October 28, 2020

CCFWG hosted its fourth annual Champions of Change Event on Wednesday, October 28th, from 4:30-5:30 pm, in a virtual format. The event honored Charmaine Spence Rochester, Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President at Chester County Hospital, a member hospital of Penn Medicine, for her efforts to support and uplift women of color in the financial and healthcare fields. SEI was also honored for its commitment to career development and growth for female employees, and efforts to advance gender equity in the workplace. Read more about this year’s honorees below.

Click here to download the virtual program book. To watch a recording of the full program, or tribute videos to honorees, please visit our YouTube channel.

(Top Left) Gladys Black ‘Woman of Distinction’ honoree Charmaine Spence Rochester gave acceptance remarks at the virtual event; (Middle Left) The physical award symbolizes the breakthroughs made by honorees in shattering the glass ceiling for professional women; (Bottom Left) Senior Vice President at SEI, Sandy Ewing, accepted the Corporate Champion of Change Award on behalf of the company; (Top Right) CCFWG Executive Director Michelle Legaspi Sanchez (far left) with Board Member and Champions of Change Event Chair Connie Fogarty and CCFWG Board Chair Judi Bell. The virtual event was broadcast from the Farmhouse Bistro at People’s Light and Theater; (Bottom Middle) A shot from the tribute video to honoree SEI; (Bottom Right) Judi and Michelle kicking off the event.

Thank you to this year’s generous top sponsors!

Gladys Black ‘Woman of Distinction’ Award

Charmaine Spence Rochester received CCFWG’s fourth annual Gladys Black ‘Woman of Distinction’ Award, named in memory of CCFWG’s late friend and committed Board member Gladys Black. As a business leader and supporter of women and girls in Chester County, Gladys left a lasting impact on our community. This year, we honor Charmaine’s dedication to providing support, resources, and leadership opportunities to women of color in the financial and healthcare professions.

Born in Jamaica, Charmaine went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree from Howard University, an MBA from Florida Atlantic University, and Doctor of Health Administration degree from Central Michigan University. Throughout her 28-year career, she has often found herself to be the only woman of color in the board room:

“It’s very humbling. There are other talented African American finance professionals who have not gotten the opportunities I have. I feel a sense of responsibility to support the growth and development of others like me who are trying to find their way.”

A true champion for women, Charmaine launched the Legacy Builders Breakfast series to provide opportunities for mentoring and networking for African American women in healthcare. She serves as a mentor for young professionals from several organizations, including the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) and the National Association of Health Service Executives (NAHSE). She has been a Girl Scout troop leader and is a current board member for Community Volunteers in Medicine (CVIM). In 2018, Charmaine was named CFO of the Year by the Philadelphia Business Journal. Her husband spent his career in the Navy, and their three children serve in the US Air Force. 

Corporate Champion of Change Award

A look inside SEI’s corporate headquarters. Photo courtesy of Lara Swimmer.

As an advocate for its employees, SEI encourages female employees to pursue professional and leadership opportunities through its robust Women’s Network. The group hosts an annual Leadership Summit that brings together industry experts from SEI and the Philadelphia area to explore topics that support women’s success and leadership. SEI has also developed an Emerging Leaders Program to encourage college-aged women to explore various career opportunities in the financial services sector. Finally, its “Get, Grow, Keep” initiative focuses on developing a clearer path for women to advance within the company, changing the internal recruitment process to make more positions available for current employees, and updating job descriptions to allow for more qualified applicants.

“In order to have more senior women leaders, we need a healthy pipeline of women in junior and mid-level positions,” said Colleen Stratton, Global Leader of Workforce Development at SEI. “The goal of our programs, which include ‘Get, Grow, Keep,’ our Associate Program and return-to-work programs, is to create new avenues for women to learn our industry and advance. Having more women in senior roles is just good business.”  

Globally, SEI has worked to decrease its gender pay gap; attract, promote and retain female leaders; and elevate the voices of its female employees. SEI’s leadership has developed a benchmark by which to measure the company’s vision for an innovative culture that sets an example and redefines the standard for gender parity in the financial services industry. 

“Now more than ever, we need leaders who will bear the mantle for gender and racial equity in the workforce, education, and all institutions,” said CCFWG Executive Director, Michelle Legaspi Sánchez. “CCFWG is proud to recognize the longstanding commitment of Charmaine Rochester and as well as SEI. Because of their leadership and courage, many women in Chester County and beyond have more opportunities to move forward.”

Past events: October 30, 2019

Thanks to all who attended our 3rd Annual Champions of Change Breakfast at the Farmhouse Bistro at People’s Light in Malvern honoring Dr. Lorraine (Laurie) Bernotsky, Executive Vice President and Provost at West Chester University, and First Resource Bank, for their breakthroughs in shattering the glass ceiling. 

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Gladys Black ‘Woman of Distinction’ Award

Dr. Lorraine (Laurie) Bernotsky, a resident of Exton, PA, will receive CCFWG’s third annual Gladys Black ‘Woman of Distinction’ Award, named in memory of CCFWG’s late friend and committed Board member Gladys Black. As a business leader and supporter of women and girls in Chester County, Gladys left a lasting impact on our community. This year, we honor Dr. Bernotsky’s dedication to providing support, resources, and leadership opportunities to women and girls in Chester County through her role as Executive Vice President and Provost of WCU. In this position, Dr. Bernotsky leads roughly 850 faculty who serve more than 17,000 students, including 3,000 graduate students. She also founded WCU’s Center for Social and Economic Policy Research, a center that has strong connections with local government and non-profits, many of which serve women and children.

A true champion for women, Dr. Bernotsky coordinates WCU’s Women’s Leadership Development program that helps female business leaders and professionals develop leadership skills and deepen leadership knowledge in their respective fields. Dr. Bernotsky also encourages female students to realize their true potential: “Especially for first-generation, working-class women, know that you are far more talented than you think you are. Reinforcing this notion throughout these women’s lives is absolutely essential… It’s a matter of believing you are good enough to be where you are, when more often than not, everything about your prior socialization tells you that you’re not.” And Dr. Bernotsky doesn’t just give great advice – she puts it into practice by serving as the first Provost at WCU to also hold the title of Executive Vice President. Additionally, she serves and has served as a board member of Leadership Chester County and the Chester County Economic Development Council.

Corporate Champion of Change Award

As an advocate for its employees, First Resource Bank, headquartered in Exton, PA, encourages female employees to pursue professional and leadership opportunities while also striking a true work-life balance for their families. Over 50% of the bank’s senior management team is comprised of women, with female leaders running finance, retail banking and lending operations: “First Resource Bank takes pride in hiring the best people and helping them to achieve their career goals,” commented Glenn Marshall, the Bank’s co-founder and Chief Executive Officer. “When our employees succeed, we succeed.”  

When First Resource Bank was founded in 2005, the Bank’s other co-founder, Chief Financial Officer and then new mother, Lauren Ranalli, was adamant about the importance of work-life balance for all of her employees: “I was supported at every turn as my family continued to grow and home demands weren’t always at convenient times. By having a female leader of the company successfully manage home and work responsibilities, it set the tone for everyone throughout the organization. I make it a priority to ensure that every woman working at First Resource Bank has the same opportunities to succeed at both work and home in the best way possible for them, just like I did.”

“At First Resource, we’re committed to helping all of our employees reach their full potential,” added Ranalli. “We are honored to be recognized by CCFWG with the Corporate Champions of Change Award and to have a dedicated team who supports one another unconditionally.”

“The difference each individual or place of work can make by promoting a culture of success for all is immense,” said CCFWG Executive Director, Michelle Legaspi Sánchez. “CCFWG is proud to recognize the dedication of Dr. Laurie Bernotsky as well as First Resource Bank. Because of their leadership and courage, many women in Chester County and beyond have more opportunities to move forward.”

November 28, 2018

Thanks to all who joined us at the Farmhouse Bistro at People’s Light for our Second Annual Champions of Change Breakfast honoring Roberta Torian, Partner at Reed Smith LLP for her longstanding dedication to the advancement of female attorneys and leaders. West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc., was also honored for its commitment to mentorship and career development for its female employees. 

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March 1, 2018

CCFWG hosted its first annual Champions of Change Breakfast on Thursday, March 1, 2018 at The Farmhouse Bistro at People’s Light in Malvern, PA. The event honored Patricia Miller, President of Nobel Learning Communities, for her longstanding dedication to the advancement of women in the workplace. Law firm Fox Rothschild was also honored for its firm-wide commitment to mentorship and career development for female attorneys. Thanks to all who joined us to make this event a success!