An ancient symbol of effort and excellence

The major city-states of ancient Greece periodically held large celebrations that included contests among their best playwrights, musicians, orators and sportsmen. The prize awarded to the victors was called an athlon. The athlon usually took the form of a large terracotta vase, known as a prize amphora, filled with olive oil. The outside of the vase was painted with images of the contest, presided over by a deity such as Athena. The skilled competitors who strove after these prizes, regardless of the field of endeavor, were known as athletes.  It is telling that the term athlon was used not only for the prize but for the contest as well, thus linking the struggle to excel with the fruits of victory.

We have adopted this ancient symbol of effort and excellence as a fitting touchstone for today’s business environment, in which competition is constant, the margin for error is slim, and the rewards of victory are great. A contemporary interpretation of the athlon trophy is evoked by the orange mark in our logo.