She didn’t know it at the time, but one of her employees went behind her back.

The next thing Jodi Martin knew, she was one of the 2009 winners of the Northland NewsCenter’s “Women in Leadership Award.”

Martin is co-owner of Dee’s Bar, the Next Generation in Ely. After winning the award, one of several things she found out was that she was nominated by an employee.

She also learned that she was selected from hundreds of applications based on community service and leadership, entrepreneurship and family-oriented involvement.

Martin has coordinated the Fourth of July parade for 17 years. She took over those responsibilities when she was 18. She’s also treasurer for the Vermilion Community College Foundation and has been involved with Ely Community Resources since she was in junior high school. She was the high school and college representative on the ECR board of directors and performed one year of full-time volunteer work for the organization as a member of AmeriCorps.

She said she was shocked at winning. Ten women are given the award, but at first she speculated maybe there were only nine applications. Or perhaps they needed someone from the Range to fill their demographic needs.

“I don’t know why they picked me. There are a lot of women in this community who do a lot of hard work every day,” she said. “I just happened to get nominated by someone.”

NewsCenter Channel 6 came to Dee’s on Oct. 27 to videotape Martin’s segment for the news that night and the next morning.

All of the ten women selected for the award are featured in the November issue of Duluth-Superior Magazine. Martin said they were also treated to quite a fine luncheon at the Greysolon Ballroom in Duluth on Oct. 28 where they were given their awards.