Meet the Honorees of the 2017 ATHENA Awards Celebration
Once upon a time, women weren’t accepted in the workplace, let alone in the boardroom. Today, after years of fiercely fighting for equality, women are challenging, re-inventing, and innovating businesses and their communities – and are a strong force for economic change
On September 14, 2017, the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce awarded the prestigious ATHENA Leadership Award to Joan Budden and the ATHENA Young Professional Award to Shannon Cohen. Over 600 people attended the celebration held at the J.W. Marriott Hotel’s International Ballroom.
The Grand Rapids Chamber is proud to be one of the early adopters of ATHENA to engage and honor women leaders through programs like the ATHENA Awards, the ATHENA Scholarships, and the ATHENA Leadership Forum.
We consider it a great honor to recognize some of these exceptional women every year at the ATHENA Awards Celebration. Despite the extra challenges of being a woman in the labor force, these particular women were able to achieve professional success, while giving back to the West Michigan community, and being a mentor and role model to others
The prestigious ATHENA Leadership Award honors an individual who has demonstrated leadership in their professional field, mentored and opened doors of opportunities for women and contributed time and talent to the community
The ATHENA Young Professional Award recognizes an emerging leader for their contributions to the community, professional excellence, and commitment to serve as a personal and professional role model to young women.
Below are the 2017 honorees:
ATHENA LEADERSHIP AWARD RECIPIENT
Joan Budden
President & CEO, Priority Health
Joan Budden, President & CEO of Priority Health, has been described as a “chess player in a world of checkers players” by Robert Roth, President/CEO of Roman Manufacturing. Budden has made it her mission to combat the issue of affordability in the healthcare industry. As a leader, she is often recognized for her positive and engaging presence, as well as her spirit of authenticity. “Joan always shows up as her best self, but it’s her authentic self,” said Kathleen Stewart Ponitz, Founder of Stewart Ponitz Group.
“You see other leaders and you say, ‘Oh, my gosh, they’re wonderful! I want to be just like them.’ But you can’t, because you’re a different person. You grew up different, you had different experiences. You can admire other people but you have to have a good self-awareness in order to be a good leader,” said Joan.
Beyond her professional success, Joan is also a Board Chairperson of Michigan Women’s Foundation, Board Member of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, and Vice Chairperson for our very own Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce (and many more!)
Surprising Fact: Joan’s guilty pleasure is milk chocolate. She also enjoys sweating in hot yoga.
ATHENA YOUNG PROFESSIONAL AWARD RECIPIENT
Shannon Cohen
Founder/Principal/CEO, Shannon Cohen, Inc.
“You think coming to an awards space like this that it would be competitive, but this is a space of sisterhood and I’m very thankful for that intentionality,” said Shannon Cohen (Founder/CEO/Principal of Shannon Cohen, Inc.) upon receiving the award. “[When I heard about] all the women who are finalists, I said, ‘Gosh, this is hard! They all slay!’”
As creator of Tough Skin, Soft Heart, a leadership-wellness movement designed to support the emotional health of difference-makers, Shannon has found an impactful way to teach others the value of self-care. Shannon is also co-founder of Sisters Who Lead, an affinity space for women of color in West Michigan.
Surprising Fact: As a child, Shannon was selected to represent her class during a visit by former Vice President Dan Quayle. When asked what she wanted to do when she grew up, she said: “work the slush machine at Kmart.” There was a woman who worked as a cashier at the Kmart in her Detroit neighborhood and she was “the kindest woman ever!”
In addition, five $1,000 ATHENA scholarship recipients were awarded from the stage. The ATHENA scholarship goes to women aged 30 or older working to complete a degree program at an accredited college or university.
All in all, the 2017 ATHENA Awards Celebration was a victory for women leaders and professionals everywhere.