Connie Tremulis Award for Business Owners

Connie Tremulis opened "Flowers by Connie" in 1941. She was one of Rockford's first women in business, growing her business through exceptional customer service and high-quality merchandise. Flowers By Connie Inc. began as a small flower shop in downtown Rockford, developing into the nationally known establishment located on North Main Street in a renovated Victorian mansion. Flowers by Connie boasted a sophisticated Tea Room, a Greenhouse, a unique Flower Shop and 15 rooms of extraordinary gifts, collectibles and antiques. An adjoining building housed Fashions by Connie, a couture dress and accessory shop catering to the area's best-dressed women. "Flowers by Connie" was renowned for its style, charm, and sense of beauty. It set a standard for all to follow. This award is given to an exemplary woman business owner.

Nominated by Rockford Network of Professional Women

For Dee, mentoring and inspiring other comes so natural even while being interviewed for her nomination the interviewer said, “I walked away from the interview inspired and with copious notes of advice and encouragement”. Dee began to develop leadership skills very young, as the third of eight children. Her passion eventually resulted in John Whitehead feeling comfortable enough to trust that he could sell her his100 year-old family business where she had partnered with John as his AVP for 20 years. She achieves her success by helping other succeed and that is evident in her strong commitment to giving back to her community through involvement with organizations like Patriot’s Gateway, WomanSpace, MELD and Junior Achievement and of course her employees. She shares her belief in the importance of community involvement openly and influentially.

Past Award Winners

2007 Teresa Beach-Shelow
2006 Terri Johnson
2005 Lynn Koenigsberger
        Kathy Velasco
2004 No winner
2003 Monica Glenny
        Pam Maher
2002 Pearl Hawks
2001 L. Peggy Hicks
2000 George Anne Duckett
       Jacqueline Gommel
1999 Mary Swaab
1998 Fran Morrisey
1997 Cathie Odling
1996 Helen Chung Hill

 

1995 Jody Deery
1994 Ruth Cullen
1993 Charlene Berg
1992 LoRayne Logan
1991 Jan Mansfield
1990 Ruth Ora Jackson
1989 Cynthia Jensen
1988 No Winner
1987 Shirley Henley
1986 Patricia Sneed
1985 Norma Whotton
1984 Barbara Weyrauch
1983 Lucille M. Roebuck
1982 Nancy Williams
1981 Nancy Malinowski