Businesswoman Suzanne Guild is this year's recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award presented at the International Women's Day event earlier this month.

Suzanne was honoured at the event "Building a World of Gender Equality" held at the Brockville Country Club on March 10. The annual celebration of women entrepreneurs was hosted by the Leeds Grenville Small Business Enterprise Centre and Brockville Women in Business (BWB). The event was sold out.

Suzanne is a long-time community and Downtown Brockville Business Improvement Area supporter. She operated her business, Isis Dress for Special Occasions, for years. She closed the popular store at the end of 2019 to spend more time with her family.

"I have been blessed my whole life by having incredible, smart, strong and bold women who encouraged, supported, directed and mentored me throughout the years," Suzanne said. She raised four children, worked in municipal government and the social service sector before following her dream in 2007 to own her own shop. She juggled full-time employment and the shop until she could work exclusively in her business in 2013.

The BWB Sue MacLaurin Leadership Memorial Award was presented to Christina Covey-Shannon.

"This is so exciting," Christina said, adding her work as a RBC Certified Financial Planner and Investment Advisor means she can do what she likes to do - help people reach their investment goals.

Christina is also active in the community, including Brockville Relay for Life, Brockville Minor Hockey, and her family has been a host family for Canadian Aid for Chernobyl.

The local International Women's Day celebration welcomes Kemptville Women in Business, Brockville Women in Business and female entrepreneurs from across the Leeds Grenville region.