2020 Women’s Excellence in Leadership Award Presented Ahead of Virtual Conference
Terre Haute, Ind. – The newest honoree of the Women’s Excellence in Leadership Award was recognized during a special and surprise presentation at the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce.
First Financial Bank General Counsel & Vice President Amy Hock was given the award based on her contributions to the growth of First Financial Bank and the overall West Central Indiana community.
“Amy is not only focused on her career, she also gives of herself in the community. She raised $28,000 for Chances and Services For Youth Dancing with the Terre Haute Stars competition. She serves on the Board of Directors at Union Hospital where she is an active participant in Compliance and Governance committees. And she mentors our area youth. As a mother of two young daughters she feels it’s important to ‘teach’ by example,” wrote First Financial Bank Vice President of Marketing, Sally Whitehurst, in the nomination application.
It took Hock a few moments to compose herself after the morning’s surprise, saying she was called by her husband Jeff Hock to come to the Chamber office for a meeting. After the presentation she spoke about what the honor means to her.
“It’s almost inexplicable how much it means to me because I do have two young daughters and a mother only wants the best for her children and if I’m being reflective, I’ve had a lot of wonderful opportunities,” Hock said. “I got emotional because women have come so far and I really hope that we continue to move further along. Awards like this is an acknowledgement and a reality that women are doing great things and young women are going to have the opportunity to do even greater things.”
Hock, was named General Counsel of First Financial Bank in 2017. She joined the bank as senior attorney in 2015.
She is a 2017 recipient of the Donald E. Smith President’s Award at First Financial Bank and member of the Bank Lawyer’s Committee of the American Bar Association.
Hock, a graduate of Terre Haute South High School and Indiana University where she studied political science, also received her law degree from Indiana University. She also earned a master of social work degree from New York University in in 2010. She is a licensed social worker and an attorney in New York and in Indiana, where she is a member of the Indiana Bar Association.
“Amy Hock’s resume speakers for itself; she’s impressive and a great leader in the community without being flashy, she leads with a quiet confidence,” says Chamber President Kristin Craig. “When we read her award nomination we knew she would be the perfect person to honor in 2020.”
Honoring Hock and presenting the 2020 award became a challenge, Craig says, when the Terre Haute Women’s Conference was postponed from its original date of March 13. Due to COVID-19 concerns the conference was paused. It will now be held virtually later this week on September 25. Registration is still open via the Chamber’s website.
“We’ve had to wait much longer than expected to have the conference and celebrate women in our community, but we are excited to be able to host it online,” Craig says. “Local, state and national speakers have some great things planned for our attendees.”
The Women’s Excellence in Leadership Award, formerly titled the ATHENA Leadership Award®, honors an amazing woman succeeding and working for both business and community. Traditionally this award was presented during the Chamber Annual Meeting in August, but will transition in 2020 to be presented during the Terre Haute Women’s Conference in March.
ATHENA Leadership Award® has previously honored several outstanding women in the community, including: Sister Barbara Doherty, Marilyn Pendergast, Beth Tevlin, Sydney Bell, Jeanette Winchester, Becky Buse, Marla Flowers, Claudia Tanoos, Patrece Dayton, Sara Smith, Carol Roesch, Dottie King, Sara Arnett, Rachel Leslie, Barbara “Boo” Lloyd, Bernice Helman, Cheri Bradley and Susan Decker.
