Salem attorney is 2010 Athena Award winner

By GRACE WYLER

gwyler@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

The 2010 Athena Awards Dinner lauded the accomplishments of 29 Mahoning Valley professional women for their career successes and commitment to the community, even in the face of the worst economic climate since the Great Depression.

Shawna L’Italien, an attorney with the law firm Harrington, Hoppe & Mitchell, was honored with this year’s Athena award at a dinner event Thursday night attended by more than 750 at Mr. Anthony’s.

L’Italien, one of only two female lawyers at the firm, was chosen for the award in part because of her rapid rise to success, said award presenter Betty Jo Licata, dean of the Willamson College of Business Administration at Youngstown State University.

L’Italien, who works in the firm’s Salem office, attained member status in the firm in only six years.

In her acceptance speech, L’Italien emphasized the importance of achieving balance between one’s career and personal goals — often a challenge for professional women. 

“Find balance – that is not always easy to do,” L’Italien said. “When you find that balance, that equals happiness.”

L’Italien said her decision to return to the Mahoning Valley to work for Harrington, Hoppe & Mitchell has largely contributed to success in her career and in her personal life.

The firm has allowed her to spend time with her family and also be involved in the Salem community, she said.

“I have been able to balance all the many things that we have to balance in our lives,” L’Italien said.

The keynote speaker for the event, Patricia Miller, co-founder and co-president of Vera Bradley, also focused on developing personal and professional relationships.

Miller recounted how she formed the women’s luggage and handbag company with friend Barbara Bradley Baekgaard n 1982, after the pair realized there was a lack of feminine-looking luggage.

The business partners were fortunate to encounter many people who have contributed to the company’s success, Miller said.

“You don’t have to compromise on who you do business with,” Miller told the audience. “Do business with people that you respect and who are talented.”

The company has grown from a basement operation with a $500 budget to an international retail business with 1,000 employees and 3,400 customers, she said. Eighty-five percent of Vera Bradley’s employees are women, she noted.

Vera Bradley has invested in fostering an innovative and nurturing work environment, she said. The company offers yoga classes, hosts an annual baby shower and even has a “Happy Committee” that plans social events.

“We want to be the best company to work for in the United States,” Miller said.

Bradley, who left the company in 2005 to serve as Indiana’s first Secretary of Commerce, also emphasized the importance of professional women’s involvement in community and public service.

“If we want this country to remain strong, we need to be a part of it,” she said.

The fourth annual Athena Scholarship – a $1,500 scholarship given to a Mahoning Valley student attending YSU or a local Kent State University campus – was also awarded at Thursday’s event. The recipient is Lyndsie Hall, a junior at YSU majoring in middle childhood education.

The Athena Award, which is sponsored by the Regional Chamber of Commerce and The Vindicator/Vindy.com, is awarded for professional accomplishments, community leadership and mentoring.