Four hundred-fifty attendees ascended the towering Terrace on the Park ballroom for Schneps Media’s “Power Women of New York” Awards and Networking event. The event honored 44 of Queens’ top female professionals across the borough.
Honorees ranging from the nonprofit world to the fields of finance and medicine gathered for a cocktail hour, a business expo, dinner and an awards ceremony hosted by NY 1’s Angi Gonazalez. Assembly members David Weprin and Alicia Hyndman attended the event to speak the honorees as well.
The women were nominated by people in their professional orbit who took note of their leadership or community service.
“I’m actually getting the chills. You don’t get to see it in your everyday world. You don’t get to see the conglomerate of women. You only get to see one woman in a room full of men. So it’s nice to see so many women doing very well and making a difference,” said Patricia Polenz of the Star Marketing Power Agency.
Polenz said that she was nominated based on the philanthropy work that she does. She picks four charities a year to fundraise for. The last charity she picked was the Leukemia Lymphoma Society for which she raised $35,000.
“I’ve made a commitment to raise $1 million by 2020,” Polenz said.
Other award winners were chosen by their employers for excellent their leadership at work. Michele Stoddart of Resorts World Casino singled out May Uri, vice president of human resources, for her service over the years.
“After a wonderful five years with us, we absolutely wanted to show our appreciation for putting her up to this honor,” said Stoddart.
“It was really touching to see the successes of these women,” Uri said.
Other honorees included Carole Temple Phillips at J. Foster Phillips Funeral Home; Palmina Whelan at American Airlines; Selvena Brooks Powers at Port Authority of New York & New Jersey; Nantasha Williams at Port Authority of New York & New Jersey; Quenia Abreu at NY Women’s Chamber of Commerce; Irene Ajagbe at TWA Hotel; JoAnne Amagrande at NYC Parks; Barbara Askins at 125th St. BID; Miriam Ayala at Popular Bank; Dr. Bindu Babu at Quantum University; Dr Marigold Castillo at MD1 Care; Amy Chung at Flushing Bank; Dr. Barbara Dilos at Elmhurst Hospital; Gennie Dinarte at Healthfirst; Diane Duel at Dime Bank; Danielle Ellman at Commonpoint Queens; Dr. Jean Fleischman at Queens Hospital; Pamela Frederick at Battery Park City Authority; Marci Goldfarb at The Law Office of Marci Goldfarb, P.C; Jacqueline Harounian at Wisselman, Harounian & Associates; Janice Huang at Veterinary Care Group; Lily Hui at Raich Ende Malter & Co, LLP; Kristen Lonergan at Greenberg Traurig, LLP; Yanick Maakheru at Forestdale, Inc; Maggie Messina at Female Fighters Matter Too; Jane Millman at GNYADA; Amelia Moore at BuzzbuilderBMC; Dr. Yelena Mullandakova at Glendale Boutique Dental; Gwen Pinckney, RN, MSN, NEA – BC at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital; Eileen Sackman at Valley; Valatta Savoy at Salvation Army; Dr. Helen Shum at New York Cancer & Blood Specialists; Irina Sirota at Bank of America Bayside; Terri-Ann Smith at Investors Bank; Jill Totenberg at The Totenberg Group; Sandra Ung at Special Assistant, Congressmember Grace Meng; Nancy Vargas at DH2 Limo; Suzanne Veira at School Construction Authority; Teri Wade at Amida Care; Tiffany Wan at Tempco Glass Fabrication; and Judy Zangwill at Sunnyside Community Services.
All proceeds from raffles sold throughout the event benefited Sunnyside Community Services and Commonpoint Queens.
Sponsors of the event included Resorts World Casino, Flushing Bank, New York Cancer and Blood Specialists, The Totenberg Group, NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens, NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, the Parker Jewish Institute and Investors Bank.
