MARION, OH – Lisa Bush, Co-Founder and Co-Owner of Alluvial Private Wealth, was named the Marion Women’s Business Council 2025 ATHENA Leadership Award recipient at the 28th Annual ATHENA Award Banquet at Twenty-Three North on April 8th.
WBC President Whittney Mahle welcomed the 2025 ATHENA Leadership Award nominees, their friends and families, past award recipients, event sponsors, WBC members, attending elected officials, “We’ve come together this evening to celebrate ten women, nominated for their dedication to supporting others, their leadership, and excellence in their fields. To do this, we utilize the ATHENA Leadership framework, created by the ATHENA Foundation in 1982, which has now grown into an international program for supporting and recognizing women.”
All ten nominees were presented with ATHENA plaques and recognized for their unique and valuable contributions to the Marion Community, including Riley Bails (Adoption Coordinator, Marion Area Humane Society), Lisa Bush (Co-Founder and Co-Owner, Alluvial Private Wealth), Ashley Brooke Caldwell (Owner, 4 You Health), Nancy Hafer (Treasurer and Past-President, Marion Women’s Club & Home), Jennifer Knotts (Inpatient Behavioral Health Manager, OhioHealth Marion General Hospital), Dana Elaine Martin (Executive Director, Heart of Ohio Homeless Shelter), Mother Mattie Jewell Mayes (Co-Founder, Mayes Community Temple), Leslie Schneider (Regional Philanthropy Manager, Boys & Girls Club of Central Ohio), Kathy Toney (Co-Senior Pastor, Family Life Church), Lora Troutman (Founder and President, Peace & Freedom Committee).
2024 ATHENA Leadership Award recipient Jodi Rife introduced the evening’s keynote speaker, Marion Community Foundation CEO & Executive Director Julie Prettyman, who shared insights on community leadership. Julie then announced Lisa Bush as the 2025 ATHENA Leadership Award recipient.
“I am really shocked! Thank you so much,” Lisa exclaimed through thunderous applause. “I truly am honored and very humbled to be here before you. Congratulations to all the other nominees. We have a wonderful group of outstanding women who are also well deserving of this award.” She went on to say that “as women we face many, many challenges. We work hard to rise above all the challenges we face. I hope that this moment reminds all of us that excellence is not about competing with one another, but it’s about lifting each other up, celebrating one another, and continuing to break barriers together. Thank you for this incredible recognition. Let’s keep inspiring and empowering one another.”
Lisa Bush was nominated for the ATHENA Leadership Award by Tammi Cowell. Lisa chose the Marion Community Foundation Bonnie Lou Earhart Fund as her designated charity. She established and administers the Bonnie Lou Earhart Fund in memory of her mother, who had a passion for helping charitable organizations in Marion.
Lisa holds bachelor’s degrees in business administration and financial planning. She began her career in finance during the late 1990s and was recognized at Bank One/JP Morgan as a Top Banker in 2003.
She left the finance industry to stay home with her two daughters and serve the local church with her husband, Eli, then returned to work in 2015 at Merrill Lynch. Lisa is now Co-Owner and Co-Founder of Alluvial Private Wealth, which was established in 2021.
A leader in her field, Lisa Bush has been quoted in Financial Advisor IQ Magazine and featured in Advisorpedia for her work with women investors and the financial challenges they often encounter. She breaks barriers in a traditionally male-dominated field, advocates for greater female inclusion and leadership, and mentors through the Indiana University Kelly School of Business.
Nominator Tammi Cowell wrote that “in addition to Lisa’s outstanding leadership, professional excellence, and commitment to empowering others, she has consistently demonstrated a deep dedication to fostering positive change within the community. Her ability to inspire women business leaders has left a lasting impact across various sectors.”
Lisa is a member of the Marion Area Chamber of Commerce, having completed the Leadership Marion program in 2014. She helped establish the Alluvial Private Wealth Scholarship Fund at Marion Technical College and was inducted into the MTC Alumni Hall of Fame in 2024. Lisa serves on the boards of the Marion Area Council on Aging, Marion Women’s Club Home, and is currently Vice-President of Marion Women’s Business Council. Additionally, Lisa is Vice-President of the Marion Family YMCA Perpetual Fund Board.
Always active in church, Lisa has been a leader in discipleship programs, west-end ministries, and unity events. She is currently an active member of Zion Christian Fellowship in Powell, and administers her mother’s memorial fund to improve the quality of life in the Marion community.
The annual online auction raised $2,500, which was matched by Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial, with a total donation of $5,000 awarded to 2025 ATHENA recipient Lisa Bush’s charity of choice, the Marion Community Foundation Bonnie Lou Earhart Fund.
WBC remains dedicated to inspiring women to reach their full potential through mentoring, relationship building, education and recognition. “These ten outstanding women contribute excellence to their fields, and to the community,” said WBC President Whittney Mahle. “On behalf of the WBC, I thank each of them for their leadership, and the way they support and empower others.”
Visit www.womensbusinesscouncil.com to learn more about Women’s Business Council. New members and guests are always welcome.
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