More than 50 women and businesses will be recognized at a YWCA event on Thursday. 

The YWCA St. Joseph puts on the Women of Excellence Luncheon each year. According to YWCA Executive Director Jean Brown, it’s important to have a special event recognizing and celebrating women of excellence. 

“Each year, we recognize a woman of excellence in the workplace, one in support services, a woman in volunteerism, an emerging leader, who is a woman under 40, a future leader, which is a graduating high school senior and an employer of excellence,” Brown said. “In the last few years, we have added the Lifetime Achievement Award and we recognize two women in that category each year.” 

The women are nominated each year by community members and are all recognized at a reception in May. Brown said the nominees are then evaluated for the categories by a group of anonymous judges. 

“We’re looking for women who have demonstrated leadership, sustainability, in terms of the length of their service, and their ability to serve as a role model and mentor other women,” Brown said. “So we’re looking for, not only their contributions in the workplace or in volunteerism, but, again, their willingness and ability to support other women in their journey as well.” 

Brown said they expect over 1,000 guests at the 15th annual event at the Civic Arena and will also be celebrating 128 years of service in the community, their 35th anniversary of providing emergency and protective shelter, 30 years of providing child care and the 5th year of Bliss Manor providing supportive housing for women impacted by domestic violence.

For more information on the Women of Excellence Luncheon, click here.