Publisher’s note: 50 Influential Women

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(For a digital edition of the 2012 50 Influential Women special section, click here.)

Welcome to an in-depth look at the accomplishments of the women who contribute to the Charlotte region.

This is the fourth year of The Mecklenburg Time’s 50 Influential Women recognition awards, and it is my honor to share with you this special section outlining the accomplishments of each.

An independent panel of judges from our business community selected our honorees. The judges studied hundreds of applications of worthy women across the Charlotte metropolitan area. Those named encompass many qualities of business leadership and civil responsibility.

They include leaders of nonprofits, high-ranking executives of large corporations, owners of small businesses and so many others. And they contribute greatly to the economic engine of our community as well as its civic core.

As publisher of The Mecklenburg Times, watching the process unfold as the judges considered the accomplishments of so many, I have had the privilege to see the commitment of each. It is no easy task to name 50 from such incredible works of the hundreds who were nominated. But that was the charge to the judges.

What you find here today is the culmination of that effort. These women were selected for so many reasons, whether unique to their areas of expertise or for their work that broadly encompasses many areas. And we are proud to honor them.

Should I ever find myself in a position of taking for granted – even if for a moment – the qualities the Charlotte metropolitan community offers each day, I will be reminded of the work of these women highlighted here and those who have been honored in previous years with this award.

As you read the profiles of these women, you will appreciate the depth of commitment to their professions and our community. Their stories may surprise you, confirm what you already knew or encourage.

They are a testament to what we all aspire.

And, on behalf of The Mecklenburg Times, we salute their work and commitment.

– Liz Irwin, Publisher, The Mecklenburg Times