Brazil recognized as leader, role model for woman.

Girls Inc. honored Aine Brazil of Thornton Tomasetti, Inc. at the annual Girls Inc. New York Celebration Luncheon at the New York Hilton on March 13.

A powerful gathering of more than 1,000 business and community leaders committed to the Girls Inc. mission of inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold, the event recognized women and men who, by their work and example, are creating a better future for girls.

As one of 11 managing principals of Thornton Tomasetti, Inc, Aine Brazil helps guide the international engineering firm of 650 employees in the design of high-rise office and residential buildings, hotels, hospitals and other projects.

After 30 years in the field, her accomplishments include leading the design of the following Times Square properties: 5 Times Square, Times Square Tower and 745 Seventh Avenue, all totaling over three million square feet.

She is also responsible for the 975- foot-tall Comcast Tower in Philadelphia and the tallest building in New Jersey.

"As a woman who often sat alone in the engineering classroom and later in the boardroom, Aine Brazil is a pioneer for young women and girls," said Girls Inc. president and CEO, Joyce Rochr. "She is an incredibly hard working, persistent woman who has found success in a traditionally male-dominated field. Girls Inc. is delighted to celebrate Aine and her accomplishments."

Brazil holds a B.S. degree from the University College in Galway, Ireland and an M.S. degree in engineering from the Imperial College of Science and Technology in London.

She was the first president of Structural Engineers Association of New York (SEAONY), a past board member of Women Executives in Real Estate New York (WX), which honored her as "Woman of the Year" in 2006, and a member of the NYC Mayor's Commission for the Adoption of a Model Code. She has been featured in The New York Times and Crain's New York Business' "New York's 100 Most Influential Women in Business."

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The Concrete Industry Board of New York City last year honored Brazil as one of their "Leaders of Industry" Award recipients.

Girls Inc. also honored Joyce Chang, managing director, global head of Emerging Markets Strategy and Emerging Markets Americas Client Business, JPMorgan Securities, Inc.; Renee Levy, president, High IntenCity Corporation; Jean Otte, founder and CEO, WOMEN Unlimited, Inc.; and Jeffrey R. Immelt, chairman and CEO, GE will accept the Corporate Vision Award.