Hundreds of women dressed in black-tie apparel arrived for the 28th annual Outstanding Women Leaders (OWL) award gala for a lively night of recognition, networking and dancing.
Cassandra Walker Pye strode into the glam and glitter at the networking event hosted by the Sacramento valley chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO).
Founded in 1975, NAWBO has chapters throughout the country that seek to connect, educate and elevate women business owners into greater economic, social and political spheres. The organization celebrated International Women’s Day by hosting an awards gala that joined women leaders of all ages, races and at different stages in their careers, honoring top achievers among women entrepreneurs in the Sacramento business community.
Pye, no stranger to multitasking, came from advising the newly launched women’s leadership council for the California Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors meeting to accept her OWL Wise Woman award, NAWBO’s highest honor, with a standing ovation from the audience. The award is also known as the “Business Woman of the Year Award” and is presented to a woman who is the epitome of all aspects of success.
For 35 years, Pye has been a leader in the areas of communications, government, politics and advocacy for corporate interests. She is the current president of Lucas Public Affairs.
In her acceptance speech, Pye said that she did not expect to win her award and instead attended the gala to celebrate her friend Lydia Ramirez, senior vice president for Five Star Bank, on her OWL Executive Woman Award.
“I have to say, as many rooms that I’ve been in, it was really remarkable to be in that [Chamber of Commerce] room of women leaders at the top of their game and then come here and see women either starting their game, in the middle of their game and Lydia Ramirez at the top of her game,” Pye said in her acceptance speech.
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