Darlene Ryan '76 to be Honored as a 'Leading Woman Entrepreneur of the World'

March 12, 2004

March 12, 2004, Greencastle, Ind. - Darlene Ryan, president and CEO of PharmaFab and a 1976 graduate of DePauw University, will be fêted as an honoree at the Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World® gala international awards ceremony in Sydney, Australia, May 9-13, 2004. Chosen by an international selection committee from hundreds of nominees worldwide, Ryan is one of twenty-one women representing nine countries and $600 million in annual sales.

"These women exemplify the true meaning of entrepreneurship and are role models for anyone who yearns to take control of their destiny," said Cheryl Womack, owner of the Star Group, the exclusive agent for the award and a previous honoree. "They have taken risks, beaten the odds, and poured their lives into the growth and development of their communities and these companies. We are pleased to recognize their accomplishments and bring them to the attention of the world at large as well as the business community."

"When my father, brother, and I founded this company nearly ten years ago we wanted to build a successful company that was run on the principles of integrity and respect for our clients and employees," says Darlene Ryan. "This award is further acknowledgment that we are achieving our goal every day and people around the world are noticing."

Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World was founded to identify and honor top women entrepreneurs from around the world and heighten public awareness of their impact on the global economy. The first awards were presented in Paris in 1997. Since then, the group has recognized over 280 women business owners from more than 50 countries spanning six continents. Past honorees have included such notables as Muriel Siebert, Jenny Craig, Anita Roddick, Lillian Vernon, LuAn Mitchell, Hanae Mori, Nina Campbell, and Marilynne Paspaley.

PharmaFab, a contract pharmaceuticals formulator and manufacturer located in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, was co-founded in 1994 by Ms. Ryan, her brother, and father and has been recognized as one of the Inc. 500 "Fastest Growing Private Companies" three years in a row. Ryan has also been honored by Ernst & Young as an Entrepreneur of the Year for North Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas in the Life Sciences category. Visit PharmaFab's Web site by clicking here.

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