The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce hosted the fourth annual Leading Women’s Conference on March 21 at the Inn at Virginia Tech. There were 200 women registered to attend the program. The 2017 theme was “Opportunity: Recognize, Seize and Create.”
Community leaders were nominated in four categories: Accomplished Business Woman of the Year, Emerging Business Woman of the Year, 2017 Spirit Award and Community Builder Award. Each of the four categories focused on the work that was done in the last 12 months that impact our local community and the business sector.
Joyce Beliveau, the owner of Beliveau Estate Winery, was recognized as the Accomplished Business Woman of the Year. Beliveau was recognized for her life-time achievements but most recently for her desire to build the next generation of winery and bed & breakfast leaders.
Her team is comprised of millennials who see her as a mentor and the Chief Creative Officer. This small business has grown over 200 percent in the last three years.
Jessie Richards of Beliveau Estate shared this about Beliveau, “she values and respects what we have to say; she is open to change, and she wants what is best for the customers and guests.”
Kelly Kendrick, VP of Commercial Lending with First Bank & Trust was recognized as the Emerging Business Woman of the Year. Kendrick works to support and grow small to medium sized businesses in our community. She is active as a volunteer in the community and is a working mother of two small sons.
Kiyah Duffey, researcher, consultant and product developer, owner of Kizingo was recognized for the first Spirit Award. Duffey is a relative newcomer to the local business community but has launched Kizingo, a spoon that is shaped to fit the hands of babies and toddlers.
Anne Giles, the founder of Handshake Media, was recognized with the other Spirit Award. Giles has worked tirelessly in our community to educate and create awareness of addiction challenges from alcohol to opioids. She has brought in nationally recognized speakers and authors to the community to focus on how to best help break and understand addiction.
The Community Builder Award was given to Margie Vitali, Vice-President of the Board for the Montgomery County Emergency Assistance Program (MCEAP). Margie was recognized not simply for her service to the board, but also for training volunteers, opening the store, cleaning and reorganizing the operation to give it a fresh look. In the last 12 months, sales have increased by approximately 20 percent due to Vitali’s leadership, according to Cindy Rollison, Chamber Board member.
According to Melinda Dunford, Board Chair of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, “there was not a woman in our audience that was not deserving of being recognized for their contributions to our community.”
— Avery Grabenstein
