What makes these women so influential?

Look up the definition for “influential” and you get “having influence.”

Hmm, not particularly helpful.

Look up synonyms for influential and you’ll get descriptors like powerful, authoritative, dominant, controlling, strong and important.

Better, but still not exactly what I would use to describe the Grand Rapids Business Journal’s 2022 class of 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan.

Two words come to mind for me when describing this year’s class: vital and critical.

For West Michigan to continue on a path of relevance and prosperity, it’s critical that these 50 women — and hundreds more like them — exhibit the strength, compassion and ethics required to move the business community forward. For West Michigan’s message to reach a national or even global stage, it’s vital that these women continue to tell their personal stories and by their actions show the rest of the world what this region is all about.

The 50 women profiled here are inspirational. Many have overcome personal and professional obstacles that would have sidetracked most people, regardless of gender. While their stories vary, all of them share at least one common trait — they are very intentional in their actions.

When Huntington Bank-West Michigan President Krista Flynn noticed she often was the only female in the room, she set about changing that narrative by encouraging other female finance executives to put in the work required to reach the top of their professions.

When public relations firm owner Mary Ann Sabo first heard about the Black Lives Matter movement, she sought out a young entrepreneur of color to support. Her collaboration with Dondrea Brown of Young Money Finances resulted in several success stories for his nonprofit.

Kristen Revere, co-owner of Gold Coast Doulas, sought out two women to mentor through Grand Valley State University’s Cook Leadership Program, where she has volunteered since 2010.

The list of similar stories from these women goes on and on.

Then there are the ones who are so dedicated and so prolific, they can’t limit themselves to helping just a few individuals at a time. At least three members of this year’s class — Nikeidra Battle-DeBarge, Graci Harkema and Shannon Cohen — are in the process of or already have published books about their personal experiences in an effort to spread their messages of triumph around the world.

This is what it means to be intentional.

Add that intentionality to being vital and critical and you get a motivated group of women who are at the forefront of change in West Michigan.

50 Most Influential Women class of 2022

Menaka Abel

Erica Armstrong

Nikeidra Battle-DeBarge

Hannah Berry

Mandy Bolter

Meredith Bronk

Jane Clark

Shannon Cohen

Jaime Counterman

Wendy Falb

Megan Feenstra Wall

Jennifer Feuerstein

Krista Flynn

Tina Freese Decker

Floriza Genautis

Vanessa Greene

Claire Guisfredi

Susan Gunn

Graci Harkema

Anita Hitchcock

Tracey Hornbeck

Shelley Irwin

Beth Kelly

Sara Knoester

Elise Kutt

Candice Lake

Sara Lowe

Lisa Lowery

Philomena Mantella

Gricelda Mata

Deidra Mitchell

Rachel Mraz

Sindia Narber

Deborah Oliviara Kalsbeek

Kristin Revere

Mary Ann Sabo

Cheryl Schuch

Hanna Schulze

Monica Sparks

Kelly Springer

Sue Tellier

Aleka Thrash

Jessica Ann Tyson

Annemarie Valdez

Christina VanDam

Michelle Van Dyke

Lauren VanKeulen

Rachel VerWys

Jenny Waugh

Milinda Ysasi