Ann Acers-Warn, MD – Woman of the Year Nominee

JOURNAL RECORD SELECTS 2013 50 MAKING A DIFFERENCE HONOREES

OKLAHOMA CITY – The influence of women in the workforce and community have progressed significantly over time. Long gone are the days where women who decide to work outside the home are steered toward only a handful of professions – domestic services and teaching atop the list.

Today, more women are obtaining higher levels of education and are prevalent in a wide range of industries once dominated by their male counterparts. Not only are they making their mark in the business world, they are playing important roles in improving the communities in which they live.

The Journal Record‘s Woman of the Year program was started more than 30 years ago to honor these female business and community leaders.

“There are so many amazing and accomplished women in Oklahoma and it is such an honor to provide them with the recognition they deserve,” said Mary Mélon, president and publisher of The Journal Record. “The Journal Record started the Woman of the Year program in 1981, to recognize what was then called a growing segment of the workforce. Today, women play such a critical role in leading businesses, organizations and communities and it is critically important to continue highlighting the difference they make and to build up future generations of leaders.”

Longtime nonprofit leader and 2012 Woman of the Year Pat Potts applauded the program for showing the leadership potential that women bring to society.

“In our society, so much of the contributions or accomplishments of women go unrecognized, I feel this program provides encouragement to young women as they map out their future careers to strive to be the best they can be,” said Potts, president of the Potts Family Foundation.

Eleven women will be named to this year’s Circle of Excellence – an honor reserved for those being selected for The Journal Record’s 50 Making a Difference for the third time. They include Alison Anthony, Deborah Barnes, Teresa Burkett, Ann Caine, Linda Dzialo, Nancy Hyde, Suzanne McAuley, Donna Morris, Ann Neal, Lana Reynolds and Kathy Williams.

Each year hundreds of nominations are received from across the state for this program. Fifty honorees are recognized at a banquet on Oct. 3 and in the publication Fifty Making a Difference. The Woman of the Year will be announced during the evening program. Sponsors of this year’s event include the Chickasaw Nation, Cox Business, Crowe & Dunlevy, Eide Bailly, OGE Energy Corp., Prosperity Bank and Sonic Corp.

2013 Fifty Making a Difference honorees:

Event info