2024 BEA Award Recipients

Description

The ATHENA Leadership Award Program celebrates the potential of all women as valued members and leaders of the community and recognizes those who support them. The ATHENA Leadership Award honors individuals who strive toward the highest levels of business and/or professional accomplishment, women and men who excel in their chosen field, have devoted time and energy to their community in a meaningful way, and who also open paths so that other women may follow. Non-profit leaders are not eligible for this award. *Please note this award is judged by the Athena Panel.

Eligibility Requirements

ATHENA Leadership Award® Recipients must meet each of these criteria:

• Demonstrate excellence, creativity, and initiative in their business or profession.
• Provide valuable service by devoting time and energy to improving the quality of life for others in the community.
• Assist women in reaching their full leadership potential.
• Nominees must approve and accept the nomination and accept due diligence by the judges. Due diligence MAY include an interview. 

Description

This Award recognizes an individual or organization that has demonstrated a significant commitment to positive business development despite global market trends. The recipient has in place definite and precise goals that will result in diversity of our region and will enhance the economic growth and satisfy both individual pursuit for advancement and the overall economic development of our community at large. *Please note this award is judged by the BEA Committee.

Description

The nominee will demonstrate how they improve company culture, promote growth and innovation in the workplace, and have a vital role in the ongoing success of a business. They should also exhibit how they are a role model for their peers, as well as the community.

Eligibility Requirements

• Nominees must be part of an active business in Windsor-Essex.
• Nominees are a member of the staff and not self-employed or an owner.
• Nominees must answer all questions listed.
• Nominees must approve and accept the nomination and submit to due diligence by the judges. Due diligence MAY include an interview.

Description

The nominee will demonstrate an outstanding contribution to their local economy and the entrepreneurial spirit within the last two years. Additionally, they will demonstrate growth in the way of innovation, sales, employment creation, and acceptance in the market.

Eligibility Requirements

• Nominees must own at least one venture in Windsor-Essex.
• Nominees must have at least ten years of related experience.
• Nominees must answer all questions listed.
• Nominees must approve and accept the nomination and submit to due diligence by the judges. Due diligence MAY include an interview.

Description

The nominee will be a young professional/entrepreneur who is ‘on the rise'. Nominees will be 35 years of age and under at the time of nomination and will demonstrate a proven commitment to our community through outstanding scholarship, achievements, and community involvement. The recipient must demonstrate innovative thinking, exemplary leadership qualities, commitment to making a difference, ability to engage and inspire others, and must act as a positive role model to his/her peers and colleagues. In addition, the nominee will demonstrate significant growth potential as a future leader in the Windsor-Essex community.

Eligibility Requirements

• Nominees must live in Windsor-Essex.
• Nominees must be 35 years of age or younger at time of nomination.
• Nominees must answer all questions listed.
• Nominees must approve and accept the nomination and submit to due diligence by the BEA Judges. Due diligence MAY include an interview.

Description

The nominee will be an individual professional, who is self-employed or employed in a company or organization. This person has demonstrated excellence in his or her field of business in the recent past and has demonstrated leadership and positively impacted the community. Examples include CEOs, lawyers, accountants, doctors, bankers, consultants, etc. *Please note: non-profit leaders are NOT eligible for this award.

Eligibility Requirements

• Nominees must be active professionals in Windsor-Essex.
• Nominees should occupy a profession or equivalent title.
• Nominees must answer all questions listed.
• Nominees must approve and accept the nomination and submit to due diligence by the BEA Judges. Due diligence MAY include an interview.

Description

The nominee will be a person or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to the social, cultural, or economic well-being of the Windsor-Essex area, or a registered not-for-profit/philanthropic organization. This nominee positively impacted the community and demonstrated best business practices. In addition, the mission/objective/goals of the organization reflect a community need that has a clearly defined strategic plan.

Eligibility Requirements

• Nominees must be active in Windsor-Essex.
• Nominees must answer all questions listed.
• Nominees must approve and accept the nomination and submit to due diligence by the BEA Judges. Due diligence may include an interview.

Description

The nominee will be a business that has demonstrated excellence in the areas of hospitality and tourism and has played a vital role in the growth of its sector. The business should demonstrate the critical success factors that have played a role in its success including employee relations, economic development/investment, business growth, and contributions to the community. This local business goes above and beyond providing extraordinary customer service and recognizes the importance of hospitality in the area as well as serving the community. Examples include wineries, restaurants, hotels, tourist attractions, golf courses, etc.

Eligibility Requirements

• Nominees must have an active business in Windsor-Essex.
• Nominees must answer all questions listed.
• Nominees must approve and accept the nomination and submit to due diligence by the judges. Due diligence MAY include an interview.

Description

The nominee will exemplify leadership and commitment to sustainable business practices and corporate social responsibility while achieving economic outcomes. They should demonstrate efficiency in reducing the environmental impact of their operations, leadership in establishing sustainability initiatives that have become linked to their brand/identity, and measurable accomplishments that demonstrate effective sustainable operations.

Eligibility Requirements

• Nominees must have an active business in Windsor-Essex.
• Nominees must answer all questions listed.
• Nominees must approve and accept the nomination and submit to due diligence by the judges. Due diligence MAY include an interview.

Description

The nominee will be a new business or an owner/manager of a business venture that is at least one year old but no more than five years old at the time of nomination who has made an outstanding contribution to their local economy, and the entrepreneurial spirit. Nominees will demonstrate company growth including sales, profitability, growth prospects, employment creation and acceptance in the market. In addition, they will show commitment to research and the development of technological advances in the company's industry sector.

Eligibility Requirements

• Nominees must have an active business in Windsor-Essex.
• Nominees must have commenced operations no earlier than one year and no later than five years at the time of nominations. 
• Nominees cannot be an expansion of an existing business, a name change, or a new location of an existing firm.
• Nominees must answer all questions listed.
• Nominees must approve and accept the nomination and submit to due diligence by the BEA Judges. Due diligence MAY include an interview and confidential financial analysis.

Description

The nominee must have an active business in Windsor-Essex with 25 or less full time employees at the time of nomination. The nominee will demonstrate their strategic goals and how they accomplished them. In addition, they will show success in company growth including sales, profitability, growth prospects, employment creation and acceptance in the market. They will also illustrate their commitment to research and the development of advances in the company's industry sector.

Eligibility Requirements

• Nominees must have an active business in Windsor-Essex.
• Nominees have 25 or less FTE employees at time of nomination. *Please note 3 part time employees = 1 full time employee.
• Nominees must answer all questions listed.
• Nominees must approve and accept the nomination and submit to due diligence by the judges. Due diligence MAY include an interview

Description

The nominee must have an active business in Windsor-Essex with 26 or more full time employees at the time of nomination. The nominee will demonstrate their strategic goals and how they accomplished them. In addition, they will show success in company growth including sales, profitability, growth prospects, employment creation and acceptance in the market. They will also illustrate their commitment to research and the development of advances in the company's industry sector.

Eligibility Requirements

• Nominees must have an active business in Windsor-Essex.
• Nominees must have 26 or more full time employees at the time of nomination. *Please note 3 part time employees = 1 full time employee.
• Nominees must answer all questions listed.
• Nominees must approve and accept the nomination and submit to due diligence by the BEA Judges. Due diligence MAY include an interview.