ΗΠΑ

Thalia Assuras

CBS News Correspondent is the choice of the Daughters of Penelope for the "2000 Salute to Women"”award

By Mary Chicos

National Public Relations Chairman

The Daughters of Penelope are hosting the Sixteenth Biennial “Salute to Women” at a reception on Sunday, March 19, at two o’clock in the afternoon at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C.

The “Salute to Women” award was established in 1970 to recognize and honor outstanding women who have excelled in their chosen fields.

The first honoree of the new millennium and the “2000 Salute to Women” recipient is Thalia Assuras of CBS News. Canadian-born in London, Ontario, Ms. Assuras is an honor graduate of the University of Western Ontario with a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology and immunology and a Masters degree in journalism.

Ms. Assuras began her career in her homeland by anchoring “Canada AM”, CTV’s morning news broadcast, co-anchored “Canada AM Weekend”, and substitute anchored the “CTV Weekend News” from 1992 to 1993.

She joined ABC News in June of 1993 and moved to New York City. While at ABC News, she was an anchor for the popular “World News Now” and “World News This Morning” from 1993 to 1996 , and also served as a general assignment correspondent.

A CBS News correspondent since February of 1997, she reported for a variety of CBS News broadcasts including "This Morning” and the “CBS Evening News”. Ms. Assuras was named co-anchor of “The Saturday Early Show” in October of 1999 and also serves as one of the primary anchors of the “CBS Evening News, Saturday Edition”.

Thalia’s family came from Tripoli, Greece, and moved to Canada after the Second World War. Thalia says: “My heritage has been an important part of my life and it will always be. You are born in two worlds. Greek was my first language.”

Ms. Assuras will join the ranks of some past notable recipients of the “Salute to Women” award: the late Senator Margaret Chase Smith, Brigadier General Anna May Hays, former First Lady Betty Ford, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Ambassador and actress Shirley Temple Black, the Honorable Olympia J. Snowe, UPI White House Correspondent Helen Thomas, Special Olympics Eunice Kennedy Shriver, and many more.

The “Salute to Women” Committee members are Event Chairman Past Grand President Becky Demeris of Houston, Texas, Co-chairman Past Grand President Cornelia Pappas of New York, and Connie Aretos, Grand President.