Janis Buhl-Macy is the recipient of the 2018 ATHENA Leadership Award® for Wayne County and the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award winner is Jessie Pilewski.

Buhl-Macy and Pilewski were presented with the awards during the ATHENA celebration dinner held June 21 at Forest Hills Country Club in Richmond. The event recognizes women leaders who motivate, inspire and create positive change in the community.

Wayne Bank and IU East partnered for the fifth year to bring the ATHENA Leadership Award® to Wayne County.

The ATHENA Leadership Award® is presented to an exemplary leader who has achieved excellence in their business or profession, served the community in a meaningful way and, most importantly, actively assisted women to achieve their full leadership potential. The event recognizes women leaders who motivate, inspire and create positive change in the community. Previous award recipients include Mary Jo Clark, Jackie Carberry, Kim Poinsett and Angie Dickman.

Janice Buhl-Macy

Buhl-Macy, of Cambridge City, Indiana, is the founder and owner of the Western Wayne News and Nettle Creek Gazette. She retired as the publisher in August 2017. Before establishing the newspaper, Buhl-Macy helped to establish the Milton Lions Club. She has also worked for GTE and owned and operated the former Fireside Restaurant.

Within the community, Buhl-Macy has been active in the community through the Wayne Chamber of Commerce, served on the committee for the Greens Fork Alumni and as a board member for the Wayne County Convention and Tourism Bureau, the Town of Cambridge City and the Cambridge City Chamber of Commerce. She has been a mentor at Western Wayne Elementary School, sponsored ball teams and served as lay leader in her church.

Buhl-Macy is married to Duane Macy, and has three children, as well as several grandchildren and an abundance of great-grandchildren.

The three finalists for this year’s ATHENA Leadership Award® included Buhl-Macy; Susan Isaacs of Richmond, Indiana, is a trustee for Wayne Township, co-founder and a board member of Sprout of Control, and founder and director of the Grassroots Action Resource Center; and Amanda Marquis of Richmond, Indiana, is the executive director of The Leland Legacy.

The ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award actively supports and celebrates the ATHENA mission of supporting, developing and honoring women leaders, inspiring women to achieve their full potential – creating balance in leadership worldwide. ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Nominees are 18-35 years of age. Nominees are emerging women leaders who demonstrate excellence, creativity and initiative in their business or profession; provide valuable service to improve the quality of life for others in their community; and clearly serve as a role model for young women both personally and professionally. This was the first year to recognize an awardee in Wayne County.

Jessie Pilewski

Pilewski of Richmond, Indiana, is a career coach for the Earlham College Center for Career and Community Engagement. Her work with first-generation and underrepresented students has led her to become a mentor and role model for many of these students. Previously, she worked with WorkOne in Randolph County as a youth services advisor.

The three finalists for the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award this year were Pilewski; Roxie Deer of Richmond, Indiana, director of programs and events for the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce; and Brittany Irvine of Richmond, Indiana, director of the Indiana Cuddle Cot Campaign and practice manager for Runnels Chiropractic.

Local sponsorship is provided by Wayne Bank and Indiana University East. Event proceeds will equally benefit the Women’s Fund of Wayne County and Girls, Inc.