Feb. 17, 2020

This paid event listing is sponsored by Vance Thompson Vision.

She’s the highest ranking female executive in Major League Baseball, and she’s coming to Sioux Falls for a community event Feb. 28.

Sponsored by Vance Thompson Vision, the event – Chasing Dreams – will feature Kim Ng, MLB’s senior vice president for baseball operations.

Vance Thompson CEO Matt Jensen heard Ng speak at the national meeting of Ophthalmic World Leaders, where he serves on the board of directors.

“The OWL organization focuses on advancing diversity in leadership in the eye care world, and when Kim spoke at OWL, her message of perseverance and professionalism amidst adversity resonated with the mission of Vance Thompson Vision,” Jensen said.

“Vance Thompson Vision has a mission of providing ‘Clear Answers about Clear Vision’ for everyone we encounter, whether it be our team, our patients or our vendors.”

Ng will speak from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Washington Pavilion. Tickets are free but must be reserved here.

She will detail her career journey, which includes serving as assistant general manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees, addressing how she has overcome struggles and broken down barriers to achieve success.

“I hope people come away reflecting about our perceptions and how we should work to get past biases, others’ as well as our own,” she said.

As a woman in a male-dominated field, she most often is asked for advice on how others can navigate similar environments.

Here’s a preview of how Ng has approached it:

Be overprepared

In this type of environment, you will always be tested, she said.

“So you must be prepared, have answers and aim for your responses to be well-thought-out enough that they answer even their next set of questions,” she said.

Have conviction in your beliefs, and voice them

In forming her beliefs and opinions, Ng said she tries to use as much evidence and data as possible to eliminate a lot of second-guessing.

“And then, you have to be willing to put yourself out there, sometimes, in fact, ‘elbowing your way’ through the crowd to be able to voice your opinion,” she said. “And when you express yourself, do it with certitude.”

Identify your allies

Everyone needs help in the workplace, Ng said.

“As soon as you can determine who is willing to help you when you need it, who will be a good ‘teammate,’ the better off you’ll be,” she said. “Don’t fight the fight alone.”

Empowering women is part of the culture at Vance Thompson Vision, Jensen said.

Women comprise 80 percent of its workforce, and more than half its leadership team is female.

“Vance Thompson Vision hires the right person for the job over the right mix but is mindful of the makeup of the team and works hard to not have their thinking become an echo chamber,” Jensen said.

“We’re passionate about having a collaborative team made up of differing and contesting viewpoints. We’re excited to partner with Kim Ng in lifting up that message for our community.”