This virtual event took place on Thursday, March 4, 2021. The event recording is now available to view in full. Watch the event »
Today, the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia (the Chamber) awarded Eileen C. McDonnell, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company, the 2021 Paradigm Award, the region’s most prestigious award for businesswomen.
“Eileen is one of our region’s most influential figures and represents our community of outstanding business leaders,” said Chamber President and CEO, Rob Wonderling. “She is a remarkable and inspirational leader with superb personal and professional skills. We are fortunate to have such an exceptional executive in our region.”
Ms. McDonnell has been Chairman and Chief Executive Officer since July 2013. She was appointed Chief Executive Officer in 2011 and President in 2010, after serving as Chief Marketing Officer since 2008. Throughout her 12 years of leadership at Penn Mutual, she received multiple distinctions celebrating her honorable dedication to the region’s business and academic communities.
Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business honored Ms. McDonnell as their 2016 “Business Leader of the Year.” That same year she was inducted into The Business Excellence Institute’s Hall of Fame in Dublin, Ireland. The following year, she was the recipient of the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur Of The Year, Greater Philadelphia award in the area of Transformation. In 2018, Ms. McDonnell received the Woman One Award from the Institute for Women’s Health & Leadership at Drexel University College of Medicine and was named to the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Class of 2018’s Most Admired CEOs. Most recently, she received the Women Corporate Directors’ 2019 Visionary Award for Strategic Leadership, was recognized by Philadelphia Business Journal’s Power 100 and honored by Travis Manion Foundation with the 2020 Community Leadership Award.
Ms. McDonnell received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Molloy College, a Masters of Business Administration in finance and investments from Adelphi University, and an honorary Juris Doctor degree from Molloy College. Ms. McDonnell is an active board member of Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, a subsidiary of Penn Mutual. In 2013, Ms. McDonnell was named to the board of Universal Health Services, Inc. where she serves as Lead Independent Director and is Chair of the Audit and Compensation Committees. She has been a passionate advocate for providing financial guidance for women.
“I am truly honored to receive the 2021 Paradigm Award and to be a part of this enduring legacy.”
— Eileen C. McDonnell
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company
“I am truly honored to receive the 2021 Paradigm Award and to be a part of this enduring legacy,” said Ms. McDonnell. “At Penn Mutual, we are committed to shared leadership and empowering women with the opportunity to take control of their personal development. I’m grateful to the business and civic community of Greater Philadelphia for this extraordinary award and am proud to be a part of an organization that provides similar opportunities to support the career aspirations of professional women in our region.”
Ms. McDonnell will also designate $25,000 in charitable gifts provided with support from EY.
In addition, the program will include the Paradigm Scholarship for Working Women. This year, the Chamber is proud to award 24 recipients from 2020 and 2021 with the Paradigm Scholarship for Working Women, a merit-based scholarship that is awarded annually to a group of women striving to complete their undergraduate degrees while working full-time for Chamber member companies. The recipients will receive up to $5,000 towards tuition and/or books. Read their stories.
This award has been given annually since 1992, Ms. McDonnell being the 28th Paradigm honoree. She is joining a distinguished field of past recipients that includes Jami Wintz McKeon, Chair of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP; Wendy Hamilton, former General Manager, SugarHouse Casino; Teresa Bryce Bazemore, former President, Radian Guaranty, Inc.; Emily Bittenbender of Bittenbender Construction LP; Sue Schick of UnitedHealthcare; Mary Stengel Austen of Tierney; Renee Amoore of The Amoore Group; and Judith von Seldeneck of Diversified Search Companies.
