The 2017 Athena Award winners were announced Thursday by the Women’s Council, an affiliate of the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce.
The organization presented Nannette Nocon with the 31st annual ATHENA Award. Melisza Campos, Dale Carnegie vice president of operations, won the ATHENA Young Professional Award.
The ATHENA Award is given annually to a professional female leader who has demonstrated significant achievements in business, community service and the professional advancement of women.
Nocon, who is with Nocon and Associates Private Wealth Advisor, says this award really signifies the kind of philosophy she tries to live every day.
“I want to continue to support women in our community, and I just find that this is really an award of responsibility which I am happy to take on and to continue to help people out, women out, in furthering their careers and life in general," Nocon told WXXI News.
The Young Professional Award recognizes emerging leaders in the 30- to 45-year-old range who demonstrate excellence, creativity and initiative in their business or profession while also working to improve the quality of life of others in the community.
Campos says it's important for people like her to mentor other young women trying to succeed in business.
“Besides my mom I have had very few female mentors, I’ve had a lot of male mentors, and so that gave me a mandate to be a person of influence particularly for females."
Both Nocon and Campos are members of the WXXI & The Little Theatre Board of Trustees.
