NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR THE SIXTH ANNUAL WOMEN’S ATHENA AWARD

Rockville, MD (August 17, 2004) — Nominations are now open for the 2004 ATHENA Award, which, for the sixth year, will honor a woman business leader residing or working in Montgomery County, Maryland. Women who have demonstrated professional achievement and community service – or those who know of such individuals in Montgomery County – are encouraged to submit a nomination.

The winner will be honored at the eighth annual Women in Business Celebrate Success! gala luncheon and networking event sponsored by the Women Business Owners of Montgomery County, October 21 at Indian Spring Country Club in Silver Spring, Maryland.

The ATHENA Award Program was created by the East Lansing, Michigan Chamber of Commerce in 1982 to honor individual leaders and corporations that had opened doors of opportunity for women in the workplace. More than 2,600 individuals and companies throughout the country have received the award since the program’s inception. The ATHENA Award will be presented for the sixth time in the Washington, DC. metropolitan area. The 2003 recipient was Nancy Regelin, Esquire, of Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy & Ecker, P.A.

Nominations for the 2004 ATHENA Award will be reviewed by a selection panel of prominent women business leaders from Montgomery County. Nominations must be received by October 4, 2004. Nominations forms may be obtained from Rockville Economic Development, Inc. (REDI) at 95 Monroe Street, Rockville, MD 20850 or from its website at www.RockvilleREDI.org.

The ATHENA Award Program is sponsored by Women Business Owners of Montgomery County, Montgomery County Department of Economic Development, Rockville Chamber of Commerce, and REDI.
For additional information about the ATHENA Award, contact REDI at (301) 315-8096 or visit www.RockvilleREDI.org. For further information on Women Business Owners of Montgomery County, visit www.wbo-mc.com.

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The mission of Rockville Economic Development, Inc. (REDI) is to strengthen and broaden the economic base of Rockville. As part of that mission, REDI promotes Rockville as a great place to work and live; assists businesses looking to relocate or expand in Rockville; facilitates the site selection, permitting and licensing processes; serves as a liaison to the people and programs in other levels of government; and maintains and disseminates information on the community, workforce and economic climate of Rockville, where we are “Known for the Companies We Keep”.