United Way of the Midlands Tocqueville Women's initiative
Suzanne Scott Giving From the Heart Award
“No matter what you have to give, give from the heart or from the soul.”
– Suzanne Scott
The Suzanne Scott Giving from the Heart Award was created to honor Suzanne Scott. Every two years, the award is presented to a woman in the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area who demonstrates the thoughtful and philanthropic qualities evident in Sue – her drive to care, inspire and act.
The three words that perfectly describe Sue's giving spirit used as the criteria to select recipients are:
Care
Sue’s ability to identify a need and put her whole heart into helping to find a solution represents her caring spirit.
Inspire
Sue’s capacity for motivating others to give back to our community was an inspiration to those around her.
Act
Sue was committed to United Way and her community by taking action through volunteering her time, sharing her talent and generously donating her resources.
June 2, 2026 Award Luncheon
The 2026 Suzanne Scott Giving from the Heart Award Luncheon Honoring Annette Smith Was Held on June 2, 2026, at the Omaha Country Club.
Annette Smith embodies the spirit of the Giving from the Heart Award through her longstanding commitment to philanthropy, leadership and community impact. Her efforts have helped champion meaningful initiatives that support the arts, youth development, inclusive growth, environmental sustainability and entrepreneurship.
With decades of leadership experience across nonprofit boards and strategic community development initiatives, Annette has consistently invested her time, talent and resources to strengthen our community with United Way ofthe Midlands. She formerly served as chairwoman of the Women’s Leadership Council and remains a member of Women United.
In 2015, she played an instrumental role in launching and fundraising for the group’s Train to Gain initiative – which focused on providing high-quality, research-based training for out-of-school-time staff to help children succeed both in nonprofit programs and the classroom. Her leadership helped shape the strong foundation of care and action that continues to guide Women United today.
Throughout her career, she has emphasized that her involvement in the arts, humanities and youth development is rooted in the belief that “the youth are the future,” and that young people need support to become the next generation of community leaders.
In her role as Principal of PGSA, Annette brings a distinct lens to the firm’s investments—drawing from her architectural training, community involvement and intuitive understanding of placemaking. With a strong belief that diversity, equity and inclusion result in innovative
solutions, her influence helps shape projects that are culturally resonant and market relevant.
Annette and her husband, Paul, were also named Citizens of the Year by UWM in 2018 for their support of United Way through the Tocqueville Society, Women United and their contributions to the arts, investment in mixed-use developments, strong commitment to
supporting local nonprofit agencies and always wanting the best for the metro. They are the parents of three children, Louis, Charlie and Greg.
We are incredibly grateful for Annette’s leadership, service and time she has dedicated to Women United, United Way of the Midlands and our community.
Enjoy viewing photos from the event below:
Enjoy viewing photos from the photobooth below:
Giving from the heart award RECIPIENTS
