The Women Business Owners, one of the Puget Sound’s leading organization for women entrepreneurs, has named Eastsound business owner Jill Blankenship as the winner of its 2014 Nellie Cashman Woman Business Owner of the Year Awards Competition. Blankenship was honored at the Oct. 2 sold-out Nellie Awards Gala held at the Four Seasons Hotel, Seattle. Blankenship is pictured above on the left.

Since 1982, the award has honored Puget Sound region women who have enhanced the status of women entrepreneurs through their vision, perseverance and fearless leadership in business and the community. To qualify, a nominee must own at least 51 percent of her business, have owned it for five years or more and have three or more employees. Candidates are judged on their entrepreneurial spirit, ethics and community commitment, financial and management skills and the risk undertaken to achieve success.

Jill moved to Orcas in 1998 and recognized its economic dependency as a tourist destination. She created Frontline Call Center as a response to the need for year-round island based employment. Jill has also been an active member of the community for 14 years serving in various community leadership positions including the Orcas Island Chamber of Commerce and the San Juan County Economic Development Council. Her passion for helping others led her to be the philanthropist behind Orcas Angels, whose mission is to serve the economic needs of island citizens and develop partnerships with other charities, thus meeting needs that aren’t met by traditional government resources.

Since opening the Eastsound location, Jill has opened call centers in rural communities in 11 other states, and in 2013 was named the Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

“Jill’s commitment to finding sustainable solutions to seasonal employment has changed entire communities. Her ground-breaking approach and community involvement truly mirrored the innovation and tenacity displayed by Nellie Cashman herself,” said Kay Smith-Blum, 2013 Nellie winner and judge of the 2014 competition.