Team Kentucky congratulates Debra Dudley, Co-Founder and President of Oscarware Inc., on being named this year’s recipient of the Gail Adinamis Wegg Award for Exemplary Global Leadership from Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global.

"I am very grateful to be the 2024 recipient of the Gail Adinamis Wegg Award for Exemplary Global Leadership,” said Debra Dudley." The mission of Wegg, Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global, is to educate, inspire and nurture women business owners and entrepreneurs on how to go global so they can run healthier businesses and create a new future for themselves, their families and their community. The vision of Wegg is a world where every woman business has the opportunity and ability to take their business global wherever they may be located. It is such an honor to receive this award from the amazing group of Wegg women."

Debra has received national recognition from the U.S. Small Business Administration, was honored as Kentucky's Small Businessperson of the Year, and received numerous tributes including the Kentucky SBDC Pacesetter Award. As a successful woman-owned business, she was recognized as the WBENC Southeast Woman Owned Business of the Year. Oscarware was founded in 1989 by entrepreneurs Debra and Reg Dudley. The Dudleys branched into barbecue cooking because of their friend Oscar Sullivan, a former member of the Grand Ole Opry. Oscar asked the couple if they could make something for the grills at his campground in Cave City, Kentucky, that would allow campers to cook their food without having it stick or fall between the grates. Reg, a marine veteran with an engineering background, built a screen to fit the grills and the Grill Topper was born. Naturally, the husband-wife team decided to name their new company after their dear friend Oscar. For more information on Oscarware, visit OscarwareInc.com.