SPEARFISH The 14th Annual Celebrating Women in Business Luncheon & Awards returns to the Spearfish Holiday Inn on Tuesday, May 14, bringing together entrepreneurs, professionals, and community leaders to honor the outstanding contributions of women in business across South Dakota.
Hosted by South Dakota Center for Enterprise Opportunity (SD CEO) West Womens Business Center, the event celebrates women who demonstrate exceptional leadership, resilience, and innovation in their careers and communities. Attendees will enjoy a day of inspiration, networking, and recognitionincluding the announcement of award winners across several categories.
Nominations for the awards were submitted from across the state, from a variety of industries. Over 20 incredible, deserving, and qualified women were nominated for the awards. We appreciate the time and thoughtfulness that is put into each nomination. All nominations were carefully reviewed by a state-wide anonymous selection committee.
Congratulations to the finalists who have been named for three of the events signature awards:
Enterprising Young Entrepreneur:
– 35 years old or younger as of May 2025
– Owns at least 51% of a business based in South Dakota
– In business for at least 3 years
Finalists for the Enterprising Young Entrepreneur award are Kendra Cersosimo, Two54 Creative; Carrie Moore, Petals & Pages; and Megan Raposa, Sioux Falls Simplified.
Enterprising Woman Entrepreneur:
_Owns at least 51% of a business based in South Dakota
– In business for a minimum of 7 years
– Leads with vision while mentoring others in her field
Finalists for the Enterprising Woman Entrepreneur are Sarah Dittman, Pure Tan; Ashley Kingdon-Reese, Independent Health Solutions; and Korena Keys, KeyMedia Solutions.
Enterprising Woman Intrapreneur:
– Holds a leadership role within a South Dakota-based organization
– Demonstrates entrepreneurial thinking without owning the business
– Has implemented or supported innovation and positive change
Finalists for Enterprising Woman Intrapreneur are Lexi Lux, Northern Hills Diversion; Michelle Thomson, Black Hills & Badlands of South Dakota; and Teisha Upward, JDs House of Trophies.
In addition to these competitive categories, in partnership with the Black Hills State University Foundation, Roxie Kelly, owner of Yours on the Spot in Tea has been named the 2025 recipient of the BHSU Alumna Entrepreneur in Excellence Award. This award recognizes her entrepreneurial achievements and post-graduate involvement and impact on the broader BHSU community.
The day begins at 8:30 a.m. with a lively Business Showcase featuring local vendors, networking opportunities, coffee, and door prize entry. The program starts at 9:30 a.m. with a welcome and introduction, plus featured speakers Julie Wingen (Pain & Movement Solutions), Michelle May (G.A.T.E. Consulting), and Hallie Hovdenes (Jitter Joint), each sharing stories of growth, leadership, and perseverance in their business journey.
Award presentations will take place throughout the event, including the live reveal of the Womens Choice Award, as voted by attendees. The celebration concludes with a lunch, final awards, and door prize giveaways.
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