Area Women Honored by Easley BPW

The Easley Business and Professional Women’s Club is pleased to announce this year’s winner of the Pickens County Woman of Accomplishment and Pickens County Career Woman of the Year awards. 

Both awards were presented on Oct. 23, 2011 at the club’s 52^nd Anniversary Celebration of Pickens County Women at DunBurk’s in Easley.

These awards highlight successful women who have distinguished themselves in their career or advocacy work, and who show civic and humanitarian leadership. Their contributions must also further the advancement of women in our society, and the award winners must be positive role models for young women. 

BPW’s mission is to achieve equity for all women in the workplace through advocacy, education and information, and these awards select women that advance this cause.

Meta Bowers, director of Pickens County Meals on Wheels, was named Woman of Accomplishment.

Bowers has been an instrumental part in growing the Meals on Wheels program in the area and in eliminating the agency’s wait list. When asked about her work with Meals on Wheels, Bowers said she could say with confidence that the agency is meeting the needs of the homebound in Pickens County.

Bowers holds an associate’s degree from Fort Lewis College and a bachelor’s degree from Appalachian State University. She is married and has three children. She was sponsored by Aloe Vera Cosmetics International.

The runner-up was Carolyn Farr Smith, associate regional editor for Patch.com. A former newspaper reporter and assignment editor, Smith made the jump to new media last year as an online journalist and editor for Patch, as it launched websites in 13 communities in South Carolina, including Easley.

A native of Greenville, Smith is a 1995 graduate of USC Upstate and a 1993 graduate of Spartanburg Methodist College. She has one son, Steven, 6. She was sponsored by Easley BPW.

Also nominated for the honor were: Tracy Woodruff and Marian Huskins.

Woodruff is a branch manager of Certus Bank. She was sponsored by The Greater Easley Chamber of Commerce. Woodruff said she first began working in banking in 1988 as a bank teller straight out of high school. She said that when she took the position she didn’t even know how to fill out a bank deposit.

Through coaching and support, Woodruff has advanced from teller to assistant manager and now, to branch manager.

Huskins is the After Care Coordinator at Robinson Funeral Home and Crematory. She was sponsored by Robinson Funeral Homes. A widow at 47, Huskins got involved in women’s ministries and co-founded Women Reaching Women, Help for Hurting. In 2004, she also co-founded Moving Forward, a group for widowed persons in Pickens County. She said her work with this group has been rewarding, as “God spoke to my heart” to start the group.

Dr. Mary Gaston was named Career Woman of the Year.

Gaston is the director of the Adult Learning Center for the School District of Pickens County.

Gaston, who said that both of her parents were GED graduates, said her parents instilled in her a belief in the power of education and in helping people find a second chance.

“The greatest part of my career has been about helping people build better futures for themselves and their families,” Gaston said. “I believe that providing quality learning opportunities, we are building better and brighter futures for our community. Our success helps building a strong economy, resulting in a stronger community, which benefits everyone.”

She was sponsored by Easley Rotary.

The first runner-up for the award was Vicki R. Ciplickas, who owns and operates The Starving Artist Café in Easley. Ciplickas was sponsored by her employees.

“First, let me say that I am so touched that my employees are nominating me for this distinction,” Ciplickas wrote to the judges. “I am truly humbled that they think enough of me and collected money to do this when I know just how hard each of them work to earn the little they do.”

Ciplickas said that one of the beliefs he has held throughout her career was that if employees were treated fairly and equitably, they would be more productive and loyal.Also nominated for the honor was Lisa D. Smith, executive director for MARY’S House, a nonprofit faith-based organization whose mission is to provide support, prevent violence and promote justice for abused women and their children in order to escape domestic violence.

Smith moved to Easley in 2011 from West Virginia. She formerly employed with the American Cancer Society and the Tucker County West Virginians For Life. She also is a former Tucker County Board of Education employee. She is a member of the Easley Chamber of Commerce, Easley BPW and NewSpring Church, and was sponsored by Easley BPW.

Guest speaker for the event was Dr. Kelly Pew, superintendent for the School Distirct of Pickens County.

We want to thank the following corporate sponsors for supporting our organization and helping us to provide scholarships for worthy students: Albright Associates, Terrie Albright; Aloe Vera Cosmetics International, Jean Wilson; BB&T, Susan Foster; Bo Mahaffey Agency, Nationwide Insurance; City of Easley, Collins Asphalt Paving, Lillian Collins; Greater Easley Chamber of Commerce, Cindy Hopkins; Martha Louise Ramage Lewis, LLC, Terri Owen; Nationwide Insurance Agency, Jan Rushton; Quick Copy/Print Center, Diane Williams; Robinson Funeral Homes, Christopher Robinson; and The Starving Artist Café, Vicki Ciplikas.

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