Greater Dallas Chamber's Athena® Award, presented by Chase

DALLAS, Texas (June 6, 2008) ... The Greater Dallas Chamber has extended its deadline for accepting ATHENA Award® nominations to June 16 – 5 PM. The ATHENA Award® is a national program that recognizes the accomplishments of a Dallas businesswoman. Nomination forms are located on www.dallaschamber.org.

The recipient will be honored at the 2008 Women's Business Conference luncheon on October 14, 2008. Attendance at last year’s Women’s Business Conference exceeded 2,000 attendees. The local ATHENA Award® program is sponsored by Chase.  

Greater Dallas Chamber Board Member Phyllis Farragut, president and CEO of Admiral Communications/AV, Inc. and chair for the 2008 ATHENA Award® commented, “This internationally recognized award is a way to shine a spotlight on a Dallas woman who has made the most of her professional success by encouraging others and giving back to our community." 

The ATHENA Award® is open to individuals who strive toward the highest levels of professional accomplishment, excel in their chosen field, devote time and energy to their community in a meaningful way and forge new paths encouraging others to follow.  Launched in 1982 through the Lansing, Michigan Chamber of Commerce, this program spotlights outstanding women in the community who espouse leadership opportunities for other professional women. 

Administered today through the non-profit ATHENA Foundation, more than 5,000 awards have been presented in over 500 communities in the United States, Canada, China, Russia, the United Arab Emirates and most recently the United Kingdom. By honoring exceptional leaders, the ATHENA Award® seeks to inspire others to achieve excellence in their professional and personal lives. 

Previous recipients include:

* 2007 – Wanda Brice, The Women’s Museum

* 2006 – Wendy Lopez, LOPEZGARCIAGROUP

* 2005 – Becky Sykes, Dallas Women’s Foundation

* 2004 – Camille Keith, Southwest Airlines (formerly)

* 2003 – Retta Miller, Jackson Walker L.L.P.

* 2002 – Valerie Freeman, Imprimis Group

* 2001 – Liz Minyard, Minyard Food Stores (formerly)

* 2000 – Grace McDermott, US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce

* 1999 – Brenda Jackson, TXU Electric Delivery

* 1998 – Gale Duff-Bloom, JCPenney Company, Inc. (formerly)

* 1997 – Norma Lea Beasley, SAFECO Texas

* 1996 – Jinger Heath, BeautiControl Cosmetics (formerly)

* 1995 – Tegwin Pulley, Texas Instruments 

Nomination forms are available at www.dallaschamber.org under the women's business initiative program.  Nominations are due Monday, June 16, 2008 by 5:00 p.m., Greater Dallas Chamber, Attn: Emily Morton, 700 N. Pearl Street, Suite 1200, Dallas, Texas 75201.  Please call 214-746-6776 or email emorton@dallaschamber.org for more information.

The Greater Dallas Chamber builds regional prosperity through economic growth and public policy, and unites the region's business community.