News

Tamara Vogler is 2011 ATHENA Award Winner

Contact:
Jessica M.L. Thompson, Marketing & Communications Director
270-781-3200; jessica@bgchamber.com

BOWLING GREEN, KY-The Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce named Tamara Vogler, BB&T vice president and certified center lender, as the 2011 ATHENA Award winner today. Vogler was recognized as the award winner during a news conference today at the Martin Dodge Jeep Chrysler Showroom. Martin Management Group sponsors the ATHENA Award.

Vogler is the 26th recipient of this award given by the Chamber and Martin Management Group. She will be formally honored during the ATHENA Luncheon on November 10, 2011 at Sloan Convention Center. Tickets may be purchased online at www.bgchamber.com.

Rodney Rogers, Chamber Board of Directors chairman, applauded Vogler's win. "Tamara represents the ATHENA spirit in her professional and personal life. She is an incredible volunteer and a loyal, proud member of this community. We are excited to honor her with the ATHENA Award."

"Martin Autoplex is proud to sponsor the prestigious ATHENA award in partnership with the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce. For over two decades our organization has had the privilege of honoring outstanding leaders who help women achieve success in business and the community. Tamara embodies what the ATHENA Award stands for, and we are excited to recognize her work with this award," said Amber Martin.

The Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, with the generous support of Martin Management Group, has honored local businesspeople for contributing to the advancement of women in the workplace by presenting a well-deserving business leader with the ATHENA Award for the past 26 years. The prestigious ATHENA Award celebrates positive role models in the business world-more than 3,000 women and men to date-on local, state, national and international levels. The ATHENA Foundation is dedicated to recognizing individual leaders that have opened doors of opportunity for women in the workplace and beyond.

Vogler has been a member of the BB&T team for more than 25 years where she has held the positions of manager of loan operations, manager of collections, area operations officer, and currently vice president and certified lender. Her responsibilities at BB&T include managing the production and profitability of BB&T's Bowling Green main office located on Scottsville Road. She strives to create a pleasant environment for the employees there, as well as for customers and prospective clients. She takes great pride in helping her clients achieve economic satisfaction and financial success. Working with other BB&T locations in the surrounding area, she aims to provide the exceptional service that their customers and clients expect and deserve.

In 2007, Vogler was recognized by BB&T for being the Top Financial Center Leader in the Western Kentucky Region. The bank she manages was later awarded second place for balance performance and profitability in the Western Kentucky Region in 2010.

Vogler received an associate's degree in secretarial administration from Paducah Community College, but her education did not stop there. She went on obtain a general banking diploma in 1992 from the American Bankers Association and was later awarded a management certification by WKU's Kentucky Bank Management Institute. After joining BB&T, she was recognized as a BB&T Certified Financial Center Leader and a BB&T Sterling Performer for the Western Kentucky region, both in 2007. Her commitment to education goes hand-in-hand with her dedication to succeed and thrive in the community.

Her dedication to the people of South Central Kentucky reaches beyond her career at BB&T. She has been actively involved with the United Way for more than five years, where her services have included working with the Allocations process, chairing a team, and later serving as the chairperson of the Allocations committee. While chairing the Allocations committee, Vogler worked with other United Way agencies to evaluate their program funding needs and to ensure the proper dispersion of funds. After serving more than three years for the general Board of Directors, she currently serves as the chairperson of the United Way Executive Board of Directors for 2011.

As an Ambassador of the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, Vogler represents the organization at events, including ribbon cuttings/groundbreakings, Coffee Hours and Business After Hours. She makes regular contact with Chamber partners to ensure they are receiving their desired value from the Chamber.

Vogler has clearly expressed the spirit of the ATHENA Award within her community for many years. As a four-year member of the American Business Women's Association, she has served as chairman for several fundraising committees as well as president and other office positions. She is a past member of the Bowling Green Junior Women's club and a current member of the Bowling Green Warren County Networking Women's organization where she was appointed chair elect for 2012. Her efforts with the organization include chairing the Winners Choice fundraiser which raises funds for future scholarships for professional women.

The other nominees for the 2011 ATHENA Award were

• Felicia Bland, Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana, Inc.
• Shannon Hunt, Spa Fabulous 
• Cheri Natcher, Southern Foods, Inc. 
• Monica Wardlow, Citizens First