Celebrate with us at the 2008 Paradigm Award Luncheon
Last Call for Paradigm Scholarship Nominations

Deborah M. Fretz, President & CEO of Sunoco Logistics, will receive the 2008 Paradigm Award, the region’s most prestigious award for businesswomen, at the 16th Annual Paradigm Award Luncheon. This event will take place on Wednesday, March 12, beginning at 11:30 a.m at the Crystal Tea Room in the Wanamaker Building in Center City.

Ms. Fretz is President and Chief Executive Officer of Sunoco Logistics Partners L.P., a publicly traded master limited partnership formed in 2001 to acquire, own and operate a geographically diverse group of crude oil and refined products pipelines, terminals and storage facilities in twelve states. Its phenomenal performance over the last five years includes an 89% increase in company distributions (dividends), with 1,100 employees, and interests in 5,500 miles of pipelines, 36 refined product terminals and almost 25 million barrels of storage capacity.

Prior to the formation of the new company, Ms. Fretz had responsibility for Sunoco, Inc.’s Midcontinent Refining, Marketing and Logistics. Included were the Lubricant business with two refineries and branded and wholesale marketing as well as the MidAmerica business with a refinery and marketing operations in the Midwest.

Named a senior vice president in 1994, Ms. Fretz was previously president of Sun Pipe Line Company and Marine Terminals. Her career with Sunoco began in 1977 as a financial analyst, and continued with assignments of increasing responsibility in the financial group. In 1988, Ms. Fretz was named director of Wholesale Fuels Marketing, responsible for Sunoco’s industrial fuel sales and distribution. Before joining Sunoco, she worked as a virologist at Merck, Sharp & Dohme.

Ms. Fretz serves as a corporate board member of GATX Corp., a Chicago-based transportation services firm, where she is Lead Director and formerly chaired the Audit Committee. Ms. Fretz’s civic affiliations include her role as Director and Chair of the Finance Committee of the Foundation Board of the Free Library of Philadelphia. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of The Curtis Institute of Music where she is Chair of the Finance Committee. She also serves as a Director of Project H.O.M.E and is on the Board of the World Affairs Council. She previously served as Chairman of the Citizens Crime Commission of Philadelphia. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology/Chemistry from Butler University and an MBA from Temple University. She completed the Senior Executive Program at MIT’s Sloan School.

At the luncheon, Ms. Fretz will be presented with the distinctive Paradigm crystal sculpture and a charitable gift. Through the generosity of Ernst & Young, a portion of the Paradigm gift is donated in the winner’s name to the charitable organization of her choice. Furthermore, the Chamber reserves a one-year position on its Board of Directors for the Paradigm Award recipient.

For more information on this event, click here.

There’s still time to submit an application for the Paradigm Scholarship for Working Women! Do you know a hard-working woman who is following her dreams to complete her bachelors degree? The Paradigm Scholarship for Working Woman may be able to help her out. Through the generosity and determination of many individuals and corporations, this merit-based scholarship is awarded annually to women who wish to complete their undergraduate degrees while working full-time for Chamber-member companies.

Winners receive up to $5,000 to be used for tuition and/or books within a two-year period. Scholarship recipients will be announced at the Paradigm Award celebration on March 12. For the first time, the Helena T. Devereux and Stradley Ronon scholars will be recognized.

Applicants for the Paradigm Scholarship for Working Women must meet the following criteria:

• A full-time employee, working at least 30 hours per week for a Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce member company
• Have completed at least one full year of college at a two- or four-year accredited institution and have a minimum of five years work experience
• Hold an exemplary work record
• Submit an official copy of her college transcript and two letters of recommendation including one from her current employer
• Submit a 200-word essay on why she should be selected as a recipient of the Paradigm Scholarship for Working Women

Scholarship applicants are not eligible if their employer offers full tuition reimbursement. A copy of the employer’s tuition reimbursement policy must be included with the applicant’s submission.

Nominations are due February 8. For more information, or to apply, click here.

The Paradigm Award is sponsored by Ernest & Young. The Paradigm Scholarship is supported by Devereux and Stradley Ronon.

Additional sponsors for the Paradigm Award are Devereux, Diversified Search, PECO, PNC, and Stradley Ronon.