The Businesswomen’s Panel made up of Neeysa Biddle, left, Malanta Knowles, Roxana Lopez, Kelly Godwin and Kathy Woodruff.
The Businesswomen’s Panel made up of Neeysa Biddle, left, Malanta Knowles, Roxana Lopez, Kelly Godwin and Kathy Woodruff.
It was a full house for the Businesswomen’s Panel Breakfast last week as the Celebration of Women in Business Series continues.
Five women from across the county in different walks of life spoke about their jobs, how they manage work and family and words of wisdom for today’s women in business.
Neeysa Biddle, retired past Chief Executive Officer for St. Vincent’s Health Systems, spoke of her 54 years in healthcare.
“If given the opportunity to start all over again, I would choose the same career path,” Biddle said. “I came to view my job as my true vocation, as God’s plan for my life and I was just as engaged in my work on the last day as I was on my first days.”
Biddle retired in 2018. Her and her husband, Tommy, live in Albertville near the families of their two sons and four grandchildren. She is also a partner with her sister-in-law at Cherrywood Market.
Kelly Godwin, Vice President of Ray Kennamer Construction, spoke about growing up in the construction industry.
“I was born and raised in Albertville,” she said. “I had a love for house plans at a young age and first pursued a degree in Architecture from Auburn University. Shortly after, I realized my passion was more for planning and the hands side of building instead of purse design. I graduated from Auburn University with a B.S. in Building Construction. I was offered a project management position with Ray Kennamer Construction in 2014. I’ve worked with hundreds of clients in the last ten years in projects ranging from bathroom renovations to commercial remodels.”
Godwin is married to her husband, Durand, who is a teacher and coach at Asbury High School since 2016. They have two children, Cooper and Emma.
Roxana Lopez, Assistant District Attorney for Marshall County, spoke about her journey to where she is today.
Lopez is originally from Crossville and graduated from Crossville High School before pursuing her undergraduate degree from Jacksonville State University.
“After completing my undergraduate studies, my passion for upholding the law led me to pursue a Juris Doctor degree at the University of Alabama School of Law,” Lopez said.
“It was hard, but I wasn’t going to give up. I was studying and working a full-time job at my parent’s restaurant. Everything was worth it when I was able to graduate and see how proud my dad was. I just want to say don’t give up on your dreams. Plan and work at it. Hard work does pay off.”
When she isn’t working, Lopez enjoys traveling the world with her husband, Miguel Chavez.
Malanta Knowles, Vice President of Marketing and Design of Paragon, has over 40 years of industry experience.
Knowles is a graduate of Douglas High School and has a degree in Interior Design from Jacksonville State University.
“I find inspiration in my travels at home and abroad,” Knowles said. “Nature itself is a treasure chest just waiting to be mined and sifted for nuggets of design gold. Today’s consumer is not only sophisticated; her style is ever evolving based on family, fashion and lifestyle. My challenge is delving into influences and then interpreting those aspects into my designs.”
Knowles has been married to her husband, Steve for 30 years. They have two daughters and one son-in-law.
Kathy Woodruff, Chief Nursing Officer of Marshall Medical Centers, holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Jacksonville State University and a Master of Nursing Administration from the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
“I served in the Army Nurse Corps from 1987-1994,” she said. “I have been a part of the staff of Marshall Medical Centers since 1997 and have worked as the Director of Inpatient Services, Acute Care and Special Deliveries and as the Chief Nursing Officer at Marshall Medical Center North. In 2019, I assumed the system role of Chief Nursing Officer.”
In March of 2022, Marshall Medical Centers received the “Hero of the Year” award from the Albertville Chamber of Commerce.
Woodruff received the award that evening on behalf of MMC.
“I was humbled and honored to receive the award on behalf of everyone at Marshall Medical. I was also grateful for the opportunity to thank all of the Chamber and community for their continued support over the past two years.”
Stan Witherow, President of the Albertville Chamber of Commerce, thanked everyone who came to the breakfast and encouraged them to take part in the upcoming Celebration of Women in Business Series events.
Friday, April 19, Women in Business Luncheon at Lifepoint Church in Albertville. Tickets are $30 and can be reserved by emailing the Albertville Chamber.
Your comment has been submitted.
Reported
There was a problem reporting this.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Error! There was an error processing your request.
Get the latest breaking news from The Sand Mountain Reporter newsroom. Sign up today!
Would you like to receive our daily news? Signup today!
Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.
We recommend switching to one of the following browsers:
