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Woman of distinction
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Patricia Brozik, President of Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley, receives the Athena Award from Dr. Sheryl Figliano, from Centers for Hearing Care at Mr. Anthony's on Thursday evening.
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Connie Schultz, nationally syndicated columnist The Plain Dealer and Creators Syndicate, speaks to the audience at Mr. Anthony's on Thursday evening.
By DON SHILLING
VINDICATOR BUSINESS EDITOR
PATRICIA BROZIK HELPS women find their voices and the Mahoning Valley find its pride. For that, she was named the recipient of the 2009 Athena Award before a crowd of 650 Thursday at Mr. Anthony’s in Boardman.
Brozik, president of the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley, has coordinated the efforts of donors who have given $10 million to area nonprofit organizations since 2001.
“It’s been a labor of love,” she said.
The award, which was presented by the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber and The Vindicator, honored her for more than her professional accomplishments, however. The other two criteria for the award are providing leadership in the community and mentoring other professional women.
Molly Seals, who nominated Brozik, said Brozik showed her leadership by coordinating the Penguins Parade project, which included painted penguin statues being auctioned to raise money for charity.
Few people were interested when the project was proposed, but Brozik wasn’t deterred, said Seals, who is senior vice president for human resources at Humility of Mary Health Partners. Brozik visited other cities that had similar efforts, collected information and kept working to persuade people that the penguins would bring pride to the area, Seals said.
Today, the statues are seen at various places throughout the community.
“She’s absolutely persistent in what she does. But she doesn’t do it for the fame or glory. She’s a very behind-the-scenes individual who makes things happen,” Seals said.
Before accepting her award, Brozik went over to Seals and hugged her.
“I try to mirror her every day,” Brozik said.
Seals, who received the award in 2007, is vice chairman of the board at the foundation.
Brozik also helped organize of the Mahoning Valley 40 Under 40, which honors young leaders, and serves as a mentor for those in the organization.
She said it is critical to the valley’s future to listen to the ideas of the younger generation. She believes in giving women the chance to succeed.
“I’ve hired two pregnant women. Would you do that? Would any man do that?” she said.
Brozik said that she wanted to encourage any woman who was being forced to start a second career or who was changing careers just because she wanted to. She said she spoke with at least a dozen women at the dinner Thursday who had switched careers.
“Not one of them said that they wished they hadn’t done it,” she said.
Changing careers can be intimidating at first, but it will work out, she said.
“Do something you love,” she said.
Brozik was senior vice president and area market manager for KeyBank when her job was eliminated in 2001. She said it hurt but she was happy to land at the foundation, which was just being formed.
The donors are selfless people. The agencies who receive money are working hard, and tremendous needs in the community are being filled, she said.
“It is hard to have a bad day doing what I do,” she said.
Tom Humphries, chamber president, closed the program by acknowledging all 30 women who were nominated. He said he was astounded by how much they have done to improve the valley.
“Your contributions go beyond words. I personally want to thank you,” he said.
Details on Patricia Brozik:
Title: President of the Community Foundation of Mahoning Valley
Residence: Boardman
Education: Graduate of Youngstown State University
Leadership: Chairwoman of Mahoning Valley Grantmakers and helped create Mahoning Valley Professional 20/30 Club, Mahoning Valley 40 Under 40 and Young Philanthropy Board.
Organizations: Member of Mahoning Valley College Access Program, Boardman Township Board of Zoning Appeals, Boy Scouts Greater Western Reserve Reach Advisory Board, Mahoning/Shenango Planned Giving Council, Regional Chamber Government Affairs Council and Health Initiatives Committee of Humility of Mary Health Partners.
shilling@vindy.com