By Jerri Brouse
HUMMELS WHARF — Eric Rowe, of Selinsgrove, a Wood-Mode Inc. executive, Thursday night became only the second man to be honored with an award that recognizes his commitment to helping women in the Valley realize their potential and improve the quality of life for others in the community.
The Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce presented Rowe with the 2009 Athena Award during a banquet held at the Susquehanna Valley Country Club.
“I am humbled,” he said as he took the podium following the announcement. “This is certainly an honor.”
Rowe, a manufacturing administrative assistant at Wood-Mode, is the chairman of the Selinsgrove school board and holds seats on the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit and SUN Area Technical Institute boards. He is active on many other boards and committees, including Leadership Susquehanna Valley, Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way, Central Susquehanna Opportunities and the chamber of commerce.
Rowe was nominated by David Herbert, who described him as a champion of gender representation.
“In Eric’s position in the workplace, on boards and in education, he has a unique opportunity to affect the lives of women of all ages to aspire to better themselves, to advance their growth and to take on leadership roles in their personal and professional lives,“ Herbert said.
For Rowe, though, gender equality is simply a given.
“It’s not an effort,” he said. “I think I just treat everyone with respect … and it comes back to you.”
At Wood-Mode, he said he considers himself a regular person, and he finds inspiration from leaders of organizations like the CSIU, chamber and United Way.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to work as a board member for numerous organizations and to work with some pretty amazing people,” Rowe said. “When I’m able to work with these other leaders and see the way they run their organizations, I’m honored to be able to work with them and be able to continue on with their philosophy.”
The people he works with feel the same way about Rowe.
Keri Albright, of the United Way, said Rowe “understands the value of what women bring to roles in leadership, to philanthropy and to community building.”
Rowe was selected from a pool of four finalists. The others were Angela Hummel, director of organizational development at Evangelical Community Hospital, Lewisburg; Gale Zalar, community action director at Central Susquehanna Opportunities Inc.; and Brenda Reichenbach, advertising and special projects adviser at The Daily Item.
Rowe said it was an honor to be included in the same company as the women who were nominated. “It is remarkable just to be considered a finalist. … This is a tremendous honor,” he said.
The only other man to win the Athena Award was Ed Hansen, former chief executive officer of Sunbury Community Hospital and Outpatient Center. He was the recipient in 2004. Chris Baylor, chief executive officer of Baylor Hamm Co., was a finalist in 2007.
