Ottawa

Finalists celebrated at 40th anniversary Businesswoman of the Year Awards

September 22, 2023

Karen Wilson is still riding the high from last night’s Businesswoman of the Year Awards, or BYAs, as she recalls the gem-studded and sparkling evening that also feted the 40th anniversary of the awards.

A “real celebration” hosted by the Women’s Business Network, the evening toasted women in business under the theme “timeless,” complete with red, black and white dress and decor decked out in rubies, a nod to the milestone anniversary.

As chair of the BYA gala committee and former president of the WBN, Wilson said it was “really an honour” to host the “timeless legacy” of the awards.

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With more than 360 guests, the evening began with a cocktail reception before recognizing women in seven award categories.

To commemorate the anniversary, a past recipient joined the presenter on stage. Finalists were also given a chance to choose a song for their entrance to the stage; a highlight for Wilson was the finalist who chose Carl Douglas’s “Kung Fu Fighting” for their big moment.

But one of the biggest moments for Wilson, who is the marketing strategist and founder of KCW Consulting, was watching the legacy of the awards through the generations, she said.

“We’re still not there yet when you look at women in leadership and the percentage of women represented is still too small. Events like these help younger women see that they can be that person who is a director, a CEO,” she explained. “One of the things I loved about my table is I had my niece on one side and our president’s daughter on the other side.

“There were so many teenage girls looking at the women who came before them who are building a path for them to go down in their future. It’s so lovely to see how many young girls are coming to these events every year and watching their mother and other women who are so successful and seeing what’s possible for them.”

Betty Hope-Gittens, a retired businesswoman and serial entrepreneur, attended as honorary chair, which Wilson said only added to the general feeling of celebration and joy.

“She is truly an amazing woman and she brought such a depth of support for that legacy,” she said. “Our theme was timeless and it is truly a timeless legacy to be supporting and recognizing and celebrating women with these awards.

“It was such a beautiful thing to see the spirit in the room and the genuine celebration,” Wilson continued. “Even when the finalists find out the winner, all three are celebrating for each other. It’s a beautiful thing.”

While the nomination and judging for award categories is an intensive process, Wilson said “all of the finalists are deserving.”

The WBN was founded in 1981 and began hosting the BYAs – then called the Businesswoman Achievement Awards – two years later in 1983. And if you ask Wilson, the BYAs and their celebration of women’s business accomplishments aren’t going anywhere.

“The WBN has been bringing the BYAs to Ottawa for 40 years because it’s something we’ve known all along, but is maybe still not as widely known,” said Wilson. “So as the world figures it out, we’re happy to continue showcasing these women who do take the risks and put themselves out there.

“It’s what we want to do: celebrate what women are doing, where they’re doing it until the rest of the world catches up.”