Dr. Terry Melvin, chief medical officer of Hospice of Chattanooga Inc., won the top award at this year's Nautilus Awards Luncheon.

And in what her friends and colleagues describe as a rare moment, Dr. Melvin was speechless.

"I was really shocked," she said, on hearing she had won the award, which recognizes an individual whose professional achievements, community service and efforts to help other women succeed in their careers.

The award was presented Friday during a ceremony held at the Chattanooga Convention Center. This is the fourth year the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce has held the Nautilus Awards recognizing local businesswomen.

Dr. Melvin said she was always taught to leave a place better than she found it, and she encourages the more than 300 members of her professional staff to do the same.

"There's always something we can do to make this world a better place," she said.

Dr. Melvin trains Hospice employees in caring for more than 560 hospice patients in daily care and an additional 475 patients in non-Hospice palliative care. Dr. Melvin has been recognized for establishing the region's only dedicated pediatric hospice and a palliative care program, where the goal is to prevent and relieve suffering and improve quality of life for people facing serious, complex illnesses.

Kermisha Tate, 17, won the Pearl of Promise award, which is given to a female high school student with strong math and science skills, a defined career goal and leadership skills.

She is a senior at Boyd-Buchanan School and plans to attend the University of Southern California and pursue a political science degree. She hopes to attend law school and become a U.S. senator.

In her acceptance speech, she thanked her grandmother, who attended the ceremony. She said she was under the weather, but there was nothing that would have kept her from attending the luncheon.

"Words can't express how excited I am," she said. "This is definitely something I needed to make me feel better."

The student won a $2,500 scholarship and a laptop computer.

Nautilus winners

* Dr. Terry Melvin, chief medical officer, of Hospice of Chattanooga Inc. -- Athena award

* Velma Wilson, CEO of Cleaning Solutions -- Navigator of Entrepreneurship

* Rosemarie Bryan, attorney with Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel -- Lightkeeper award

* Marquita Jones, Bethel College student -- Stargazer award

* Kermisha Tate, senior at Boyd-Buchanan School -- Pearl of Promise award