BACC to honor Outstanding Women Leaders Sept. 23
The Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce Women's Biz Net will honor four local women leaders during the chamber's fourth annual Outstanding Women Leaders Awards Luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Biltmore Country Club, 160 Biltmore Drive, North Barrington.
Tickets to the luncheon program are $40 and can be purchased online at www.BarringtonChamber.com.
The 2021 OWL Recipients are: Stephanie Marquardt of Marquardt of Barrington Buick GMC for Community Impact; Bonnie Conte, Avalon Salon Spa for Mentorship and Education; Sharmila Wijeyakumar-Ramos, Rahab's Daughters for Nonprofit Leadership; Katie Kuempel of Angelina's and Social Design Shop for Professional Excellence.
"It is such an honor to recognize these four amazing women leaders and share their stories," said BACC President/CEO Suzanne Corr. "OWL women serve as role models. They are breaking barriers and setting the bar high for their accomplishments professionally and to the community. They have meaningful stories to share."
The OWL Awards were created by the BACC WBN Council to recognize women for their inspiring work in one of four categories: Community Impact - giving back and making an impact on the Barrington Area community; Mentorship and Education - mentoring and improving the lives of others through education; Nonprofit Leadership - working to provide important resources to the community and excelling an important cause; and Professional Excellence - excelling in their profession and setting the standard in their field.
The 2021 Class of OWL recipients includes:
• Stephanie Marquardt of the Marquardt of Barrington Buick GMC family runs the Chicago Westside Police and Youth Sports program. The program helps inner city kids form mentorship bonds with police officers, faith leaders and other organizations. It has created "safe spaces" for youth and provided internet access to needy students where they could accomplish their homework throughout the pandemic.
• Bonnie Conte of Avalon Salon Spa and founder of a consulting business, "Be Inspired to Lead," is an award-winning salon owner who works with salon owners across the country. She serves on national salon industry boards and is involved in developing programming to inspire and motivate salon owners nationwide. Bonnie and her salon are Salon 200 Today industry award winners.
• Sharmila Wijeyakumar-Ramos is the founder of Rahab's Daughters, an organization dedicated to education, rescue and elimination of human trafficking, a $63 billion industry. Rahab's Daughters works with hospitals and first responders to recognize the signs of human trafficking. A survivor of human trafficking, Wijeyakumar leads her network of volunteers to help victims escape and remake their lives.
• Katie Kuempel is owner of Angelina and the new Social Design Club, two Main Street retailers in downtown Barrington. During a particularly hard time for small businesses, enduring COVID-19 shutdowns and pivotal changes in the retail industry, she has continued to innovate and find creative solutions to connect with customers. In a high-risk market, she identified a new niched opportunity in retail, and opened a new concept store that has taken off.
The Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce's Women's Biz Net is a network of women empowering women. WBN offers monthly meetings and programs that bring relevant topics, networking opportunities and a forum for building relationships that can enhance your business aspirations and enrich your life.
For information, contact the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce at (847) 381-2525 or visit www.BarringtonChamber.com.
The Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce, www.BarringtonChamber.com, is an association of nearly 900 member businesses representing more than 1,800 employees dedicated to the success and prosperity of the 11 regional communities it serves: Barrington, Barrington Hills, Deer Park, Inverness, Kildeer, Lake Barrington, Long Grove, North Barrington, Port Barrington, South Barrington and Tower Lakes.
The chamber promotes economic opportunities, advocates the interests of business, offers programs for professional development and leadership, and works to foster a robust regional economy.