Nominations for the West Michigan Woman Brilliance Awards open December 16.

Focusing on nominees who are committed to creating positive change and excel in their fields, the Brilliance Awards shine a light on women and men within the West Michigan community who truly elevate others and blaze trails of inspiration.

Nominations will close February 7, 2025.

All questions can be directed to [email protected]

Woman of the Year | Mentor | Connector | Social Change Agent | Champion of Service
Tenacity | Entrepreneur | Emerging Leader | Best Supporting Man

A well-rounded woman inspires, excels, creates positive change and serves as a role model for others. She demonstrates exemplary and innovative business practices while creating a culture focused on strong customer service, employee retention and community purpose. The Woman of the Year is a high-achiever, accomplished, visibly involved in community service, a strong business leader; she breaks down barriers, elevates other women and inspires countless others as she goes.

Without mentors, many women would not be where they are today. The Mentor award goes to a woman who provides valuable advice and support, through a significant commitment of time and care, leading to the growth of other women’s professional skills and abilities. The woman honored with this award fosters talent and empowers others so they might grow beyond their goals and achieve beyond expectation.

Business success and personal success often involve making the right connections and building synergetic relationships. Connectors are women who are less concerned about their own brilliance and more focused on shining a light on others. With her extensive network, the Connector elevates others by selflessly making meaningful connections with the sole intent of seeing people succeed.

She has a voice and she knows how to use it for the greater good. The Social Change Agent’s passion is doing something that most likely won’t benefit her, but will help many people, a community or even humanity. Her power lies in her exceptional ability to educate, organize and mobilize to solve a social problem. Her work might not yet—or ever—be done, but she rages on, pressing to create a more equitable and just society for all.

The Tenacity award goes to a woman who never tires, never gives up and never backs down. She’s faced her fair share of setbacks and bone-crushing blows, yet when you look at her you see only strength and resolve that leaves you awe-inspired. She’s accomplished a lot, because tenacity doesn’t relent. It’s her grit and grace, bravery and boldness that set her apart from those less willing and able to persist.

Service is the foundation of any thriving community. The Champion of Service award goes to a woman who sees service to others as part of her lifestyle and life’s mission. Whether she’s dedicated her career to it or regularly volunteers to affect one special charity, she gives of her time and energy selflessly while relentlessly pursuing her cause.

Success doesn’t always come easy to an entrepreneur. It often takes years—even decades—of dedication and mental fortitude. Many will hit a bump in the road, and another, and another ... but the dream propels her and she perseveres. The Entrepreneur award is given to a woman who has embraced failure, tamed risk and hustled harder to build a business worthy of applause.

Emerging leaders embody a collaborative mindset. They apply learning, embrace accountability, continuously reinvent, are digitally confident, anticipate and build for the future, and are global citizens. The Emerging Leader award honors a woman under age 35 who encapsulates what it means to be a leader of the next generation of professionals.

Supporting women in the workplace is good for business. Our male counterparts should be change agents who elevate the presence of women leaders related to business equality. Sheryl Sandberg notes, “The benefits of men leaning in for equality are huge.” The Best Supporting Man award lauds a male leader who mentors, advocates, recruits, promotes and shares in the work of women, with dedicated and demonstrated intent of elevating their equality in the workplace.