Fifteen hyper success stories were recognized at Top Women Champagne Reception at River Run Country Club in late October. More than 150 people attended the 12th annual celebration of women achievers.

Former Lake Norman Chamber Chair Donna Moffett was one of the 15, and an example of women who lead. The head of her own accounting and consulting firm based in Cornelius, she said her mother was a big influence in her business life.

“She preached the need to be accurate and complete in all work. She forced me to be independent and trained me to look for the knowledge needed to render excellent client advice,” Moffett said.

Her father was the charitable one in the family. “He encouraged me to be compassionate and open to the needs of others. Watching the two of them work together in the family business was an incredible life lesson. A mistake was an opportunity for improvement. A job well done was a success to be celebrated.”

Other winners ranged from real estate executives to non-profit leaders. All have a habit of giving back and active mentoring and a positive attitude.

Winner Nettie Reeves, a fitness trainer, consultant and founder of N Shape Within, said every individual has a unique talent that only he or she has been given.

“God granted us talents not so we could be alone in our achievements, with a single goal benefiting a single person, but rather so that all could achieve by working collectively and cohesively. Together we can stand up and fight for what’s right; together we can cure diseases; together we can all have clean drinking water and a roof over our heads; together we can accomplish the impossible,” she said.

Business Today created the Top Women Awards 12 years ago to honor the Golden Crescent’s most dynamic women in business, nonprofits, community service, education and politics.

Former Top Women winners were judges including Cabarrus County Commissioner Diane Honeycutt, one of the top Allen Tate Realtors in North Carolina; Cornelius business attorney Catherine Bentz; former Lake Norman Chamber Chairwoman Wendy Moran; event planner Karen Lawrence; community leader Susan Tillis; Georgia Krueger, director of the Ada Jenkins Center in Davidson; Tammy Whaley, senior manager of economic development for Duke Energy in North Carolina; and Angela Swett, marketing director for Davidson-based McIntosh Law Firm.

Business Today also selected four women with long track records of leadership and service for Lifetime Achievement awards.

Grace Mynatt, board member

Board of Commissioners

Cabarrus County

Grace Mynatt is in her second term on the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners. She was elected to the Cabarrus Board of Education in 1993, and served as both vice chair and chairwoman. In addition to holding various positions in the family business, the Ben Mynatt Family of Dealerships, she was a school teacher for 14 years.

Mynatt is a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow and received the Governor’s Award for Volunteer Service in 1995.

Donna Dunlap, CEO

Big Brothers Big Sisters

Charlotte

Donna Dunlap has held leadership roles at Xerox in sales and quality management, and at Microsoft in IT services. She has a BA from Spelman College, and an MBA from the University of Connecticut, where she was selected as a University Fellow.

She has served on boards for Dress for Success in Washington, D.C.; Our Lady of Mercy in Rochester, N.Y.; and Habitat for Humanity in New York City.

She has been CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Charlotte since February.

Marci Carlyle, principal

Carlyle Properties

Cornelius

Marci Carlyle is a founder and principal of Carlyle Properties, one of the top residential real estate companies in Lake Norman. She is known for her expertise in all facets of real estate from designing, to construction, to selling.

As broker-in-charge, she manages day-to-day operations at the 13-year-old company. She has mentored many agents over the years and supports a variety of non-profits.

Dr. Nancy Tarte

Davidson Clinic

Davidson

Nancy Tarte MD, is a veteran pediatrician at Davidson Clinic where she has cared for literally thousands of children. In the Top 3 in her graduating class at The University of Texas Medical School, she has participated in multiple medical missions to Nicaragua and Guatemala and volunteered at night at the Ada Jenkins free clinic.

In addition, she has taught Sunday School for years at Davidson United Methodist Church, and served on the Girl Scouts of America Board of Directors.