Selecting just 10 honorees for this year's Women of Influence proved to be no easy task. First of all, we had more than 100 submissions. There were some duplicates, but even after they were eliminated, I don't think the number of nominees even scratched the surface of the potential.

Thank goodness, in one respect, the process for getting down to just 10 was formidable.

We assembled a panel to help. The instructions going in were to try select honorees from a variety of different backgrounds with an eye to finding those who are still actively involved.

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But even though we tried to spread it around, three of our honorees come from the field of education. And that's all right. But I point this out to those who might have nominated another person from education. There were lots of terrific candidates and we had to draw a line somewhere.

Each of the three represent different aspects of education.

June Webb-Vignery has been the executive director for 14 years of the Metropolitan Education Commission, an organization that has done much to heighten awareness for the role of education. She's authored books on education and culture. The success of the commission can be attributed directly to Webb-Vignery and the community's children are better off for her efforts.

Mary Kamerzell has been superintendent of Catalina Foothills School District No. 16 since 1994 and during her watch, the district has succeeded in being the only kindergarten-through-12th grade district in the state to have all of its schools labeled excelling by the Arizona Department of Education. Some will argue that it's the Foothills, they should have excelling schools. While that may be true to a certain extent, it means that a school district in Tucson is beating all those in Maricopa County. Besides, it shows education can achieve excellence.

Kathy Alexander is vice president and director of the Southern Arizona campus of the University of Phoenix and was instrumental in its growth to almost 3,500 students on six campuses. The University of Phoenix is an amazing concept that allows people to get ahead in education simultaneously while pursuing business careers.

Six of our honorees are the top local executives of going business concerns. From local branches of large, publicly-owned businesses to long-established local businesses to the entrepreneurial spirit.

No one doubts the difficulty of succeeding in the world of business these days, but all of these women have not only done that but gone the extra distance to make a mark within our community.

Terri Mitchell is the Tucson senior local executive for IBM. She was appointed to the post earlier this year. Not only does she know her stuff when it comes to IBM's storage systems, she has spent much of her career working to find ways women can succeed with the company.

Rosey Koberlein is president and chief executive officer of Long Realty. She's the first woman to run the company in its 79-year history.

Kathleen Oestrich, as chief executive office of University Health Plans Inc., oversees health plans that cover more than 5,500 people and is still growing.

Melanie Larson is chief executive officer and publisher of the Explorer newspaper. She's fought the big dailies to deliver her weekly newspaper to residents of Tucson's northwest side and up into Pinal County and into the Catalina Foothills. She's just as willing to fight when it comes to helping local causes.

Elsie MacMillan is president of Sierra Toyota in Sierra Vista. There aren't too many women-owned car dealerships in the country but that hasn't stopped MacMillan, who earlier this year was given an ethics award from the Better Business Bureau.

Sally Fernandez is president of her own business management consulting firm, the Fernandez Group, but a better question is what hasn't she tried to help do in Southern Arizona. She's been involved in everything from high-tech to social issues and is a member of the boards of the Tucson Airport Authority and Tucson Clean and Beautiful.

Finally, our 10th honoree is a woman who is no stranger to the business world but is probably best-known for the work she has done raising millions of dollars for charitable causes here.

Laurie Wetterschneider is still actively involved raising money for the Boys and Girls Clubs even if she and her sister have decided to pursue their artistic sides with their new custom designed jewelry business.

So there you have our 10 Women of Influence for 2005.

Congratulations to all. Southern Arizona owes you our gratitude for the influence you've used to make this a better community.