SOURCE: Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council

 

REDLANDS, CA--(Marketwire - April 1, 2008) - Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council (GSSGC) named the top 10 female leaders in San Bernardino and Riverside counties this week. Honorees for the 2008 Women of Distinction program include the following:

               Honoree                                Award Category

WILMER AMINA CARTER, Assembly Member 62nd          Lifetime Achievement
District (Rialto, CA)

GAYLE BRANDEIS, Award-Winning                      Achievement in Arts
Author/Community Activist (Riverside, CA)          and Culture

DR. SHARON WALKER, Assistant Professor, Bourns     Achievement in Science,
College of Engineering, University of California,  Technology, Engineering
Riverside (Riverside, CA)                          and Math

TERRIE CORRELL, Vice President/Chief Operating     Achievement in Outdoor
Officer, The Living Desert (Anza, CA)              and Environmental
                                                   Leadership

OFELIA VALDEZ-YEAGER, Chief Administrative         Achievement in Health
Liaison to the Superintendent, Riverside County    and Fitness
Office of Education (Riverside, CA)

PENNY LILBURN, Mayor, The City of Highland         Achievement in
(Highland, CA)                                     Volunteerism and
                                                   Community Service

BARBARA ROBINSON, Retired - Executive Vice         Achievement in Business
President, Bank of America (Riverside, CA)         and Finance

DR. SHARRON LINDSAY, Retired - Superintendent,     Achievement in
Lake Elsinore Unified School District              Education
(Lake Elsinore, CA)

ESRI - Environmental Systems Research Institute    Outstanding
(Redlands, CA)                                     Organization


HEATHER ILIZALITURRI, Former Miss Inland Empire    Young Woman of
(Corona, CA)                                       Distinction

Honorees are recognized for making outstanding achievements in their professional and personal lives that embody the Girl Scout ideal of courage, confidence and character. The Women of Distinction Awards Luncheon is scheduled for April 16, 2008 at the Riverside Marriott, 3400 Market Street in Riverside, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Event hostesses are Patti Cotton Pettis, executive director for Loma Linda University Children's Hospital Foundation and a member of the GSSGC board of directors, and Gail Guge, CBA, APR, managing director for Wilkin Guge Marketing and recently named Business Woman of the Year. For more information, please contact the GSSGC at (800) 400-4475 or online at www.gssgc.org.

"Girl Scouts is the world's preeminent organization for girls and women," said Jessica Lawrence, the Girl Scouts chief executive officer. "With nearly 100 years of experience, Girl Scouting has a long established history of leading the industry in terms of leadership development. With that kind of record behind us, we are confident in our selections of the top 10 female leaders in the two-county area."

The Women of Distinction program is a strong symbol of Girl Scouts' commitment to the leadership development of girls in the community. All the honorees have made a significant impact to their community by demonstrating the ideals of Girl Scouting. They serve as important role models in helping girls develop into successful and confident young women.

The Women of Distinction Awards Luncheon is sponsored by America's Best Cookies (ABC), Security Bank, Marketwire and Burgess Moving & Storage and is open to the public. Businesses or individuals interested in becoming event sponsors, purchasing tickets or purchasing ad space in the event program are encouraged to contact GSSGC. Tickets are $50 per person. Proceeds support programs for local girls to help them develop to their fullest potential and become competent, resourceful women.

About Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council

Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council (GSSGC) serves more than 15,000 girls in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. With the dedicated support of 5,000 adult volunteers, Girl Scouts meets the needs of girls ages 5 to 17 years through fun, value-based, educational programs. For more information, visit the GSSGC website at www.gssgc.org or call (800) 400-4475.