Integrity, good communication, hard work and community involvement are just a few of the reasons, officials said, that Clinton resident Pam High was named the 2008-09 American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) Woman of the Year for the Sampson Charter Chapter.

On behalf of the ABWA, Ruth Barber-Rich reported that “High has been a very active member of ABWA for three years. Although she was a new member, she was ready, willing and able to serve in whatever capacity was needed.”

High served as president of Sampsons’ ABWA chapter for the past two years and as vice president for one year.

ABWA member Brenda Warren served as vice president to High during her first tenure as president. Warren was complimentary of High’s leadership, stating that she was “very supportive and worked hard to keep the chapter going.”

Ann Butler, the current president of Sampson’s ABWA, echoed many of Warren’s remarks about High’s two-year tenure as the organization’s commander in chief.

“She planned wonderful programs for us to grow personally and professionally, she was very organized and she brought energy and enthusiasm to the organization. We thank her for all she’s contributed.”

Those qualities Butler used to describe High’s presidency are just a few of the reasons High was named Woman of the Year, Butler explained.

Butler described the award as one given to “a person every year who epitomizes a business woman, having qualities, we feel, an ideal business woman should portray.” In addition to qualities already used to describe High, Butler added that High was also chosen for her integrity, good communication skills, ability to engage people to be involved and for being a good role model.

After being nominated for the award, a committee reviews applicants, focusing on their personal growth, ABWA promotion in the community, personal qualities and community involvement, Butler continued.

In response to receiving the award, High commented, “I was very honored to be nominated by the ladies of ABWA for the privilege of being awarded Woman of the Year. It is a humbling experience, and, of course, I am grateful to be awarded with the honor.”

High moved to Clinton five years ago from Clovis, Calif. and is originally from Ft. Wayne, Indiana. She attended Indiana University in Ft. Wayne and has been High Scope curriculum certified. She is an independent staffing contractor; performing office work for different companies. Also, she volunteers at Sampson Regional Medical Hospital in the gift shop.

She has served as treasurer for the Sampson County Republican Party for the past three years; on the board of directors for the Sampson County Library for the past two years; a volunteer with the Guardian ad Litem program for one and a half years; and as secretary of the Clinton-Sampson County Rotary Club for two years.

High recently received other honors and awards as well. She was awarded Volunteer for the Quarter (April-June 2009) for Sampson County Guardian ad Litem and received the Service Above Self award from Clinton-Sampson County Rotary Club.

A family woman, too, High has two sons; Patrick, who graduated from ECU and is a police officer in Stockton, Calif., and Andrew, a recent UNC-W graduate. Her husband, Wayne, is plant manager for Murphy Brown, Warsaw division.

According to High, Sampson’s ABWA chapter was chartered over 25 years ago by a small group of women dedicated to seeking opportunities for personal and professional growth for women in the workplace and to provide a means by which women could network and learn from other business professionals.

“Our membership is diverse in our careers, our interests and our personalities, yet we are united in our desire to better ourselves, our community and our ability to serve as business leaders in Sampson County,” High stated.

The Sampson Chapter also has an endowment at Sampson Community College, which awards a scholarship annually to a woman pursing a college education.

The Sampson Chapter of ABWA meets the fourth Thursday of each month at noon., from fall to spring, and is open to women of all professions. A membership drive will be held in September. For more information about ABWA, call High at 910-590-2543.

To contact Amy Kelly call 592-8137 ext. 119 or send e-mail to sigov@myclintonnc.com.