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2024 ATHENA on the Lakeshore Award Recipients Named

SPRING LAKE, Mich. -- Shelby Bytwerk is known for her leadership in the corporate and nonprofit sectors.

Now, she's been honored for it. It was announced at an annual luncheon celebration on Oct. 8 that she had won the 2024 ATHENA on the Lakeshore Award. That was at the Trillium Catering & Event Center, 17246 Van Wagoner Rd. in Spring Lake.

Here are more details taken from a news release by the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce:

The ATHENA awards are presented annually to recognize outstanding lakeshore women who have demonstrated excellence in their business or profession, have provided valuable service by devoting time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in their community, assist women in reaching their full potential, and exhibit the spirit of regional collaboration.

Shelby Bytwerk ... has held several leadership roles at MillerKnoll. She is a critical figure in advancing women’s careers in manufacturing through her work with the Women’s Equity Group and Inforum’s ManufacturingNEXT steering committee. Through her leadership, she has mentored over 80 women across 20 manufacturing companies in West Michigan. Shelby is also dedicated to community service, serving as a board member for the Grand Haven Chamber of Commerce and balancing her career and contributions with family life as a mother of three.

The ATHENA on the Lakeshore program also recognizes a Young Professional Recipient each year. Dr. Jessica Lambert, dentist at Great Lakes Dental Excellence, was recognized as the 2024 ATHENA on the Lakeshore Young Professional Award Recipient. Dr. Lambert is a leader in oral health advocacy, reinstating the Muskegon County Oral Health Coalition and providing extensive community outreach, including free dental care through Volunteer for Dental. Her efforts to improve oral health and her advocacy for women’s rights highlight her commitment to community and professional service.

This year’s keynote speaker was Dr. Elaine Melotti Schmidt, co-founder of The Bennett Prize for Women Figurative Realists and co-curator of The Bennett Collection. In her speech, Dr. Schmidt spoke about three women painters from the Bennett Collection who through their work as artists have demonstrated the importance of being a woman leader whom others look up to, even when they themselves may not have realized it. Dr. Schmidt’s work and philanthropy have significantly impacted the art world. She and her husband, Steven Alan Bennett, are major donors to the Muskegon Museum of Art, which will open its new wing, the Bennett Schmidt Pavilion, in 2025.

The recipients are chosen by a committee of representatives from the participating Chambers and community business leaders. Six finalists and eight young professional finalists were recognized at the luncheon, which 300 regional community and business leaders attended.

 

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Shelby Bytwerk (left) and Dr. Jessica Lambert.Photo: Photo by Dennis Threadgill from Promotional Communications Network,

Keynote Speaker Dr. Elaine Melotti SchmidtPhoto: Photo by Dennis Threadgill from Promotional Communications Network


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