The KC Chamber presents awards throughout the year to individuals for promoting diversity and inclusion in their workplace and the community; for helping women leaders advance and reach their full potential; and for selflessly building a stronger regional community.
The ATHENA Award is presented annually by the KC Chamber. The award honors a person “who has achieved the highest level of professional excellence, devoted time and energy to the community, and, especially, opened the doors of leadership opportunity to women.” The award was created by the Lansing, Michigan, Chamber of Commerce in 1982. Since the program’s inception in 1982, more than 7,000 exemplary leaders in over 500 communities have received the prestigious ATHENA Award in the United States, Bermuda, Canada, China, Greece, India, Russia, United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom. The award was first presented locally by the KC Chamber in 2001.
The ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award is presented to emerging women leaders in the metro area, across professional sectors, for exemplary leadership. 2010 was the first year for the Young Professional Leadership distinction of ATHENA.
2024 ATHENA nominations have closed. If you have questions please contact Lindsay Jarquio at jarquio@kcchamber.com.
Highlights of the POWER of Diversity Breakfast include the presentation of ACE Awards to up-and-coming senior level managers who are advocating for expansion of their company’s D&I and/or supplier diversity efforts. The 2024 ACE Awards went to Anna Bazan-Munguia, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kansas City; Jenn Miller, Henderson Engineers; and Kelly Hass, Kansas City National Security Campus managed by Honeywell FM&T.
The Kansas Citian of the Year Award is the highest honor the KC Chamber can bestow. Presented at the Annual Dinner in November, the award is given “only to those persons whose civic contributions and achievements have reflected the insight, creativity and consciousness necessary to build and maintain a quality urban community.” The Kansas Citian of the Year Award is now recognized as the most significant honor bestowed upon a single individual by any organization in the metropolitan area.
The Centurions Leadership Award and Bernard Powell Award are presented at the Centurions Leadership Reception each spring. The Centurions Leadership Award is presented to a community leader who embodies the spirit of Centurions to learn, serve, and lead. The Bernard Powell Award was established in 1980 in memory of the award’s namesake, a renowned community activist in Kansas City. Winners of the award have been actively involved with the Centurions Alumni Association, worked on community projects that have positively impacted Greater Kansas City, and demonstrated extraordinary community leadership and action. In 2018, the Centurions Leadership Award was presented to Karen Daniel, retired CFO of Black & Veatch, and the Bernard Powell Award was presented to Mark Larrabee of Arvest Bank.
2023 – Marian McClellan
2022 – Dr. Marjorie Williams
2021 – Sherry Turner
2020 – Karen Daniel
2019 – Kathy Nelson
2018 – Anita Bajaj Newton
2017 – Carol Hallquist
2016 – Debby Ballard
2015 – Dianne Cleaver
2014 – Betsey Solberg
2013 – SuEllen Fried
2012 – Jan Kreamer
2011 – Mary Kay McPhee
2010 – Adele Hall
2009 – Mamie Hughes
2008 – Susan Stanton
2007 – Karen Pletz
2006 – Governor Kathleen Sebelius
2005 – Roshann Parris
2004 – Mayor Peggy Dunn
2003 – Julia Irene Kauffman
2002 – Anita Gorman
2001 – Beth Smith
2023 – Lauren Conaway
2022 – Pooja Shah
2021 – Michele L. Watley
2020 – Chelsea Laub
2019 – Caitlin O’Byrne Waters
2018 – Adrienne Haynes
2017 – Jessica Nelson
2016 – Chandra Clark
2015 – Sunita G. Lavin
2014 – Marshaun Butler
2013 – Susan Leonard, Ph.D.
2012 – Katie Dunn Fitzgerald
2011 – Mary Bosco Heinrich
2010 – Marie Farrel
2018 – Karen Daniel
2017 – Mark Donovan and Adrienne Haynes
2016 – Award not given
2015 – Joyce Hayhow
2014 – Steve Roling
2013 – Greg Graves
2012 – Thomas M. Bloch
2011 – Tom Van Dyke
2010 – David Oliver
2009 – Bernard Franklin
2008 – Lee Derrough
2007 – Shirley and Barnett Helzberg
2006 – Kay Barnes
2005 – Jeffrey W. Comment
2004 – Jim and Virginia Stowers
2003 – Carol Marinovich
2002 – Thomas A. McDonnell
2001 – Fernando Gaitan, Jr.
2000 – Henry W. Bloch
1999 – Buck O’Neil
1998 – Jack C. Craft
1997 – William Nelson
1996 – Dr. Samuel Rodgers
1995 – R. Crosby Kemper
William Dunn
Alvin L. Brooks
Anita Gorman
Adele Hall
Emanuel Cleaver II
Albert P. Mauro
H. Marshall Chaffield
2023 – Jennifer Ingraham
2022 – Karen Rogers
2021 – Award Not Given
2020 – Ora Reynolds
2019 – Dan Cranshaw
2018 – Mark Larrabee
2017 – Tami Greenberg
2016 – Laurie Roberts
2015 – Richard Wetzel
2014 – Award Not Given
2013 – Tyrone Flowers
2012 – Mike Burke
2011 – Greg Wolf
2010 – David Fowler
2009 – Richard Stilwell
2008 – Deth Im
2007 – Rick Kahle
2006 – Jonathan Cohn
2005 – Teresa Woody
2004 – Holly Swyden
2003 – Edward “Ned” O’Connor, Jr.
2002 – David A. Smith
2001 – Sean Miller
2000 – Mary Larson-Diaz
1999 – Dan Ryan
1998 – Brad Stratton
1997 – Larry Dietz, Ph.D.
1996 – Judith A. Krtek
1995 – Thomas Brill
1994 – Brock Rule
1993 – Sam Jordan
1992 – Susann Riffe
1991 – Jennifer Nicholson
1990 – Ron Malcolm
1989 – Scott Seitter
1988 – Reggie Giffin
1987 – Elizabeth Brown
1986 – Terry Christenberry
1985 – H.E. “Dan” Bunch
2023 – Charlie Shields
2022 – Bill Berkley
2021 – John Sherman
2020 – David Warm
2019 – Al Brooks
2018 – Kay Barnes
2017 – Dr. Roy Jensen
2016 – Don Hall, Jr.
2015 – Greg Graves
2014 – Leo Morton
2013 – Phil Kirk
2012 – James B. Nutter, Sr.
2011 – Robert D. Regnier
2010 – Tom Watson and Buck O’Neil
2009 – Jeannette Nichols
2008 – Beth Smith
2007 – Bill Hall
2006 – Drue Jennings
2005 – Carol Marinovich
2004 – Jim and Virginia Stowers
2003 – Tom McDonnell
2002 – Lucile Bluford
2001 – Shirley and Barnett Helzberg
2000 – Robert A. Kipp
1999 – Emanuel Cleaver II
1998 – Jerome Cohen
1997 – R. Crosby Kemper
1996 – Ollie W. Gates
1995 – Richard C. Green, Jr.
1994 – Richard L. Berkley
1993 – Lamar Hunt
1992 – Anita Gorman
1991 – David Stanley
1990 – Adele Hall
1989 – Jay B. Dillingham
1988 – Jack W. Steadman
1987 – Irvine O. Hockaday, Jr.
1986 – Ewing M. Kauffman
1985 – William N. Deramus III
1984 – Paul H. Henson
1983 – Rev. M.E. VanAckeren, S.J. and John H. Kreamer
1982 – William H. Dunn
1981 – Robert A. Long
1980 – Robert H. Gaynor
1979 – William P. Harsh
1978 – Henry W. Bloch
1977 – Charles E. Curry
1976 – Jerome A. Smith and Everett P. O’Neal
1975 – Morton I. Sosland
1974 – Dutton Brookfield
1973 – Charles N. Kimball
1972 – Donald J. Hall, Sr.
1971 – Bert Berkley
1970 – Ilus W. Davis
1969 – Miller Nichols
1968 – John A. Morgan
1967 – George E. Powell, Jr.
1966 – Elmer Pierson
1965 – Frank A. Theis
1964 – Arthur Mag and John B. Gage
1963 – J.C. Higdon
1962 – William N. Deramus, Sr.
1961 – Joyce C. Hall
1960 – Roy A. Roberts
Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce
30 West Pershing Road, Suite 301
Kansas City, MO 64108-2423
Membership in the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce aligns your company with the region’s largest and most influential Chamber and immediately strengthens your ability to succeed.
