Giakoumopoulos Presented with GWLN's First Pink Gem Award
2025-07-13
Eleni Giakoumopoulos (right) accepts her Pink Gem Award from Sue Mitchell
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It is rare to catch Eleni Giakoumopoulos off guard, particularly at an event she organizes, but that's what the founder of the Global Women's Leadership Network accomplished on Sunday during the GWLN Forum at the 2025 World Credit Union Conference.
Sue Mitchell, Founding Chair of GWLN, and CEO of Mitchell, Stankovic and Associates, made a surprise announcement by presenting Giakoumopoulos, GWLN's Director for the past seven years, with a new award for her leadership of the organization.
"Lena, your leadership and commitment to Global Women's Leadership Network has created a strong, premier program. We would all like to say, 'thank you' by giving you a beautiful Global Women's Leadership (Network) first award, the first Pink Gem to the most outstanding woman leader," said Mitchell, who also serves as Vice-Chair of Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions.
A clearly touched Giakoumopoulos credited others for the growth of GWLN during her tenure.
"This is a collective effort, I work with a lot of volunteers, a lot of leaders," said Giakoumopoulos. "This is a team effort, right? We're all together, so, thank you."
GWLN has grown substantially in the number of members, Sister Societies and annual scholarship applications under the leadership of Giakoumopoulos.