CHICAGO — Connecticut Treasurer Denise L. Nappier will receive the Chicago-based Women in Public Finance Founders Award for lifetime achievement.
The national group has chosen Monika Suarez, vice president, municipal investment officer at Western Alliance Bank in Los Angeles to receive its "She's Our Hero" award. Jessica Akey, deputy director of capital markets for Illinois, will receive the "Rising Star" award.
The three will be honored at a reception slated for Jan. 13 at the Hotel Monaco in downtown Chicago.
The lifetime achievement recognition honors a woman with more than a decade of experience in public finance who has consistently demonstrated skill, drive, integrity, and vision.
"Denise has spent over 30 years in public service," said Courtney Shea, a managing director at Columbia Capital Management Inc. and one of the founders of the original WPF organization in Chicago. "During that time, the five-term treasurer of Connecticut has pioneered many successful initiatives to support the municipal bond community and has been an advocate for institutional investors as steward of the state's pension funds.
"She truly has spent her lifetime advocating for the citizens of CN as well as the municipal community. Thus she is very deserving of this recognition," Shea added.
The hero award seeks to recognize a woman for her management of career, self-development, family issues, and civil involvement all at the same time.
Suarez was nominated by the WPF Los Angeles chapter. Suarez's career has crossed both issuer and private sector paths. Prior to her current position, Suarez worked on the issuer side at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and previously worked as a credit analyst at Moody's Investors Service, a financial advisor, and banker.
Suarez, the parent of four, also is among the leaders in her local chapter of Women in Public Finance and active in community roles including her children's school, the Downtown Women's Center, and Temple Beth Hillel.
"Monika's special qualities are numerous to say the lease," read her nominating petition. "She has been a fantastic role model for other women in the Los Angeles Chapter of WPF and for her children. She is a true leader - leading by example."
The rising star award recognizes a woman with less than a decade in public finance whose work demonstrates skill and intelligence that's likely to have a long-term impact in the field.
"Jessica's achievements are best reflected in her rapid promotion from bond analyst to deputy director," according to a nominating submission. "Jessica has continued to develop a deep understanding of public finance" working on the structuring, marketing, pricing, and closing of state bond issues.
The nominating form submitted by her boss, state capital markets director John Sinsheimer, also noted the development of Akey's political acumen and skill in sharing information with Gov. Pat Quinn on the fiscally stressed state's performance in the bond market and investor comments.
"Some of this feedback was difficult news that had to be shared with governor," the submission read. "Jessica understood this and delivered the feedback in a constructive and honest manner."
The group's founders - Shea, Chicago Chief Financial Officer Lois Scott, Standard & Poor's senior managing director Sarah Eubanks, and consultant Nancy Remar - launched the awards nine years ago to recognize women with a range of experience for their contributions to the field. The four, along with past recipients of the awards, review new and past nominations to make their annual selections.
