Frances Queen accepts the 2009 Mecklenburg Times Most Influential Women Award

CHARLOTTE – The Mecklenburg Times, a Dolan Media Company-owned business newspaper covering the Charlotte region, honored Woman of the Year Frances Queen and 49 other honorees at an awards gala on May 1.

The inaugural "50 Most Influential Women" event honored women from a wide range of fields who have made significant contributions to the community and to their professions.

"It was a magical night and I personally was humbled by the accomplishments of these 50 amazing women," said Tonya Mathis, Publisher of The Mecklenburg Times.

Queen is the president and chief executive officer of Queen Associates, Inc., a technology consulting and staffing company offering expertise in project management. The firm also provides business analysis, software development, quality assurance testing and other technical specialties. Queen is a board member of Goodwill Industries of Southern Piedmont and is active in the North Carolina Technology Association, Women Presidents' Organization and National Association of Women Business Owners, among other organizations.

Honorees represent corporations and small businesses, education, law, healthcare, professional services, non-profit agencies, entrepreneurship, international business and government.

About 450 guests attended the event, held at The Westin Charlotte.

Honorees included State Representative Martha Alexander, Jennifer Algire, Ginny Amendum, Jennifer Appleby, Sherry Baretta, Marjorie Benbow, Melinda Beres, JoAnn Brighton, Michelle Tunno Buelow, Karen Calder, Hang Chen, Stephanie Counts, Pamela Davies, Sherré DeMao, Natalie English, Michelle Fish, Brooke Gibson, Elisa Rodriguez Gordon, Tana Greene, Julie Hall, Robyn Hamilton, Lisa Hildreth, Anne Marie Howard, Pamela Jefsen, Celia Klein, Carol Lilly, Beth Machen, Jill Marcus, Kaye Bernard McGarry, Melissa McGuire, Jane McIntyre, Dawn Newsome, Sally Olin, Pattie Petty, Jennifer Beaman Pippin, Karen Ponischil, Fabi Preslar, Frances Queen, Kit Rea, Nettie Reeves, Sara Garcés Roselli, State Representative Ruth Samuelson, Karen Shore, Jennifer Snyder, Betty Temple, Mary Tribble, Maura Leahy Tucker, Kristi Kessler Walters, Felicia Watlington and Caren Wingate.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Publisher Tonya Mathis, 704-377-6221 or tonya.mathis@mecktimes.com