Junior Achievement of North Florida Presented Susan Remmer Ryzewic with the 2021 JA Girl$ Legacy Award

Attendees at the 2021 Smart Women Make Change event held at the Garden Club of Jacksonville

Author: JA of North Florida
Community Involvement
Published: Wednesday, 20 Oct 2021

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Image caption: JA of North Florida President Shannon Italia (pictured, right) presents the JA GIRL$ Legacy Award to Susan Remmer Ryzewic

Junior Achievement of North Florida celebrated women and girls in business at their $mart Women Make Change event on Tuesday at the Garden Club of Jacksonville. The event, which benefits the JA Girl$ program, is a time to highlight the program that teaches financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship in an all-girls setting. It was also a time to honor the 2021 Ja Girl$ Legacy Award winner. JA of North Florida President Shannon Italia presented Susan Remmer Ryzewic with the award that is given each year to a woman who has contributed greatly to the success of the JA Girl$ initiative.

Ryzewic leads the Remmer Family Foundation (RFF) and has a career in business that has spanned more than 30 years. She was chosen as the legacy award winner for her commitment to advancing programs for women and girls including the JA Girl$’s program “It’s Her Future” which started as a pilot program at Waverly Academy in 2020. The program, which prepares girls to be effective in high-need STEM fields where women are underrepresented, was a huge success. JA of North Florida applied for a grant through RFF and Ryzewic committed support for the program which will be administered to 150 middle and high school low to moderate-income students through Waverly Academy and the PACE Center for Girls.

Image caption: 2021 JA Girl$ Legacy Award Recipient, Susan Remmer Ryzewic

“Susan is such an inspiration for women and girls and she has given selflessly over the years to help give girls a leg up for a better future,” said Italia. “Susan has been a friend of Junior Achievement and our programs for several years providing support for our programs. She has been forging a wonderful legacy of service and we thought she was the perfect person to receive this year’s award. Support from people like Susan and her foundation makes it possible for us to continue reaching young girls and women through our JA Girl$ program.”

Ryzewic serves as president and CEO of EHR Investments, INC. and is the director of RFF which is committed to the advancement of women and girls. Ryzewic supports girl-serving organizations and projects through RFF and has also served as chair of Voices for Florida Girls and Voices for Florida, a nonprofit that promotes social and economic progress for Florida’s children, family and community. She has also been involved in the University of North Florida Foundation Board, the Investment Committee of The Community Foundation of Northeast Florida, the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center, and is the Class of 1973 Planned Giving chair for Wellesley College.

“When we started the foundation we decided to focus on girls where intervention could make a difference in their lives and influence their decisions in positive ways,” said Ryzewic. “We started in Boston to bring together the research and practice sides to help women and girls programs. When we came to this area, we were introduced to the PACE Center for Girls which helped connect us to the Jacksonville community. It led to the creation of the First Coast Girls Initiative where we help provide training, networking and professional development to volunteer organizations to help them make an impact. We are grateful to Junior Achievement and all who have helped develop our local committee.”

Image caption: Attendees at the 2021 Smart Women Make Change event held at the Garden Club of Jacksonville

During the program, guests were read some inspirational letters written by girls who participated in the JA Girl$’ “It’s Her Future” program at Waverly Academy. A “Dear Tomorrow” essay contest was held before the event and three winners were selected. Waverly Academy Academic Director Faith Dollard read the letters which showcased how Waverly Academy and JA Girl$ positively impacts their life and their hope for the future. Since 2006, JA Girl$ has educated more than 20,000 girls and young women.

This is the sixth year the JA Girl$ Legacy Award has been presented to a woman who has contributed greatly to the success of the JA Girl$ initiative. Ryzewicz joins Latoya Freeman, Susan Towler, Lisa O’Neill, Elizabeth Paulson and Coleen Logan as recipients of the award.