​Experienced marketing executive Carene Kunkler served as the vice president of product supply at Lens Crafters in Cincinnati, Ohio, for nearly 10 years. In recognition of her leadership and management, Carene Kunkler was named one of the Most Influential Women in Optical by Vision Monday in 2003. Vision Monday is an online magazine dedicated to the optical industry.

Vision Monday started the Most Influential Women in Optical award in 2003 as a special report that recognized the industry leaders during that time. In the award’s first 5 years, over 200 women who had helped grow and influence the optical industry worldwide were recognized. This year, Vision Monday celebrates the 20th year of recognizing women leaders who continue to shape the optical industry.

Every year, Vision Monday readers nominate the candidates for the Most Influential Women in Optical award. Each reader can nominate two names for each of the award’s five different categories. The Executive Suite category is for women who hold executive positions (president, CEO, CFO, etc.). The Mentors category recognizes those who, through their example and education, have helped build teams and develop talents. The Rising Stars category is for up-and-coming industry leaders, while the Innovators category is for leaders who led innovations, started special programs, and initiated new product developments. Finally, the Above and Beyond category is for candidates who gave back to the industry, the community, and their patients.

​A marketing professional experienced in consumer products and retailing, Carene Kunkler spent nearly a decade of her career as the vice president of product supply at LensCrafters, an innovative eyeglass retailer in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was responsible for buying, merchandising, and products for 600 LensCrafters stores in the US and Canada. In 2003, Carene Kunkler received the Pleiades Award from the Optical Women’s Association (OWA).

The OWA is a non-profit organization established in 1997 that seeks to enhance and promote the leadership roles of women in the optical industry. Every year, the OWA recognizes professionals who have demonstrated a passion for promoting women's leadership in the industry. During the annual Champagne Breakfast and Star Awards Ceremony in New York City, awardees in three different categories receive recognition. One of these awards is the Pleiades Award.

The OWA’s Pleiades Award is given to professionals who support the advancement of women’s leadership in the optical industry. The award derives its name from a cluster of stars in the constellation Taurus called The Pleiades. Another name for The Pleiades is “The Seven Sisters,” which alludes to the seven brightest stars in the cluster. Like The Pleiades, the women who receive the OWA’s Pleiades Award have helped create an organization that is bigger and brighter than all their individual efforts combined.