Pinnacle Group CEO Nina Vaca Honored with Leadership of the Year Award at SCIP's Annual Gala

NEW YORK, June 19, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Pinnacle Group Chairman and CEO Nina Vaca was honored with the Leadership of the Year Award at Selective Corporate Internship Program's (SCIP) 22nd Annual Award Gala in New York City last Friday, June 14. Vaca was presented with the distinguished award for her unwavering dedication to helping and inspiring minority and disadvantaged youth in her community and far beyond.

The "An Evening with the Stars" black-tie awards dinner was held at the Marriott Marquis. Fellow honorees included:

• Microsoft, Partnership of the Year Award recipient
• Clarins Groupe USA, Corporation of the Year Award recipient
• Mr. Arjun Dewan EVP Wholesale East of The Winebow Group, recipient of Partnership of the Year Award
• Mr. Wilbert Davis, recipient of the Emerging Leader of the Year Award
• Ms. Lynne Schultz, CEO of Tri-State Marketing Associates, recipient of Advocate of the Year Award
• Ms. Jeannie (Colgate) Maddox, recipient of Ambassador of the Year Award
• Refinitiv, Special Recognition

"SCIP's awards gala was truly an unforgettable evening spent with fellow civic leaders, businesses, and partners," said Vaca. "Receiving the Leadership of the Year award was special to me, but it was even more meaningful to be among this group of distinguished honorees who are powerful reminders of all the tremendous work that has been done by so many to inspire young minds and help them break down barriers. It is an immense pleasure to help guide today's youth on their paths to success and to be a part of the global expansion of entrepreneurship."

SCIP's legacy of pairing students with global business leaders to inspire strong work ethic for future success is directly in sync with Vaca's work and commitment to empowering underprivileged and minority students. Vaca is a passionate sponsor of the P-TECH (Pathways to Technology Early College High School) program in her hometown of Dallas, which helps young students simultaneously earn their high school degree and Associate Degree while gaining valuable industry experience. She is also been a long-time supporter of several scholarship programs that support the advancement of higher education for Latino students.

The Selective Corporate Internship Program is a unique initiative that pairs promising college and high school students from ethnically diverse and disadvantaged circumstances with opportunities in the ever-growing corporate world. With an unparalleled approach to excellence, SCIP provides high-schoolers with leadership training, internship opportunities and college preparation.

About Nina Vaca
Nina Vaca is Chairman and CEO of Dallas-based Pinnacle Group, a leading IT workforce solutions firm named the fastest-growing woman-owned company in the country by the Women Presidents' Organization in 2018 and 2015. Vaca is currently overseeing the company's global expansion and the launch of its Progata Talent Platform, which utilizes machine learning (ML) and proprietary algorithms to match talent with opportunity. She is one of the few Latinas in the nation serving on corporate boards. In addition to her business leadership, Vaca is a civic leader and philanthropist, working relentlessly to expand opportunities for minorities and women in business and for women and girls in STEM fields. Recently, she was elected as a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), an independent, nonpartisan membership organization that provides foreign policy analysis to leaders in the U.S. and around the world. For information and resources, visit NinaVaca.com.

About SCIP
The Selective Corporate Internship Program (SCIP) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in partnership with Fortune 500 Companies and various supporters, upholding the mission to "Enlighten, Employ and Empower" diverse underprivileged students from the middle school to MBA levels for successful careers through corporate mentorship, leadership development and career opportunities. As a result, SCIP Young Leaders hold a 92 percent success rate of attending their first-choice college and impacts beyond the students to include their families and the communities they serve. Recognized as a National "Bright Spot" in Hispanic Education by the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, SCIP represents the diversity and promise of the American Dream.

SOURCE Nina Vaca