For nearly three decades, MichBusiness and its sister brands, Corp! Magazine and the Best and Brightest Programs, have been honoring the contributions of women around the state who’ve shown great leadership and helped advance the cause of women in business.
And so it was this year, when hundreds of people gathered to recognize the accomplishments of the four newest additions to MichBusiness’ Hall of Fame, along with the 2024 Shooting Stars and Women in Leadership winners.
The 28th annual event, designed to recognize the accomplishments of women, was held at The Henry in Dearborn.
Katie Sullivan, executive director of operations and community outreach for MichBusiness, told the crowd that today, 66% of top executive positions in the U.S. are held by men, and that for every 100 men promoted from an entry-level position to manager, 87 women are promoted.
“Much work has been done in 28 years, and much more work must be done,” Sullivan said. “Women in the workplace have overcome so much throughout the years. We are doing better, but we still have a long way to go.”
The main purpose of the event was to recognize the achievements of women business leaders. They were each honored during the ceremony.
Hall of Fame inductees
Faith Fowler – Reverend Faith Fowler is the Executive Director of Cass Community Social Services, a Detroit non-profit which responds to poverty with programs for food, health care, housing, and employment. As executive director, she oversees the organization’s mission to provide one million meals annually, house homeless Detroiters, provide health care through two free medical clinics and jobs for adults with significant barriers to employment.
Grace Lee – Lee is the CEO and President of Ashford Connex, LLC., an executive search and staff augmentation firm. Prior to founding Ashford Connex, Lee was a co-founder and CFO of Logic Solutions, Inc., a global web technology company that provides technology solutions and services for businesses across the United States and Asia.
In addition to serving on the board of the Asian Pacific-Islander American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship in Washington D. C., Lee is also the Treasurer for Global Detroit, Board of Director of Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce and Oakland Thrive, and member of International Women’s Forum.
Vivian Pickard – Pickard, an accomplished Fortune 500 Executive, is President and CEO of the Pickard Group. Pickard advises Fortune 500 companies, private companies, non-profits, and chambers of commerce. She was appointed by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to serve on the Women’s Commission for the State of Michigan and was appointed by former Gov. Rick Snyder to serve on the Medical Marijuana Board for the State of Michigan.
Michelle Richards – Richards leads the organization she established in 1984, now known as the Great Lakes Women’s Business Council. Great Lakes WBC is among the top economic development organizations in Michigan and Indiana. Pickard played a critical role in the national efforts to persuade much of the corporate world that doing business with women-owned businesses is both prudent and profitable With her passion for service to others and her roots in social work, Pickard blends her community activism and business acumen to advance women, minorities, and small businesses.
Shooting Stars
Ashley Chambers – Chambers is Vice President of Business Development at Chief Financial Credit Union. She is dedicated to empowering individuals with financial education, stability, and independence. Her fulfillment comes from helping people achieve their financial goals by providing them with knowledge, tools, and connections to enhance their banking experience. Ashley serves on the Board of Directors for the Rochester Community Schools Foundation, chairs the Inforum Troy chapter, actively participates in the Rochester Downtown Development Authority committee, and recently joined the Board of On the Wings of Angels.
Alexandria DeSano-Salvaggio – DeSano-Salvaggio brings over a decade of experience in the financial industry. Her commitment to philanthropy and volunteer work has been a driving force in her professional life. Actively supporting various charitable organizations, DeSann has made significant contributions to causes including Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Friends of Foster Kids, Families Against Narcotics, Henry Ford Health System, and Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 154.
Jessica Morales – One of the most remarkable aspects of Morales’ journey is her motivation and determination as a young professional with no prior experience in the steel manufacturing industry before joining Target Steel. From the very beginning, she demonstrated an exceptional ability to quickly grasp complex concepts and adapt to the intricacies of steel production. Her motivation, coupled with a relentless pursuit of knowledge, has been a driving force behind her rapid ascent within the company.
Hannah Reisdorff – Reisdorf defends clients in matters arising under federal statues such as Title 7, the ADA, the ADEA, and the FMLA, as well as parallel state law statutes, whistleblower claims, breaches of contract, and wrongful termination claims. Prior to joining Clark Hill, she worked across the country, representing businesses in a variety of commercial litigation matters. She also worked for the Suffolk County District Attorney in its Family Protection Unit, where she advocated for survivors of abuse and participated in the prosecution of child sexual assault cases.
Corri Wofford – In her role as the External Affairs Director for the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan, Wofford leads all communications, government relations, and community outreach efforts. In her expanded role, she aims to strengthen the RTA’s brand with external partners and stakeholders, reaffirming the organization’s commitment to transparent and collaborative decision-making. Wofford is excited about the opportunity to not only contribute to the growth of the RTA as an organization but also to continue her community engagement work in a different capacity. She has already started mapping out several projects that the RTA plans to develop.
Women In Leadership
Tiffany Douglas – Diversity and Inclusion client executive and Underrepresented Talent Strategy Executive for Bank of America. Douglas is responsible for setting and driving diversity and inclusion strategies in collaboration with the bank’s leaders, markets, teams, and external partners. She is passionate about the access of quality opportunities for metro Detroiter’s including training, higher education, fresh food, and affordable housing. Her concern for these things is manifested in how a community’s health, wellness and economic prospects are impacted.
Zenna Elhasan – Elhasan is general counsel and board secretary at The Kresge Foundation and serves as secretary for the foundation’s board of trustees. She is responsible for managing the overall legal affairs of the foundation, supports the development and enforcement of foundation policies and practices, supports the board on governance matters and manages outside counsel relationships. Previously, Elhasan served as corporation counsel for Wayne County, where she led commercial litigation, federal civil rights compliance, labor and employment law and real estate and tax matters.
Kenyetta Hairston-Bridges – Hairston-Bridges is an accomplished leader serving as the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Economic Development and Investment Services for the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation. In this role, she expertly guides a team of economic development professionals to foster investments that generate business growth, create job opportunities, and optimize real estate development investments across various asset classes, including commercial, industrial, and mixed-use.
Nicolet Lewis – Lewis is Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer for the Detroit Pistons. Born and raised in Detroit, Lewis is active in the local community and currently sits on the boards for the Institute for Sports and Social Justice and Bing Youth Institute. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations with a minor in Management and a Master of Arts in Integrated Marketing and Communications from Eastern Michigan University.
Dana Williams – Williams is President and CEO of Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation. Williams is responsible for overseeing system operations, representing the workforce perspective in various settings, and providing a data-based foundation upon which the system operates for the Mayor’s Workforce Development Board. She believes in serving the community, especially Detroiters, as evidenced by her work with various organizations across the city.
In addition to honoring the women leaders from around the state, the Women’s Thrive event also served as a networking event for a variety of vendors.
The Capuchin Soup Kitchen was making its first networking appearance at the 28-year-old event, and Lindsey Difazio Meyer, Capuchin’s corporate relations manager, said the event’s relationship to women made it a natura fit for the Capuchin Ministries.The Capuchin Soup Kitchen in Detroit was founded by the Capuchin friars to provide food for the poor during the Great Depression and is sponsored by the Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Joseph.
“Women are the heartbeat of the community,” Meyer said. “The Capuchin Soup Kitchen is always looking for opportunities to share the good word. This is a great opportunity to learn. We always want to see these great women.”
Safie Specialty Foods, located in Chesterfield, Mich., is a third-generation, family-owned culinary business dedicated to classic tradition in creating culinary masterpieces.
As a woman-owned business Theresa Pavone, Safie’s executive vice president of special projects, felt setting up at the event was a natural decision.
“We’re looking to increased brand awareness, to spread the word,” said Pavone, whose grandfather established the business more than 90 years ago. “We’re a woman-owned business, so we thought it fit perfectly.”
