Pair of Lynners, Salem woman cop top businesswomen awards

LYNN – The seventh annual North of Boston Businesswomen of the Year awards breakfast, sponsored by Eastern Bank and The Daily Item, took place Thursday morning at North Shore Community College (NSCC).Businesswomen from across the North Shore were recognized and honored for their hard work and contributions to their companies and the business community.In total, 26 women were nominated for the Lydia Pinkham award, which was given to a woman in each of three categories: small business, with 1-49 employees, large business, with 50 or more employees and nonprofit or civic organization.Annemarie Jonah of Annemarie Jonah Realtors in Lynn received an award for the small business category, Stephanie Sullivan-McCaughey of American Trust in Lynn received an award for the large business category and Annie Harris, of the Essex National Heritage Commission in Salem received the civic/nonprofit award.A citation from the city of Lynn was also given to each recipient.In addition, The Daily Item and Eastern Bank each presented a $1,000 scholarship to Ashley Souther of Newbury and Kimberly Woodbury of Salem, both female business students at NSCC.Salem State President and keynote speaker Dr. Patricia Maguire Meservy said her successful career was a result of encouragement from numerous role models.Originally told that she wasn’t college material by a guidance counselor, Meservy said she became a nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital, but later earned a degree from Boston University after receiving encouragement from friends and family.”I often refer to those people as angels in my life because we all need a nudge and occasionally a real strong push,” she said. “I encourage all of you to reach out to a young woman and have her come to the breakfast next year and become an angel in her life.”According to Meservy, women own and operate 30 percent of businesses in the state and the number of women enrolled in graduate school has increased 66 percent from 1994-2004.”There is a dramatic increase in women enrolling in college and it’s clear that women value education,” she said.Peter H. Gamage, publisher and president of The Daily Item, congratulated all of the nominees and thanked sponsors of the event, especially Eastern Bank.”We congratulate all of the nominees, not only for their hard work and dedication to their field of business, but also for being role models for generations of young women; shining examples that success comes through education, patience and perseverance,” he said.Mayor Edward J. Clancy Jr. said the event empowers women.”We need to continue our educational partnerships that are key to cutting across all gender lines and socioeconomic lines,” he said.Other sponsors include NSCC, General Electric, Grant Communications, National Grid, R&L Associates Inc., Community Credit Union and A. James Lynch Insurance & Realtors.