With great pleasure, the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce announces the selection of Carol Ornelas, Visionary Home Builders Of California, as its 2016 ATHENA Award recipient. The ATHENA Award will be presented to Carol Ornelas at the annual ATHENA Awards Luncheon on November 17th, 11:30am, at the Stockton Golf and Country Club. Tickets for this high-profile event at $40 are available by calling the Greater Stockton Chamber of Chamber at (209) 547-2770 or visiting the website.
For over 33 years, Carol Ornelas, CEO of Visionary Home Builders (VHB), has made her mark in the male dominated world of home building where she has significantly influenced gender equality in the building trades. Carol supports and advances other women leaders in a competitive industry, all while creating award winning neighborhoods across Northern California. Under Carol’s hands-on leadership, Visionary Home Builders has built and rehabilitated over 1,200 units of rental housing and more than 700 residential homes for first time homebuyers within San Joaquin, Sacramento, Stanislaus, Fresno and Merced Counties. Carol takes pride in knowing that her organization has the resources to provide quality housing for the underserved. Carol understands the need for both affordable housing combined with social and educational elements that create a sense of community. Many of her housing projects include: Head Start programs, community centers, basketball courts, computer labs, medical clinics and playgrounds. These communities clearly defy the myth that low-income housing cannot be beautifully designed. Carol always makes a personal commitment to mentor youth by providing internships for on-the-job learning opportunities. In many cases, she has hired these young women and men directly or they have branched out into their own successful careers. When Carol is not working she is a dedicated teacher of religious education at the Cathedral of Annunciation. Carol’s personal leadership style is uniquely both quiet and direct. She is an unassuming leader who listens, learns from others and has the vision and drive to engage communities so people can help themselves. Her neighborhoods are places where families are safe and secure. Carol has given a lot to our community and to mentoring youth so that they too can be successful and break down barriers.
The 2016 ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award Winner will be announced in the afternoon of Friday, September 9, 2016.
Past ATHENA honorees include Judith Chambers, Cyril Seligman, Susan Carson, Marian Jacobs, Karen Munro, Iva Harris, Janice Marengo, Bobbie Fasano, Kathleen Janssen, Kathryn Rousek, Jeanette Michaels, Judith Buethe, Ann Johnston, Connemara Reisinger, Charlynn Harless, Kristen Spracher Birtwhistle, Hedy Holmes, Jeanne Zolezzi, Jane Butterfield, Dr. Hazel Hill, Susan Lenz, Mary Bava, Judge Consuelo Callahan, Dea Berberian, Sara Garfield, Phyllis Grupe, Dr. Kathy Hart, Joelle Gomez and Dr. Pamela Eibeck. Young ATHENA honorees include Mimi Nguyen, Nikki Lowery, Angela Rosenquist, Jennifer Torres Siders, Monica Streeter, Shelby Moran(Riley) and Brenna Butler Garcia. Tickets for this high-profile event at $40 are available by calling the Greater Stockton Chamber of Chamber at (209) 547-2770 or online at stocktonchamber.org