Women and The Market - Some Thoughts

I am sitting in the food court at Kansas City quilt Market right now, enjoying a bit of people watching. Shops owners, fabric designers, pattern designers, magazines, thread companies, just about every aspect of the quilting community is represented here in Kansas City this weekend. I have to say though, that I am once again struck by the fact that the CEOs and "big boys" are just that. Boys. Perhaps that is why I am so enamored with Patricia "Pokey" Bolton. She is a strong and powerful female presence in our community that gives me hope and keeps me going. It sounds dramatic I know, but it is such a good feeling to see a WOMAN in this industry with power! (okay, maybe it's the feminist in me.) I think the reason it stands out so much to me at these shows, is that 99% of the buyers here at market are women. Then factor in, the fact that the consumers buying from THOSE buyers are 99% women. So what I am really seeing, is women paying men. I think I will start finding companies with women at the helm, and start putting more of my dollars there intentionally. So tell me, what big quilting and art companies do you know that are run by women?? Share it here so we can help support them!