Fall Ball honoree
BPW-Oldham
Co. names Leaton
2006 ‘Woman of Achievement’
She will be recognized at the Nov. 11 event in Louisville
Staff
Report
Karen Leaton has been named the 2006 BPW-Oldham County
Woman of Achievement, according to Beverly McCombs, president of Business
Professional Women-Oldham County, which sponsors the annual award recognizing
outstanding women in the community. The award will be officially presented
to Leaton at the chapter’s ninth annual Fall Ball on Nov. 11 at
Galt House East in Louisville.
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Photo
provided Karen
Leaton will be honored at the |
“We are delighted that Karen was chosen this year,”
McCombs said. “She is such an inspiration for other young women,
as an entrepreneur and business owner as well as a spirited volunteer
and mentor in the community.”
In 2005, Leaton launched a highly successful small business in Oldham
County called HeavenlyScent Cleaning, based in Buckner. Her entire career
has been one of entrepreneurial thinking.
Born in Pittsburgh, Pa., Leaton graduated from the University of Pittsburgh’s
School of Nursing and was commissioned an ensign in the U.S. Navy Nurse
Corps upon graduation in 1991.
Her first naval assignment was at the National Naval Medical Center
in Washington, D.C. She developed key skills at the National Institute
of Health’s Cancer Research Center that later allowed her to specialize
in cancer research, including such medical pioneering areas as bone
marrow transplantation.
Leaton and her husband moved to Louisville when she was asked to coordinate
the formation and launch of a Lung Cancer Program and the first lung
cancer screening study in the United States at Jewish Hospital’s
Heart and Lung Institute.
She continued her career in cancer research at the Kentuckiana Cancer
Institute as the Clinical Research Coordinator, where she facilitated
dozens of clinical trials. Her work in clinical cancer research was
published four times, and in 2000 she was invited to become a Guest
Faculty member at Bellarmine College in the Department of Biology.
In 2002, Leaton turned her many skills to raising her three children,
although she continued her nursing career in a part-time capacity. She
also maintains an active schedule in mentoring and volunteering in classrooms
with young students. In addition, she has been an assistant squad leader
for American Heritage Girls which teaches the value of family, to honor
country and service to the community.
Leaton has also maintained her active interest in sports by volunteering
as a coach for girls fast-pitch softball for many years. She also was
an assistant coach of the 2005 North Oldham All-Star team, which successfully
made it to the Kentucky state Little League Championship, where they
placed second.
While still working as a nurse in 2001, Leaton launched her first entrepreneurial
effort as an independent sales consultant with the Longaberger Co.,
where she was routinely in the top sales spots in her division. Her
new business, HeavenlyScent Cleaning, came from a kindly gesture: she
helped a neighbor in need.
While the neighbor was recovering from a knee injury, Leaton volunteered
to clean her house during her time of recovery. This unfortunate event
soon launched a business idea, to provide professional house cleaning
services, and HeavenlyScent Cleaning was born. Within six weeks, she
had grown the business enough to hire her first employee. Within six
months, she had four employees. The business is now sustainable and
debt-free, has six employees and a newly opened office in Buckner.
“Karen is truly a remarkable woman who has brought such enthusiasm
and a range of experiences to Oldham County, ” said McCombs. “She
reminds us it is the busy women who always get things done; they can
always take on one more task for the good of business and our community.”
Qualifications for the Woman of Achievement Award include significant
contributions to the BPW Federation objectives including leadership
in church, local, state or national civic programs, mentoring other
women in their career advancement and exceptional guidance to youth
and young women. The recipient is selected by a panel of members from
other BPW chapters.
This year’s Fall Ball, themed “A Classic Affair,” begins
at 6:30 p.m. and will benefit the Oldham County Public Library. The
theme was chosen to honor classic literature, said chairwoman Kay Webb.
84 WHAS weatherman Ken Schulz will serve as the emcee. Music will be
provided by Inferno. Both silent and live auction items will be in play
during the evening.
Tickets are $100 and can be purchased by contacting Kay Webb at (502)
243-8818.
BPW-Oldham County is part of BPW-USA, a national organization that has
served as an advocate for working women since 1919. BPW-Oldham County
meets the fourth Tuesday of each month at The Bank Oldham County, Crestwood,
Ky., and visitors are always welcome.
• For more information, visit the BPW website at: www.bpwoldhamco.org.