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Women of Distinction
Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa
 
Join the March of Dimes and co-chairs Gale Butler and Dr. Wilhelmena Mack on November 6 as they honor ten women whose outstanding achievements both professionally and personally serve as an example in the Broward County community.

                                                         This year’s festivities include a silent auction, live entertainment, and a special tribute to past honorees.

This year’s Women of Distinction are:

Commissioner M. Margaret Bates
Elizabeth “BJ” Buntrock
Kathryn Dinkin
Nadine Floyd
Shannon Hori
Kip Hunter Epstein
Patty Kearns
Catherine “Penny” Loughan
Broward County Mayor Stacy Ritter
Linda Von Allmen
Roberta Young
Date: Friday
November 6, 2009
 
Location: Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa
3030 Holiday Drive
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
 
  Phone: Jacquie Nicholson at 954-772-2290 or jnicholson@marchofdimes.com
 
Schedule: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Directions - Take I-95 South or North to Sunrise Boulevard - exit 30. Head east on Sunrise Boulevard until you reach the beach. Turn right at A1A and proceed south for 2 miles. Pass the public beach and turn left at Holiday Drive. Go one block to the stop sign and make a right to the resort.

Tickets &
Sponsorship:		 Ticket prices are $85 per person.  For more information please contact Jacquie Nicholson at 954-772-2290 or jnicholson@marchofdimes.com
Honoree(s):



M. Margaret Bates of Lauderhill
Bates has served as a commissioner for the City of Lauderhill for the past 11 years.  She also created Lauderhill’s MLK Task Force to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King and created Lauderhill’s Renaissance Park.  In addition, she served as chair of Broward County’s Countywide Coordination subcommittee for Census 2010, was president of the Broward League of Cities in 2009, and president of the Women in Municipal Government of the National League of Cities.



Elizabeth “BJ” Buntrock of Fort Lauderdale
Buntrock founded and continues to volunteer for the Pantry of Broward in Fort Lauderdale.  She also founded the Eagle Charter Academy in Fort Lauderdale, was a founder of the Hospice of Broward County, and contributed to the Seagull Alternative High School for pregnant and parenting teenagers, among other charities.  She is a significant supporter of Broward County Libraries and provides scholarships to economically challenged youth.



Kathryn G. Dinkin of Miami Beach
Dinkin, as regional president for Wachovia-A Wells Fargo Company, has impacted community non-profits by providing monetary resources and working with the Wachovia team to serve the community, such as participating in the March of Dimes March for Babies and hosting a food drive, which brought in 5,000 pounds of food.  Dinkin serves on the boards of directors of the Greater Miami Chamber, Florida International University, Beacon Council and Museum of Discovery and Science.



Nadine Floyd of Cooper City
Floyd, president of The Media Lab Inc./Power Images in Fort Lauderdale, has provided her artistic talent to various projects in collaboration with Comcast Cares, United Way’s Day of Caring, March of Dimes, Florida Youth Orchestra and Riverwalk’s Smoker Park.  Floyd serves on the boards of directors for WorkForce One, the Executive Association of Fort Lauderdale and the Fort Lauderdale Institute of Art.



Shannon Hori of Coral Gables
Hori, anchor at CBS4, serves on the board of directors of Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Greater Miami and previously served on the BBBS board of North Texas.  In Orlando, she was a board member of New Hope for Kids, volunteered for the Canine Companions for Independence, and served as a mentor for the Unity Program, pairing minority journalists with minority students. Hori enjoys covering people who make a difference in this community, including those involved in CBS4’s Neighbors 4 Neighbors program. 



Kip Hunter-Epstein of Fort Lauderdale
Hunter-Epstein, president and CEO of Kip Hunter Marketing in Fort Lauderdale, has volunteered in various capacities for the American Heart Association Heart Ball, 211 Broward, Alonzo Mourning’s Charities and Wade’s World Foundation, Here’s Help, Inc., Women in Executive Leadership, the Work/Life Balance Institute, and others.

Patty Kearns of Fort Lauderdale
Community volunteer Patty Kearns was the founding chair of the Forum on Women’s Health at the University of Miami Health System in 2006 and has served in that position for the last three years.  The Forum presents cutting edge information to members, provides access to UM physicians/scientists and facilitates community outreach and provides financial support for the medically underserved in South Florida.  Kearns also serves on the boards of directors for the Humane Society of Broward County and the Friends of Jack and Jill Children’s Center.



Catherine “Penny” Loughan of Fort Lauderdale
Loughan, CEO of The Pantry of Broward, held a position with Fort Lauderdale’s Cooperative Feeding Program for three years and improved the agency’s complex logistics and warehouse challenges, making it one of the most efficient warehouse management programs in the country.  Loughan then formed The Pantry of Broward with local leader and philanthropist BJ Buntrock to focus on the specific needs of seniors on low fixed incomes and grandmothers raising their grandchildren in Broward County.



Stacy Ritter of Parkland
Ritter, Broward County Mayor, has held numerous leadership positions to improve the county covering issues from the streamlining Broward County government, to drafting a plan for a new downtown courthouse, to the “greening” of the county.  She chaired the Broward County Management and Efficiency Study Committee, and has served as a member of the Broward County Planning Council, Broward County Water Advisory Board, Broward County Management and Efficiency Study Committee, Jewish Federation of Greater Fort Lauderdale, and others.



Linda Von Allmen of Fort Lauderdale
Von Allmen, an active community volunteer, instituted the American Girl Fashion Show fundraiser, which raised nearly $275,000 for the Boys and Girls Nan Knox Club over a two-year period.  She also helped launch a “Men’s Only” luncheon, bringing in nearly $100,000 for the same organization. She also has been involved in the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Funding Arts Broward, Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, Junior Achievement and others.



Roberta Young of Cooper City
Young, managing partner in CPA firm DeMeo Young, McGrath in Fort Lauderdale, has served in leadership roles, including president and treasurer, for the Gold Coast Jazz Society, Senior Volunteer Services and the Broward Cultural Foundation.  She also is active in ArtServe and Leadership Broward.