Hello to the women and men reading this special publication from the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

The BusinessWoman of the Year awards publication, previously known as Women in Business, is an annual spotlight that TBBJ shines on many of the most prominent businesswomen in the Bay area. This year, the publication deviates from the established format that profiled each of the award winners individually and then listed the finalists with thumbnail sketches.

In this publication we are asking readers to also pay close attention to what each winner and finalist does. Stories here are presented along industry and sector lines beginning with business services, which is subdivided into different sectors. This approach is aimed at presenting a more complete picture of both the individuals within the stories and their impact on their respective sectors.

Leading the pack within business services is human resources. This year the prevalence of women in HR presents itself in the TBBJ BusinessWoman of the Year awards.

Holly Tomlin — founder, president and owner of Tomlin Staffing, the cover subject and overall winner — exemplifies the decades-old entrepreneurial spirit among Bay area women and represents all women who have given it their all professionally, personally and within their community. Rounding out the abundance of this year’s women in HR, there’s the robust group of contenders who officially hold HR positions as well as owners who handle HR for their companies.

Locally and nationally, women have demonstrated the skill sets that have taken them far within HR. In achieving upper-level positions they have broken through the barriers to management.

You could call it grabbing power. It is. But the award winners and finalists have demonstrated that responsibility goes along with power.

We are aware that the tough decisions made daily by people in HR and HR decisions made by owners and managers impact people’s lives. It is less often that we think about the impact of those decisions on society. Demonstrating fairness and doing the right thing in hiring and firing are essential to a healthy business community, as the award contenders show us.

Within the awards’ business services category there are women in a variety of fields, entrepreneurial and otherwise, who have made their mark over the years. As individuals, they have demonstrated there is no one formula for success but instead show us the importance of grabbing opportunities, seizing the moment when it comes to making a difference.

The same goes for women in manufacturing, media, nonprofits, education and government. Within the awards’ manufacturing category, there are women in a variety of industries that many of us remember as being all male. These brave women in manufacturing take chances and demonstrate grace under pressure.

All the stories here document hard work and diligence among women devoted to their respective fields and goals they have set. The young women included have achieved much in a shorter period and represent the value of a new generation.

We all look to such women to be included in BusinessWoman of the Year awards 20 years from now.

Jackie McConnell

Managing Editor