CROWN POINT – More than 560 business leaders attended the inaugural “Influential Women of the Year Awards” Banquet June 2 at Avalon Manor in Merrillville. The presenting sponsor was Franciscan Alliance. Twenty-three awards were presented to some of Northwest Indiana’s most influential women. Nominees were separated into 11 industries – healthcare, finance, construction and engineering, economic development and real estate, education, government, law, manufacturing, marketing and media, service and tourism and nonprofit.
An “Influential Woman of the Year Award” and an “Up and Coming Woman of the Year Award” were presented in each of the 11 categories.
The 11 industry winners were also eligible for three overall prizes of the evening.
Barbara Greene, president of Franciscan Physicians Hospital, received the “Influential Woman of the Year” award; Niko Sullivan, golf course administrator at Lost Marsh Golf Course/Hammond Port Authority, received the overall “Up and Coming Woman of the Year” award; and Frankie Fesko was presented with the Community Leader Award.
Healthcare: Barbara Greene, Influential Woman of the Year and Influential Woman in
Healthcare, president, Franciscan Physicians Hospital; and Marjie Laciak, Up and Coming Woman in Healthcare, pharmacist, Fagen Pharmacy.
Service/Tourism: Niko Sullivan, Up and Coming Woman of the Year and Up and Coming Woman in Service/Tourism, golf course administrator, Lost Marsh Golf Course/Hammond Port Authority; and Dawn Reynolds Pettit, Influential Woman in Service/Tourism, regional vice president human resources, Horseshoe Casino & Harrah’s Joliet.
Community Leader Award: Frankie Fesko, Community Leader Award, chairman of the board, Community Foundation of Northwest Indiana, Inc.
Nonprofit: Patricia Huber: Influential Woman in Nonprofit, president, Crown Point Community Foundation, and Heather Ennis, Up and Coming Woman in Nonprofit, executive director, Chesterton/Duneland Chamber of Commerce.
Finance: Carol Highsmith, Influential Woman in Finance, senior partner, Centier Bank, and Theresa Mudd, Up and Coming Woman in Finance, assistant vice president, Citizens Financial Bank.
Government: Mayor Olga Velazquez, Influential Woman in Government, mayor, City of Portage, and Mara Candelaria Reardon, Up and Coming Woman in Government, 12th District State Representative, Indiana General Assembly.
Construction: Sarah Polman, Influential Woman in Construction, principal, IN-Cambridge Architects, and Karyn Gallas, Up and Coming Woman in Construction, CFO/Director of Operations/Business Owner, Schererville Glass & Mirror, Inc.
Education: Dr. Charlotte Reed, Influential Woman in Education, Executive Director/ Professor of Urban Education, IU Northwest Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning (CETL), and Anne Van Keppel, Up and Coming Woman in Education, associate director of Athletics, Valparaiso University.
Manufacturing: Sharon Owen, Influential Woman in Manufacturing, general manager – Gary Works, U. S. Steel Corp., and Kelly Nissan: Up and Coming Woman in Manufacturing, communications and corporate responsibility manager, ArcelorMittal Indiana Harbor.
Law: Renee J. Mortimer, Influential Woman in Law, partner, Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, and Marissa McDermott, Up and Coming Woman in Law, attorney, McDermott law Office.
Economic Development: Diane Thalmann, 2011 Influential Woman in Economic Development, manager economic development, NIPSCO, and Elizabeth Jacobson, Up and Coming Woman in Economic Development, economic development director, City of Hammond, Department of Planning & Development.
Marketing/Media: Pat Colander, Influential Woman in Marketing/Media, associate publisher and editor, Niche Publications with The Times Media Group and Meghan Mauman, Up and Coming Woman in Marketing/Media, sales representative, View Outdoor Advertising.
