Recent Profile Articles
Like the saffron spice derived from the crocus, Cindy Kikkert-Penning is a rarity in more ways than one. The flower is one of many favorites Cindy grows in her garden, for years the envy of her Spring Lake neighborhood. "Who needs to go to any other flower festival,...
Fueled by her passion for safer workplaces, roadways and communities, Andrea Owens created HourGlass Testing Solutions—a business offering same-day, onsite-collection, and management of workplace drug and alcohol testing programs. West Michigan Woman sat down with...
In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, we're celebrating this wonderful gift women give to babies all around the world. We sat down to chat with Julie Burrell, owner and inventor of Pumpndo, to learn more about how her invention helps women do more while breastfeeding...
Cindy Larsen has been with the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce for 18 years and currently serves as its president, so you could say she knows a thing or two about what it takes to spark growth, engage residents and build up local businesses. But there's one...
"I've always wanted to help everybody." The Hon. Sara J. Smolenski was in fourth grade when she knew she wanted to pursue law. Seeing an introverted classmate's discomfort when he was asked to read, she thought, "I'll read for him!" This is like being an attorney, she...
"It's important to be a disrupter in the community and to make sure that women feel supported and that they can accomplish anything." Megan Spruit is a huge fan of West Michigan. She recently took over as president of Grand Rapids Metrology—a fifth-generation,...
Men typically dominate the legal profession—but that doesn't mean that women don't lead the charge. While the profession is constantly evolving to give credit to females where credit is due, women in law face discrimination that their male counterparts do not. Have...
Carl Erickson values transparency and quality, in his personal life and as the CEO of Atomic Object. The software company, which designs and builds web and mobile apps, has a deeply ingrained perspective on quality and building quality products because of something...
"I've known I was trans since I was 5 years old," said Ellie Webster, vice president of the Grand Rapids Pride Center, an organization that empowers the city's LGBTQ community through social and support groups, education, and advocacy. After more than two decades...
You've navigated downtown Grand Rapids juggling a walking taco, wedge of baklava and Boba smoothie. You've marveled at the scores of West Michiganders who have flocked to the city to join in the festivities (and secretly wondered where they all came from). You've...