The Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce honored a prominent broadcaster and a newly retired executive from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory with its prestigious Athena Awards.  

Tracci Dial and Peggy Vasquez were honored during the annual Athena Luncheon, the highlight of the Women in Business conference. The event was held Jan. 29 at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick. A sellout crowd of nearly 900 attended.  

The Athena awards honor two women, one an established leader in the community and the other a rising one. 

The chamber presented Tracci Dial with its emerging leader award and Peggy Vasquez with its leadership award. Both were honored for their work to encourage women in their careers. 

Vasquez,

who was nominated by her husband, served as chief executive assistant

at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for more than 15 years

before retiring on Jan. 20. Vasquez said she intends to devote 2020 to

pursuing her passion for writing, supporting women and public speaking. 

She is a motivational speaker, career coach and author of several books, including “Not Just an Admin” and “Mean Girls No More.” She is a past president and chair of several nonprofits, including Administrative Professionals of Tri-Cities and Women Helping Women. 

Dial, who was nominated by a colleague, began

her broadcast career behind the camera and worked her way up through a

series of roles before becoming an on-air reporter.  

The

Northwest native joined KNDU in 2012, noting she was drawn to the

Tri-Cities because she had family in the area. She anchors the station’s

newscast. 

Dial is regularly named the best news anchor in the Tri-Cities in the Tri-City Herald’s People’s Choice competition. The League of Women Voters of Benton & Franklin Counties regularly invites Dial to moderate forums where political candidates field questions in public forums.