Individual "E" Award Recipients

Dr. Ruth Johnson Smiley, now retired, has been a pioneer for the achieve-ment of women in both academia and socio-political realms. In 1981, Dr. Smiley became the first woman to receive a Ph.D. from the Department of Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics at the University of Tennes-see, Knoxville. She conducted her doctoral research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and had three papers published in peer-reviewed professional journals.

She served as Tennessee President of the American Association of Univer-sity Women (AAUW) from 2006-2008. In 2010, through her efforts, the AAUW partnered with the Tennessee Women's Political Caucus and other organizations in celebrating the 90th anniversary of the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote.

Sherry Stewart Deutschmann is the founder and CEO of LetterLogic, Inc. a $20 Million company whose primary client base is the healthcare industry and healthcare support services. LetterLogic currently services over 140 healthcare entities in 43 states with 33 employees, growing at the rate of over 25% per year.

Since founding the company in 2002, Ms. Deutschmann has earned numer-ous professional accolades such as being named a Finalist in the Ernst and Young coveted Entrepreneur of the Year search in 2010. Other recognition has come from INC Magazine (INC 5000 company 2007 - 2010); Success Magazine; and Nashville's own Future 50, being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009. In April 2011, she was named "Entrepreneur of the Year" by the Nashville Busi-ness Journal and was winner of the Womens' Presidents Organizations " Mary Lehman MacLachlan Economic Empowerment Award.

Carolyn Hardy has been a trail blazer for women throughout her career. While successfully developing some of the world's best-known brands, she has built teams and constantly raised the bar for the many women she has mentored. Career highlights include Plant Manager for J.M. Smuckers, and Vice President of the Coors Brewing Company in Memphis. In 2006 she became President & CEO of the Hardy Bottling Company, the first African American woman to own a major brewery. On May 2, 2011, Ms. Hardy sold her beverage company to City Brewing of La Crosse, WI, for $30 million. The holding company Chism Hardy Enterprises, LLC continues to develop and lease commercial real estate in the Memphis Market.

Corporate "E" Award Recipients

Miller Martin, LLC
Melvin Malone is Chairman of Miller & Martin PLLC, a leading Southeastern law firm with approximately 200 attorneys in three cities, and clients ranging from individuals to multi-national corporations. The firm has a formal Diversity Committee in place that is charged with implementation and support for its Diversity Initiative, considering recruitment, hiring, retention and advancement. Miller & Martin also recently implemented a progressive work schedule policy so that all of its attorneys can achieve work-life balance and career goals. The firm works actively to mentor women and has a strong culture of pro bono work around the state.

The Bun Companies
Former McDonald's owner/operator Cordia Harrington founded Tennessee Bun Company, the first member of The Bun Companies family in 1996. With the finest minds and the most current technologies in the baking business, Tennessee Bun Co. was built to be the fastest high-speed bakery in the world, with an output of over 1,000 buns per minute. Since then Ms. Harrington has added Bun Lady Transport, Cold Storage of Nashville and Corner- Stone Baking Company. Ms. Harrington's extraordinary business savvy, philanthropy and commitment to excellence has made her a role model for women aspiring to lead, in Tennessee and nationwide, and made The Bun Companies a corporate model for encouraging women to excel in all areas of their lives.

OR Nurses
Denise G. Burnett, RN, BSN is President of O.R. Nurses, Inc. and has owned the company since 1990. O.R. Nurses, Inc. is an independent, nurse -owned and operated specialty agency, which was founded in 1988. The company is Joint Commission Certified as a healthcare staffing agency, employing medical professionals and providing excellence in temporary supplemental staffing. The company's mission is to deliver uncompromising quality patient care. This is accomplished by providing medical professionals who demonstrate excellence in temporary staffing, and doing so in the most costeffective manner that benefits both the client and the patient. O.R. Nurses core values are Integrity, Clinical Excellence and Professionalism.