Rochester Women Among Inductees Into Michigan Women's Hall of Fame

A world-famous aviator, a Rochester women's rights advocate, an international economist, and the first women to participate in the writing of the state constitution are among the 8 notable women and one group of women selected by independent juries for induction into the 2013 class of the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame. The women will be honored at the 30th Annual Awards dinner on Thursday, Oct. 17 at the Kellogg Hotel and ConferenceCenter in East Lansing.

The 2013 Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame honorees in the contemporary category are:

• Gladys Holdeman McKenney of Rochester
  Gladys McKenney is an advocate for women’s rights and an educator. McKenney taught women’s history as a classroom teacher and through her “Our Fabulous Foremothers” performances, which bring historic events to life with the use of her own handmade dolls representative of important women in American history.
• Elizabeth W. Bauer of Birmingham
  Elizabeth Bauer works on behalf of people with disabilities. She began as an advocate for children with disabilities in public schools. Later she founded the federally mandated Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service, an organization that became a national model.
• Judith Levin Cantor of Bloomfield Hills
  Judith Cantor is a leading authority on Michigan’s Jewish community. She was integral in the creation of the Jewish Historical Society of Michigan. Cantor’s work as a historian, author, teacher, archivist, and curator demonstrates her commitment to preserving the heritage of the Jewish community.
• Paula Diane Cunningham of Lansing
  Paula Cunningham was the first female president of Lansing Community College, the first female African American to Chair the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the first female president and CEO of Capitol National Bank. She is also extremely active in the community, creating many educational initiatives.
• Joan Jackson Johnson of Lansing
  Affectionately known as “Triple J,” Joan Jackson Johnson is an advocate for the poor, homeless, and mentally ill through her position as the director of Human Relations and Community Services for the City of Lansing and her extensive volunteer work in the Greater Lansing community.
• Marina von Neumann Whitman of Ann Arbor
  Marina Whitman was vice president and group executive of Public Affairs at General Motors, making her the highest-ranking female executive in the American auto industry in 1985. She was also the first woman on the President’s Council of Economic Advisors and the first woman to serve on the board of several multi-national corporations.

• Con-Con Eleven
  Of the 147 delegates at the 1961-1962 Michigan Constitutional Convention, only 11 were women—Vera Andrus of Port Huron, Ruth Gibson Butler of Houghton, Anne M. Conklin of Livonia, Katherine Moore Cushman of Dearborn, Ann Elizabeth Donnelly of Highland Park, Daisy Elizabeth Elliott of Detroit, Adelaide Julia Hart of Detroit, Lillian Hatcher of Detroit, Dorothy Leonard Judd of Grand Rapids, Ella Demmink Koeze of Grand Rapids, and Marjorie Frances McGowan of Detroit—and became known as the “Con-Con Eleven.” It was the first constitutional convention in 53 years and the first and only time women participated in the writing of Michigan’s constitution.
• Elizabeth “Bessie” Eaglesfield (1853-1940) of Benton Harbor
  Elizabeth Eaglesfield was Grand Rapid’s first practicing female attorney. Eaglesfield, an active clubwoman, was also one of the first female steamship captains on Lake Michigan. A shrewd businesswoman, she pursued clients for her legal practice, shipped goods on the Great Lakes, and invested in property. 
• Harriet Quimby (1875-1912) of Arcadia
  Although her career as a pilot was brief due to a tragic airplane accident, Harriet Quimby left an indelible mark on aviation history. In 1911, Quimby was the first American woman to become a licensed pilot. In 1912, she became first woman to fly cross the English Channel.

The 2013 induction ceremony and dinner will take place at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center, 55 South Harrison Avenue, East Lansing. A reception will begin at 5 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m. and the ceremony at 7 p.m.

Event reservations ($125/person) and information about sponsorships and advertisements will be available at www.michiganwomenshalloffame.org after August 1st or by calling (517) 484-1880 x203.