CHICAGO - Lori Hilson Cioromski, President of TH Hilson Co., has received the Member of the Year Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Chicago.

In her two years as Co-Chair of the NAWBO Chicago Next Generation Outreach (NGO) Committee, Cioromski has made a standout contribution to NAWBO Chicago and the lives of many future women business owners. Because of her own career, Cioromski’s service with the NGO Committee has brought NAWBO into the limelight in the chemical and science industry, which does not typically attract women. She has worked diligently to encourage young science students to enter the chemical, science and coatings industry, as she has done.

One of the projects Cioromski participated in as a member of the NGO Committee involved the Chicago Public School’s 2010 Job Shadow Day. As part of that project, 28 female high school students were able to see firsthand what a woman-run business looks like. Additionally, Cioromski organized another career day for eight female chemistry students from Taylor University. The career day took place at Edlong Dairy Products and Kraft Foods, and was videotaped and placed on YouTube so that students unable to attend could see the opportunities that a career in chemistry can offer. Cioromski also brought together her top supplier, Cabot Corp., with Sherwin-Williams and students from Chicago State University to inform science students about opportunities that are available in the chemical industry.