Her group fashions ways to save soles.

• Author: Martin, Edward
• Position: PEOPLE - Sally Kay president of The Hosiery Association

Maybe it's fitting that Sally Kay hits an occasional snag as president of The Hosiery Association. Politics, for instance. Many domestic members want tariffs on imports from low-wage countries. But the international association includes members from those countries. They, of course, want no part of tariffs.

Then there's Wal-Mart. Some members give the retailer heat for selling cheap imports. In reality, it and a few other discount stores now sell most of the hosiery--stockings, pantyhose, socks and tights--that association members make. There are fancy hose with antimicrobial agents that can kill bacteria and hose impregnated with substances to soothe the skin and tame cellulite. Kay probably could use a variety that offers protection from the hot seat she's on. "My tightrope has dwindled to about the size of dental floss."

Born on a farm in Chester, S.C., Kay, 39, graduated from Clemson University in 1988 with a bachelor's in tour and event management and worked at several hospitality-industry jobs in Charlotte. In 1990, she took a job that involved planning meetings and maintaining chapter relations for what was then known as the National Association of Hosiery Manufacturers.

Kay was promoted several times between then and 1999, when the association changed its name to reflect globalization of the industry and inclusion of suppliers and marketers as members. In 2001, she was elected the...