2024 Honorees

Valissa Armstead
Senior Director of Diversity and Inclusion
Corewell Health

Roya Bruce
Chief of Staff to the President
Steelcase

Shelby Bytwerk
Director of Operations
MillerKnoll

Maria Curtis
Director of Business and Product Development
Meijer



Angel Duff
Director of Employment Law
PwC

Linsey Gleason
Partner
Varnum Law

Lynne Jarmon Johnson
Chief Marketing Officer
Consumer Credit Union

Philly Mantella
President
Grand Valley State University

Ciciley “CC” Moore
Director, Office of the President
WK Kellogg Foundation

Minnie Morey
Executive Director
West Michigan Asian American Association

Lauren Snyder
Vice President of Customer Experience
CMS Energy

Shoran Reid Williams
Attorney

2023 Honorees

Adriana Almanza
Talent Acquisition & Retention Manager
Grand Rapids Public Schools

Ellen Carpenter
Executive Director
Ronald McDonald House

Amy Dehner
CSO & director, global corporate security
Steelcase

Stephanie Eckley
Chief Information Officer
Trinity Health

Jennifer Feuerstein
Associate State Director/On-Air Personality
AARP Michigan/ABC 4

Ileana McAlary
EVP Chief Legal Officer
SpartanNash

Angela Nadeau
VP of Commercial Management
Gentex

Kimberly Slaikeu
Founder
Luxe Artisan Preserves

Amber Snow
Director, DE&I
Amway

Kristen Williams
VP, customer and digital technology
Meijer

2022 Honorees

Nirali Bora
Medical Director
Kent County Health Department

Nadia Brigham
Principal
Brigham Consulting

Jamie Cooper
Founder & Managing Director
Sensi Connect

Evelyn Esparza-Gonzalez
Executive Director
Hispanic Center

Floriza Genautis
CEO
Management Business Solutions

Abha Gpta Varma
Cherry Health

B. Afeni McNeely Cobham
Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer
Grand Rapids Community College

Hillary Scholten
Senior Counsel
Miller Johnson

Mary Schug Barnhart
Director of Global Planning
Kalsec Inc.

Laura Traxler
Director of Admissions
Douglas J. Aveda Institutes (Michigan, Tennessee, and Illinois)
 

Vonnie Woodrick
Founder
I Understand

2020 Honorees

Keri Becker
Director of Athletics
Grand Valley State University

Keli Christopher
Executive Director
STEM Greenhouse

Becca Dernberger
Principal
Avancer Search

Rachel Gonzalez
Director, Global Compensation & Benefits
Dayco

Shaquanda Gordon
Vice President, HR Talent & Diversity
Spartan Nash

Michelle Hall
Vice President, Corporate HR & Compensation
Meijer

Kim Hanrahan
Vice President, Global Tax & Assistant Treasurer
Steelcase

Paola Mendivil
Catering Coordinator
El Granjero Mexican Grill

Pam Ries
Chief Human Resources Officer
Spectrum Health

Karen Scarpino
Owner & President
Green Giftz

Amy Sparks
Owner & President
Nuvar

Megan Zambiasi
Director of Clinical Practice
Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services

2019 Honorees

Tasha Blackmon
CEO
Cherry Health

CJ Devries
Owner
GRNow.com

Krista Flynn
Regional President, West
Chemical Bank

Nicole Gregory
Owner
Urban You!

Leslie Jurecko
Senior Vice President, Quality, Safety, & Experience
Spectrum Health

Michelle Lajoye-Young
Kent County Sheriff

Nisha McKenzie
Founder & Director
Center for Women’s Sexual Health of Grand Rapids

Amanda McVay
Group Vice President, Grocery
Meijer

Charisse Mitchell
CEO
YWCA West Central Michigan

Angela Nelson
Vice President of Multicultural Business Development
Experience Grand Rapids

Michelle Rabideau
President
Saint Mary’s Foundation

Shelby Reno
Owner
CKO Kickboxing

Megan Sall
Assistant City Manager
City of Wyoming

Mary Beth Zick
Chief People Officer
Gordon Food Service

2018 Honorees

Liz Bracken
President/CFO/COO
Grand River Bank

Meredith Bronk
CEO and President
Open Systems Technology

Shannon Cohen
Founder – Principal
Shannon Cohen, Inc

Jennifer Faber
Judge
61st District Court

Sandra Gaddy
CEO
Women’s Resource Center

Catherine Lazarock
President
Symplicity Communications

Val Lego
Anchor/Health Reporter
WZZM 13

Monique Salinas
Executive Director
Mind Meets Music

Julie Smith
PR & Communications Manager
Haworth

Kelly Springer
CEO
Metal Flow Corp.

Sue Tellier
Owner
Jetco Solutions

Yvonne Trupiano
Senior Vice President and CHRO
Spartan Nash

Adrienne Wallace
Assistant Professor
Grand Valley State University

2017 Honorees

Joan Budden
President & CEO
Priority Health

Bridget Clark Whitney
Executive Director
Kids’ Food Basket

Melissa Collar
Partner
Warner Norcross & Judd

Deb DeGraaf
Co-Owner
DeGraaf Interiors

Christina Freese-Decker
President
Spectrum Health Hospital Group

Christina Keller
President
Cascade Business Team

Sara Lachman
Civil Litigator
Miller Johnson

Senita Lenear
City Commissioner
City of Grand Rapids

Peaches McCahill
Owner/President
McCahill Group

Janis Petrini
Owner
Express Employment Professionals

Elizabeth Schenk
Owner
Posh Petals

Hillary Taatjes Woznick
Commercial Real Estate Advisor
NAI Wisinski of West Michigan

Rebecca Wierda
President/Owner
Leigh’s

2016 Honorees

Jennifer Boezwinkle
Vice President of Communication and Strategy
Rockford Construction

Tracey Brame
Assistant Dean
The Thomasm Cooley Law School

Melissa Collar
Partner
Warner Norcross & Judd

Daniela Garcia
State Representative
Michigan’s 90th House District

Melissa Howell
Senior Vice President, Global Human Resources
Wolverine Worldwide

Stephanie Naito
Vice President, Talent Management
Meijer

Bonnie Nawara
CEO
Grow

Kelly Savage
Chief Human Resources Officer
Amway

Kris Spaulding
Co-Owner
Vivant Brewery

Bridgett Tubbs-Carlon
Founder and CEO
AppleTree & Gilden Woods

Michelle Van Dyke
President and CEO
Heart of West Michigan United Way

Kara Wood
Economic Development Director
City of Grand Rapids

2015 Honorees

Eva Aguirre Cooper
Community Affairs Director
WOOD TV8/WOTV 4/WXSP

Melissa Collar
Partner and Chair
Warner Norcross Real Estate and Condominium Practice Groups

Patti Griswold
Regional Manager
Comerica Bank

Kathy Hanenburg
Attorney and Partner
Warner Norcross & Judd

Nancy Hickey
Chief Administrative Officer (retired)
Steelcase

Michelle Hoexum
CEO
Propeller LLC

Faye Richardson-Green
Director of Global Talent Management (retired)
Steelcase

Denise Sherwood
President and Owner
Sandler Training

Jennifer Tyler
Director of Operations
Steelcase

Rita Woodruff
Vice President of Administration
Gill

2014 Honorees

Laurie Beard
President & CEO
Founders Bank & trust

Rosalynn Bliss
Director of residential services
DA Blodgett-St. John’s

Winnie Brinks
State Representative
Michigan’s 76th House District

Meg Goebel
President and Owner
Paul Goebel Group

Ann Harten
Senior Vice President of Global Human Resources
Haworth

Laura Knapp
Fire Chief
City of Grand Rapids Fire Department

Marlene Kowalski-Braun
Assistant Vice Provost for student affairs
Grand Valley State University

Kathleen Ponitz
Principal
AE Progressive

Lisa Posthumus Lyons
State Representative
Michigan’s 86th House District

Teresa Weatherall Neal
Superintendent
Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS)

2013 Honorees

Alison Brown
Owner
Encompass

Jeanne Englehart
Vice President Client Management
The Charter Group

Chriscynethia Floyd
Vice President Marketing
Zondervan

Shelley Irwin
Host/Producer
WGVU

Mary Anne Jones
Chief Financial Officer
Priority Health

Gloria Lara
President & CEO
Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore

Candace Matthews
Chief Marketing Officer
Amway

Peggy Murphy
Partner
Hungerford Aldrich

Deborah Phillips
Owner
Deborah A Phillips & Associates LLC

Amy Proos
President
Proos Manufacturing

Dr. Linda Rinker
EVP for Academics/Provost
Davenport University

Amy Ruis
Owner
Art of the Table

Denise Sherwood
Co-Owner
Sandler Training

Kasie Smith
President & CEO
Serendipity Media, LLC

Nan Treul
Senior Vice President
Farmers Insurance

Mary Tuuk
President, West Michigan
Fifth Third Bank

Lauren Walker
Vice President Manufacturing
Amway

2011 Honorees

Dixie Anderson
Executive Director
World Affairs Council of West Michigan

Carolyn Andrews
Office Tax Managing Partner
Deloitte

Jeanne Arnold
VP for Inclusion & Equity
Grand Valley State University

Judy Brown
Executive VP, CFO
Perrigo

Kathy Crosby
President & CEO
Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids

Leslie Cummings
Chief Financial Officer
American Seating

Betsy DeVos
former “chair of the Michigan Republican Party”

Lori Gibson
Chief Human Resource Officer
Spectrum Continuing Care



Maureen ‘Moe’ Girkins
President/CEO
Zondervan

Margaret E. ‘Meg’ Goebel
President & Owner
Paul Goebel Group

Nancy Hickey
Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer
Steelcase Inc.

Diane Kniowski
President and General Manager
WOOD/WOTV/WXSP

Terri Lynn Land
Secretary of State
Michigan Department of State

Marilyn Lankfer
Partner
Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt & Howlett LLP

Stephanie Leonardos
President & CEO
Amerikam

Karen Morris
Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Government Relations
Meijer, Inc.

Beth Nickels
President, Herman Miller for Healthcare
Herman Miller

Sandi Parrish
President
PARRISH CONSULTING

Marsha Rappley
Dean College of Human Medicine
MSU College of Human Medicine

Faye Richardson
Director Global Learning Development
Steelcase Inc.

Mary Ellen Rodgers
U.S. Managing Partner of Field Operations
DELOITTE LLP

Ginny Seyferth
Business Owner
Seyferth & Associates Inc.

Diana Sieger
President
Grand Rapids Community Foundation

Michelle Van Dyke
President and CEO
Fifth Third Bank Western Michigan

Eileen Wilson-Oyelaran
President
Kalamazoo College

2010 Honorees

Marguerite Aitken
Physician
Plastic Surgery Associates

Barb Allushuski
President/CEO
Right Management

Laurie Beard
President & CEO
Founders Bank & Trust

Stacie Behler
Vice President Communications & Public Affairs
Meijer

Micki Benz
Vice President of Development
Saint Mary’s Health Care

Patricia Birkholz
Senator
State of Michigan

Peggy Bishop
Partner
Beene Garter LLP

Ann Busby
Vice President Human Resources
ODL

Gayle Davis
Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs
Grand Valley State University

Patricia Duthler
CEO & Dealer Principal / Senior Consultant
Duthler Trucks / Greystone Global

Jeanne Englehart
President/CEO
Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce

Meredith Gremel
President and Owner
Gremel Communications Inc.

Patti Griswold
Senior Vice President
Comerica Bank

Mary Hollinrake
County Clerk, Register of Deeds
Kent County

Carol Karr
Partner
Miller Johnson

Cynthia Kay
President & CEO
Cynthia Kay & Co.

Birgit Klohs
President & CEO
Right Place, The

Carol Lopucki
State Director
Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center

Diane Maher
CFO
Dan DeVos

Janet Mason
President and General Manager
WZZM TV-13

Barb Mieras
Executive Vice President for Advancement and President of the Foundations
Davenport University

Jamie Mills
President
Mills Benefit Group LLC

Deb Phillips
Chief Administrative Officer
Priority Health

Kathleen Ponitz
Senior Vice President/Director of Marketing
Progressive AE

Betsy Raymond
Chief Operating Officer
Miller Johnson

Sharron Reynolds
Vice President of Community Relations
Huntington Bank

Paula Scott Fogarty
President
Paula Scott Unlimited

Lynne Sherwood
Chairman
JSJ Corporation

Diana Sieger
President
Grand Rapids Community Foundation

Nancy Skinner
Consultant and Executive Coach
Nancy Skinner & Associates

Sara Smolenski
Chief Judge
63rd District Court – Second Division

Jacqueline Taylor
Owner
Taylor Global Consultinig

Francine Vagotis
Doctor
Vagotis Medispa

Linda Vos -Graham
President and CEO
Vos Glass, Inc.

Beverly Wall
CEO
Languages International

2009 Honorees

Carolyn Andrews
Office Tax Managing Partner
Deloitte

Jeanne Arnold
VP for Inclusion & Equity
Grand Valley State University

Nancy Ayres
General Manager
Clipper Belt Lacer Co. /FLEXCO

Mary Bauman
Attorney/Partner
Miller Johnson

Laurie Beard
President & CEO
Founders Bank & Trust

Stacie Behler
Vice President Communications & Public Affairs
Meijer

Patricia Birkholz
Senator
STATE OF MICHIGAN

Peggy Bishop
Partner
Beene Garter LLP

Rosalynn Bliss
Grand Rapids Second Ward Commissioner, Director
Kidsfirst, St. John’s Home

Doreen Bolhuis
President
GYMCO INC.

Judy Brown
Executive VP, CFO
Perrigo

Sue Conway
Partner
Warner Norcross & Judd LLP

Kathy Crosby
President & CEO
Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids

Gayle Davis
Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs
Grand Valley State University

Betsy DeVos
former “chair of the Michigan Republican Party”

Candace Dugan
Senior Counsel
Warner Norcross & Judd LLP

Jeanne Englehart
President/CEO
Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce

Linda Esparza
Vice President Human Resources
Spartan Stores

Margaret E. Goebel
President & Owner
Paul Goebel Group

Cindy Havard
COO/CFO
Coles Quality Foods, Inc.

Nancy Hickey
Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer
Steelcase Inc.

Mary Hollinrake
County Clerk, Register of Deeds
Kent County

Kim Horn
President & CEO
Priority Health

Tracey Hornbeck
CFO
Fifth Third Bank of West Michigan

Mary Kay Kempker-Van Driel
President
Value Health Partners

Birgit Klohs
President & CEO
The Right Place

Diane Kniowski
President and General Manager
WOOD/WOTV/WXSP

Terri Lynn Land
Secretary of State
Michigan Department of State

Marilyn Lankfer
Partner
Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt & Howlett LLP

Allyn Lebster

COO
Michigan Medical P.C.

Carol Lopucki
State Director
Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center

Diane Maher
CFO
Dan DeVos

Janet Mason
President and General Manager
WZZM TV-13

Barb Mieras
Executive Vice President for Advancement and President of the Foundations
Davenport University

Karen Morris
Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Government Relations
Meijer, Inc.

Beth Nickels
President, Herman Miller for Healthcare
Herman Miller

Tanja Oquendo
Formerly Vice President of Human Resources
Spectrum Health

Janice Oshinski
Vice President, Finance
The Viking Group

Cindy Parker-Euscher
Vice President, Marketing
Harbor Industries

Sandi Parrish
President
Parrish Consulting

Deb Phillips
Chief Administrative Officer
Priority Health

Kathleen Ponitz
Senior Vice President/Director of Marketing
Progressive AE

Marsha Rappley
Dean College of Human Medicine
MSU College of Human Medicine

Betsy Raymond
Chief Operating Officer
Miller Johnson

Sharron Reynolds
Vice President of Community Relations
Huntington Bank

Jane Ross
President and Owner
Ross and Associates, Inc.

Nancy Skinner
Consultant and Executive Coach
Nancy Skinner & Associates

Sara Smolenski
Chief Judge
63rd District Court – Second Division

Jacqueline Taylor
Owner
Taylor Global Consulting

Beverly Wall
CEO
Languages International

Eileen Wilson-Oyelaran
President
Kalamazoo College