Athena Awards

Athena Award ATHENA AWARDS FINALISTS NAMED
Rochester Business Journal
November 14, 2008

The Women’s Council of the Rochester Business Alliance Inc. has selected 19 finalists for the 23rd annual Athena Award.

The recipient will be announced at a luncheon Jan. 22 at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center.

The Athena Award recognizes women of achievement for their professional excellence, community service and for actively and generously assisting women in their attainment of professional excellence and leadership skills.

Ruth Lawrence M.D., professor of pediatrics and medical director of the Ruth A. Lawrence Poison & Drug Information Center at the University of Rochester Medical Center, received the 2008 award.

The 2009 finalists come from varied backgrounds, including law, business, education and health area. They are:

Jo Anne Antonacci, deputy superintendent, Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES
Patricia Bomba M.D., vice president and medical director, geriatrics, Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield
Maggie Brooks, Monroe County Executive
Diane Cecero, general counsel, Monroe Community College
Margaret Clemens, partner, Nixon Peabody LLP
Donna Dedee, president and CEO, Bishop Kearney High School/A Golisano Education Partner
Holly Hillberg, chief technology officer and vice president, Carestream Health Inc.
Elaine McKenna, area vice president, Providium Human Resource Group
Kathy Palokoff, CEO, CUSTOMERicity LLC
Mary Piehler, vice president of sales, ServerWare Corp.
Barbara Rose, chair, natural science and mathematics division, Roberts Wesleyan College
Naomi Silver, chairman and chief operating officer, Rochester Community Baseball Inc.
Joan Stone, dean, College of Imaging Arts and Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology
Elaine Thibodeau, general manager, operations, Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics Inc.
Carol Tometsko, president and CEO, Litron Laboratories Ltd.
Liz Waidelich, senior vice president, human resources, Rochester Midland Corp.
Fran Weisberg, executive director, Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency
Suzanne Welch, retired director of worldwide total compensation and vice president, human resources, Eastman Kodak Co.
Heidi Zimmer-Meyer, president, Rochester Downtown Development Corp., and executive director, Downtown Special Services Inc.

The keynote speaker at the January event will be Monique Greenwood, author and former editor in chief of Essence magazine. Greenwood is co-founder and national president of the Go On Girl! Book Club, the largest African-American book club in the country, and also is an owner of two bed-and-breakfast inns.

The Rochester Business Journal is founding sponsor of the Athena Award program.