YWCA to honor 9 Lake County women

There is no shortage of outstanding women who live and work in Lake County.

The YWCA of Lake County proves that, recognizing women for the past 30 years who excel as entrepreneurs, devote time to community service and fight for racial justice.

Tonight, the YWCA will once again recognize nine women for their accomplishments at its Women of Achievement Awards benefit.

Titled, "Live the Dream," the benefit will begin at 6 p.m. at the Chevy Chase Country Club, 1000 N. Milwaukee Ave., Wheeling.

Winners this year are Joyce Tucker, the Dr. Dorothy I. Height Racial Justice Award; Sicily McClennon and Myra Gaytan-Morales, Promise Award; Trina Sherlitz, Science and Technology; Barbara Klein, Business; Robin Erker and Bonnie Richtman, Entrepreneur; Cassandra Slade, Community Leadership; Kimberly Gray, Collegiate Promise Award; and Nicole Nesbitt, Dr. Minnie J. Leggette Young Woman of Achievement Scholarship recipient.

Each year, the YWCA receives nominations from the community, staff members and board. Then, a board-approved committee chooses the award recipient in each category to be recognized at the benefit.

Elizabeth Forbrich, the YWCA'S executive director, said it has been the organization's commitment to recognize women who serve as role models to other women and who represent the YWCA's mission to eliminate racism and empower women.

"Every year, we are so surprised at the caliber of these women and their accomplishments," Forbrich said.

Not only do these women stand out for the accomplishments in which they are being honored, but also for their hard work, integrity and the impact they make in Lake County.

"They touch so many lives in their communities and in their workplace," she said. "They touch so many people in their lives for the better."

And apparently their impact extends to the Women of Achievement benefit when the winners are asked to speak on their accomplishments.

Forbrich said people tell her each year how meaningful it is to hear these stories. It is an uplifting part of the program.

"It is extremely empowering to hear the women speak about what they've done," she said.

YWCA Lake County's Women in Achievement awards

Dr. Dorothy I. Height Racial Justice Award

Joyce Tucker

• Vice president of global diversity and employee rights for the Boeing Company.

• Appointed by former President George H. W. Bush and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 1990 as commissioner of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, where she served until 1996.

Community Leadership

Casandra Slade, Lindenhurst

• Serves as vice president and regional community reinvestment officer for National City Bank. She has introduced wealth building, savings and credit building curricula for those with low to moderate income.

• Works with formerly incarcerated individuals to establish bank accounts, credit repair and wealth building education.

Dr. Minnie J. Leggette Young Woman of Achievement Scholarship

Nicole Nesbitt, Zion

• Senior at Zion-Benton High School and plans to major in business and minor in studio art at Illinois State University.

• Her hope is to start a not-for-profit organization designed to give under-privileged and abused children the opportunity to express themselves with art and music.

Entrepreneur Award

Robin Erker and Bonnie Richtman, Grayslake

• They founded Grayslake Rehabilitation and Compete Physical Therapy LLC in May 2005. Their company now employs 14 women.

• Erker and Richtman have the first female-owned Lake County business to receive the Athena Powerlink award.

Collegiate Promise Award

Kimberly Gray, Vernon Hills

• Currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in elementary education at Illinois State University and will graduate this month.

• Received a grant for a project she designed titled "Bring Words to Life," which created a bilingual curriculum of books and CDs that assist immigrant children learning to read and write English.

Promise Award

Myra Gaytan-Morales, Waukegan

• Born in Mexico and immigrated to the United States at age 14. Became director of the University Center at Waukegan in April 2007, developing new programming to meet work force development needs.

• President of the Coalición Latinos Unidos de Lake County, working to improve the education system and providing Latino mentors. Recipient of the College of Lake County Advisor of the Year 2004, Pacesetter Award and was honored by Secretary of State Jesse White as one of 12 successful Latina women.

Science and Technology

Trina Sherlitz, Cary

• Teaches at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science and is credited with promoting the need for pathologists' assistants to receive master's degrees.

• Served as a mentor for the Inter-professional Healthcare Teams Service since 2006 and volunteers with Kid's First and the Staben House.

Business

Barbara A. Klein

• First female chief financial officer of two Fortune 500 companies -- Dean Foods Company and CDW Corporation. Currently a senior vice president at CDW.

• Co-founder of CDW's Women-to-Women network. Also volunteers with the Tax Assistance Program, which provides free financial services to low-income families. On the board for the Teen Living Programs, which offers housing, job training, education support, mental health counseling and life skills for homeless teens.

Promise Award

Sicily McClennon, Zion

• She opened a kiosk called "Color Me Beautiful" at Gurnee Mills in 2005 that featured skin care and cosmetics for people of color.

• She expanded to open a full-service, four-station beauty salon in May 2006 and eight stations in January 2007. Staffed by four stylists, three barbers and one braider, the salon offers services for the family including cuts, weaves, extensions, strawsets and custom design cuts.