Much of the history of Anago Cleaning Systems is written by women.  Consider that two-thirds of our vice presidents are women and more than one-third of our Master Franchises rely on the talents of female co-owners.  Many of our more than 1,500 unit franchises are women-owned. Most proudly, more than 70 percent of the employees at our corporate offices are women.

So we celebrate Women’s History Month with an eye toward what is currently possible. We must know from our past that denying opportunities, rights, and privileges of others holds all of us back. Some of the greatest stories of courage involve the leadership and struggle of women.  In our country alone, we look to Susan B. Anthony, Rosa Parks, and Sandra Day O’Connor for examples of breaking barriers, just to name three.

Clare Booth Luce was the first American ambassador to a foreign country and served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1943 to 1974. Julia Ward Howe wrote “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”  Marguerite Higgins was a war reporter in World War II, the Korean War and in Vietnam; she won a Pulitzer Prize in 1951.

Our history is filled with stories of women who accomplished great things without fanfare or being properly recognized for their achievements. At Anago, we know that women are the heart and soul of our business and without their talent and dedication, we would have to close our doors.

We hope that we are always curious enough to look back to discover the hidden figures who shaped our history. But this month in particular we know that women will forever be leaders, not only in Anago’s history, but in business, politics, education, art, and in all aspects of American life.