Community Insurance Partners is celebrating women’s achievements this year for International Women’s Day with their second Kosciusko Women Business of the Year Award.
Gina Cesaretti, owner and president of Community Insurance Partners, said the insurance company started the campaign because they wanted to recognize exceptional community members who are making a difference in their business.
Nominations will be taken until the end of February. The recipient will be announced on March 7 live on ABC 57 to align with March 8, which is International Women’s Day. Community Insurance Partners will donate $1,000 to a nonprofit in Kosciusko County of the woman’s choice.
This year, if at least 50 nominations are received, the donation will be increased to $1,500, said Jessica Shilling, insurance agent.
There are over 300 woman-run businesses in Kosciusko County, according to the insurance company’s knowledge, so Community Insurance Partners decided to help bring accolades to that area, Cesaretti said. She thinks the award also brings local awareness to businesses that people may not know are women-owned. There may be an influence on people who are thinking of starting their own businesses.
The award also shines a light on women who wear many hats and help support each other.
Requirements for nominations are the business has to be woman-owned, whether it’s majority shareholder or 50-50 ownership, and the business has to be in Kosciusko County.
To make a nomination, people can go to any of Community Insurance Partners’ social media websites - Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn - and fill out a form, listing why the woman-owned business deserves the award. The forms can be filled out anonymously.