The Wisconsin Women’s Council today honored 14 winners of the 2012 Governor’s Trailblazer Awards for Women in Business at an awards ceremony in the Governor’s Conference Room. The award recognizes women pioneers in the business community.
The 14 award recipients represent seven Wisconsin counties and a range of industries, including non-traditional industries for women.
“These Trailblazers help put Wisconsin to work and serve as role models for others who are considering opening a business and creating jobs,” said Gov. Scott Walker, who attended the ceremony with Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch.
Recipients of the 2012 Trailblazer Awards are:
Brown County
• Diane M. Bisick, president of Ed Gersek Inc., Green Bay.
Dane County
• Donna Gray, CEO & president of Awards Mall/Total Awards & Promotions, Inc., Madison.
• Kelly Starr-King, CEO of Drake & Company Staffing Specialists, Madison.
• Marsha Lindsay, CEO of Lindsay, Stone & Briggs, Inc., Madison.
Milwaukee County
• Kate Hill, president of Heartland Information Research, Inc., Wauwatosa.
• Sally Kujawa, president of Kujawa Enterprises, Inc., Oak Creek.
• Mary E. Van Lare, CEO of MJ Care, Inc., Milwaukee.
• Daphne Wilson, president of Zoe Engineering, Milwaukee.
Racine County
• Dorothy A. Metz, president of 2100 Lathrop, Inc. (dba McDonald’s), Racine.
• Karin Lee-Fournier, CEO & president, and Jean A. Lee, owner & vice president of Badger Trailer & Equipment Corp., Franksville.
• Yolanda James, owner & publisher of Insider News Wisconsin, Racine.
St. Croix County
• Lou Anne Berg, CEO of J&L Steel & Electrical Services, Hudson.
Waukesha County
• Lola A. Tegeder, CEO of James Imaging Systems, Brookfield.
Winnebago County
• Kristine R. Sexton, president of Directions Marketing, Neenah.
Trailblazer Awards are given to businesses statewide to recognize the legacy of women’s business ownership in Wisconsin. Categories include family-owned businesses that are currently majority woman-owned and have been in operation for three generations or more, and businesses with sole or majority ownership by a woman, or series of women, for 25 years or more.
Since the award was established in 2007, Governor’s Trailblazer Awards have been given to 44 Wisconsin woman-owned businesses across 22 counties.
Woman-owned businesses were nominated for Trailblazer Awards through an open nomination process, including nominations from business and professional associations, elected officials, friends, colleagues, and employees.
For more information about the Trailblazer Award program, visit the Women’s Council website.
