LIGHT IT UP!
October 11, 2017
Lafourche Booking Log – Oct. 10
October 11, 2017
The Women’s Business Alliance of Houma’s 2017 Athena Awards program started and ended with Angie Pitre Pellegrin.
Pellegrin kicked off the ceremony at the end of September by leading a rendition of the national anthem, with most of the packed room joining her in singing by the end of the song. When the awards show wrapped up, Pellegrin had secured some new hardware to take home.
Pellegrin, a licensed counselor and the director of retention at Fletcher Technical Community College, beat out three other nominees to take home the WBA’s 2017 Athena Award, an honor showcasing those who achieve the highest level of professional excellence, give time to improve a community’s quality of life and help others, particularly women, achieve leadership in their own lives. The other 2017 nominees were Houma Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Sharon Alford, Terrebonne Parish Library System Director Mary Cosper LeBoeuf and Gatehouse Media Regional Finance Director Darlene Rodrigue.
Pellegrin got up in shock and immediately embraced Fletcher Chancellor Kristine Strickland, who also presented Pellegrin, when she was announced as the winner.
“What a privilege, huh? I was in awe by the other nominees,” Pellegrin said. “When I was hearing their stories I thought, ‘Oh, it was nice to be nominated,’ because I thought it was so amazing. It feels extra special knowing the company I was in.”
The ceremony’s keynote speaker was Shelly Marie Redmond, a Nicholls alum and dietician whose business Skinny Louisiana promotes healthy eating while still enjoying Louisiana favorites. The Shreveport-based entrepreneur told the WBA members to develop their own businesses by each finding their unique stories and marketing that to the world. Redmond said personally connecting with customers and having them invested in not just one’s products but one’s story fosters a healthy market.
Sharon Bergeron, a local banker and 2016 Athena Award winner, noted how she was the only woman at a bankers’ conference in New Orleans nearly 40 years ago and highlighted how much opportunities have changed since then. Bergeron spoke about the awards as a fountain of inspiration for the next generation of leaders, but she noted that support and uplifting cannot only come from other women, though.
“I hope that we all continue to pave the way for our daughters and granddaughters to also aspire to be entrepreneurs. And don’t forget to also teach your sons about women’s issues as you raise them and help them understand the world from a woman’s point of view,” Bergeron said.
As the 2017 winner, Pellegrin received a $1,000 check for herself and another $1,000 check to be dedicated to the charity of her choice. She said she would probably donate the money to the WBA’s annual college scholarship awards, which typically comprise of three $1,000 scholarships each year. Two of the scholarships go to high school senior girls heading to college, and another goes to a non-traditional student such as a woman re-entering college to further her education. Pellegrin knows from experience how crucial that financial aid can be for students’ abilities to take advantage of collegiate opportunities.
“I know I went to school on scholarship. Without that, my life would have been very different. I’m a firm believer in empowering young women to make that next leap,” Pellegrin said.
The WBA is currently in the process of re-branding from the WBA of Houma to the WBA of the Bayou Region. WBA Steering Committee Chair Brenda Leroux Babin said the re-brand will enable the WBA to expand and include more businesswomen from the region, but that process has already been underway.
“Our Athena winner today is from Bayou Lafourche. One of our steering committee members just opened a business in Thibodaux. We’re already expanding, so we’re just going to re-brand to match what we’re doing,” Babin said.
The WBA’s next event is Women, Wine and Fashion on Thursday night from 6-8p.m. at Fletcher. The event promotes local fashion and modeling while also telling the stories of inspiring women from the area. Proceeds from the event will also go toward the annual scholarship fund. Model sponsorships can be purchased by contacting Pellegrin at angie.pellegrin@fletcher.edu, and those interested in attending the event should visit wbahouma.org.
Babin said the importance of events such as the awards ceremony and fashion show are not only the money raised for scholarship, but the message it sends to the wider community about women’s accomplishments with the hope it will inspire more to make an impact in the future.
“It educates, it empowers women in their business, in their communities, to serve the public. And as we bring up our women, we bring our communities,” Babin said.
