News

Chamber announces five nominees for Athena Award

By Lightning Reports, Published: May 6, 2022

The Henderson County Chamber of Commerce along with the Athena Committee and sponsors on Friday announced five nominees for the 15th annual Athena Award presented in memory of Vanessa W. Mintz.

The nominees are Vivian Bolaños, Pauline Carpenter, Crystal Cauley, Andriana Chavela and Dr. Amy Siegler. The Athena Award is presented by Pardee UNC Health Care, with support from Optimum and Judy Stroud State Farm Insurance.

The nominees will be honored at a reception presented by Judy Stroud State Farm Insurance, on Tuesday, May 17. The recipient of the 15th Annual Athena Award presented will be announced at the Business and Professional Women’s Luncheon on Thursday, May 19, at the Blue Ridge Community College Conference Hall.

The Athena Award honors individuals who strive toward the highest levels of personal and professional accomplishments, who excel in their chosen field, devote time and energy to their community in a meaningful way, and forge paths of leadership for other women to follow. The award is co-sponsored by the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce.
The Business and Professional Women’s Luncheon is hosted as part of the Henderson County Chamber’s Small Business Week celebration to honor the work that women are doing in area businesses and the community. This year’s luncheon will feature keynote speaker, Micaela Isler, executive director of the National Association of Business Political Action Committees.
“The Athena Program is a way to honor and celebrate the contributions individuals in our community have made to the cause of women’s leadership,” says committee chair and 2018 recipient, Lee Henderson-Hill. “When you look at the history of Henderson County, you see how much of how our community is shaped today as a result of female leadership. We want to celebrate and continue that work.”
The Athena of Henderson County programming will continue throughout the year with the Leadership Breakfast hosted in the fall of 2022, and quarterly women-centric networking events, Empower Hours, hosted throughout the year. The next Empower Hour will be held on June 21 at the People’s Museum.
For more information on the Athena Award and related programs, or to make your reservations to the Business and Professional Women’s Luncheon, call the Chamber at 828-692-1413.