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The Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce (LRCC) will recognize six regional female leaders who are new to their positions since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic during an Executive Welcome program. The event will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 8 from 8 to 9:30 a.m., at the MSU Federal Credit Union Headquarters Community Room located at 3777 West Road, East Lansing.

The Executive Welcome is the first in-person opportunity to welcome and congratulate several important regional leaders who accepted their positions at various stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders being recognized include Helen Johnson (Sparrow Eaton Hospital), Cindy Kangas (Capital Area Manufacturing Council), Michelle Lantz (Greater Lansing Food Bank), Julie Pingston (Greater Lansing Convention & Visitors Bureau), Carrie Rosingana (Capital Area Michigan Works!) and Nicole Noll-Williams (Capital Region Airport Authority). This is the first time the LRCC Executive Welcome has recognized women leaders exclusively.

“We are particularly excited to recognize these leaders who represent the unprecedented growth in the number of outstanding women leaders in our region,” said Tim Daman, president and CEO, LRCC. “This particular group of leaders in particularly deserving of recognition in light of the circumstances under which they assumed their new position during a global pandemic. We are very proud of the work they are doing in their organizations and our region.”

The Executive Welcome will include remarks from all the leaders being recognized and provide an opportunity for LRCC members to meet each leader and network with other people in the business community. The Executive Welcome is sponsored by Delta Dental. For more information and registration, visit www.lansingchamber.org.

Background on the leaders being recognized at the LRCC Executive Welcome:

Helen Johnson, RN, MSN, NEA-BC, FACHE, is the president of Sparrow Eaton Hospital. She joined Sparrow in January 2021 with over 30 years of progressive leadership experience, having served in key roles at Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital, including chief nursing officer, chief operating officer, and twice as interim president.

Helen began her career as an oncology nurse in Marquette, Mich. Subsequently, she led the development of a Hospice program, launched dozens of telemedicine sites, and assisted in integrating a standalone community hospital into a $5-billion health system. She now leads Sparrow Health System’s newest affiliate hospital, which has net annual revenue of $60 million, a workforce of 450 caregivers, and rich 80-year history. She has received numerous accolades, most notably the 2018 Healthcare Leadership Award from the Michigan Health & Hospital Association. She has achieved Fellow status in the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) and is active in the organization’s Great Lakes Chapter.

Cindy Kangas is executive director of the Capital Area Manufacturing Council (CAMC). Cindy brings a wide range of experience in development, marketing, and community relations to the position. Cindy previously worked as director of development for Ele’s Place. She also served as director of development and community relations for the Capital Area Humane Society. She also served as community coordinator for Fox 47 WSYM-TV. A key near-term priority for Cindy
at CAMC will be to reach out to community stakeholders and explore partnerships that can help bring more awareness to the challenges and opportunities manufacturers face while operating here in the capital region.

Michelle Lantz, APR is the CEO of the Greater Lansing Food Bank, a seven-county food distribution hub for 150 agencies and community partners and 110 community gardens. In 2020, the GLFB provided 7.75 million meals to neighbors in need. Lantz previously held the position of senior vice president of donor and public relations at Capital Area United Way and led its fundraising and marketing efforts during two separate times in her career. Before owning a public relations consultancy for 12 years, she was the director of communications for the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce. Michelle holds an accreditation in public relations from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and served as the chair of numerous national, regional, and local PRSA committees during her career.

Nicole Noll-Williams is the president and CEO of the Capital Region Airport Authority. Previously, she spent almost three years as the Mid-Michigan regional director for U.S. Senator Gary C. Peters and over 25 years in the aviation industry with experience in air service development, airline management and contract management. She was the director of marketing and passenger development for the Capital Region International Authority, responsible for
development, marketing, advertising and public relations efforts for the Capital Region International Airport and Mason Jewett Airport. Her efforts were vital in developing direct service to Washington D.C. and international markets, including Cancun and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Julie Pingston, CDME, CMP, CTA is the president and CEO for the Greater Lansing Convention & Visitors Bureau (GLCVB). She has been with the organization for 28 years and became CEO in March 2020. The mission of the GLCVB is to promote the Lansing region as a travel destination to impact the area’s economy. We typically welcome over 5.3 million visitors annually, generating over $682 million to the local economy. The GLCVB promotes meeting and sporting event planners and all types of travelers seeking to experience the diverse opportunities our community offers. Julie leads the team at the GLCVB toward the vision of inspiring our visitors and community partners to love Greater Lansing as much as we do. She serves on many local community boards and is a graduate of Alma College.

Carrie Rosingana is the CEO for Capital Area Michigan Works!, a workforce development agency responsible for managing multi-million dollar federal and state grant programs within Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham counties. She has worked in workforce development since 2007. Carrie started her career as a career coach and case manager within the Capital Area Michigan Works! system before joining the Capital Area Michigan Works! administrative team as their quality assurance officer. Carrie was promoted to the chief compliance officer role and then served as the chief operating officer and equal opportunity officer for five years prior to becoming CEO in July 2020.