WIBU Announces 2018 ATHENA and Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients

L-R: Ruth Chin, Krista Sides and WaTasha Barnes GriffinL-R: Ruth Chin, Krista Sides and WaTasha Barnes Griffin

By: Chrystal Pearson—

Muncie, IN—At its annual ATHENA Awards Luncheon, Muncie’s Women in Business Unlimited (WIBU) presented three ATHENA Leadership Awards and one WIBU Lifetime Achievement Award.

Ruth Chin was awarded the 2018 WIBU Lifetime Achievement Award.

The WIBU Lifetime Achievement Award honors a woman who has dedicated her life to be a leader and role model and is selected by the WIBU Board of Directors. In addition to a framed certificate, WIBU will award a scholarship in Chin’s name to a full-time, non-traditional female student enrolled in a local college/university.

The ATHENA Leadership Awards are nationally-recognized awards which WIBU has been pleased to present for twenty years. From a pool of eleven nominees, the ATHENA judges had the unenviable task of choosing the 2018 ATHENA Award Recipients.

WaTasha Barnes Griffin was awarded the 2018 ATHENA Leadership Award.

The ATHENA Award honors individuals who strive toward the highest levels of professional accomplishment, who excel in their chosen field, have devoted time and energy to their community in a meaningful way, and who open doors for women.

Krista Sides received the 2018 ATHENA Young Professional Award.

The ATHENA Young Professional Award is a natural extension of the ATHENA Leadership Award.  This award celebrates an emerging leader who demonstrates excellence.  They have already shown, in a short time in their chosen field, that they hold the ideals of the ATHENA and are a role model for young women personally and professionally.

The ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award is presented to an organization for supporting and developing women leaders.  This prestigious award actively supports ATHENA’s mission and recognizes a business or organization that creates a culture that encourages women employees or members to achieve their full leadership potential.  The business or organization gives back to the larger community of women and girls by providing and/or supporting leadership development opportunities and initiatives.

Ivy Tech Community College was recognized and received the ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award.

Recipients were announced during WIBU’s annual ATHENA Awards luncheon November 28that the Horizon Convention Center.

Award recipients were announced by the previous year’s recipients and in addition to the ATHENA statue, recipients also received a custom-made piece of jewelry by Muncie’s Pazols Jewelers.