Dee DelBello, CEO and owner of Westfair Communications, Inc., and Mary Murray, manager, Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs at IBM, were honored as the Women’s Leadership Council’s first-ever “Women of Distinction.” DelBello and Murray were recognized for their leadership roles in inspiring philanthropy and the advancement of women in our community.
“Every day, women in business and politics use their influence to make our society stronger – women like Mary and Dee, whose perseverance throughout their careers have left lasting legacies and deserve far more than the accolades we can offer today,” Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino said.
Astorino was among numerous local officials in attendance offering congratulations to both the honorees and the Women’s Leadership Council for their accomplishments throughout the year.
The luncheon’s keynote speaker was Stephanie Ruhle, anchor and managing editor for Bloomberg Television and co-host of “Market Makers.” Ruhle, an active proponent of women’s leadership and business leader development, applauded the Women’s Leadership Council for their efforts in changing the conversation about women’s issues and positioning women as agents of change.
“One of the things that is so extraordinary about being here today – about celebrating this powerful leadership organization – is that every person here is changing someone else’s life,” Ruhle said. “If that isn’t a greater achievement than running a company or running for office, I don’t know what is.”
Other special guests included Nicole Kande, a lifelong Westchester resident who shared her poignant story about the impact the Women’s Leadership Council had on her life. After losing both her job and her home, Kande struggled to find employment and support her young daughter as a single mother. Through the Women’s Leadership Council’s “Teach Me to Fish” program, Kande developed the career skills she needs to obtain a meaningful job.
Sponsors of the luncheon, which was emceed by Lisa Salvadorini, News 12 Westchester anchor and managing editor, were KeyBank, M&T Bank, PURE Insurance and IBM.
For more information about Women’s Leadership Council initiatives or to join, visit http://uwwp.org/wlc.shtml or call Margaret Tramontine at (914) 997-6700 ext. 737.
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