The JAX Chamber Professional Women’s Council presented The Legacy Award to Debbie Buckland.
Professional Business Woman of the Year: Madelen Salter, CBI Workplace Solutions
Women Business Owner of the Year: Laurie Lee, owner, The Legal Department
Frontline Woman of the Year: Jennifer Silvey-Cason, UF Health
Female First Responder of the Year: Heather Stores, Century Ambulance
Women’s Advocate of the Year: Gail Lewis, 121 Financial Credit Union
Professional Minority Woman: Susan Appleton, Appleton Communications
Celebration of Life award: Robin Bishop, owner of RLB Designs, who died in May.
The JAX Chamber Professional Women’s Council awarded seven “Hidden Gems” among 16 finalists at its fourth Women Connecting Women event Oct. 21.
It also presented The Legacy Award to retired Truist Market President Debbie Buckland.
The council said in a news release that Buckland “has been a champion for women throughout her career.”
Buckland has served as chair of the Jacksonville Women’s Leadership Coalition and “is a fervent supporter of the Jacksonville Women’s Business Center.”
A past chair of JAX Chamber, Buckland will become chair of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority in 2022.
The Hidden Gems winners are:
• Professional Business Woman of the Year: Madelen Salter, CBI Workplace Solutions
• Women Business Owner of the Year: Laurie Lee, owner, The Legal Department
• Frontline Woman of the Year: Jennifer Silvey-Cason, UF Health
• Women’s Advocate of the Year: Gail Lewis, 121 Financial Credit Union
• Female First Responder of the Year: Heather Stores, Century Ambulance
• Professional Minority Woman: Susan Appleton, Appleton Communications
• In addition, Dr. Selah Bishop accepted the Celebration of Life award on behalf of his wife, Robin Bishop, owner of RLB Designs, who died in May.
About 250 people attended the event at the University of North Florida Adam Herbert University Center.
Snowden McFall, president of Fired Up! Professional Speaking and Coaching, chaired the event with co-chair Chelle Thomas, Ged Lawyers LLP.
The release said the event is designed to honor women “who are making a difference in Jacksonville but have not been honored in the past two years or ever. The other purpose is to bring women to one space and meet all the various networking groups in one place.”
The JAX Chamber Professional Women’s Council was created more than a decade ago. The release said it is the chamber’s largest council.
