On Friday, December 14, Professional Women in Construction (PWC) honored a pair of women, Stephanie Dawson, acting COO of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ); and Fanny Gong, AIA, LEED AP, AVP of design management at the Columbia University Manhattanville Mixed Use Academic Development. PWC also paid tribute to a group of "unsung heroes," PWC's staunchest advocates and organizers. PWC president Lenore Janis gave a special award to Stan - "Stan the man who leads the band" - Rubin, "the crown prince of swing," who has led his orchestra at PWC's black tie holiday gala for close to 10 years. The event was held at the Grand Ballroom of the Yale Club. Dinner Dance co-chair Nancy Czesak, RA, first VP, Tishman Construction Corp., an AECOM company, presented the Woman of Achievement award to Dawson, calling her "a leader, a role model and an inspiration to us all." Dawson credited the PANYNJ team and many others in the area who helped the region pull through Super Storm Sandy. She said too that "PWC makes a difference," showing all that we "can be all that we want to be." Appointed Acting COO in April, Dawson is responsible for aviation; tunnels, bridges, and terminals; Port Commerce; PATH Rail; as well as all operations, services and public safety departments. She is also a retired military ordnance and logistics officer, brigade commander, and a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Dinner Dance co-chair Maria Wilpon, AIA Assoc., director of education, AECOM, introduced Columbia Business School (MBA) alumna Gong, praising her "extensive global career" and noting her leading role in the $6.9 billion, 17-acre expansion of the university. Gong is overseeing the design of five new buildings, including the Jerome L. Green Science Center, the Lenfest Center for the Arts, the Academic Conference Center and the two buildings comprising the Columbia Business School. Accepting the award Gong praised the persons who helped further her career including several mentors and the many women who play key roles at Columbia today. She said, "I learned that we have to encourage young women to pursue their dreams." Barbara Armand, president and CEO of Armand Corp. and PWC vice president granted the "Unsung Heroes" awards to a quartet of women who "do so much for PWC - providing the energy, the ideas and the motivation for us and making sure that we stay true to our mission." The honorees are: Dorothy Wasiak, VP, PCGNY Corp., Membership Committee member organizing the upcoming January 16th Continuing Ed program on waterproofing and head of the mentoring committee; Arianna Frankl of Cole, Schotz, Meisel & Leonard, PA, membership committee member and continuing education program organizer; Andis Woodlief, M/WBE manager, Skanska USA, mentoring and membership committee organizer; and Connie DeLaigle, affirmative action coordinator, PANYNJ, membership committee organizer. For information on PWC including its new Continuing Education and mentoring programs, call 212.486.7745 or email [email protected]. Visit www.pwcusa.org/ny.