Y Women in Careers: Meet the seven women who will be inducted into 2023 Hall of Fame

The YWCA Corpus Christi will honor six women from the Coastal Bend for the 2023 Y Women in Careers Awards in March.

One additional woman will be recognized as a Rising Star, a new award showcasing a young woman up-and-coming in her field.

The seven women, announced Tuesday, are:

• Coral Dworaczyk Carey, Realtor at South Coast Real Estate and Symmetry Commercial Management

• Kelly O'Donnell Gonzalez, chief operating manager of ValueBank Texas

• Peggy V. Hatcher, chief of the Corpus Christi Army Depot Chemical Process Branch

• Kathy Snyder Hubner, certified professional landscape designer at Gill Garden Center and Landscape Co.

• Julia Kriegel, chief executive officer at Oneta Corp.

• Eileen Longoria, supervisor at Texas Workforce Solutions Vocational Rehabilitation Services

• Brandi Moss, Corpus Christi police captain

Carey is the Rising Star honoree.

Since 1979, the Y Women in Careers Award recognizes women in the Coastal Bend for their professional accomplishments and enters them into a Hall of Fame. The YWCA has honored more than 300 women since its inception.

An anonymous group of community leaders reviewed the nominations and made selections.

Della Meadows, president of the YWCA board of directors, said the awards ceremony has honored women who have "broken mold and blazed trails."

"These women are success stories, role models and our leaders," Meadows said to a crowd at the YWCA. "We honor these women for their accomplishments, for the paths they paved and for leading forward, while giving back."

Coral Dworaczyk Carey

Carey opened her own boutique-style brokerage, South Coast Real Estate, where she mentors and supports a group of full-time agents and property managers.

Also a partner in Symmetry Commercial Management, she has cultivated a culture where women can take charge of their businesses and realize their professional goals in a positive atmosphere, according to the YWCA.

Carey's mother, local artist Dinah Bowman, was an honoree of the Y Women in Careers Awards in 1996.

"I think being honored just makes it even extra special for me because I have so much respect for what my mother has also accomplished," Carey said. "I've been involved in this association and have seen the amazing caliber of women who have been recognized. To be added is a huge recognition and honor."

Kelly O'Donnell Gonzalez

In her 26 years at ValueBank, Gonzalez's responsibilities include the bank's deposit operations and financial transactions.

As a member of the Executive, Strategic Planning and IT committees, she is responsible for the bank's Disaster Recovery Program. Gonzalez recently oversaw the recovery of four bank branches damaged by Hurricane Harvey and the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Us women have a very vital role to play in the community," Gonzalez said. "We're good at running businesses and having time to help others. You always need to believe in yourself and always surround yourself with people who believe in you."

Peggy V. Hatcher

Hatcher joined the Corpus Christi Army Depot as a chemist in 2012. Now chief of the depot's Chemical Process Branch, she develops processes for numerous fields including welding, water treatment and electroplating.

She actively collaborates with the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, NASA and many others. Hatcher holds the Army Achievement Medal decoration and is a member of the American Chemical Society and the Army Aviation of America Association.

"I love my job; it's a selfless service," Hatcher said. "I'm not used to being recognized. I always try to be an example of a role model without being a role model. Leadership before management is my mindset."

Kathy Snyder Hubner

Hubner has designed landscapes over a 35-year career from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, to Dallas.

She manages small and large commercial landscape installations, supervises teams of contractors and crews, and oversees landscape ordinance plans. In an effort to change representation in her field, Hubner has dedicated time to mentor up-and-coming female designers.

In a male-dominated industry, Hubner said, "I'm able to set an example for others coming up in the ranks. Women can achieve almost anything they want. They have got to be willing to work hard, ask for what they need, learn and be respectful of others."

Julia Kriegel

Kriegel is the chief operating officer of Oneta Corp., which runs several Corpus Christi companies including Pepsi, Everest Water and Sunrise Vending.

Through the COVID-19 pandemic, Kriegel laid off none of her 215 employees. She has led her family-owned company and was recognized as Donald M. Kendall Pepsi-Cola Bottler of the Year in 2018.

"There are many women in our community running businesses," Kriegel said. "We work hard and deserve our recognition."

Eileen Longoria

For more than 28 years with the Texas Workforce Solutions Rehabilitation Services, Longoria has helped support people with disabilities to prepare for, obtain, maintain and advance in employment.

Now a vocational rehabilitation supervisor leading a team of 14, she has exceeded her goals by accomplishing 114% of successful cases in 2021 and 126% in 2022.

Longoria said that if she could tell her 16-year-old self anything, it would be to "keep on."

"You have to be true to yourself, be strong and have confidence," Longoria said. "Being honored is a recognition of all the work I've done and an accomplishment as a woman."

Brandi Moss

Moss has been with the Corpus Christi Police Department for 24 years.

She started her career as a crime scene investigator before becoming a police officer. Currently, Moss is a captain assigned to the Operations Bureau Patrol Division and the highest-ranking woman in the police department.

"I've been surrounded by a lot of good male officers who respect me for my position," Moss said. "I had to earn it like everyone else — sometimes, I think, a little bit harder than others. But you should always trust in yourself."

The Y Women in Careers Awards ceremony is open to the public with seats or tables ranging from $85 to $10,000. All funds go toward programs within YWCA.

At the ceremony, all women will have a brief interview and a video will be played highlighting some of the milestones in their lives.

For tickets and more information, visit ywcacc.org.

If you go

• WHAT: 43rd Y Women in Careers Awards

• WHEN: 6 p.m. Thursday, March 2

• WHERE: American Bank Center Watergarden Room at 1901 N. Shoreline Blvd.

• COST: $85 to $10,000

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John Oliva covers entertainment and community news in South Texas. Contact him at john.oliva@caller.com or Twitter @johnpoliva.

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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: The women who will be inducted into YWCA Corpus Christi's Hall of Fame