4th Annual Women of Color Foundation Training and Leadership Development Institute and Awards Luncheon

Online, November 6, 2009 (Newswire.com) - Women of Color Institute Features All-star Faculty
100 Scholarships made available by Dominion Foundation

Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge to be named "Woman of the Year"

Cleveland, Ohio--- The Honorable Marcia L. Fudge, Member, U.S. Representatives - 11th District, will be named "Woman of the Year" at the 4th Annual Women of Color Foundation Training and Leadership Development Institute and Awards Luncheon, "Women and Leadership...Preparing for the Future, Now!" Fudge is one of four women who will receive an award at the Institute which will take place Thursday, November 12, 2009, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at The Forum Conference Center, One Cleveland Center Building, 1375 East 9th St. in downtown Cleveland.

In addition to the awards, guests at the Institute will have the unique opportunity to hear and learn from an "all-star" faculty lineup - some of the most powerful and highly respected professional women in the country. Designed to leave women with a greater sense of "empowerment," participants in the Institute will actively participate in workshops discussing topics relating to leadership, career development, and effective communications.

Some of Northeast Ohio's most powerful and influential women will discuss their views on the challenges and benefits of supervising and working for women during their careers at the morning workshop, "Women Working for Women...A Unique Leadership Dynamic": The workshop will feature Moderator, Deb Janik, Senior Vice President, Real Estate and Business Development, Greater Cleveland Partnership (Former Chief of Staff and Chief Development Officer to former Cleveland Mayor Jane L. Campbell); Gena Lovett, Plant Manager, ALCOA, Cleveland Operations; Susan Goldberg, Editor, The Plain Dealer; Viki Regan, Vice President and General Manager, WEWS-TV Newschannel 5, (Cleveland's local ABC network Affiliate); Louise J. Gissendaner, Akron/Canton Market President and Director of Community Development, Fifth Third Bank; and Peggy Zone Fisher, President & CEO, the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio.

Women will also share their ideas about the skills and leadership abilities necessary for women to advance their careers in the future, and discuss strategies for developing those skills now, during the afternoon workshop, "Women and Leadership...Preparing of the Future Now!" The Workshop will feature Moderator, Damaris Patterson Price, Vice President, Corporate Diversity, National City, Now a part of PNC; Dr. Charleyse S. Pratt, Director, Learning Communities, Cleveland State University; Pamela Noble, Senior Vice President, Talent Management, National City, Now a part of PNC; Lee Ann Howard, Principal, Howard & O'Brien Associates, Inc; and Patricia Ferry, Manager, Employee Relations, American Greetings Corporation.
Additional awards presentations will take place during the luncheon, including a presentation to Candace Campbell Jackson, Vice President and Chief of Staff, University of Akron. Jackson is the "2009 Professional Woman of the Year", and will receive the ISIS Award. The "2009 Young Professional Woman of the Year" awardee is April Miller Boise, Partner-in-Charge, Cleveland Office, Thompson Hine, LLP. She will receive the STAR Award.

Two years ago, the Women of Color Foundation started the "Stephanie Tubbs Jones Courage Award" in honor of the late, beloved Congresswoman. The 2009 award will be presented to Belva Denmark Tibbs, Vice President, Operations, Kaiser Permanente of Ohio.

Alexandria Johnson Boone, Founder/Chairwoman, The Women of Color Foundation, says her selection of the award recipients was quite simple. "While all of these women have made extraordinary achievements in their professional lives, it is their personal commitment, kindness and sharing with other women and girls, that is equally important to us, and to those they have touched in the community. We congratulate all of our honorees," she said.

Pamela Marshall Holmes, Senior Director, Community Relations and Development, Cleveland Clinic, will present the awards, along with Boone, and Kimberly Gill, Co-Anchor, "Good Morning Cleveland" WEWS-TV (Newschanel 5), will serve as Mistress of Ceremonies.

The Training and Leadership Development Institute and Awards Luncheon will culminate with a COLORS Networking reception. The event is presented by National City, Now a part of PNC, and the Women of Color Foundation, along with supporting sponsors, the Dominion Foundation, (who is underwriting 100 event registrations), The Nielsen Company, Cleveland Clinic, GAP Communications Group; and media sponsors, The Call & Post, WEWS-TV (Newschannel 5), and Village Television.

The Institute is just one of several Women of Color Foundation events that take place during the year, including the annual Personal and Professional Development Retreat for Women of Color that has taken place in Cleveland the past seven years. Women of Color events are also held in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Chicago.

For more information on 2009 Women of Color events, including registration, scholarships and/or sponsorship opportunities, please call 216-391-4300, ext. 311 or visit the website, www.womenofcolorfoundation.com 100 scholarships are available for college students and women who cannot afford to pay for this event. Scholarship applications are available on-line. Corporate registrations are $75 per person; Individual/Non-profit registrations are $50 per person, and include the Awards Luncheon, a Networking Reception and all workshops.