NEW YORK /diversitybusiness.com/ The Network Journal (TNJ) a black professionals and small business magazine based in New York City will hold the fourth annual achievement awards program to coincide with Women's History Month and recognize "25 Influential Black Women in Business" on March 21 from 11:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at the New York Hilton Hotel & Towers located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas (at 53rd Street) in New York City.

Themed, "Women Leading the Way and Staying Strong," the select group of honorees will be saluted for achieving significant levels of success in their businesses and professional careers and include: Betty Banks of Telcordia Technoligies Inc.; Pauline Barfield of Barfield Public Relations; Akosua Barthwell Evans of JPMorgan Private Bank; Camellia Blackwell, Ph.D., of the International Center for Artistic Development Inc.; Lois Blades-Rosado, Ed.D., of SUNY Brooklyn Educational Opportunity Center; Marguerite Coke-Maxwell, Ph.D., of The College of New Rochelle; Millicent Comrie M.D.; Andrea Custis of Verizon; Vernestine Davis of WorldCom; Carol Decosta, M.D. of REMASS, PC; Inez Dickens of Lloyd E. Dickens & Company; Wanda Ferguson-Graham of New York State Affordable Housing Corp.; Lenora Fulani, Ph.D. , of All Stars Project Inc.; Bernell Grier of Fleet Bank; Judge Glenda Hatchett of Columbia Tristar Television; Lynda Ireland of NY/NJ Minority Purchasing Council; Lavelle Jones of Colgate-Palmolive Company; Barbara Lang of Fannie Mae; Traci Lynn of Traci Lynn Inc.; Gerri Mason Hall of Amtrak; Viola Morgan of UNDP-Africa; Yvette Moyo of MOBE; Gloria Redman of Triumph Technologies; Dickie Sykes of Minority Business Development & EEO; and Patricia Winans of MAGNA Securities Corp.

The program will include a lively cocktail networking reception followed by lunch and the video awards program, led by distinguished Master of Ceremonies Minister Jacques DeGraff. Public Relations phenom Terrie Williams, author and president of the New York-based and internationally recognized Terrie Williams Agency will present the afternoon address. The event annually attracts the 'Who's Who' of prominent women business executives. Tickets are $125 if purchased before March 15 and $150 thereafter.

TNJ Publisher, Aziz Gueye Adetimirin remarks that, "The women we are honoring this year are in the forefront of American leadership and symbolize the diversity and advancement that has occurred across industry lines. Their accomplishments in public and private enterprise serves to inspire and motivate an innumerable number of women of color in our world." In addition to the awards program, the honorees are profiled in the special March issue of the magazine and celebrated in a special video presentation at the program. The event was sponsored by Eastman Kodak, L'Oreal, Verizon, WBLS/WLIB Radio and The Network Journal. For more information call 212-962-9448 or visit the Website: http://www.tnj.com.