How did a nice girl like you get into a job like this? This and questions similar to this are frequently asked of women in the bail bond industry. And, the number of women in the bail bond industry continues to grow year after year. Perhaps women are successful because of their crafty and clever marketing ideas. Or, is it because of their intuition and understanding when reading a potential client?  Whatever the reasons, women have found success in this industry and, in Texas, two women who helped forge the road to success were Marsha Mason and Sandra Cable.

Marsha Lynn Mason, beaumontenterprise.com

MARSHA MASON was the mother to three children, six grandchildren, and one great-grandchild when she left this world in October 2010. She was working with real estate ventures when she inherited full control of the bail bond business after her husband passed away. Marsha was very active with PBT and known for her devotion and work on the legislative committee. She also held the Treasurer position. Helene Rouse described Marsha as a tough competitor, yet, still a dear friend. More words used to describe Marsha … …
•    Knew how to build a thriving business
•    Passionate with her life
•    Blazed trails for women entrepreneurs
•    Definitely a woman leader
•    Admired by others

Sandra Ann Bernich Cable, fortbendstar.com

SANDRA CABLE was the mother to seven children, eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren when she passed from this earth in May 2011. She served for 20 years on the Stafford City Council, was President of the Houston-Galveston Area Council, and a licensed real estate broker. And, for 30 years, she was the owner of Armor Bail Bonds. Sandra was active in the PBT, worked diligently on the Legislative Committee, and was the first woman elected to hold the PRESIDENT position. Renell Pedigo said Sandra was like a mother to her and says “our profession would not be where it is today if not for her hard work”. Tressie Russell described Sandra as a cornerstone to the bail industry. When talking with others, words used to describe Sandra include … …
•    A woman to be admired
•    A mentor to others
•    She could light up a room with her smile
•    She could out drink the boys and still take all their money at poker
•    Her laughter and love for life was contagious

Both Sandra and Marsha were instrumental in giving the BONDSMEN a good name. And, yes, women are making a difference in the world of BAIL as evident by the following with a simple GOOGLE search…

• June 2010 – Accredited helped sponsor a WOMEN IN BAIL event in Long Beach, California
• November 2010 – the Technorati blog included WOMEN MAKING AN IMPACT IN THE BAIL BONDS WORLD
• December 2010 – Collateral magazine published WOMEN THRIVING IN THE BAIL BOND BUSINESS
• May 2011, American Surety published an article titled WORDS OF WISDOM FROM FEMALE BAIL BOND AGENTS

What’s next? There are many adventure and success stories in Texas and beyond. So, keep your eyes and ears open and watch for the next feature.

By Nancy Reese – AIA Agent Services