the Professional Development Committee to assist in furthering WISE programming. “I am looking forward to stepping in as the Chair of Professional Development and continue the great programs Jen has already developed. The committee is made up of talented and driven volunteers which will help make the transition smooth,” states Lexi.
The entire Board of WISE thanks Peggy for her relentless support of WISE and countless hours dedicated to the mission of the organization. We wish her every success in her new ventures. We also congratulate Jen and Lexi in their new roles with the WISE Board and support them in their leadership positions.