Nautilus Awards
Posted June 2006
This fall the Chamber will establish a new series of awards celebrating the strength, leadership and courage that characterizes women who succeed in the businessworld.
The Chattanooga Nautilus Awards will be presented, along with the ATHENA Award, on October 25 in ceremonies in the Chattanoogan Hotel Ballroom.
"The purpose of the Chattanooga Nautilus Awards is to promote leadership at all levels by people and organizations in the community and workplace as a means of increasing opportunity for women of all ages," said Kristi Haulsee, Chamber vice president of member/investor services.
The name of the awards derives from the chambered nautilus, the sea snail that forms chambers as it grows, developing as it builds new, larger chambers and seals off the old.
"Oliver Wendell Holmes, who wrote the celebrated Chambered Nautilus poem, saw the growth of the mollusk and its spiral shell as representation of the intellectual growth of humans," Haulsee says. "The nautilus shell seems an appropriate symbol for the strength, leadership and courage that women must demonstrate for success in the businessplace."
Developed by Chamber staff and volunteers, the Nautilus Awards include the Corporate Compass, Navigator of Entrepreneurship, the Lightkeeper and the Pearl of Promise. Nominations for all awards, including the ATHENA Award, are being accepted by the Chamber.
The Corporate Compass Award will be resented to a business or organization that assists women in achieving personal and career goals and in developing leadership skills. The Navigator for Entrepreneurship will be presented to a woman business owner who encourages work-life balance among employees, demonstrates a pioneering spirit of entrepreneurship and serves as a role model for other women.
The Lightkeeper Award will honor an individual who has made significant contributions to issues affecting women and/or girls through grassroots efforts. The Pearl of Promise will be awarded to a high school co-ed with a strong aptitude in math and science and a career interest in a typically male-dominated field.
The ATHENA Award, presented by the Chamberfor the past seven years, goes to an individual for encouraging women to realize their leadership potential, for a successful career and for community service.
Nominations for these awards may be made by visiting www.chattanoogachamber.com or calling 423-763-4366 for more information.
