Philadelphia SmartCEO each year pays tribute to the best of the best local business execs whose contributions are helping to grow and develop their fields. And this year, an LGBT leader was among the honorees.
Mazzoni Center executive director Nurit Shein was recognized with the organization’s Circle of Excellence Award in the Health Care/Biotech field Oct. 17 at PECHE Sherman Mills.
There were three finalists in each category — among 500 nominees overall — and Shein was announced the winner live at the event.
She said she was taken aback by the reveal.
“Personally, it was really a total surprise,” Shein said. “I did not think that out of 500 people, I would end up being a winner. So it was pretty amazing.”
Shein has served as Mazzoni Center’s executive director since 1995. Under her direction, the agency launched a primary-care practice that now sees 8,000 patients, a mental-health division, a legal-services department and a wealth of new programming and events.
Mazzoni Center currently has a more-than $10-million budget and its staff size has grown from 13 to more than 100 under Shein’s leadership.
The third-annual Circle of Excellence Awards is designed to honor “leaders who have successfully taken their companies to the forefront of their chosen industries.”
SmartCEO founder and CEO Craig Burris said the 30 finalists exemplified these efforts.
“The Circle of Excellence finalists have shaped the Philadelphia business community in ways that have not gone unnoticed,” Burris said. “They are distinguished leaders in their fields of business and have found unbelievable success. We are proud to recognize them for their achievements and excellence. They have set the bar high and are admirable role models for the Philadelphia community.”
Shein was joined by winners in categories such as real estate, hospitality and construction, as well as by CEO of the Year Awardee Ed Krell, who helms Destination Maternity Corporation. The winners together employ more than 7,000 people across the region and genderate nearly $2 billion in annual revenue.
While the award was a personal accomplishment, Shein said its ability to bring the Mazzoni Center mission to the forefront of the consciousness of the business community is even more valuable.
“The recognition was very appreciated but more importantly, it affords Mazzoni Center the opportunity to be known in the corporate world where we are not that well known,” she said. “This was a mostly straight event so to have 400 people standing there while I said, ‘lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender,’ that really resonated with the crowd and gave me the affirmation that we need to be even more connected to our allies.”