Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce Issues Call for Applications for its 2027 ATHENA International Awards
ROCHESTER, NY (August 11, 2026) – Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce has issued a call for applications and nominations for its 2027 ATHENA International Awards in three categories: the ATHENA International Award, the ATHENA Young Professional Award, and the ATHENA Organizational Award. Nominations will remain open until October 30, 2026 and applications will remain open until November 13, 2026. Greater Rochester Chamber will announce the recipients at the 41st annual awards celebration on Thursday, February 4, 2027.
Nominations are accepted, but not required for organizations to apply, and will not factor into recipient selection process. Once the online nomination form is completed, an email will be sent to the individual notifying them of the nomination. In order for the nominee to continue with the process, they must fill out the application form by the deadline. Nominations are available on Greater Rochester Chamber’s website at the following link: https://my.greaterrochesterchamber.com/form/Fill/LmYWDTgL
The ATHENA International Award is given annually to a professional female leader who has demonstrated significant achievements in business, community service, and the professional advancement of women.
The ATHENA Young Professional Award recognizes emerging leaders in the 25 to 45-year-old range who demonstrate excellence, creativity, and initiative in their business or profession.
The ATHENA Organizational Award goes to a woman-owned or woman-led organization that creates a culture encouraging women employees to achieve their full leadership potential and supports leadership development opportunities for women and girls in the community.
The internationally-recognized ATHENA Award® Program was founded in 1982 in Lansing, Michigan by ATHENA International Founder Martha Mertz. The award was originally established to honor the achievements of exceptional women leaders and to inspire others to achieve excellence in their professional and business lives. It has been given out in Rochester annually since 1987.
Please visit our ATHENA International Awards webpage for more details on all of these awards. Sponsorships are also available for the award ceremony in February. For details, please see our 2027 Sponsorship Opportunities. For any additional questions, please contact Events Director Susan George at Susan.George@GreaterRochesterChamber.com.