Shelly Olesen, VP of sales and marketing at leading food-processing and concession equipment company C. Cretors and Company, was named the 2012 recipient of the Bert Nathan Memorial Award. The award recognizes leadership and significant accomplishment in the theatre concessions industry and is named for the late Bert Nathan, a past president of the National Association of Concessionaires (NAC). Olesen was selected by previous Nathan Memorial Award recipients.

The award will be presented to Olesen on April 24 by NAC president John Evans, Jr., during CinemaCon in Las Vegas.

Olesen has worked at Cretors for more than 20 years, beginning as Western regional sales manager, rising to senior marketing manager responsible for developing the North American theatre market, and finally reaching her current position, in which she directs the company’s overall domestic and international sales and marketing efforts. Prior to joining Cretors, Olesen sold electronics to the airline industry for Midway Electronics.

“We are extremely proud that Shelly Olesen has been singled out for this honor, one of the most coveted in our industry,” said Cretors president Andrew Cretors. “She has worked tirelessly for the company and the community and I can think of no one more deserving of the recognition.”

Olesen was the key organizer of Cretors’ gala 125th-anniversary celebration, which doubled as a tribute to the concession industry and was held at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry. More than 400 attendees celebrated the milestone with Cretors, including local celebrities, community leaders, vendors, studios, and customers from 48 different countries.

Olesen was instrumental in ensuring that the event benefitted the community, raising more than $35,000 for Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (CAPE), a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding the arts in Chicago public schools.

Olesen is a member of NAC, and received the Friends of Exhibition/NATO Great States Convention award in 2005, as well as the Person of the Industry award from the Tri-State Independent Theater Association in 2009. She is also on the boards of the Junior Women’s Club of Deerfield, a community-based social and service organization, and the Variety Club Golf Committee.