Ramsey, NJ -- Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta) is proud to announce that Kay Fernandez, Global DX Branding and Senior Vice President, Marketing has been honored by the Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey (GSNNJ), the preeminent leadership development organization for girls, as part of its 2021 Women of Achievement Event. The 41st annual event, held on June 6, 2021 at Lake Rickabear Camp in Kinnelon, New Jersey, honored four women from the region who have made a substantial impact on their communities and industries and serve as positive role models for girls.
Fernandez leads the creation of innovative marketing strategies for Konica Minolta as a member of the executive team. Through digital disruption, she works to improve the value Konica Minolta delivers to customers, partners and employees. A strong advocate of women in the workplace, Fernandez established the Step Forward Program at Konica Minolta to inspire women in professional excellence. The program is open to all employees, specifically helping women develop leadership skills and men to understand how they can impact change. Since its inception, the company has seen a 30 percent increase in female executive managers and a 14 percent increase in female mid-level managers.
Fernandez volunteered as a Girl Scout troop leader for all three of her daughters, and encourages other women to become leaders and volunteers to be role models for girls in their communities. She serves as Board Chair for Books for Kids, a New York based non-profit promoting literacy among preschool-aged children in under-resourced communities. Fernandez also sits on the board of the YWCA of Northern New Jersey, working to eliminate racism and empower women, and is on the Ocean Council at Oceana, helping to save the oceans and feed the world.
“This is an amazing honor and I was so grateful to be included in this year’s event,” said Kay Fernandez, Global DX Branding and Senior Vice President, Marketing, Konica Minolta. “It’s tremendously important to invest in our future leaders, and I am particularly proud to be part of an organization that supports programs to encourage women to aspire to leadership roles.”
“Kay is an inspiration to everyone at Konica Minolta and we are proud to see her receive this well-deserved honor,” said Sam Errigo, COO, Konica Minolta. “As a key member of our executive leadership team, Kay continually strives to spark engagement from our employees through programs that make an impact and inspire change within our company and community.”
For the past 41 years, GSNNJ has celebrated extraordinary local women leaders for their personal and professional accomplishments at the annual Women of Achievement gala. This year’s program theme was “Invest in Girls. Change the World.”
“We are honored to recognize Kay as one of our Women of Achievement recipients for 2021,” said Betty Garger, President and CEO of Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey. “Kay’s dedication to such a wide variety of programs, both inside and outside of Konica Minolta, that support women and other worthy causes demonstrate her commitment to advancing the lives of girls and women in our local community and beyond. She is a true role model in leadership for our Girl Scouts this year.”
About Konica Minolta
Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is reshaping and revolutionizing the Workplace of the Future™. The company guides and supports its customers’ digital transformation through its expansive office technology portfolio, including IT Services (All Covered), content services, managed print services and industrial and commercial print solutions. Konica Minolta has been included on CRN’s MSP 500 list nine times and The World Technology Awards recently named the company a finalist in the IT Software category. Konica Minolta has been recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for fourteen consecutive years, and received Keypoint Intelligence’s BLI 2021 A3 Line of The Year Award and BLI 2021-2023 Most Color Consistent A3 Brand Award for its bizhub i-Series. Konica Minolta, Inc. has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for nine consecutive years and has spent four years on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list. Konica Minolta partners with its clients to give shape to ideas and works to bring value to our society. For more information, please visit us online and follow Konica Minolta on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn
About Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey
Girl Scouts of the USA is the preeminent leadership development organization for girls. With programs from coast-to-coast and across the globe, Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success in a safe, no-limits place designed for and by girls. The Girl Scout Leadership Experience is a one-of-a-kind leadership development program that builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey serves girls ages 5-18 in Bergen, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, and northern Warren counties, bringing the Girl Scout Leadership Experience to over 24,000 girls and nearly 13,000 adult members. Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey is committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for every girl and her family. To learn more about the GSNNJ or to volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit www.gsnnj.org and stay connected by following GSNNJ on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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Photo captions:
GSNNJ Board Chair Bette M. Simmons, Ed.D., Vice President, Student Development & Enrollment Management, County College of Morris; Women of Achievement 2021 honoree Kay Fernandez, Global DX Branding & Senior Vice President, Marketing, Konica Minolta; GSNNJ President & Chief Executive Officer Betty A. Garger; and GSNNJ Media Girl Scout Kathryn Tucker
Women of Achievement 2021 honoree Kay Fernandez, Global DX Branding & Senior Vice President, Marketing, Konica Minolta being interviewed on stage by GSNNJ Media Girl Scout, Kathryn Tucker