HughE Dillon: Philly Mag Trailblazer Award

The eighth annual event honors Metropolitan Bakery's Wendy Smith Born.

Many Philadelphia business women gathered Friday at the beautiful XIX restaurant in the Hyatt at the Bellevue for Philadelphia magazine’s 8th Annual Trailblazer Award luncheon. Each year, the award is given to an accomplished professional woman who is committed to women in business and active in her community. The 2012 award went to Wendy Smith Born, president of Metropolitan Bakery. Monica Malpass, 6 ABC anchorwoman, was the mistress of ceremonies.
 

 
Below: Kierstin Quinn and Michelle Stewart, Philadelphia magazine, and Rhonda Dunn, Tiesha Gashins, and Nancy Erb, of Laser Spine Institute.
 

 
Below: Joann Mitchell, of Penn, Philly Mag’s Colleen McGovern, Lauren Piontkowski, and Danielle DiGiovanni, and Gloria Casarez, director of LGBT Affairs for City of Philadelphia.
 

 
Below: Ahmeenah Young, President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority, and Mary K. Dougherty, owner of Philly’s Nicole Miller shops and president of MKD & Associates. Mary is gearing up for her annual bridal show event next Sunday, March 4th, “The Bellevue Gets Engaged.”
 

 
Below: Lynn Fitzgerald, Philadelphia magazine, Lynn Apple, PA state manager at Foster’s Wine Estates, and Tiffany McCauley and Gina Trebich, Tiffany & Co.
 

 
Below: 6 ABC’s Caroline Welch, Wendy Daughenbaugh, and Marilyn Phister, and Charisse R. Lillie, Comcast, and Niki Hawkins, 6 ABC.
 

 
Below: Project H.O.M.E. co-founder Sister Mary Scullion. On March 5th, Project H.O.M.E. opens the James Widener Ray Home, which will house recently homeless tenants. Metropolitan participates in the H.O.M.E. Page Café at the Free Library, which employs formerly homeless Philadelphians and raises money for Project H.O.M.E. The bakery also donates bread to shelters every week. Metropolitan also employs formerly homeless and formerly incarcerated people in its factory.
 

Below: Marian Conicella, publisher of Philadelphia magazine and founder of the Trailblazer Award, and Wendy Smith Born. Born and Metropolitan co-founder James Barrett launched the bakery business in 1993 after lamenting that there was nowhere in Philly to buy fresh breads. In her acceptance speech, Born said that running a successful business requires risk-taking, flexibility, appreciating everyone involved in your company, learning your limits, and giving back.
 

 
Below: Kyle Born and Sarah Born with their mom, Wendy Smith Born, and dad, Chris Born. Wendy acknowledged the sacrifices her family had to make for Metropolitan Bakery. In the beginning, Wendy would wake up at 3 a.m. to deliver the bakery goods to the stores that carried them, returning home in time to wake the kids up for school and serve a breakfast of fresh-baked goods and fresh jams. Congratulations on the award, Wendy Smith Born!!