The Quad Cities Regional Business Journal is proud to announce the inaugural class for our Women of Influence awards.
The new awards program – a longstanding tradition with our sister publication Corridor Business Journal – will recognize 10 women who have made a difference in the Quad Cities region and one Emerging Woman of Influence.
The 2024 Women of Influence honorees, who will be honored at a May 23 celebration, are:
- Debbie Anselm, executive director of the Iowa Newspaper Association.
- Cathy Edwards, CEO of Edwards Creative.
- Laura “Divot” Ekizian, president and chief relationship officer of Quad City Bank & Trust.
- Lynsey Engels, president, Mel Foster Co. Real Estate Brokerage.
- Kit “Dr. Kit” Evans-Ford, founder and director of Argrow’s House of Healing and Hope, and the CEO of Autistic & Loved.
- Diane Nelson, CEO of Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois.
- Dr. Sue Rector, surgeon and president, Mississippi Valley Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Center.
- Paula Sands, retired news anchor and host of Paula Sands Live, KWQC-TV6.
- Jenni Swanson, workplace consultant, Lincoln Office.
- LaDrina Wilson, CEO and founder, Iman Consulting.
In addition, Haley DeGreve, communications manager, John Deere, will receive the Emerging Woman of Influence award, which is awarded to someone 35 or younger who is poised to take on a larger community role in the years to come.
Event tickets available
The QCBJ will host the 2024 Women of Influence gala on Thursday, May 23, at the Quad Cities Waterfront Convention Center, Bettendorf. The awards dinner will be from 5:30-8 p.m.
Early Bird tickets are $75 each or $575 for a table of 8. Tickets purchased May 2 or later are $95 or $760 for a table of 8. To register, visit here.
All the 2024 Women of Influence honorees will be profiled in the QCBJ’s May 13 print edition.
The honorees were selected by an independent committee from nominations submitted from the women’s peers, mentors, and community and business leaders.
“We had a great response from our community for nominations for this honor,” Beth Clark, the QCBJ associate publisher, said. “The pool of honorees are all so deserving, but our selection committee was directed to select 10 honorees and one for Emerging Woman. It was a very difficult decision for those involved.”
More to be honored in 2025
She added: “We encourage all of those who nominated someone this year who was not chosen to please submit them again in future years. Our community is indeed blessed to have so many women who are very successful in their careers, and also giving back so much to the community.”
Women of Influence is sponsored by Platinum Sponsor American Bank & Trust and Gold Sponsor Royal Neighbors of America. The Emerging Woman of Influence award (age 35 or younger) is sponsored by Delta Dental. For information on additional sponsorships, contact Dayle Hall at (563) 345-7225, ext. 326, or dayle@quadcitiesbusiness.com.
“We are excited to build upon the Athena Awards tradition in the Quad Cities with the newly constituted Women of Influence awards,” said John F. Lohman, CEO and president of the Corridor Media Group, which owns and publishes the QCBJ.
“Our sister publication, the Corridor Business Journal, has been hosting the Women of Influence awards for 20 years. The goal of the Women of Influence awards is to recognize and celebrate women leaders in the Quad Cities who are making the region such a special place to live and work.”
