News Article

Nellie Shipley was recently honored as a leading businesswoman at the 2006 Triangle Business Journal’s annual Women in Business awards luncheon on August 10. The event, held at the Sheraton Imperial in Research Triangle Park, was attended by over 700 men and women to recognize 25 accomplished Triangle businesswomen and one lifetime achievement winner.

“Once again we are honoring an incredible group of accomplished women,” says Charlene Grunwaldt, Triangle Business Journal publisher. “The Triangle has a very active, impressive and successful community of professional women.”

The award recognizes women in the Triangle who demonstrate outstanding commitment to their business communities. This year, winners were chosen via blind ballots, where only their accomplishments were factors in the judges’ decision. This prestigious award grants winners access into an exclusive club of accomplished women, of which Womble Carlyle’s, Nellie Shipley, is now a proud member.

Nellie demonstrates her commitment to the Triangle community through active professional and civic leadership. As a member in the Economic Development and Real Estate Practice Groups, Nellie focuses her practice on the acquisition, development, re-development, operation and disposition of real property. She prides herself in helping clients solve problems and create opportunities.

Nellie is continually involved in numerous civic organizations, such as the Cary Chamber of Commerce, where she has served as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors. She has also volunteered with the Town of Cary, previously chairing the Town Center Plan Implementation Committee and now chairing the Town’s Economic Development Commission.

Nellie has been active in the Triangle Commercial Real Estate Women (TCREW) organization since 1997 and served as its president for the 2001-2002 term. Through her involvement with TCREW, Nellie assisted in shifting the community involvement committee’s focus to providing industry-related advice to non-profits, including facilitating a project providing low-income daycare services to working mothers. She also helped provide legal advice on a pro bono basis to the new Women’s Center in Raleigh.

Nellie is a charter member of the Executive Board of the Triangle District Council of the Urban Land Institute (ULI). In addition to helping form a new district council for ULI, she also chaired the program’s committee and assisted in increasing attendance and visibility for the organization.

“Being honored in this way is truly gratifying and humbling,” says Nellie. “An incredible group of women were honored and I’m thrilled to be among them and to have my daughters learn more about the importance of investing in professional and community activities. One’s career should be as much about improving one’s community as it is about professional success.”

Nellie Shipley has done so much for our firm and our community during her tenure at Womble Carlyle,” says Bill Matthews, a member at Womble Carlyle who has worked with and mentored Nellie since she joined the firm. “Both our firm and the community are indebted to her for her service and leadership.”

Triangle Business Journal will publish a special in-depth section featuring the 2006 Women in Business Awards winners in its September 1, 2006 edition. This section will highlight the motivations and accomplishments behind the 25 winners.