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:

• Alison Anthony, Williams Cos., Tulsa.
• Teri Aulph, Teri Aulph Consulting, Tulsa.
• Deborah Barnes, Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals, Tulsa.
• Janet Barresi, Oklahoma State Department of Education, Oklahoma City.
• Debbie Blanke, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, Oklahoma City.
• Teresa Burkett, Conner & Winters, Tulsa.
• Ann Caine, Stillwater Public Schools, Stillwater.
• Michele Campbell, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Durant.
• Jodi Cline, Edward Jones Investments, Ponca City.
• Cheryl Cohenour, Cherokee Nation Businesses/Cherokee CRC LLC, Tulsa.
• Christy Counts, Central Oklahoma Humane Society, Oklahoma City.
• April Danahy, Security National Bank of Enid, Enid.
• Jill Daugherty, Chickasaw Nation, Ardmore.
• Sharon Doty, Arpeggias LLC, Tulsa.
• Linda Dzialo, Great Expectations Foundation, Tahlequah.
• Marilyn Geiger, Mercy Health Oklahoma Communities Inc., Oklahoma City.
• Betsy Guthrie-Brunsteter, ADG Inc., Oklahoma City.
• Ann Hargis, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater.
• Shirley Harris, Dentists for the Disabled and Elderly in Need of Treatment, Oklahoma City.
• Molly Helm, Wymer Brownlee, Enid.
• Karen Hudson, Hudson Advancement Strategies, Ada.
• Gail Huneryager, Hogan Taylor, Oklahoma City.
• Nancy Hyde, Hyde & Company CPAs, Oklahoma City.
• Beth Kerr, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond.
• Connie Mashburn, Mashburn Homes, Oklahoma City.
• Suzanne McAuley, First American Bank, Norman.
• Jeannie McDaniel, Oklahoma Legislature, Oklahoma City.
• Sandra Meyers, community volunteer, Oklahoma City.
• Ora Morgan, Autry Technology Center, Enid.
• Donna Morris, Metropolitan Library System, Oklahoma City.
• Dana Murphy, Oklahoma Corporation Commission, Oklahoma City.
• Ann Neal, First National Bank & Trust Co. of Miami, Miami.
• Deborah Partin, Rural Enterprises of Oklahoma Inc., Durant.
• Jessica Pfau, Ardmore Village, Ardmore.
• Anastasia Pittman, Oklahoma Legislature, Oklahoma City.
• Flo Potts, Tulsa Community College, Tulsa.
• Katheryn Potts, Rees Associates, Oklahoma City.
• Marcy Price, Jewish Federation of Greater Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City.
• Jayne Reed, Simon Estes Educational Foundation, Tulsa.
• Lana Reynolds, Seminole State College, Seminole.
• Peggy Rice, Small Business Capitol Corp., Tulsa.
• Karen Rieger, Crowe & Dunlevy, Oklahoma City.
• Cindi Shelby, Ruth Meyers LLC, Oklahoma City.
• Sheryl Siddiqui, Islamic Council of Oklahoma, Tulsa.
• Marnie Taylor, Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits, Oklahoma City.
• Elizabeth Tyrrell, McAfee & Taft, Oklahoma City.
• Ann Warn, Dean McGee Eye Institute, Lawton.
• Karen Wicker, Candor Public Relations, Oklahoma City.
• Kathy Williams, civic volunteer, Oklahoma City.
• Janis Wood, Tinker Air Force Base, Tinker AFB.

Event info

• From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 3, Bank of Oklahoma, Integris Health and Oklahoma Natural Gas will sponsor a forum for all past and present honorees of the program at the Skirvin Hilton Hotel. The forum includes panel discussions and breakout sessions.
• A reception begins at 6 p.m., with the awards gala and dinner starting at 7 p.m., at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.
• Individual tickets are $150, and corporate table sponsorships are available.
• Reservations for the banquet can be made by contacting Ashley Fitzpatrick at (405) 278-2820 or ashley.fitzpatrick@journalrecord.com.