Chamber honors present and future businesswomen

The Ahwatukee Foothills Chamber of Commerce honored two exemplary women Thursday night at its Ahwatukee Faces of Success Women in Business event.

Held at the Grace Inn, the event recognized the achievements of Dana Wygle and Patty Durant.

Desert Vista High School graduate Dana Wygle is the 2009 recipient of the Ahwatukee Chamber of Commerce Women in Business Scholarship award.

On top of working at Barro's Pizza throughout high school, Wygle also danced, donated blood and participated in Relay for Life. She has wanted to go to Arizona State University her entire life and has dreams of opening her own sports bar.

Wygle said she grew up going to football games with her dad and loved the tailgating atmosphere.

"I want to be in that environment the rest of my life," Wygle said.

Patty Durant, who served as co-chair of the Chamber Scholarship sub-committee, said Wygle's well-rounded application immediately stood out from the rest.

"She said she does it more for herself than for her parents," Durant said. "Even though her parents pushed her, she wanted to succeed on her own."

Durant also happened to be the recipient of the Women in Business Palo Verde Award at the event. A sales representative for Ahwatukee Foothills and Tempe offices of Empire West Title Angecy, she is also treasurer of the Ahwatukee Foothills Chamber of Commerce board of directors and has served on the Tukee Home Tour committee for the past two years.

Durant was nominated along with Pam Hahn, owner of In Demand Arts Graphic Design.

"It was really nice to be honored with Pam," Durant said. "I feel like I'm just following her through what the chamber did; she was treasurer, now I'm treasurer, so that was awesome too."