Stephanie Lyles receives Metzger Award at UMW Women’s Leadership Colloquium

Stephanie Lyles of Topside Federal Credit Union received the Patricia Lacey Metzger Distinguished Achievement Award during the Women’s Leadership Colloquium on Thursday, November 3, 2022. The recognition is given annually to a woman who has established herself as a leader in her chosen field , and has shown personal and professional integrity along the way.

Stephanie Lyles, Director of Marketing at Topside Federal Credit Union, received the Patricia Lacey Metzger Award for her success in her professional life and the integrity she has shown along the way.

The 28th annual one-day colloquium, held each November, took place in a room filled with energy — and some of the most inspiring and driven women in the Fredericksburg area — on the Stafford campus. from the University of Mary Washington. Fran Hauser, nationally acclaimed best-selling author, startup investor, and speaker on women’s empowerment, delivered the keynote address. The symposium also included collaborative breakout sessions led by regional business leaders, networking and a tasting hour with door prizes.

“After a two-year delay, being back in person for this event and having the interest and participation reminds us of the importance of empowering our career-minded women,” said UMW Associate Provost of Career & Workforce and co. -colloquium. Kimberly Young chair.

A 23rd Metzger Award winner since 1999, Lyles is Director of Marketing at Topside Federal Credit Union, where she also worked in community relations and business development. Before that, she started The real estate book of Fredericksburg, a full-color home-for-sale magazine that she ran for 17 years.

Lyles has been an ambassador for the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce for more than a decade, serving on its Network of Enterprising Women and Workforce Now committees. She has served as a board member of the North Stafford Rotary Club, Friends of Rappahannock Central Regional Library, Rappahannock Goodwill Industries and UMW Women’s Leadership Colloquium.

A graduate of the Fredericksburg Leadership Program, she received the Laurie A. Wideman Enterprising Woman’s Award and was recognized as Outstanding Delegate of the Year by the National Youth Involvement Board. She volunteers with the Stafford County SPCA and Stafford Emergency Relief through Volunteer Efforts (SERVE).

The Metzger Award “shows how vital women’s leadership is to our community,” said UMW executive director of human resources Beth Williams, who co-chairs the symposium with Young. Learn more about the Patricia Lacey Metzger Award and past recipients.

This year’s event included a book signing for Hauser’s two publications, The Nice Girl Myth: Achieving a Career You Love Without Becoming Someone You Hate and Embrace the work, love your career. Contributing partners included Visionary Sponsor Rappahannock Central Regional Library; Innovator sponsors Mary Washington Healthcare and Topside Credit Union; and partner sponsors C Parker Consulting, Critical Thinking Group, GEICO, Matern Staffing and Rappahannock Electric Cooperative.

The University of Mary Washington Women’s Leadership Colloquium was founded in 1993 to foster professional women’s connectivity and share business best practices, real-life lessons, and comic relief. In addition to its central event, held each November, the series offers monthly, quarterly and annual networking, as well as professional development opportunities for women in the Rappahannock region. To learn more, visit the online colloquium or on social media at Facebook and Twitter.

Mara R. Wilmoth