EmBe announces Tribute to Women nominees

Fifty women and men have been nominated for EmBe’s 47th Tribute to Women awards. Tribute to Women is the longest-standing award honoring the achievements of women in the region.

“Tribute uniquely celebrates the work people do to empower our community. Since its founding by Sylvia Henkin in the 1970s, more than 328 people have been honored by their peers. It is a perfect time to honor the work of women as our community comes together to fight the coronavirus pandemic,” said Anne Rieck McFarland, EmBe Interim CEO.

The honorees were nominated in one of the following categories: Banking and Finance, Business Achievement, Community Service, EmBeliever Award, Government and Law, Healthcare and STEM, Humanities and Education, Sylvia Henkin Mentoring Award, Young Woman of Achievement.

The following people have been recognized by their peers for their outstanding achievements:

Mandy Cooper, Central Payments

Dawn Duerksen, Citibank

April Meyerink, Black Hills Federal Credit Union

Kim Erickson, Continuity Business Services

Agatha Johnson, Prosperity Wealth Management

Jessica Kerher Ligtenberg, Serendipitous Events, The Dutch Inn

Tori Marco, Continuity Business Services

Paige Pearson Meyer, MIDCO

Tracy Saathoff, Lawrence & Schiller

Valerie Sampson, The Sampson House

Rebecca Wimmer, Boys and Girls Club of the Sioux Empire

Linda Beck, Cherub’s Closet

Tatiana Chance, Help 4 Huhas

Holly Hintz, Joyful Journeys

Jennifer Kirby, Levitt at the Falls, Community Volunteer

Micki Lundin, AveraHealth

Kristin Hoefert-Redlinger, Northwestern Mutual

Nancee Sturdevant, Community Advocate

Christine Tesch, University of South Dakota Nursing

Lou Vogt, Family Connection

Ashley Briggs, MD, SanfordHealth, Obstetrics and Gynecology

Catherine Dekkenga, JLG Architects

Brooke Fossell, Sanford Health, Brooke Fossell Yoga

Aaron Gamewell, SBS CyberSecurity

Wendy Jensen, SanfordHealth Children’s Hospital

Brenda Kibbe, Citibank

Thomas Otten, Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center

Chris Schenkel, Northwestern Mutual

Jill Franken, City of Sioux Falls

Deb Soholt, State Senator, Influential SHE

Jill Winninger, Sioux Falls Police Department

Jyoti Angal, Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center

Bonnie Bunch, MD, PhD, Sanford Health Children’s Hospital

Deanne Donaway, Modern Day Health Care

Laurie Landeen,Sanford Health Women’s Obstetrics and Gynecology

Mary Nettleman, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine

Nancy Halverson, Levitt at the Falls

Laura Smith-Hill, Lutheran Social Services

Wendy Otheim, Brookings School District

Margaret Pennock, Association of General Contractors

Andrea Siebenborn, Sioux Falls School District -Whittier Middle School

Sylvia Henkin Mentoring Award

Shelly Johnson, Montgomery’s

Nedra Larson, Omnitech

Mary Sand, Avera Health

Lynn Thomas, Sanford Health

Amberly Austad, Lemonly

Del’Inkka Beaudion, Swamp Daddy’s Cajun Kitchen

Irina Kleinsasser, Wii Truckingand Fresh Farms Fruit Truck

Rebecca Ponnezhan, Avera Health

Katie Krantz, VanDeWalle Architects

This year’s Tribute to Women will be a virtual event in a Facebook Live broadcast on Tuesday, May 19 at 7:00 pm.

Follow EmBe’s Facebook page to stay up-to-date on all the upcoming details.