JASPER ROTARY ANNOUNCES 2018 ATHENA AWARD® FINALISTS

From Local Sources

JASPER, IN – The Rotary Club of Jasper, hosting its seventh annual ATHENA International Leadership Award® presentation in Dubois County, has announced this year’s five finalists. They are Kim Lottes, Kim Messmer, Marie Patton, Beth Seidl, and Sandy Smith. The event will be held at the Huntingburg Event Center on Thursday, August 16, 2018, beginning at 6:00 p.m. with Susan Elkington, a Huntingburg resident who is the newly named Toyota – Georgetown, Kentucky, plant president and one of only three women who will oversee a Toyota production plant in the U.S., as the keynote speaker. The dinner will begin at 6:30 pm.

Founded in 1982 by Martha Mayhood Mertz, ATHENA® International is a non-profit organization that seeks to support, develop, and honor women leaders.  The program inspires women to reach their full potentials and strives to create balance in leadership worldwide. Supporting, honoring, and developing women leaders are the foundations of the ATHENA Leadership Model which identifies eight distinct attributes that are reflective of women’s contributions to leadership: Authentic Self, Relationships, Giving Back, Collaboration, Courageous Acts, Learning, Fierce Advocacy, and Celebration & Joy. These personal traits combined with the strongest aspects of traditional leadership—taking risks, assertiveness, and hard work—prepare women to be successful leaders in the 21st Century. These five women are recognized for demonstrating these characteristics in their lives.

What Mertz conceived more than a quarter-century ago is now a global movement. Since the program’s inception, more than 7,000 awards have been presented in over 500 communities in eight countries. In a recent ATHENA International Leadership Conference, Martha noted: "Think about Rosa Parks, who from the authenticity of her core, refused once again, to go to the back of the bus. Consider Mother Theresa who expressed her leadership by the touch of her hand, by the healing of her voice, by the power of her presence—always giving hope. These are but two examples, albeit great examples, of women’s ways of leading that have changed the world.” The Rotary Club of Jasper decided that honoring a local woman leader would be a perfect fit with the ATHENA® Mission of “…supporting, developing, and honoring women leaders while inspiring women to achieve their full potentials while creating balance in leadership worldwide!”

German American, Kimball Electronics, MasterBrand Cabinets, Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center, and Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana are platinum sponsors of this event. Circle “A” Food Mart is a gold sponsor. Matrix Integration, Jasper Group, Freedom Bank, and SERVUS are silver sponsors. Best Home Furnishings, Buechlein & Associates CPAs, Indiana Furniture, Jasper Engines & Transmissions, and Smithville Fiber are bronze sponsors. Sponsorships are still available by calling Dan Collignon at 812-631-2869. The Rotary Club of Jasper is coordinating the entire event.

Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all locations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.In more than 162 countries worldwide,

approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belong to more than 35,000 rotary clubs.These groups meet weekly and are nonpolitical, nonreligious, and open to all cultures, races, and creeds.The main objective of Rotary is service - in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world.