Hamilton Herald Masthead

Editorial


Front Page - Friday, August 27, 2010

Joan Cronan wins Economic Excellence and Equity Award




Joan Cronan
University of Tennessee women’s athletic director Joan Cronan has been awarded the 2010 Economic Excellence and Equity Award (“E” Award), one of the highest honors given by the Tennessee Women’s Economic Council, and will receive her award at the Seventh Annual Economic Summit for Women on October 18, 2010 at the Franklin Marriott at Cool Springs.
Every year, “E” Award winners are chosen from each Grand Division in Tennessee. The individual awards are given to those who have distinguished themselves in a specific field or life commitment that has contributed to improving the lives of girls and women in Tennessee.
Joan Cronan’s career has been devoted to the success of college women student athletes in their sport and education pursuits. Under her leadership, the Lady Vols have had three first-place finishes in the Southeastern Conference Women’s All-Sports award from the New York Times Regional Newspaper Group.
She was chosen Southeast Region Athletic Director of the Year in 2004 by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and served as its president in 2008-2009. She is former president of the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators and received their 2005 Athletic Director of the Year award. In 1998, the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame named Cronan “Administrator of the Year” and in 2009, the US Sports Academy elected Cronan to its board of trustees. She also received the “Woman of Achievement: Women Who Make A Difference” award from the International Women’s Forum.
Cronan is past president of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, served as president of the Executive Women’s Association, on the SEC and NCAA executive committees, and the NCAA’s management council and championship cabinet.
In 1994, Cronan received the Toastmaster’s International Communication and Leadership award and was named the AOPi Citizen of the Year.
“Excellence and equity are words we use often, but Joan Cronan does more than talk,” said Dr. Carol Danehower, chair of the “E” Awards for the 2010 summit. “Joan mentors, teaches and leads women to higher levels of success, both personally and professionally, and that is why she was chosen the “E” Award winner for East Tennessee.”
The Economic Summit for Women provides information to women from across the state to improve their personal and professional lives and the opportunity to network with others from a variety of backgrounds and careers.
This year’s program features a keynote address by political commentator Dee Dee Myers, who formerly served as White House press secretary during President Bill Clinton’s first term and is currently a contributing editor to Vanity Fair and a lecturer on politics, the media and women’s issues.