Financial Women's Association to Present 'Women of the Year' Awards at Annual Dinner on April 26th

NEW YORK, April 7 /PRNewswire/ -- The Financial Women's Association (FWA) -- founded in 1956 to advance professionalism in the field of finance, and more specifically the role of women and the development of future women leaders – will present its Women of the Year awards at its Annual Dinner to be held at the Grand Hyatt New York on April 26th. This year's distinguished honorees are:

• Public Sector's Gail J. McGovern, president and CEO, The American National Red Cross
• Private Sector's Karen B. Peetz, CEO, Financial Markets and Treasury Services, BNY Mellon

The FWA Women of the Year awards recognize outstanding women in both the public and private sector who exemplify the finest qualities of professionalism, achievement and community service. Presented at the FWA's Annual Dinner, the Association's largest fundraiser, the event brings together more than 700 professionals and FWA members from the financial world keen to applaud the achievements of these distinguished women. Honorees' speeches will mark the highlight of the festive evening, followed by brief presentations of exceptional students who are involved in the FWA's financial education mentoring programs.

"The FWA Women of the Year awards are a celebration of the advancement of high achieving women professionals, and an enormous inspiration to our members," said FWA President Stephanie Hauge. "Ms. McGovern and Ms. Peetz's professional stature, their innovative philosophies on management, and the success of their organizations speak to the high benchmarks we set for the FWA."

Gail McGovern, president and CEO of the American Red Cross, has used her financial background to take a key leadership role at the nation's leading emergency response and blood services organization. A former executive at AT&T and Fidelity Investments, as well as a former faculty member at the Harvard Business School, she has invigorated the Red Cross by dramatically reducing its deficit and streamlining many of its operations. She has also overseen the response to several catastrophic disasters, including the recent earthquake in Haiti, where she personally traveled to Port-au-Prince to oversee recovery efforts.

Karen Peetz, the CEO of Financial Markets and Treasury Services at BNY Mellon, has also led her division to a top global market position, establishing it as one of BNY Mellon's most visible and best performing franchises. An active philanthropist, she sits on boards for the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Penn State's Presidential Leadership Academy, the Campaign for Penn State Students, and the United Way of New York City, and she's the chairperson for the BNY Mellon's Women's Initiatives Network.

All proceeds from the event will benefit the FWA Educational Fund, which supports scholarship, mentoring, and financial literacy programs for women in New York City as well as programs for the general business community. To purchase tickets to the event or for sponsorship information, please contact Jennifer Durst, Director of Development, at (212) 533-2141 x301 or at [email protected].  

About the FWA (www.fwa.org)

Founded in 1956 by eight women on Wall Street looking to further their knowledge and professional network, the Financial Women's Association is the premier  professional association for high achieving women in every sector of the financial  world, with approximately 900 members primarily in the tri-state area.  The FWA is dedicated to developing future leaders, enhancing the role of women in finance, and investing in the community.  Each year, the FWA's Annual Dinner raises money for its Educational Fund, which has funded 20-plus years of mentoring and scholarship programs, financial literacy for teens and economically-disadvantaged adults, and other programming for the business community.  

SOURCE Financial Women's Association