ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR COMPETITION
In 2002, former President Terri Greeff launched the Achiever of the Year competition. Members were nominated during the monthly meetings, and the top ten nominations became the finalists for the inaugural competition. Penny Underwood and Helene Griffiths, who had won the Chamber of Business’ Umhlanga Business Personality of the Year award, were invited by Terri to serve as judges. They generously donated the floating trophy, which was named the Penlene trophy in their honour.
Every UWA member is encouraged to participate and seize this opportunity to recognise the incredible progress you have made.
The entry form is straight forward, with questions focused on you, your business, and your accomplishments over the past year. Additionally, a one-page resume (350 words) is required, allowing you to highlight your past achievements and tell a story that reflects your self-belief. Essentially, it’s an opportunity to paint a vivid picture of yourself.
Enjoy the journey!
The Achiever of the Year award has previously been won by:
2002 - Bev Lanham-Love
"May I remind you to keep pushing forward and continue trying in whatever you do."
2003
The competition was not run during this year.
2004 - Carol Cremer
A warrior woman who passed away in July 2017 was a President of UWA and owner of The Beauty Specialist School of Beauty was an inspiration to many in Durban.
2005 - Yavanee Singh
“Anyone can make a difference even if life throws you tough times, work hard & you can make it work”.
2006 - Terri Greeff
Having been the initiator of the Achiever of the Year Award, whilst I was President of UWA in 2002, it gave me such pleasure to observe how the 4 winners before me had flourished and their businesses had benefited after they had won. I was delighted to win the award in 2002, and it gave me renewed self-belief and confidence to strive for more in the business arena. In those days, the winner was automatically entered into the Chamber of Commerce Umhlanga Business Personality of the Year Award. I was placed in the top three for that title. The exposure was phenomenal. I encourage all members to believe in yourselves. Take calculated risks, work the extra hours and always remember to be humble and especially kind while climbing the ladder.
2007 - Ingrid Gelman
“Work hard, maximum effort brings outstanding results”.
2008 - 2010
The competition was not run for three years.
Helene Griffiths re-instated it in 2011.
2011 - Debbi Demetriou (Brown)
“Winning was an incredible honour; I went on to become the chairlady of the UWA in 2012. I had belief in myself and winning helped me achieve higher goals. It showed me that I could do it, I could build a successful career, and I was enough. Today, this achievement still makes me proud. I would encourage all women to remember they can do it, and they are worthy!”
2012 - Alice Leah
“Building strong relationships that are built on trust, fostered by an authentic, genuine interest in others' success, has a direct impact on your own success in life and business. Make deep, long-lasting connections!
2013 - Senta Duffield (Seele)
“Your value does not decrease based on someone’s inability to see your worth”
2014 - Tasha Jardim
“Change is my most important tool. If something does not work, change it. Change is hard, but it’s not for everyone”
2015 - Jeanne Vogel Van Der Sandt
Being the Umhlanga Woman Achiever Winner in 2015 and the President of the Club for some years, offered me the space to stretch and strengthen my wings. It prepared for tremendous personal growth and blessed me with a network of trusted friends & business women. I am exceptionally proud to say I am a member of the Umhlanga Women Achievers Club.
2016 - Helene Griffiths
“Believe in yourself….. if you don’t nobody else will & via this competition, we can all grow together through networking, sharing and enthusiasm.”
2017 – Tracey-Lee Sydney
“Believe in yourself, you are braver than you think, more talented than you know & capable of more than you imagine.
2018 – Claudette Lingenfelder
For me and everything I do, God has always been the centre of it all, and I firmly believe that with God, all things are possible. If ever there was a saying or motivation quote that stuck with me in life and in business - if at first you don't succeed try again, you've probably heard this numerous times before but, in my case, this was true to my story in winning. In 2016 I entered the UWA awards and came up as the 1st runner-up, I didn't give up, so I entered again in 2017 to which I was placed as first runner-up again. But that didn't stop me from entering again in 2018 and I finally received the award, my hard work and perseverance made it all worth it. So, my advice to anyone out there is to never give up and try again until you succeed.
2019 – Saysha Nicolson (Till)
“The light is inside you; you just need to turn it on” - Brian Nicolson (my late father). “Believe in yourself, follow your heart, and if you are scared, know that you are stronger than you know and will grow with every step forward you take. Do you, and march to the beat of your own drum. Embody your uniqueness with love and help others give themselves permission to do the same.
You would care so much less about what people thought of you if you realised how seldom they did” - David Foster.
2020 - 2021
The competition was not run for two years due to the pandemic.
2022 - Beverley Murray
“Never give up and always believe in yourself, Remember, to smile and the world smiles with you. Always leave people better than when you met them.”
2023 – Senta Seele
“No matter what has happened in your life, you can rewrite your story”
2024
'Who will be crowned Achiever of the Year in our 30th anniversary year?"