Assemblymember Antony Portantino, State Senator Jack Scott and Assemblymember Paul Krekorian congratulate award recipient Ellen Daigle at ceremony.

For 30 years, Ellen Daigle of Ellen's Silkscreening in South Pasadena has been putting other people's names on T-shirts, pens, hats and other items as she built her business from her garage up.

Recently Daigle got to see her name on something wonderful: a certificate honoring her as a recipient of the Woman in Business Awards sponsored by California State Senator Jack Scott, Assemblymember Paul Krekorian and Assemblymember Anthony Portantino.

The award Daigle received along with 19 other successful local women is a public recognition of their contributions to the economic growth and well-being of Southern California.

An announcement from the offices of the three host legislators said "the honorees exemplify the broad range of accomplishments women have achieved in our communities."

Daigle says she is "honored to be among these women and given this award by three legislators who I admire so much."

Daigle was a recently divorced mother of three and a registered nurse when, in 1978, she decided to take sign painting and silkscreening courses so she could get work at home to be closer to her children.

She soon started pounding the sidewalks selling orders. Daigle set up a shop in her garage, and her young daughters helped her to produce her first jobs.

As her business grew steadily Daigle's big break came during the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. A major contract, along with the boom in the t-shirt industry, helped propel the company forward.

Daigle's "can do" spirit combined with an ethic of hard work has characterized her business career. Today, Daigle's shop has 15 employees and produces tens of thousands of silk screened items every year and has become a South Pasadena institution.

This year's awards were during a ceremony which featured the co-owners of the LA Sparks basketball team - Carla Christofferson and Kathy Goodman. The pair delivered the keynote speech during the luncheon, and the three legislators gave reports on the latest from the state capitol.