Paradigm Award
The most prestigious award for professional women in Greater Philadelphia
The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia Paradigm Award is presented annually during Women’s History Month to a businesswoman whose outstanding professional and personal achievements serve as a model for success.
Paradigm Award honorees are distinguished influential executives of profit-making enterprises with a strong local economic impact. Her leadership and dedication to a variety of interests contribute significantly to the socio-economic prosperity of the Greater Philadelphia region. She is respected in her profession and throughout the community for her commitment to excellence and her vision for women and future generations.
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About the 2020 Honoree
Eileen C. McDonnell
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company
Eileen C. McDonnell is chairman and chief executive officer. She joined Penn Mutual in 2008 as its Chief Marketing Officer.
Before joining Penn Mutual, she was president of New England Financial, a wholly-owned subsidiary of MetLife, and senior vice president of the Guardian Life Insurance Company. Ms. McDonnell is a former member of the Master of Science in Management faculty at The American College in King of Prussia, PA, where she held the newly endowed chair for Women and Financial Services and was the author of “Marketing Financial Services to Women.”
Ms. McDonnell serves on the Board of Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Penn Mutual. In 2013, Ms. McDonnell was named to the board of Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE: UHS) and is Chair of the Audit and Compensation Committees.
A graduate of Molloy College, Rockville Centre, N.Y., Ms. McDonnell majored in mathematics and computer science and received an honorary doctor of laws (LL.D.) degree in 2011. She earned her MBA in finance and investments from Adelphi University, Garden City, N.Y.
In 2016, Eileen was honored by Drexel University LeBow College of Business as the 2016 “Business Leader of the Year.” Also, Eileen has been awarded the honor of being inducted into The Business Excellence Institute’s Hall of Fame in Dublin, Ireland.
In 2017, Eileen was the recipient of the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur Of The Year, Greater Philadelphia award in the area of Transformation.
In 2018, Eileen received the Woman One Award by the Institute for Women’s Health & Leadership at Drexel University College of Medicine and Philadelphia Business Journal’s Class of 2018’s Most Admired CEOs Award.
In 2019, Eileen has been honored with the Women Corporate Directors’ 2019 Visionary Award for Strategic Leadership. Also in 2019, Eileen was recognized by Philadelphia Business Journal’s Power 100.
Past Winners
2019
Jami Wintz McKeon
Chair
Morgan Lewis
2018
Wendy Hamilton
General Manager
SugarHouse Casino
2017
Teresa Bryce Bazemore
President
Radian Guaranty Inc.
2016
Emily L. Bittenbender
Managing Partner
Bittenbender Construction, LP
2015
Lynn Utter
Chief Operating Officer
Knoll Office
2014
Sue Schick
Chief Executive Officer
UnitedHealthcare, Pennsylvania and Delaware
2013
Denise Morrison
President and Chief Executive Officer
Campbell Soup Company
2012
Rosemary Turner
President
UPS Chesapeake District
2011
Lynn L. Elsenhans
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Sunoco, Inc. and Sunoco Logistics Partners LP
2010
Mary Stengel Austen
President & CEO
Tierney
2009
Judy Spires
President
ACME Markets
2008
Deborah M. Fretz
President & CEO
Sunoco Logistics Partners, L.P.
2007
Terry D’Alessandro
Market CEO Metro Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey
Sovereign Bank
2006
Dorrit J. Bern
President, CEO & Chairman of the Board
Charming Shoppes, Inc.
2005
Carol A. Ammon
Chairman & CEO
Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
2004
Linda Rosanio
President
The Star Group
2003
Reneé Amoore
President
The Amoore Group
2002
Joanne Harmelin
President
Harmelin Media
2001
Molly D. Shepard
President & CEO, Shepard Executive Resources, LLC
Principal, The Leader’s Edge/Leaders By Design
2000
Juliet J. Goodfriend
Chairman
Strategic Marketing Corporation
1999
Marilyn Ware
Chairman
American Water Works Company, Inc.
1998
Judith von Seldeneck
Founder and Chair
Diversified Search
1997
Betsy Z. Cohen
Chairman and CEO
JeffBanks, Inc.
1996
Rena Rowan
Executive Vice President
Jones New York
1995
Jane Pepper
President
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
1994
Judy Wicks
Proprietor
The White Dog Cafe and The Black Cat
1993
Dr. Emma C. Chappell
Chairman, President and CEO
United Bank of Philadelphia
Paradigm Award & Scholarship Committee
Chair
Emily L. Bittenbender*
Bittenbender Construction, LP
Reneé Amoore*
The Amoore Group
Mary Stengel Austen*
Tierney
Karen Dougherty Buchholz
Comcast Corporation
Amy Daly
EY
Denise DiSimone
PNC
Wendy Hamilton*
Zoological Society of Philadelphia
Tricia Buck Horter
Citizens Bank
Caren Hosansky
Liberty Property Trust
Peggy Leimkuhler
Firstrust Bank
Rev. Dr. Lorina Marshall-Blake
Independence Blue Cross Foundation
Jami Wintz McKeon*
Morgan Lewis
Elizabeth A. Murphy
PECO
William R. Sasso, Esq.
Stradley Ronon
Sue Schick*
UnitedHealthcare, Pennsylvania and Delaware
Molly D. Shepard*
The Leader’s Edge/Leaders By Design
Kate Shields
Vault Communications
Judith von Seldeneck*
Diversified Search
Paradigm Scholarship for Working Women
Presented in conjunction with the Paradigm Award, this merit-based scholarship is awarded annually to women who are working toward an undergraduate degree. Download scholarship poster »
Applications are closed for 2020 recipients.
Past Scholarship Recipients
2020 Recipients
April Alexander
Sunny Chun
Erin Collier
Giannine Della Rocca
Adama Jawara
Mariah Johnson
Shannon McClain
Tara Netterville
Najla Rashad
Veronica Sapp
2019 Recipients
Shereena Carson
India Dallas
Sarah Decker
Rhoda Douglas
Alicia Fife
Shawna Moses
Ana Cristina Pichardo
Sotonius Quinn
Rashean Ramsue
Chevonne Tingle
2018 Recipients
April Alexander
Maureen Geiss
Brittany Halbsgut
Fatima Laghrissi
Musu Morris-Fello
Shyeema Robinson
Dana Rose
Anabel Salce
Jeanetta Thompson
2017 Recipients
Katrina Bryson
Katura Marshall
Janessa Morales
Bukola Ogunleye
Lynette Peterson
Angela Rojas
Nikiya Small
Kassy Walklett
Jowanna Williams-Parks
2016 Recipients
Melinda Adorno
Stephanie Brown
Pamela Cooper
LaCountess Ingram
Deborah Nicoletti
Yolanda Robinson
Jessica Warwick
Jessica Zmuida
2015 Recipients
Kathleen Austin
Chloe Bendistis
Angela Cirino
Dana Corley
Catherine Rogers
Jessica Ruiz-Lebron
Michelle Serious
Ashley Slowe
Maya Stewart
2014 Recipients
Suzanne Calabria
Deborah Clarke
Tonya Diggs
Carol Kemm
Rita Marie Pinto
Meghan Spurlock
Autumn Staats
Joi Tolliver
Jessica Zmuida
2013 Recipients
Jill Albright
Esther Andreessen
Theresa Clark
Michelle Gaspari
Nichole Harrison
Cheri Mitchell
Cherry Moragne
Janice Reid-Clarke
Chakeila Smith
Sharon Weeks
2012 Recipients
Constance Carty
Kristen Cashman
Tonya Diggs
Mary Houton
Joy Keys
Vanessa Reed-Price
Autumn Staats
Maureen Starkovich
Mali Thomas
2011 Recipients
Dana Jackson
Sharifa Jones
Mary Jane Massott-Doman
Jessica Mazzeo
Cheri Mitchell
Emily Montalvo
Mary Podgorski
Janet Sparks
Melissa Stewart
Deirdre Young-Bey
2010 Recipients
Michele Buchanan
Freya Chester
Amy Costa
Alexia Daniels
Ravesa Goga
Beth Haines
Vanessa Reed-Price
Nicole Reggia
2009 Recipients
Antoinette Bing
Donna Bonnett
Annette Clark
Michele Louden
Cerise McCall
Stacey Pinkney
Cassandra Summers
2008 Recipients
Josephine DiGregorio
Vicki Duncan
Kathleen Fabrizio
Dana Fink
Joanne Fleming
Kia Joynes
Mylinh Pham
Lori Rohrbach
2007 Recipients
Donna Bonnett
Renay Oberholtzer
Dorothy Reed
NazAarah Sabree
Susan Vinchiarello
2006 Recipients
Mary Dornblaser
Tiffany Green
Kia Joynes
LaDonna Lindsay-Fuller
Brenda Pawlak
Bridget Zarzoso
2005 Recipients
Donna Bonnett
Vanessa Gantt
Diane McCullough
Dorothy Oczkowski
Nyzinga Patterson
2004 Recipients
Edith Aponte
Carla S. Forrest
Deborah Hoffer
Nicole S. Lewis
Lisa Love
2003 Recipients
Julie Dolga
Janice Gerold
Nyzinga Patterson
Brooke Pfeilmeier
Niya Spells
2002 Recipients
Donna Carroll
Carla Forrest
Sheila Highsmith
Deborah Hoffer
Patricia Muraresku
Dorothy Oczkowski
2001 Recipients
Sharon Brown
Tameata Harris
Rupa Raghirsingh
Ruth Rosario
Sacha Williams
2000 Recipients
Connie Fraser
Marilyn Malin
Patricia Muraresku
Rena Rodgers
Janet Rosati
Linda B. Watson
COVID-19 Update – The Paradigm Award Luncheon has been postponed. Please check back for the new date.
