52 The QUEE NS Courier • MAy 21, 2015 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com Top Women honored during All of the Top Women in Business honorees Janet BY THE QUEENS COURIER STAF [email protected] @QueensCourier Terrace on the Park shined bright on May 14 as 50 talented women, who have each seen success in their careers, were honored at The Queens Courier’s 2015 Top Women in Business Networking Award Dinner. The celebration, which saw over 800 people attend, opened up with an expo and cocktail hour. During this time, honorees and guests were able to mingle, network and exchange business information with leaders from all different fields. During this year’s event, six women, who were previously Top Women in Business honorees, were inducted into the Hall of Fame for their hard work and achievements. “We are so grateful to be able to see that they are continuing to climb the ladder of success and be a role model for everyone in this room,” said Victoria Schneps, publisher of The Queens Courier. Hall of Fame inductees included Connie Delaige, affirmative action coordinator, JFK & LGA Airports; Dr. Marcia V. Keizs, president, York College; Pat Thompson, customer service/public relations manager, Bombardier; Mayra DiRico, senior vice president and director of retail banking, Astoria Bank; Georgiana Reese-Benatti, director of community relations, New York Community Bank; and Patricia Naylor Thomas, president, Thomas Coaching Company Inc. “Most of my roots are in Queens and to me to be inducted into the Hall of Fame is just thrilling, and I actually am very honored to be amongst all these very diverse women that have in each way made a difference in the borough and in New York,” said Hall of Fame inductee Mayra DiRico. Fellow Hall of Famer Pat Thompson also said she was honored and surprised to have been selected to receive the distinguished award. “I’m very honored. I have a lot of respect for Vicki and what she has done to give women this exposure,” Thompson said. “It’s just a very fulfilling experience to be among people of such diverse occupations, and the networking is so valuable.” The night began with Natalia Segura singing the National Anthem and a moment of silence for Jack Friedman, the Queens Chamber of Commerce executive director who passed away in April at age 55. All the honorees of the night received their awards from emcee Alison Morris, FOX 5 business reporter, and Miss New York 2014 Jillian Tapper. This year, The Courier also bestowed a Special Award to Main Street Radiology — which has two locations in Bayside, one in Flushing and a newly opened office in Jackson Heights — as a top women’s imaging center of Queens. Honoree Andrea Tsoukalas, attorney at Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo & Terrana LLP, was honored for her 15 years in the field and for her concentration in zoning, land use, environmental and municipal law matters. “I feel really privileged and humble to be among these women,” Tsoukalas said. “In my work, it’s really a man’s world so it’s wonderful to see the revolution. We’re breaking through the field.” During the networking portion of the night, the expo also featured various vendors and businesses, which sold products and shared information on their services. Elias, technology facilitator at the Alley Pond School Hall of Fame inductee Patricia Thomas, president of Thomas Coaching Company, Inc. Andrea Ormeno, Women’s Business Center director for the Queens Economic Development Corporation Hall of Fame inductee Georgiana Reese-Benatti, director of community relations for New York Community Bank Hall of Fame inductee Mayra DiRico, senior vice president and director of retail banking at Astoria Bank Hall of Fame inductee Pat Thompson, customer service/public relations manager at Bombardier Main Street Radiology of Bayside and Flushing received special honors at the Top Women in Business event Wafa Abboud, CEO of Human First, Inc.
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