Women of Excellence
The Women’s Business Council of the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce invites Chamber members to make nominations for the 2010 Women of Excellence Awards. All nominees must be Chamber members in good standing. Women of Excellence Award recipients within the past 10 years are ineligible for awards in the categories in which they were previously selected. Applications must be received no later than 5 pm on Friday, March 19.
Download Nomination Form
A luncheon honoring the awardees will be held on Thursday, June 17 at the Holiday Inn Albany on Wolf Road. |

PHOTOS BY JOAN HEFFLER
The 2009 Women of Excellence recipients were honored at a luncheon on June 17, 2009.
Read their bios |
Listen to their acceptance speeches |
View photos from event
Recipient |
Year |
Category |
| Dr. Dawn Abbuhl |
2005 |
Excellence in the Professions |
| Kathryn Allen |
1997 |
|
| Marri Aviza |
2006 |
Excellence in Business |
| Eileen Bagnoli |
2008 |
Distinguished Career |
| Eleanor Bartlett |
1998 |
|
| Maude Baum |
2003 |
Distinguished Career |
| Kathy Beam |
1997 |
|
| Roberta Berkowitz |
2009 |
Excellence in Management (1-99 employees) |
| Mary Bintz |
2003 |
Emerging Businesswoman |
| Elizabeth A. Bishop |
1996 |
|
| Linda K. Blumenstock |
1996 |
|
| Teri Bordenave |
2003 |
Excellence in Management, Nonprofit |
| Bettyjo Howland Bouchey |
2004 |
Emerging Businesswoman |
| Jill Braverman-Panza |
1999 |
|
| Katharine Briar-Lawson |
2008 |
Excellence in the Professions |
| Mary E. Brizzell |
1997 |
|
| Pamela Sawchuk Brown |
1995 |
|
| Suzanne Brownrigg |
1992 |
|
| Patricia K. Bucklin |
2006 |
Excellence in Management (75+ employees) |
| Nancy Burton |
1997 |
|
| JulieAnn Calareso, Esq. |
2009 |
Emerging Professional |
| Sister Constance Casey |
2006 |
Distinguished Career |
| Rhonda Childs |
1994 |
|
| Lauretta Chrys |
1999 |
|
| Lisa M. Clifford |
2007 |
Excellence in Sales and Marketing |
| Mae A. D’Agostino |
1995 |
|
| Lissa D’Aquanni |
2002 |
Excellence in Business (2–9 years) |
| Mary Darian |
1993 |
|
| Valerie De La Cruz |
1992 |
|
| Barbara E. Dennis |
1996 |
|
| Carol Desmond |
1999 |
|
| Mary Ann DiChristopher |
1994 |
|
| Erika Dietz |
2003 |
Excellence in Management (1–10 Employees) |
| Ann G. DiSarro |
1993 |
|
| Regina DuBois |
1994 |
|
| Patricia Ellis |
2004 |
Excellence in Management (75+ Employees) |
| R’Lou Ellson |
1992 |
|
| Amy Ertel Bellcourt |
2001 |
Excellence in Management, Nonprofit Corporation |
| Stacy Fitch |
2008 |
Excellence in Management (1-99 employees) |
| Maureen N. Fitzgerald |
1995 |
|
| Lorraine Flaherty |
1998 |
|
| Kate Langdon Forham |
1999 |
|
| E. Kristen Frederick |
2006 |
Excellence in Management (1–10 employees) |
| Jeannine Garab |
1999 |
|
| Judy Genshaft |
1999 |
|
| Cheryl Gnade |
1998 |
|
| Kathleen Godfrey |
2007 |
Excellence in Business |
| Rose A. Golden |
1992 |
|
| Laura Hagen |
1999 |
|
| Catherine K. Halakan |
2007 |
Excellence in the Professions |
| Catherine M. Hedgman |
2005 |
Emerging Professional |
| Dr. Karen R. Hitchcock |
1995 |
Lifetime Achievement |
| Nancy Hodes |
2002 |
Excellence in Business (10+ years) |
| Audrey Hoffman |
1993 |
|
| Elaine Houston |
2001 |
Excellence in the Professions |
| Clara M. Hunt |
1997 |
|
| Linda Jackson-Chalmers |
2003 |
Excellence in Management |
| Dr. Grace Jorgensen |
1992 |
|
| Marjorie M. Karowe |
1994 |
|
| Michele Kimball |
2002 |
Excellence in Management (Nonprofit Sector) |
| Linda Krzykowski |
2006 |
Excellence in the Professions |
| Anne LaRoche |
2008 |
Excellence in Management (200+ employees) |
| Sister Ellen Lawlor |
1993 |
|
| Dr. Susan E. Lehrman |
2004 |
Excellence in the Professions |
| Kara Conway Love, Esq. |
2009 |
Excellence in the Professions |
| Kelly Lovell |
2006 |
Excellence in Management (11–74 employees) |
| Dorothy Luftus |
1993 |
|
| Maureen Lundberg |
2009 |
Excellence in Sales or Marketing |
| Ruth H. Mahoney |
2004 |
Excellence in Management (1–10 employees) |
| Lucille Marion |
1997 |
|
| Patricia Martinelli |
2001 |
Excellence in Management, Public Sector |
| Denise Mason |
1994 |
|
| Dr. Susan Mathews |
1992 |
|
| Barbara J. McDonald |
2007 |
Distinguished Career |
| Clare Mertz-Lee |
2003 |
Excellence in Sales |
| Tracy Metzger |
2003 |
Excellence in Management, For Profit |
| Christine M. Miles |
1996 |
|
| Rose U. Miller |
2007 |
Excellence in Management (1–10 employees) |
| Gina Mintzer |
2006 |
Excellence in Sales |
| Alma Mitchell |
1992 |
|
| Carole T. Montepare |
1995 |
|
| Nan Mossey |
2001 |
Emerging Executive |
| Lillian M. Moy |
2004 |
Excellence in Management (11-74 employees) |
| Kathleen Murray |
1998 |
|
| Dr. Barbara Nagler |
2005 |
Distinguished Career |
| Sandra Nardoci |
2008 |
Excellence in Sales or Marketing |
| Lisa Norgrove |
2009 |
Excellence in Business |
| Susan Novotny |
2001 |
Excellence in Business, 10+ years |
| Margaret (Peggy) O’Neill |
1996 |
|
| Bernadette Pedlow |
1998 |
|
| Marilyn A. Pendergast |
1997 |
|
| Maria R. Piccione |
1994 |
|
| Mary Ellen Plass, RN |
2009 |
Excellence in Management (100+ employees) |
| Alissa M. Quinn |
1993 |
|
| Dorothy Reynolds |
1997 |
|
| Cheryl Richardson |
2005 |
Excellence in Sales |
| Sue Rosander |
2002 |
Excellence in Management (Private Sector) |
| Sue Ellen Rose |
2001 |
Excellence in Management, Nonprofit Program |
| Jane Rothfeld |
2001 |
Excellence in Sales |
| Kathy Kozera Rowe |
2002 |
Excellence in Sales |
| Raona Roy |
1995 |
|
| Margaret M. Rudzinski |
2007 |
Excellence in Management (75+ employees) |
| Kimberly Adams Russell |
2005 |
Excellence in Business |
| Virginia Russock |
1998 |
|
| Mary Lou Saetta-Gilman |
1999 |
|
| Judith Saidel, Ph.D. |
2009 |
Distinguished Career |
| Anne Saile |
2002 |
Excellence in Management (Institution) |
| Mary Scanlan |
1993 |
|
| Fatemeh Shahedipour-Sandvik |
2007 |
Emerging Professional |
| Missy Shorey |
2008 |
Excellence in Business |
| Jan Smith |
2004 |
Distinguished Career |
| Hon. Leslie Stein |
2002 |
Excellence in the Professions |
| Paula Stopera |
2008 |
Excellence in Management (100-200 employees) |
| Gail Leonardo Sundling |
1994 |
|
| Karen Tassey |
2001 |
Excellence in Management, Private Sector |
| Susan M. Tatro |
1993 |
|
| Lorraine Power Tharp |
2003 |
Excellence in the Professions |
| Pamela Tobin |
2005 |
Excellence in Management (under 75 employees) |
| Judith A. Torel |
1997 |
|
| Joan Townley |
1992 |
|
| Nina Tyzik |
2005 |
Excellence in Management (75+ employees) |
| Gemma Vigliotti |
1996 |
|
| Helen Volk |
1994 |
|
| Jaruloch K. Whitehead |
1996 |
|
| Mary G. Whiteman |
2002 |
Distinguished Career |
| Patsy Whitney |
1998 |
|
| Benita Zahn |
1999 |
|
| Karen Zalewski-Wildzunas |
2007 |
Excellence in Management (11–74 employees) |
| Rachel Zimolka |
2008 |
Emerging Professional |