Photography by Terri Belley
When Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) announced its inaugural Celebration of Achievement award, honouring an Alberta business leader, the obvious choice was Arlene Dickinson, better known from CBC’s Dragons’ Den.
“Lots of women can see themselves in what she’s been able to achieve as a mother and as a business woman,” says Tracey Scarlett, CEO of AWE, a 17-year-old non-profit organization.
More than 250 people came to the May 3 gala at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald to meet Dickinson, CEO of Venture Communications.
She said, “Women fought for things like the vote and to get us to a place where we could have a seat at the table.And now that we have a seat at the table, I think we just have to be really confidentand prove our values.” Dickinson added, “I’m a big believe in meritocracy.”
(Left to right) Laureen Regan and Lori Schmidt
Andrea Mondor, Sebastian Panciuk and Danita Haysom
Barb Read, Alison Meyer and Sara Tharakan
Marilyn Sochatsky and Lori Hladun
Denise Williams and Manchi Lo
Marcela Mandeville, Seanna Collins and Anne Finzer
Nicole Geisler,Jennifer Hughes and Mary Colpo
Tracey Scarlett
Ashton Paulitsch and Megan Kilgour
Maureen MacKay, Lesley MacDonald and Era Rowles