Wendy Northcross, CEO of Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, was presented with the 2021 Mercy Otis Warren Cape Cod Woman of the Year Award by the Barnstable County Board of Regional Commissioners in a ceremony on June 2.
This award recognizes a Cape Cod woman who has made a significant and positive impact in the region.
The Mercy Otis Warren Cape Cod Woman of the Year Award, established in 2002, annually recognizes a woman who exemplifies the traits of leadership in the community and who has made a significant contribution to the arts, education, business or community involvement and volunteerism while embracing the ideals of patriotism.
Award committee member Marcy Burman said Northcross’s impacts on the region are far-reaching.
“Her achievements include spearheading wastewater planning, helping to establish a Cape-wide transportation plan, and increasing high-speed internet access to our area. She co-founded the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum, a popular tourist attraction in southeastern Massachusetts, and worked tirelessly as a member and president of the Hyannis Rotary Club.”
Northcross, who is retiring this year from the chamber, has also served on the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, the Town of Barnstable Affordable Housing Growth and Development Trust Fund Board, and on the board of Cape Cod Cooperative Bank and has been a liaison to the Barnstable County Regional Substance Abuse Coalition and served on the Cape Cod COVID-19 Response Task Force.
In his nomination letter, Peter Scarafile stated, “With her strong work ethic and endless hours as a volunteer, she has left her mark on our community. Truly Wendy has made difference in the lives of the people of Cape Cod, and she is an excellent candidate for the Mercy Otis Warren Cape Cod Woman of the Year Award.”
Nominator Dorothy Savarese wrote that Wendy Northcross has been a passionate leader on Cape Cod for more than 30 years.
“Wendy embodies each attribute of this esteemed award, including a commitment to volunteerism and community involvement, education, business, and arts and culture,” Savarese said.
Nominator Elaine Bono said, “She is a strong advocate for anything Cape Cod. She is not bound by the ‘politics’ of the Chamber of Commerce but by her loyalty and devotion to what is in the best interests of Cape Cod. How refreshing it is for me to see a woman representing Cape Cod and what it stands for!”
The award is a bronze statuette sculpted by Marstons Mills artist David Lewis. It is a replica of the statue of Mercy Otis Warren located on the Superior Court House lawn in Barnstable Village.
Mercy Otis Warren, born in West Barnstable in 1728, was a playwright, a historian, a pioneer in women’s causes, a champion of liberty, an advocate of the Bill of Rights and a patriot. In an era when it was unusual for a woman to receive an education, or to emerge as a leader, her advocacy for the cause of patriotism during the Revolution is considered remarkable.
