Clevenger Insurance is celebrating women’s achievements this year for International Women’s Day with their first Kosciusko Women Business of the Year Award.
The recipient will be announced on March 8, International Women’s Day, and Clevenger Insurance will donate $1,000 to a nonprofit of the woman’s choice.
Gina Clevenger, co-owner of Clevenger Insurance, explained, “Most women don’t dream of success, they have to work for it, and we feel like a lot of the women in our community - all of them actually - are successful in their own ways and they need to be recognized and encouraged.”
People can nominate a woman and vote on the nominees on the Clevenger Insurance Facebook page. The women of Clevenger Insurance will pick the winning woman.
“Anyone can vote, anyone can nominate. We just ask that the business is in Kosciusko County. We accept male nominations, we’re not discriminative, we just ask that the business is in Kosciusko County,” she stated.
Besides the business being woman-owned and in Kosciusko County, Clevenger said, “We’re looking for businesses who have made an impact on their community, on their team. They’ve mentored others. They’ve led others, and they’ve just really shared their gifts and talents with the world.”
Nominations are due by Feb. 29, with the winner announced on Facebook March 8.
Jessica Shilling, Clevenger Insurance personal lines team member, said, “I just think this is an opportunity for women and women business owners to really support each other. I think we have the opportunity to make such an impact when we rally together and support each other - gain knowledge, gain advice, all of that versus not supporting one another. Women, when we’re together, we can really build a strong community and empire and I just think highlighting that and focusing on that can bring just a great opportunity to the community.”
Jodie Ambrose, also a personal lines team member, stated, “It’s really cool to recognize women in businesses because they bring a different aspect to the workplace. I think we always see men as the leaders, the ones who are the bosses, but women bring such a different aspect to that and kind of help balance that out and bring maybe a little bit more emotion and more understanding as women and mothers. It helps to kind of balance both of those aspects in the workplace.”
Clevenger said part of the campaign is about empowering women.
“Because when you empower yourself, you naturally can empower others, and we’re better and stronger together. So it’s about coming together for one another because, again, we’re all better together.”
The website for Clevenger Insurance can be found at https://clevengerins.com/
They can be found on Facebook under Clevenger Insurance Agency.