Team Athena Award Program
BY KRISTEN BIRTWHISTLE
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In 1986, 21 years ago-Top Gun was the top grossing film of the year, the Oprah Winfrey show premiered, IBM introduced the first lap top, Geraldo Rivera opened Al Capone’s vault only to find a flask of moonshine; the New York Mets won the World Series and University of the Pacific’s Judith Chambers was honored as the first recipient of the ATHENA Award for her multiple accomplishments and contributions as a leader within the community.
Since its inception, 21 “top gun” women have been recognized and inducted into the prestigious hall of fame known as the ATHENA award program. An award which heralds the contributions of women leaders. The local origins of the ATHENA award began when then Oldsmobile dealer and businessman, Don Mann agreed to serve as a sponsor of the award. Since that time, the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce has carried on the tradition of the award as the host sponsor and insured its strong continuation for the past two decades. Marian Jacobs, one of the first women owners of her own business; Marian Jacobs Advertising was the fourth local recipient of the ATHENA award. She fondly recalls her ATHENA experience in being recognized in 1989. “I was asked to attend a meeting with Don and to my surprise was presented as that years ATHENA honoree in the office of Don Mann. When I arrived, cameras flashed and a television crew followed me the rest of the day. At that time there was no formal luncheon held for the ATHENA recipient. Since that time, Marian advocated that future recepients should have a forum where colleagues, family and friends could equally celebrate and share in the award experience. As a result of her influence todays ATHENA award luncheon is a marquee, sell-out event proudly presented by the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and staff each November. CEO Douglass Wilhoit notes; “The Chamber’s longstanding hosting of the ATHENA Award is our way of recognizing women who have excelled in business and life but more importantly are guiding beacons to so many other women. The “ATHENAS” carry the torch to show ALL women in our community that they are greatly valued and are absolutely essential to help make this a better community, for businesses and residents alike, now and into the future.”
While the ATHENA program has strong local roots, the origins and creation of the award concept was established in 1982 in Lansing Michigan by Founder Martha Mayhood-Mertz, a local businesswoman. It was the initial intent of the award program to recognize and honor outstanding business and professional individuals for excellence in their chosen field, for providing valuable service to their community and for actively assisting women in their attainment of professional goals and leadership skills. Martha’s vision for the award was sparked when serving as the only woman on the Board of the Lansing Michigan Chamber of Commerce she was told by a fellow board member, that women in her community were not “leaders”. That comment created a call to action and motivated Martha to establish an award program that would herald the strength and wisdom of women. Using the Greek Goddess ATHENA as the theme, the award would annually recognize women within her community. The award was a way that women would be accepted and respected as leaders. “I think that women bring a different perspective to every aspect of the world, and our perspective is important and needed in these critical times”. Since that landmark comment from the Lansing Michigan board member 27 years ago, the ATHENA award program has grown in international proportions with programs in Russia, China, Unite Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, India and soon Kenya and Iceland and 500 cities across the United States. The ATHENA International headquarters, based in Chicago has awarded over 5,600 ATHENA awards around the globe all under the positive and successful premise of supporting, developing and honoring women leaders and creating balance in leadership worldwide.
On the local front, this year’s ATHENA program will recognize the 22nd recipient during their November 13th award luncheon hosted at the Stockton Golf and Country Club with the Founder, Ms. Mayhood-Mertz as its keynote speaker.
The theme of women as emerging leaders is not a new one. The rise of women into positions of leadership and influence is significant, and with a greater percentage of women serving on major corporations, serving as heads of state, and leading educational institutions and private and public business and industry-the options for women go far beyond what one thought possible only two short decades ago.
The ATHENA model as designed aspires to recognize and empower women in leadership roles and to enable others to follow their personal and professional dreams-women recognizing women is key. Within Stockton, the ATHENA award has honored women, who continue to share a sense of responsibity to support women in all aspect of their lives. As expressed by Judith Chambers, “I always have had wonderful women role models when I was growing up. I always said that if I was in a position to help other women I would do so by mentoring, coaching and listening.” Giving back to others seems to be an inherent characteristic of past recipients.
With the hopes of assisting others within the community and planting seeds for future generations of women leaders, several past ATHENA recipients began to meet routinely as a means of networking and sharing the “collective wisdom” of each other, and to support the luncheon format as a partner with the Chamber staff. What evolved was the creation of Team ATHENA.
Still in its infancy, the goal of this newly formed group of past ATHENAs is to raise the bar on future ATHENA events and to introduce in 2009, the Young Professional ATHENA award. Fondly called “Baby ATHENA”, the award will honor young professionals (ages 20-40) who are active in leadership positions and whose personal goals mirror the ATHENA tenets.
This "sisterhood” or “sorority” of past recipients has it sites set on equally establishing women’s leadership conferences, sponsoring scholarships to young women for education and initiating local mentoring programs within high schools.
Cyril Seligman, an award winner in 1987 views Team ATHENA as a means to grow and groom the next generation of women leaders. “We have a responsibility to advocate and support local women leaders within the community as mentors and advisors. The most memorable experience as an ATHENA is happening now as other ATHENA members are joining to create a "unique group" of accomplished women who can move forward in a united way to influence and guide other women.
Another critical goal of Team ATHENA is to focus on recognizing a higher percentage of women of color with the award and to promote the importance and significance of the award by expanding the pool of potential candidates. “This community has a limitless talent pool of women leaders, our depth of bench in terms of leadership is significant.” states Kristen Spracher-Birtwhistle, a 2002 recipient.” We need to showcase and share that leadership locally”.
Much has changed in Stocktons 21 year history of the program. Traveling back in time to 1986, when the program was inaugurated, Judith Chambers recalls that she was invited to a Chamber Dinner, was introduced, given the ATHENA award and not even invited to say anything. “Now, we have an entire luncheon for the recipients!” Today, ATHENA is an internationally recognized organization with programs honoring outreach to others and helping people think of the long term impact of this program, notes Ms. Mayhood-Mertz. Adding, “We should not limit that to women.” (The ATHENA award is open to men as well.)
The philosophy and wisdom of the ATHENA program is that there are no losers. One never, ever refers to an Athena recipient as a “winner”. Those who are recognized with the award are simply referred to as “recipients”. This simple distinction is the hallmark of Athena-where every woman who follows her dreams, who aspire to higher goals and who desires to make a difference in the world or simply within her own community is a already a winner.
Since its inception, 21 “top gun” women have been recognized and inducted into the prestigious hall of fame known as the ATHENA award program. An award which heralds the contributions of women leaders. The local origins of the ATHENA award began when then Oldsmobile dealer and businessman, Don Mann agreed to serve as a sponsor of the award. Since that time, the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce has carried on the tradition of the award as the host sponsor and insured its strong continuation for the past two decades. Marian Jacobs, one of the first women owners of her own business; Marian Jacobs Advertising was the fourth local recipient of the ATHENA award. She fondly recalls her ATHENA experience in being recognized in 1989. “I was asked to attend a meeting with Don and to my surprise was presented as that years ATHENA honoree in the office of Don Mann. When I arrived, cameras flashed and a television crew followed me the rest of the day. At that time there was no formal luncheon held for the ATHENA recipient. Since that time, Marian advocated that future recepients should have a forum where colleagues, family and friends could equally celebrate and share in the award experience. As a result of her influence todays ATHENA award luncheon is a marquee, sell-out event proudly presented by the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and staff each November. CEO Douglass Wilhoit notes; “The Chamber’s longstanding hosting of the ATHENA Award is our way of recognizing women who have excelled in business and life but more importantly are guiding beacons to so many other women. The “ATHENAS” carry the torch to show ALL women in our community that they are greatly valued and are absolutely essential to help make this a better community, for businesses and residents alike, now and into the future.”
While the ATHENA program has strong local roots, the origins and creation of the award concept was established in 1982 in Lansing Michigan by Founder Martha Mayhood-Mertz, a local businesswoman. It was the initial intent of the award program to recognize and honor outstanding business and professional individuals for excellence in their chosen field, for providing valuable service to their community and for actively assisting women in their attainment of professional goals and leadership skills. Martha’s vision for the award was sparked when serving as the only woman on the Board of the Lansing Michigan Chamber of Commerce she was told by a fellow board member, that women in her community were not “leaders”. That comment created a call to action and motivated Martha to establish an award program that would herald the strength and wisdom of women. Using the Greek Goddess ATHENA as the theme, the award would annually recognize women within her community. The award was a way that women would be accepted and respected as leaders. “I think that women bring a different perspective to every aspect of the world, and our perspective is important and needed in these critical times”. Since that landmark comment from the Lansing Michigan board member 27 years ago, the ATHENA award program has grown in international proportions with programs in Russia, China, Unite Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, India and soon Kenya and Iceland and 500 cities across the United States. The ATHENA International headquarters, based in Chicago has awarded over 5,600 ATHENA awards around the globe all under the positive and successful premise of supporting, developing and honoring women leaders and creating balance in leadership worldwide.
On the local front, this year’s ATHENA program will recognize the 22nd recipient during their November 13th award luncheon hosted at the Stockton Golf and Country Club with the Founder, Ms. Mayhood-Mertz as its keynote speaker.
The theme of women as emerging leaders is not a new one. The rise of women into positions of leadership and influence is significant, and with a greater percentage of women serving on major corporations, serving as heads of state, and leading educational institutions and private and public business and industry-the options for women go far beyond what one thought possible only two short decades ago.
The ATHENA model as designed aspires to recognize and empower women in leadership roles and to enable others to follow their personal and professional dreams-women recognizing women is key. Within Stockton, the ATHENA award has honored women, who continue to share a sense of responsibity to support women in all aspect of their lives. As expressed by Judith Chambers, “I always have had wonderful women role models when I was growing up. I always said that if I was in a position to help other women I would do so by mentoring, coaching and listening.” Giving back to others seems to be an inherent characteristic of past recipients.
With the hopes of assisting others within the community and planting seeds for future generations of women leaders, several past ATHENA recipients began to meet routinely as a means of networking and sharing the “collective wisdom” of each other, and to support the luncheon format as a partner with the Chamber staff. What evolved was the creation of Team ATHENA.
Still in its infancy, the goal of this newly formed group of past ATHENAs is to raise the bar on future ATHENA events and to introduce in 2009, the Young Professional ATHENA award. Fondly called “Baby ATHENA”, the award will honor young professionals (ages 20-40) who are active in leadership positions and whose personal goals mirror the ATHENA tenets.
This "sisterhood” or “sorority” of past recipients has it sites set on equally establishing women’s leadership conferences, sponsoring scholarships to young women for education and initiating local mentoring programs within high schools.
Cyril Seligman, an award winner in 1987 views Team ATHENA as a means to grow and groom the next generation of women leaders. “We have a responsibility to advocate and support local women leaders within the community as mentors and advisors. The most memorable experience as an ATHENA is happening now as other ATHENA members are joining to create a "unique group" of accomplished women who can move forward in a united way to influence and guide other women.
Another critical goal of Team ATHENA is to focus on recognizing a higher percentage of women of color with the award and to promote the importance and significance of the award by expanding the pool of potential candidates. “This community has a limitless talent pool of women leaders, our depth of bench in terms of leadership is significant.” states Kristen Spracher-Birtwhistle, a 2002 recipient.” We need to showcase and share that leadership locally”.
Much has changed in Stocktons 21 year history of the program. Traveling back in time to 1986, when the program was inaugurated, Judith Chambers recalls that she was invited to a Chamber Dinner, was introduced, given the ATHENA award and not even invited to say anything. “Now, we have an entire luncheon for the recipients!” Today, ATHENA is an internationally recognized organization with programs honoring outreach to others and helping people think of the long term impact of this program, notes Ms. Mayhood-Mertz. Adding, “We should not limit that to women.” (The ATHENA award is open to men as well.)
The philosophy and wisdom of the ATHENA program is that there are no losers. One never, ever refers to an Athena recipient as a “winner”. Those who are recognized with the award are simply referred to as “recipients”. This simple distinction is the hallmark of Athena-where every woman who follows her dreams, who aspire to higher goals and who desires to make a difference in the world or simply within her own community is a already a winner.