Diane L. Symms, restaurant entrepreneur of 28 years and owner of Lombardi's Cucina, is this year's winner of the Nellie Cashman 2000 Award, which honors a businesswoman in the Puget Sound Area that exhibits exceptional leadership within the business community.

Diane's business has a family atmosphere that is not just credited to her fine Italian cuisine. Her daughter is the company Controller of her restaurant chain and has worked side by side with her mother for 13 years. Her son owns his own business and lives nearby in Seattle. Her restaurants employ 120-135 people and generate approximately 4.5 million in sales. In addition to running her company, she also serves as the Director on the Board of Trustees of the Northwest Center for the Retarded and remains active in her community. This is reflected by her involvement in the Everett Waterfront Business Association, the Washington Restaurant Association, and the WRA Government Affairs committee. Being honored by the WBO is not the only honor bestowed on this exceptional business leader. Ms. Symms was named WRA's Restaurateur of the Year, and received the SBA Score Hero Award as well as the Seattle Mayor's Small Business of the Year. She is also committed to encouraging voters of all ages and races to participate in all levels of elections by exercising one of the most important fundamental rights – the right to vote.

Since 1982, the Nellie Cashman Woman Business Owner Award has recognized women entrepreneurs who have made an outstanding contribution to the status of women business owners through their business leadership and community involvement.

Nominees are women business owners in the Puget Sound area who have been responsible for the performance of their company for at least the past three years. They are judged on entrepreneurial spirit, fiscal management, risk, ethics, and community involvement.

To find out more about Diane Symms, the Nellie Cashman Award and Women Business Owners you can visit www.womenbusinessowners.org.