Business Honorees Announced For The 2016 NAWBO SJ Beyond The Glass Ceiling Awards

The National Association of Women Business Owners, South Jersey chapter (NAWBO SJ) is proud to announce the honorees for the 2016 Beyond the Glass Ceiling Awards Gala. The annual awards gala is a dinner program that honors extraordinary individuals for their contributions to women and women business owners, as well as their commitment to excellence and community. This year’s gala will be held on February 18, 2016 at The Merion in Cinnaminson, NJ.

The 2016 Beyond the Glass Ceiling Awardees are:

· Legislator of the Year

Senator Diane Allen, NJ 7th Legislative District

· Company of the Year

Laura Hart, Atrium Executive Centers

· Heroine of the Year

Susan Rose, Mothers Matter, Lauren Rose Albert Foundation

· Trailblazer of the Year

Chancellor Phoebe Haddon, Rutgers University – Camden

· Community Advocate of the Year
June Sernak, Red Cross

· Environmental Advocate of the Year

Mary Grasso Shiles, Grasso Girls Farm Market

· Woman Entrepreneur Under 40

Devon Perry, Kings Hall

· Woman Business Owner of the Year

Aldonna Ambler, The Growth Strategist

· Women’s Advocate of the Year

Barbara Anne Gardenhire-Mills, Small Business Administration

· NAWBO SJ Chapter Champion

Allyson Christoffersen, Rethink Innovations

· NOVA Award

Ruth Scott, Cupcakes by Ruth

The 2016 Beyond the Glass Ceiling Awards Gala will also feature an inspirational keynote address from Liz Scott, Co-Executive Director of Alex’s Lemonade Stand. Alex’s Lemonade Stand began from a grassroots effort when four-year-old Alex informed her mother, Scott, following a stem cell transplant, “when I get out of the hospital I want to have a lemonade stand.” She said she wanted to give the money to doctors to allow them to “help other kids, like they helped me.” Scott and her husband, Jay, were happy to serve as Alex’s helpers. Alex’s first lemonade stand earned $2000. While battling her own cancer, Alex continued to set up yearly lemonade stands in her front yard. Currently, Scott works alongside her husband, the staff and board of directors, as well as the dedicated sponsors and supporters as they continue to fight childhood cancer, one cup at a time. While at work, she is the Co-Executive Director of the Foundation, but she is proudest of her title of “Mom” to her three sons, (Patrick, Eddie, and Joey) and her daughter Alex.

In recent years, the Beyond the Glass Ceiling Awards Gala has drawn roughly 250 attendees, mostly business women and men from the South Jersey region who come to honor the nominees, network, enjoy a great night out, and be inspired by the keynote’s address. All proceeds of this annual fundraiser, NAWBO SJ’s largest, are used to help the chapter continue to provide education, networking & leadership opportunities to women business owners in South Jersey. NAWBO SJ is a not-for-profit organization.

Visit http://bit.ly/BeyondGlassCeiling to learn more about the 2016 Beyond the Glass Ceiling Awards Gala. To purchase tickets for the event, visit http://bit.ly/GlassCeilingHonorees2016.

About NAWBO SJ:
Chartered in 2003, The National Association of Women Business Owners-South Jersey is a vibrant, professional group of women and men who come together to connect, learn and grow through networking and educational events. NAWBO of South Jersey strives to help others grow in business by offering education and resource to women business owners in our region, and by providing exposure and promotion avenues for increasing member visibility. They offer events and membership opportunities in Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Cumberland, Salem, Atlantic, Cape May and portions of Mercer counties.

About NAWBO National:
The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), headquartered in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, is the only dues-based national organization representing the interests of all women entrepreneurs in all types of businesses. The organization currently has over 80 chapters. NAWBO traces its origins to a small group of Washington, DC business women who began meeting informally in the spring of 1975 to talk about mutual experiences, exchange information and develop business skills. Recognizing the value of the group, they incorporated as the National Association of Women Business Owners on July 5, 1975. Two years later they began recruiting members from across the country, and in 1978 the first chapters were formed. Website: http://www.nawbo.org/