Beyond The Region

This year’s annual Influential Women of Northwest Indiana Awards Banquet will be held on Thursday, May 31st at the Radisson Star Plaza in Merrillville.

The Influential Women of Northwest Indiana Awards Banquet is an annual event celebrating the triumphs of women in the workplace.  Each year the event awards women from throughout the area who have demonstrated their powerful influence in each of the 11 industries, from law and construction to healthcare and education. In each of the industries, one woman is awarded as being an Up-and-Coming woman of influence and one woman is awarded as being an Influential Woman, someone who has achieved success in her field and is helping women in the workplace. “Northwest Indiana is the center for the growing influence of women in the workplace,” event founder and 2011 Influential Woman nominee, Andrea Pearman said in released statement, “We are simply here to honor those women of the area who are working to build and help the women’s place in the workforce.”

As with last year’s event, this year’s proceeds from the event will go to support local nonprofit businesses that build up and support women. through the help of the Lake Area United Way and the United Way of Porter County. Area charities were given the opportunity to apply to receive event proceeds and after review of these applications, the following charities were chosen to receive this year’s funds: Visiting Nurses Association of Porter County; Boys and Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana; Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary; and Housing Opportunities. “Influential Women of Northwest Indiana is proud to give back to the community,” Pearman said, “That is what this organization is all about.  We want to show how women are positively impacting the local area.  Giving back is just another way to help the region just like the Influential Women we are recognizing.” In addition, the organization is preparing a magazine directory of woman-owned businesses in Northwest Indiana, a complimentary copy of which will be given to everyone who attends the Awards Banquet.

The awards banquet will be held from 5:00-8:00pm. Hors d’oeuvres and a gourmet dinner will be served, along with cocktails. Tickets for the event are still available at www.nwiwomen.com or by calling 219-226-0300. This year’s nominees can be found on Beyond The Region’s Facebook page.