Kristen Tucker honored for dedication and ideals
By Carol Wersich, Courier & Press

Kristen Tucker is a 1999 USI Master of Arts and Liberal Studies graduate.

On any given day, Kristen Tucker's office in the Old Post Office is chock-full of interns and other young people getting opportunities to learn the magazine publishing trade.

"Kristen truly cares about serving as a mentor," said Matt Meadors, president and chief executive officer of the Metropolitan Evansville Chamber of Commerce, which also is based in the historical Downtown building.

That dedication to helping others was one of the reasons Tucker was named Thursday as the winner of the chamber's Athena Award for 2003.

Tucker, who is vice president, publisher and editor of Tucker Publishing Group, was chosen from nine other nominees for the annual award, named for the Greek goddess of wisdom.

The award salutes her for personal ideals, professional excellence and assistance to other women in achieving their goals. Colleen Payne is familiar with Tucker's mentoring skills. She was the first intern at Tucker's Evansville Living magazine in 2001 while a student at the University of Evansville.

Now a resident of Lexington, Ky., Payne recalled how Tucker let her be involved in various aspects of Evansville Living and the company's other publications.

"She gave me lots of responsibilities. But she also gave me much support to grow and learn. When I was having trouble with a story, I could always pop my head in her office and she'd invite me in and help me," Payne said.

Tucker runs the local publishing company with her husband, Todd, the president of the publishing group. The company has grown from producing one magazine, Evansville Living in March 2000, to three additional magazines today - Evansville Business, City View and Flavors.

The company plans to launch in 2004 a consumer medical guide called To Your Health, and a regional golf lifestyle magazine called Player.

Tucker said her mother, Mary Reeder Carter of Newburgh, a retired Caze Elementary School teacher, was her "greatest mentor." She raised Tucker and two siblings by herself after her husband, Jack Reeder, a Harrison High School teacher, died in 1979.

A former marketing employee in Old National Bank's Trust Division, Tucker said she has found it essential to follow her dreams and not be bashful about taking risks.

She said she encourages young people "not to be a bystander, but be involved in their community."

Tucker said she thinks it's important to "recognize talents in other people, identify the people's strengths and help them maximize the strengths to play to a person's company or other organization."

The chamber's Meadors described Tucker as "a top-notch professional who is a competent business person and passionate about the Evansville community and its future."

 

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