In observance of Finer Womanhood, Zeta
Phi Beta Sorority recognized five outstanding ladies of the community for their
extraordinary work. The 2015 honorees were recognized at the
chapter’s luncheon at the Columbus Country Club. The guest speaker for the
luncheon was Mrs. Kathryn Davis Williams.
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Mrs.
Williams worked for the Bank of America for twenty-six years where she served
in numerous capacities. She now works
for the State of Georgia Department of Driver Services, where she leads the
Business Analysis team that is responsible for managing strategic planning,
measurement development and analysis, process improvement and hardware and
software management of the lobby management system that is located in sixty-six
Customer Service Centers across the state of Georgia.
Mrs.
Williams is a member of Phi Omicron Zeta Chapter of
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated where she currently serves as
President. She is a Diamond Life Member
and also the Protocol, Logistics & Amenities Coordinator for the
Southeastern Region and the State of Georgia.
The
2015 Community Pearl honorees were as follows: Ms. Vickie Dikes, Mrs. Sarah Lang,
Ms. Gloria Weston-Smart, Ms. Tonza Shree Thomas and Mrs. Lois Yvonne Williams.
Ms.
Dikes served in the United States Army from September 1976 until February 2004;
rising from the rank of Private to Command Sergeant Major. During her tenure she served in many
leadership positions and assignments in the Adjutant General Corps to include
serving as a Battalion Command Sergeant Major at Fort Hood, Texas. Since her retirement she has remained an
active member of the Department of Georgia American Legion and a nine year
member of the American Legion’s Gold Brigade, Vice-President and now President
of the Retired Sergeants Major Association of Columbus. Ms. Dikes’ community involvement includes her
work with the Men’s Progressive Club.
She recently received an award as one of the 20 most Influential Women
in Columbus. Vickie is currently working
as the Army Drug and Alcohol Manager at Fort Benning.
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Mrs.
Sarah E. Lang joined the Valley Healthcare System in 1994 as the Chief
Executive Officer. She moved to Columbus
from Lansing, Michigan where she held the position as Executive Director/CEO of
the Michigan Primary Care Association. She has more than 30 years’ experience
in healthcare system leadership. Mrs.
Lang has served in numerous civic and professional leadership roles, including
service as a board member for the Georgia Association for Primary Healthcare
and as an appointed board member of the State’s Women Health Advisory Council.
Ms.
Gloria Weston-Smart is the Executive Director of the Keep Columbus Beautiful
Commission. She directs the daily
operations of the Commission, recruit and train volunteers, maintain and
develop new programs to enhance beautification, promote city-wide recycling,
and coordinate community improvement programs.
Ms. Weston-Smart has a passion for service to the community. This is evident by her service to civic,
social and professional organizations to include Tri-Directors of Volunteer
Service, A.J. McClung YMCA Membership Drive, Neighbor Works, Inc. Advisory
Board, Two-Thousand Opportunities, Inc., Rotary Club of Columbus, Historic
Columbus Foundation and 100 Woman on the move.
Ms. Weston-Smart has received numerous awards and recognition and chairs
“There is a Balm in Gilead Cancer Ministry” at Fourth Street Missionary Baptist
Church and “Paint the Town Pink”.
Ms.
Tonzee Sheree Thomas currently serves as the newly elected President of the
Columbus, Georgia Branch of the NAACP and second term as NAACP State Secretary
for the Georgia State Conference. She is
an active member of the American Red Cross/NAACP Disaster Relief Strike
Team. Ms. Thomas was deployed during the
2012 Hurricane Sandy Recovery and the 2013 Moore, Oklahoma Tornado Relief. In her spare time she performed at the
Liberty Theatre as an actress, singer and poet.
Her first performance was a playwright, “Voices…A Collection of Poems,
where she performed a piece of her published art, “I’d Rather Start from the
Bottom, Than Start from the Top”.
Mrs.
Lois Williams has a rich history in Health Service and Education. She has
served as a Staff/Supervisor for the Medical Center, Doctor’s Hospital and Pine
Mountain Extended Facility, Columbus, GA; Senior Policy Analyst – Blue Cross
Blue-Shield of GA; Medical Auditor, Hospital Corporation of America; and most
recently Health Educator (Retired) Muscogee County School District. Mrs. Williams is a member of various
organizations to include, Founder and President of the Greater Columbus Club of
National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc.;
Charter member, President and CEO for the Association of Sickle Cell, Lower
Chattahoochee Region; Columbus, GA Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc.;
Kappa Chi Chapter, Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc. (Professional Nurses). She serves on the American Red Cross Minority
Recruitment Board and the Columbus Times Newspaper Advisory Board. Mrs. Williams has received numerous
awards and recognitions.
The luncheon was enjoyed by all. Proceeds from the luncheon will fund the inaugural Eunice S. Thomas Scholarship. Live Jazz music was provided by the Chemistry Project Band. Photos by Davis Video Creations.
