For Immediate Release – October 10, 2025

Contact:
Brian Otten, Marketing Director
Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce
715-848-5947 | botten@wausauchamber.com

2025 ATHENA Leadership Award recipient announced at Chamber event

WAUSAU — The Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce announced the recipient of the 2025 ATHENA Leadership Award at a program held on Thursday, October 9 at The Grand Theater in downtown Wausau. Laura Strek, President of Imperial Industries, was named the recipient of the award at the first Excellence in Business Leadership Awards Night.

“I’m humbled to receive the ATHENA Award and thankful for the mentors, colleagues and team members who have shaped my journey,” said Strek. “This recognition is really a reflection of the people around me.”

The Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce celebrated 40 years of the ATHENA Award in 2025, making it one of the longest-running and most established ATHENA programs in the country. The ATHENA Leadership Award is presented to women or men in recognition of their professional excellence, community service and for actively assisting women in their attainment of professional excellence and leadership skills. The sponsor of the ATHENA Leadership Award for all 40 years of its existence in Wausau is O’Malley Cadillac Honda. 

The finalists for the 40th annual ATHENA Leadership Award also included:

• Stephanie Daniels
• Claire Meney
• Tammy Szekeress
• Sherri Waid

Interviews with several of this year's finalists can be found on the Chamber’s YouTube channel.

The event also honored the recipients of three other awards. Ryan Gallagher was honored with the G. Lane Ware Innovator Award sponsored by Ruder Ware LLSC, Dr. Kristine Gilmore received the inaugural James J. McIntyre Cornerstone Award sponsored by the Greenheck Group and Paul LaPree was named the first recipient of the Liz Tillisch Heart of the Chamber Award.

The Excellence in Business Leadership Awards Night was presented by Imperial Industries. The award sponsors are listed above. The platinum sponsors for the event were Ho-Chunk Gaming-Wittenberg, Marathon Cheese Corp, Nicolet National Bank and Northcentral Technical College, the gold sponsors were Jim Kryshak Jewelers, M3 Insurance, Strongbridge Wealth Advisors, The Alliance, Wausau Supply Company and Wausau Tile. The print media sponsor was The Business News and the television sponsor was WAOW/WYOW. The decor sponsor was Floral Magic Designs and Gifts LLC.

The Chamber’s next signature event will be held on Wednesday, January 21 as the Women’s Leadership Conference returns for its eleventh year. Registration for this event, which features high-impact speakers and a unique opportunity to build personal and professional networks, is now open on WausauChamber.com.

Caption ATHENA2025.jpg: Jeny Nieuwenhuis-Hardel, left, presented Laura Strek, right, with the 2025 ATHENA Leadership Award at the Excellence in Business Leadership Awards Night program held on Thursday, October 9 at The Grand Theater in Wausau.

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The Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce is the source for business information in the Wausau Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The organization has earned a 5-Star Accreditation, one of only two chambers in the state with that designation. The Chamber strengthens member businesses and enhances the region by building business success. For more information on the Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce, visit us online at www.wausauchamber.com or call 715-845-6231.