ATHENA Award

It is with great pleasure that the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce announces the selection of Hedy Holmes as its 2003 ATHENA Award recipient. Owner of Hedy Holmes Staffing Services, a personnel agency, Hedy is being recognized for her professional accomplishments, community service and her role in helping other women in the community attain success. This prestigious award honors outstanding professional women who encourage an environment where providing assistance, inspiration and mentoring to women is uniquely valued.

Hedy began her business in 1979, and has successfully nurtured its growth into an agency recognized by INC. Magazine as one of their 500 fastest growing privately held companies for two years in a row. Her three offices secure employment for hundreds of individuals on a daily basis, ranging from entry level industrial laborers to executive administrators and accountants. She developed her staffing business into the largest woman, minority-owned business in San Joaquin County, and has numerous times been awarded “The Record’s Best” employment agency in our area.

Hedy is very much involved in community service. She is a long standing supporter of the Transitional Learning Center for homeless children as well as the American Cancer Society. Through thick and thin, Hedy has contributed generously of herself to these and many other organizations, including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the AIDS Research Institute of the University of California, San Francisco. She also inspires her staff to get involved in community affairs, and supports their participation in a variety of events. Sara Garfield, Director of the Transitional Learning Center, is one among many of Hedy’s fans. “Hedy’s dedication and support of the homeless children has been unparalleled and immeasurable,” said Garfield. “Hedy’s business accomplishments are well known in our community; however her generosity always goes unnoticed. She has supported many organizations both financially and through participation at events, with no expectation of recognition or praise.”

The ATHENA Award will be presented to Hedy at the annual ATHENA Luncheon on November 12, 11:30 AM, at Stockton Golf & Country Club.

Past ATHENA honorees include Judith Chambers, Cyril Seligman, Susan Carson, Marian Jacobs, Karen Munro, Iva Harris, Janice Marengo, Bobbie Fasano, Kathleen Janssen, Kathryn Rousek, Jeanette Michaels, Judith Buethe, Ann Johnston, Connemara Reisinger, Charlynn Harless and Kristen Spracher Birtwhistle.

This year’s ATHENA keynote speaker is Ruth Blank, Regional Senior Vice President for Comcast Central California. She began her cable television career at Big Valley Cablevision in Stockton, California as Marketing Manager in 1979. In 1990, she moved to Sacramento, taking a job with Sacramento Cable (Scripps Howard) as Marketing Director. When Comcast bought the Scripps Howard cable systems, Ruth was promoted to Vice President/General Manager of Sacramento. In 2000, Comcast sold the Sacramento system to AT&T Broadband and Ruth moved to the New Jersey suburbs of Philadelphia to become Area Vice President for Comcast in South Jersey, overseeing the operations of ten cable television systems.

In 2002, Comcast bought AT&T Broadband and Ruth moved back to California, taking over the Central California region, which covers Chico to Visalia. In this role, she is responsible for operations covering almost 800,000 customers and 2,300 employees.

Ruth is on the boards of KVIE, American Leadership Forum, and California Cable Television Association. Her daughter, Emily Best, is working and studying in Spain. Her husband, Chris Spanos, is a retired chef, cooking fabulous meals at home.

Tickets for this high profile event are $25 until November 7, and $30 thereafter, and are available by calling Renna Beinoris at 547-2764 or e-mailing to renna@stocktonchamber.org.

A Project of the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce
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