The Fabric of Leadership from Tiger Brand to Cotton Ginny to the United Way with Joan Fisk | Leadership Stories | Women Leadership | Female Founders
Wed Sep 17 2025
Today, we're joined by an individual whose roots in our community run as deep as her impact: Joan Fisk. This past May, Joan was the recipient of the 025 Oktoberfest Women of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award. Joan is a powerhouse leader. Her incredible career began right here at her family's business, the Tiger Brand Knitting Company. It’s a place that holds a surprising bit of fashion history; if you wore a Cotton Ginny or Beaver Canoe t-shirt in the '80s, you were likely wearing a piece of Joan's legacy.
As the current CEO of the United Way, Joan is now focused on strengthening the fabric of our community. I was curious to have this conversation because, like most people I know, I understand what the United Way is and I can recognize its logo, but I didn’t fully understand its unique funding model and the many ways it can help a community.
Joan explains it as this: United Way is a little bit from a lot of people to make a difference for people that you don't even know.
Links and Resources
Joan’s LinkedIn
The United Way
Connect With Us
Voices of Leadership Podcast
Instagram
LinkedIn
Bespoke Productions Website
Bespoke Productions Instagram
More
Today, we're joined by an individual whose roots in our community run as deep as her impact: Joan Fisk. This past May, Joan was the recipient of the 025 Oktoberfest Women of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award. Joan is a powerhouse leader. Her incredible career began right here at her family's business, the Tiger Brand Knitting Company. It’s a place that holds a surprising bit of fashion history; if you wore a Cotton Ginny or Beaver Canoe t-shirt in the '80s, you were likely wearing a piece of Joan's legacy. As the current CEO of the United Way, Joan is now focused on strengthening the fabric of our community. I was curious to have this conversation because, like most people I know, I understand what the United Way is and I can recognize its logo, but I didn’t fully understand its unique funding model and the many ways it can help a community. Joan explains it as this: United Way is a little bit from a lot of people to make a difference for people that you don't even know. Links and Resources Joan’s LinkedIn The United Way Connect With Us Voices of Leadership Podcast Instagram LinkedIn Bespoke Productions Website Bespoke Productions Instagram