In its fifth edition, Path to Purchase Institute – a global association championing shopper-centric thinking and the ongoing evolution of consumer marketing – launched its Women of Excellence Awards, which honors outstanding female brand marketers, retailers, agency executives and solution providers for their achievements in shopper marketing.

And two of Arc’s very own were named finalists this year: Soche Picard, CEO, and Alma Klein, VP, Creative Director in the “Executive of the Year” and “Excellence in Execution” categories, respectively!

The Excellence in Execution Award was defined as “a woman whose consistent effective efforts to ideate and execute made her the person in her company others depended on to get things done right and on time this past year.”

And Alma embodies exactly that.

Equal parts creative savant, business leader, wonder mom and activist, Alma has mastered the art of managing an army of creatives. She consistently serves as a guiding light to her teammates, as well as her anchor client, Molson Coors; and while she wears many titles – both inside and outside of work – her team believes her true title is “ally.”

“Kindness and creativity need not be at odds. I’m honored to show women that in a highly-competitive field dominated by men and long hours, we can develop award-winning creative solutions for our clients, advance into leadership and raise happy, well-adjusted children,” said Klein. And we can do it all while raising up other women and groups underrepresented in the agency world.”

For Soche, the Executive of the Year Award celebrates a woman who “throughout her career has provided a powerful voice in the evolution of the industry and led business transformation to keep pace with ever-shifting consumer behaviors.” Additionally, this individual “devotes significant time and energy to mentoring other women in their careers.”

Since joining Arc as CEO in 2018, Soche accomplished a lot. From spurring an entirely new wave of thinking across the agency rooted in vibrant brand experiences, dubbed “Irresistible Commerce,” to making “empowered women empower women,” an agency-wide motto, Soche is the epitome of a passionate marketing executive.

“While odds have been stacked against women as professionals for far too long, I think women have found their moment. The values and roles that we’ve been associated with are no longer relegated or peripheral – they’ve become part of the mainstream consciousness of employees, marketers and consumers across entire generations,” said Picard.

A huge congratulations to both of these outstanding individuals for being named finalists – and for constantly inspiring those around you at Arc! During this trying year, we’re especially grateful for womxn leaders across the industry.