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T he Chattanooga Area Chamber partnered with the Chattanooga Times Free Press to present the Chattanooga Nautilus Awards Luncheon.
The event recognizes outstanding local businesswomen and businesses and individuals that assist women in reaching their potential as entrepreneurs and corporate leaders.
The 2010 Nautilus Award recipients are Sheila Boyington, ATHENA; Eileen Mason, Navigator of Entrepreneurship; Jennifer Harper, Lightkeeper; Kris Boucher, Stargazer; and Joanna Grace Shaw, Pearl of Promise.
The ATHENA Award recognizes an individual’s professional achievements, community service, and efforts to help women obtain career goals and leadership skills.
Sheila Boyington is president of Thinking Media, creator of the KeyTrain curriculum for WorkKeys® and workforce skills. Over the past 10 years the company has provided skills gap training nationwide to more than two million people.
Boyington has been a role model and mentor for women inside and outside of Thinking Media. She encourages women to achieve a successful career and family balance, and she counsels women new to this country on how to integrate into American society and the business world.
The Navigator of Entrepreneurship Award salutes a woman business owner who demonstrates a pioneering spirit of entrepreneurship and serves as a role model.
Eileen Mason is co-owner of Chattz Coffee and the Chattanooga Coffee Company. Mason and her business partner, Evelyn Wheeler, worked long hours marketing and manning their Market Street coffee shop, Chattz, until it grew and could sustain a support staff. They have now opened a Roasting Studio and Espresso Bar on Broad Street. Mason is committed to investing in the skills and growth of employees not only for her own business operation, but for the future of the employee, and as a contribution to the community’s vibrant workforce.
The Lightkeeper is an individual who has made significant contributions to issues affecting women and/or girls through grassroots efforts.
Lightkeeper Jennifer Harper is a client advisor for SunTrust Private Wealth Management. With a grant from the Avon Foundation, she developed Common Cents, a financial literacy program she has used through volunteer work with girls and women. Harper’s training educates her “students” in basic budget planning, setting financial priorities and understanding credit and empowers them to take control of their financial future and become more independent.
The Stargazer Award provides a $2,500 scholarship to a non-traditional college student who intends to advance her career by furthering her education.
Stargazer Kris Boucher is studying at Chattanooga State Technical Community College in preparation for a career as a substance abuse counselor. At 42, she is in the process of bouncing back from the loss of her job of 17 years, and she looks forward to a new career which will serve the community.
The Pearl of Promise honors a female high school student with strong mathematics and science skills, a defined career goal and leadership abilities. The recipient receives a $2,500 scholarship.
Pearl of Promise Joanna Grace Shaw is a rising senior at Ooltewah High School with a GPA of 3.952. Shaw, who excels in science, math and art, plans a career in the field of neuroscience. She is the daughter of Jim and Rebecca Shaw.
[Trend talked to 2010 ATHENA Award recipient Sheila Boyington about her experiences as a businesswoman.]
Trend: Athena was the goddess of wisdom and war. Does it take both a wise and combative nature for a woman to succeed in business?
Boyington: I think the wisdom component is the part that should prevail in gaining success. The most combative sentiments I have are mostly directed at myself and challenging myself to excel. There are also many other things that are related to success, including a strong work ethic and a kind heart.
Trend: What was the biggest challenge you faced as a business founder and owner?
Boyington: The biggest challenge I faced as the business founder and the one we still face today is staying in front of the market and making sure you have a product that not only meets the needs of your clients but that stays ahead of their needs. Hiring the right people is also a critical component of success.
I have been fortunate that years of volunteer and community involvement introduced me to some of the best people in Chattanooga. I have some of the most dedicated and talented people around. Treating them like family helps to keep them connected to us.
Trend: How do you encourage your female employees to reach their potential?
Boyington: One way I encourage all employees is to spend time discovering their strengths and then providing them opportunities in these areas so they are successful. Supporting their involvement with their family activities helps them feel successful in all areas of life.
Trend: What is your most rewarding community service activity and why?
Boyington: My participation on the GPS and Girls Inc. boards. The service allows me to encourage girls to follow technical career paths. That is my real passion!
Trend: Who were your primary mentors and how did they nurture you?
Boyington: I have chosen to learn from all the people surrounding me rather than latching onto one specific mentor. I have taken inspiration from my parents and my two daughters. My husband Dane has been both a mentor and a strong partner.
Trend: What is the greatest obstruction to the rise of women in the workplace? And what can be done to do away with that barrier?
Boyington: Gaining top positions remains an issue for women. Many employers claim it’s because young women stay on the job for a few years and then leave to have a family.
Let’s look at this from another angle. Perhaps if women were offered a sufficient amount of maternity leave, salaries equivalent to those of men doing the same work, adequate childcare, and the possibility of corporate advancement, they would continue to work and to achieve their full potential.
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