Lyndel Danzie-Black, Chief Executive Officer of Cerulean Inc, one of two companies involved in the planning and execution of the first-of-its-kind Twenty Five Influential Women Leaders Award, has told Stabroek Business that the organizers are hopeful that the nominees for the awards come from all sectors of the society and that the nominations take account of “all of the various social groups and areas of economic life.”
Speaking with Stabroek Business in an interview earlier this week Danzie-Black said that the whole intention behind the event was to place deserving women from across the spectrum in the spotlight by shining a light on their achievement. “Awards and recognition are not just for well-appointed people. They are for those who, for one reason or another, are deserving. If you examine our promotional material you will notice that we say clearly that the Award is open to all women, from CEO’s to small business enterprises and social advocates. We took that position because we recognise that smart women, talented women and successful women come from all walks of life. They may be CEO’s of successful companies, they may be farmers or they may be heading successful cooperatives. All of them are champions in their own right.
With the awards due to be decided by Friday April 26th the two companies planning and executing the event, Cerulean Inc. and Nico Consulting are seeking the support of local Business Support Organizations including the Private Sector Commission, the Guyana Manufacturing & Services Association (GMSA) and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) in order to ensure that women from across the country have an opportunity to become eligible for an award. The criteria for eligibility set out by the organizers dictate that the nominated women must be located in Guyana, must exude professionalism and be committed to providing leadership in her community. Additionally, she must be a Business Owner, Partner, President, CEO, COO, CFO, CIO, Board Chair or be functioning at management level “with significant decision-making authority.” Danzie-Black told Stabroek Business that the organizers were particularly concerned that the event serve the purpose of recognizing and celebrating “women who are leaders and high achievers in their own right even if, often in a quiet way and who may not always catch the eye when credit is being given.” She added: “We understand that our limited reach may not allow us access to all of the various communities in which there may be eligible women and that is why we have decided to seek the assistance of Business Support Organizations and other entities that may have the kind of reach that we do not have in order to get the world out there.”
