The premier event of the WBC, the annual Merit Award Dinner honors successful women in finance chosen for their professional accomplishments.

The Merit Award Dinner is the WBC's premier annual fund raising event. At the dinner, the WBC formally recognizes a Merit Award honoree for her career accomplishments on Wall Street; an Isabel Benham Honoree for helping other women; and an impressive group of Rising Star women selected by our Corporate member firms and some of our individual members. The dinner is attended by 500-750 people and has been held each year since 1993. Funds raised at the dinner are primarily directed to our charitable giving programs & our scholarship program.

This year's Merit Award Dinner will be held on May 5, 2011 at Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers.
We are honored that James Gorman, Chief Executive Officer of Morgan Stanley, is the Corporate Host for the Merit Award Dinner.

Click here to view the 2011 award recipient

Click here to view a re-cap of the 2010 Merit Award Dinner.

Click here to view a re-cap of the 2009 Merit Award Dinner.

Click here to view a re-cap of the 2007 Merit Award Dinner.

Click here to view a re-cap of the 2006 Merit Award Dinner.

Merit Award Recipients

2010: Karen Dunn Kelley

2009: Nicole Arnaboldi

2008: Karen Peetz

2007: Diane L. Schueneman

2006: Erin Callan

2005: Sharon Rowlands

2004: Ellen C. Schubert

2003: Eileen K. Murray

2002: Shelley Leibowitz

2000: Martha Gallo

1999: Patricia Vlahakis

1998: Leslie Tortora

1997: Joyce Chang, JP Morgan

1996: Denise Boutross McGlone

1995: Lisa Polsky

1994: Susan Storey

1993: Maureen Hendricks

1992: Elizabeth B. Dater

1991: Nancy Newcomb

1990: Leressa R. Crockett

1989: Nancy Donovan

1988: Maria Ramirez

1987: Greta Marshall