Pamela Davis Heilman, 2008 OWIT Woman of the Year	Marian Duntley (left), Winner of the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award, with Jo Cooper of Toyota	Carmen Romero, Peru Chapter Winner of the 2008 Member of the Year Award	OWIT Peru member Mercedes Araoz, Minister of Foreign Trade (left) with OWIT Peru President Carmen Graham. Peru was 2008 Chapter of the Year

For the first time in OWIT history, a category for Lifetime Achievement was established. Trade consultant Marian Duntley, a founding member of WIT Los Angeles in 1985 and OWIT in 1989, received the inaugural award. For 23 years, Duntley has demonstrated continuous involvement and participation at both the local and international levels of OWIT. She has attended nearly all of the 17 annual conferences, and was instrumental in securing a platinum sponsorship from Toyota, where she recently retired from the role of Corporate Customs Director. “We originally founded OWIT because we could not get in the door of international trade,” says Marian. “Today, we have access to boardrooms and trade associations. OWIT has a special purpose—its not just about learning and advocacy—it has a special element of inclusiveness that’s very unique.”

OWIT’s Woman of the Year Award was presented to Pamela Davis Heilman, a senior partner at the law firm Hodgson Russ LLP and a long-time advocate for the advancement of women in business. During her career, Heilman was an advisor to the first Business Women's Team Canada Trade Mission to Washington D.C in 1997, and panel chair at the APEC Women Leader's Network Conference in Ottawa that same year. In 1999, Heilman represented Hodgson Russ as a sponsor of the first Canada-U.S.A. Business Women's Trade Summit in Toronto – a pivotal event to support and encourage cross-border trade. “How great it is to be from the U.S., to have been nominated by Canadians and to receive the award here in Mexico,” Pam said when accepting the award. “I cannot think of a better tribute to the true meaning and spirit of what NAFTA is all about and what it has achieved for our respective economies. OWIT is an outstanding organization which provides valuable and value-added assistance to women seeking to grow their businesses through international trade. In today's global economy, succeeding in business in most cases means succeeding internationally, and OWIT provides the right level of personal support and education to make this happen for women in business at all levels.”

OWIT’s Member of the Year Award was presented to Carmen Romero, Peru Chapter, for her exemplary dedication to the organization. Beginning at the chapter level, Romero served on the Peruvian executive board for eight years. Following her impressive tenure there, she joined the OWIT International Executive as VP Chapter Support, building capacity within the existing chapter network. Most recently, she helped facilitate OWIT’s involvement at an APEC meeting in Peru.

For its internationally recognized position of leadership on global trade issues, activities and programs, OWIT Peru was celebrated with the Chapter of the Year Award. With over 500 members, the Peru chapter has also raised awareness for OWIT overall by communicating the organization’s goals, programs and events to local, national and international trade communities, and by encouraging the growth of OWIT International with avid participation in the website committee to enhance the OWIT brand.