Buckeye Reporter

The Ohio Chamber of Commerce recently celebrated its inaugural Women in Business Awards during the 2024 Women in Business Summit. The event recognized three remarkable Ohio business leaders: Jane Cavarozzi of Dirty Girl Coffee LLC, Jenny Saunders of FCBank, and Sandra Harbrecht Ratchford of Paul Werth Associates for their significant contributions to their businesses and communities.

According to a press release, Jane Cavarozzi, Founder of Dirty Girl Coffee LLC, was awarded the Community Builder Award. This accolade acknowledged her commitment to advancing women's economic progress in Ohio's Appalachia region through her local coffee roasting operation. Cavarozzi actively participates in community revitalization efforts as Board Chair of Ohio’s Women’s Coalition, President of Glouster Revitalization Organization, and Board Member of the Athens County Foundation. Her focus is on creating venues for small businesses and fostering employment growth.

The press release from the Ohio Chamber also revealed that Jenny Saunders, President of FCBank, received the CEO of the Year Award. Saunders brings four decades of community banking experience to her role. She maintains a customer-centric approach and emphasizes superior service, well-matched solutions, and community engagement as distinguishing factors for FCBank. Under Saunders' leadership, FCBank has garnered recognition such as the Corporate Citizenship Award and the Better Business Bureau’s Torch Award for Ethics. Saunders places high importance on creating opportunities for future female leaders.

The same press release informed that Sandra Harbrecht Ratchford, former President & CEO of Paul Werth Associates was posthumously honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the organization. Ratchford was recognized for her transformative leadership and dedication. Her legacy as a respected figure in Columbus's business community continues to thrive due to her advocacy and professionalism.

Steve Stivers, Ohio Chamber President & CEO expressed his enthusiasm about these recognitions in a statement included in the press release: "We were thrilled to honor three inspiring women with this year's new Women in Business Awards. We thought this event was a fitting opportunity to acknowledge their work to make their communities, and Ohio as a whole, a better place."