Valerie Herskowitz with masters of ceremonies Bill Rancic, winner of the hit television show "The Apprentice".
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: Monday, October 28, 2004
CONTACT: Debbie Abrams
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BROWARD COUNTY’S VALERIE HERSKOWITZ WINS NATIONAL AWARD FOR HER WORK WITH AUTISTIC CHILDRENDAVIE, Fla.—Valerie Herskowitz of Dimensions Therapy was awarded the Stevie Lifetime Achievement Award for her work with autistic and special needs children. The statuette was presented to Herskowitz during The 2004 Stevie Award ceremony on Friday, October 22 in New York City.Herskowitz was recognized for her 26 years of service to children with special needs and their families. She was honored for starting two innovative community programs, Mothers of Special Needs Individuals (MOSI) and the Family Club. MOSI hosts a regular Mom’s Night Out to provide a night off for mothers of special needs children. The Family Club has monthly get-togethers that enable families to feel comfortable socializing with their special needs children.In addition to her responsibilities as the Director of Dimensions Therapy Center, a facility that offers speech and occupational therapy services, Herskowitz was also recognized for her work as an international lecturer and writer on the topic of special needs children.“I was so thrilled to be recognized for my life’s work—helping families and children with special needs. Having an autistic son has made my work as a speech therapist go beyond the professional to the personal,” said Herskowitz. “I’m so pleased to have been able to make the lives of families with special needs kids a little easier by starting support groups for mothers and families.”Winners were announced on Friday, October 22 at a gala ceremony at the Marriott Marquis in New York City’s Times Square. The masters of ceremonies were Bill Rancic, winner of the hit television show “The Apprentice” and spokesperson for Advanta, the exclusive sponsor of the awards, and Rhonda Schaffler, the New York Stock Exchange Senior Correspondent for CNNfn and CNN Business News.A total of 18 Stevie Awards were presented in categories including Lifetime Achievement Award, Best Entrepreneur, Best Young Entrepreneur, Best New Product and Mentor of the Year. More than 600 nominations from small companies in virtually every industry were submitted for consideration.The Stevie Awards for Women Entrepreneurs is a national awards competition recognizing the accomplishments of women small business owners in the United States. The awards are produced by the creators of the prestigious American Business Awards, hailed as “the business world’s own Oscars” by the New York Post (September 22, 2002) and exclusively sponsored by Advanta.The Stevie Awards for Women Entrepreneurs are governed by a board of Distinguished Judges & Advisors that features many leading women entrepreneurs and figures in American business, including Carrie Fitzmaurice, Publisher for Entrepreneur Media Inc.; Dr. Lisa Krinsky, Chairman & President for SFBC International; and Dr. Betty Spence, President of The National Association for Female Executives.The elegant Stevie trophy was designed by R. S. Owens, the same company that makes the Oscar and the Emmy. Details about The Stevie Awards for Women Entrepreneurs and the full list of Winners are available at http://www.stevieawards.com/women.
About Valerie Herskowitz
Valerie Herskowitz’s career as a speech pathologist has spanned the past 26 years. Since 1981, as owner of Dimensions Therapy Center, she has been providing private therapy services to families in the South Florida area. She is on the adjunct faculty at Nova Southeastern University and is considered to be the premier authority on the use of computer-based intervention with special needs individuals.Ms. Herskowitz is the President of the National Autism Registry. This non-profit organization was started to help families cope with the stresses of parenting a child with autism. This organization offers all services to its members free of charge. Ms. Herskowitz also serves on the board of the Broward County Chapter of the Autism Society of America.Ms. Herskowitz’s interest in special needs is not just professional: Her youngest son, Blake, was diagnosed with autism in 1993 when he was two years old. Her company, Dimensions Therapy Center, offers speech and occupational therapy, as well as computer based therapies.
About The Stevie Awards
Hailed as “the business world’s own Oscars” by the New York Post (September 22, 2002), Stevie Awards are conferred in three programs: The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, and The Stevie Awards for Women Entrepreneurs. Honoring companies of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about The Stevie Awards at www.stevieawards.com.
