YWCA ACADEMY FOR WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT NAMES 2012 HONOREES

Six Nashville women were announced as inductees into the 2012 Academy for Women of Achievement Thursday, June 28. These women will be honored at the 21st annual Academy for Women of Achievement celebration and induction dinner, presented by the YWCA of Nashville & Middle Tennessee and First Tennessee, on Tuesday, Oct. 30.

The 2012 honorees are: Kathy Cloninger, chief executive officer emeritus, Girl Scouts of the USA; Laurie Gold Eskind, community volunteer; Stacey A. Garrett, chair of board of directors of Bone McAllester Norton PLLC and vice president of online and professional studies at Cumberland University; Renata Soto, co-founder and executive director, Conexión Américas; Mary Stumb, community volunteer; and Julie Wilson Walker, owner, The Bridge Lady.

Skanska USA has been selected as the 2012 corporate honoree. Corporate honorees are chosen based on their commitment to helping women enter the workforce and advance in their careers, and for providing a positive work environment for female employees.

“We are proud to recognize these six individuals and our corporate honoree by celebrating their outstanding contributions to the Middle Tennessee community,” said AWA co-chair Mary Lee Bartlett. “These women are accomplished in many fields and are living testaments to how we can all serve our communities,” explained event co-chair Grace Awh.

The Academy for Women of Achievement was launched locally in 1992 by the YWCA of Nashville & Middle Tennessee. The Academy honors women who, through excellence and leadership in their chosen fields, serve as role models for other women. This year’s recipients join 118 other women who hold this distinctive honor. 

The Academy judging committee, composed of business and community leaders, chose the honorees from an exceptional list of nominees.

“First Tennessee is privileged to serve as the AWA title sponsor for the seventh consecutive year,” said Doyle Rippee, Middle Tennessee market president for First Tennessee. “We are thrilled to welcome this group of accomplished women into the Academy.”

The YWCA helps families leave abusive households and start new lives. It provides free GED preparation to men and women, and mentors middle school girls in some of Nashville’s toughest neighborhoods. The YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.

The awards celebration will be held Tuesday, Oct. 30, at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel. Tickets are $175 per person ($105 tax-deductible), and tables are available for $1,750. Tickets and tables can be purchased before Oct. 29 by calling (615) 983-5110. For more information about the YWCA Academy for Women of Achievement, please visit www.ywcanashville.com.

Editor’s note: For high-resolution photos of the honorees, please email a request to Lacey Purcell at lpurcell@mpf.com.