Nine Greater Boston Leaders Awarded 2021 Pinnacle Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Business and Management

 Nine Greater Boston Leaders Awarded 2021 Pinnacle Awards for

Outstanding Achievement in Business and Management

The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce (GBCC) Women’s Network is pleased to announce the 2021 Pinnacle Awards, honoring nine remarkable female professionals in Greater Boston for outstanding achievement in business and management. The Pinnacle Awards were formed 27 years ago by the Chamber’s Women’s Network to honor leading women for outstanding achievement in the workplace, demonstrated leadership that has made a difference, and a commitment to enhancing the quality of life in the region. The award is the most prestigious honor for female professionals in the region.

This year’s honorees will be recognized on Friday, January 29, 2021, 12:00pm – 1:00pm, at the annual Pinnacle Awards held virtually on the Chamber’s Women’s Network platform. Lisa Hughes News Anchor for WBZ-TV will serve as the event’s Master of Ceremonies. Past honorees include Anita F. Hill, Sandi L. Fenwick, Vicary Graham, Chief Justice Margaret Marshall, Diane Hessan, Liz Cheng, and Courtney Scrubbs. View all past honorees by achievement here.

“Our Pinnacle Awards are always extraordinary, and this year, the celebration acknowledges the tremendous leadership of the honorees as they led their companies and industries through a time of crisis,” said James E. Rooney, President & CEO of the GBCC. “As we begin the 27^th year of the Chamber’s Women’s Network, it is even more important that we amplify the voices and accomplishments of women in the business community as they lead us forward.”

 

“Now more than ever, we must celebrate and magnify the accomplishments of our leaders in the Greater Boston business community. Congratulations to the illustrious 2021 Pinnacle Award honorees, and I look forward to applauding your tremendous achievements at the virtual event,” said Micho Spring, Chair of Weber Shandwick’s Global Corporate Practice and New England President and Chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors.

“Congratulations to the 2021 Pinnacle Award honorees. Each leader is a source of inspiration for all of us,” said Yvonne Garcia, Chair of the GBCC’s Women’s Network Advisory Board and Chief of Staff to the Chairman & CEO and Global Head of Communications at State Street. “As we reflect on the challenges this year presented, I am encouraged by the perseverance and accomplishments of these leaders and their intense commitment to our community.” 

The 2021 Pinnacle Award honorees are listed below:

Entrepreneurship	Jennifer Harrington	President, HATCH
Management - Private	Kathy Horgan	EVP, Chief Human Resources and Corporate Citizenship Officer, State Street Corporation
Management - Government	The Honorable Karen E. Spilka	Senate President, Massachusetts State Senate
Management - Nonprofit	Arlene Fortunato	Senior Vice President of Advancement,   Greater Boston Food Bank
Professions	Marianne Harrison	President and Chief Executive Officer, John Hancock
Excellence in Health Care & Life Sciences	Jessie M. Gaeta, MD	Chief Medical Officer, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program
Excellence in Arts & Education	Pam Y. Eddinger, Ph.D.	President, Bunker Hill Community College
Emerging Executive	Nia Grace	Owner and Operator,                             Darryl’s Corner Bar and Kitchen
Lifetime Achievement	Pamela D. Everhart	Senior Vice President, Head of Regional Public Affairs and Community Relations, Fidelity Investments

Learn more about each of our 2021 honorees here.

The Pinnacle Award for Lifetime Achievement is awarded annually to an honoree who has not only demonstrated an exemplary career of outstanding leadership within her organization and industry, but who has also worked to advance women in the workplace. This year’s Lifetime Achievement Honoree is Pam Everhart, Senior Vice President, Head of Regional Public Affairs & Community Relations at Fidelity Investments. In addition to Everhart’s contributions to Fidelity, she is an integral member and voice within the broader statewide business community. Most recently, Everhart co-founded the New Commonwealth Racial Equity and Social Justice Fund to fight systemic racism and create equity. Everhart serves as the Co-Chair of the Chamber’s Public Policy & Government Relations Leadership Council, and she is a member of the Chamber’s Economic Opportunity Committee.

 

The Greater Boston Chamber’s Women’s Network was founded in 1994 to promote and expand economic opportunities throughout the Greater Boston region for all women in business through shared leadership and expertise. The Women’s Network offers programs that provide career enrichment and development opportunities for women at all professional levels, spotlight the accomplishments of women, and promote the positive influence that women have upon the Greater Boston region.