By Carey Van Lue
August 15, 2023
Details announced for second annual Women of Influence Luncheon presented by Dream Title Agency and The Brokerage Real Estate Enthusiasts
INSPIRING EVENT CELEBRATES THE POWER AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF WOMEN IN SOUTHEASTERN MICHICAN AND BEYOND
New charity spotlight segment showcases local non-profit, Voices for Children
GRAND BLANC, Mich. – Officials of The Ally Challenge presented by McLaren announced today the details of the second annual Women of Influence Luncheon presented by Dream Title Agency and The Brokerage Real Estate Enthusiasts. The celebration of the power and accomplishments of women in Southeastern Michigan, and beyond, takes place on Thursday, 8/24/2023 at the famed 17th hole at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club.
The Women of Influence Luncheon will include remarks from event emcee Jeanna Trotman, WXYZ Detroit Channel 7 Reporter, Anchor & Multimedia Journalist. The Luncheon’s featured panel discussion will be the centerpiece of the inspirational event with all attendees invited to stay and enjoy the activities and events happening on Thursday at The Ally Challenge.
To learn more about the Women of Influence Luncheon, including how to purchase tickets and attend, please visit, https://theallychallenge.com/fan-events/women-of-influence/.
Luncheon panelists include: Moderator Andrea Brimmer, Chief Marketing and Public Relations Officer, Ally Financial; Shari Ballard, CEO Minnesota United FC and University of Michigan Flint alum; Ashlee Baracy, Meteorologist WDIV Local 4 News (ClickOnDetroit); and Shasta Averyhardt, Flint, Mich. native and LPGA Golf Professional.
Luncheon guests will also experience a fireside chat with special guest Ashlyn Harris, former United States Women’s National Team & Gotham FC goalkeeper and current Global Creative advisor for Gotham FC.
In addition, country-pop entertainer Grace West will make a special appearance at the Women of Influence Luncheon. West is a native of Detroit and secured second place on Season 23 of NBC’s The Voice.
New to the 2023 Women of Influence Luncheon a special charity spotlight segment will feature a conversation with local non-profit organization Voices for Children and its president and CEO, Claudnyse Holloman, facilitated by Laurie Prochazka, Vice President of Marketing for McLaren.
BRIMMER is responsible for leading all aspects of Ally’s integrated marketing and brand transformation, driving unprecedented growth and disruptive consumer engagement. She joined the company in 2006 and spearheaded the creation and launch of the Ally brand in 2009.
She is widely recognized as one of the country’s most innovative and effective marketing leaders, known for being a dynamically disruptive and culturally astute trailblazer. Her many honors include being named a winner of the 2020 Adweek Brand Genius award and a four-time honoree on the Forbes list of World’s Most Influential CMOs. She was recently named to the 2023 Forbes Entrepreneurial CMO 50 and Fast Company’s 2023 Most Creative People in Business.
Brimmer is passionate about advancing diversity, equity and inclusion, and using her platform to create good in the world. In 2022, she launched the marketing industry’s first 50/50 pledge with the goal of spending equal amounts in advertising for women’s and men’s sports. Her leadership in gender equity resulted in her being named to the 2022 Adweek Most Powerful Women in Sports list and as the 2022 WISE Woman of the Year.
BARACY is an Emmy award-winning meteorologist who was born and raised in Metro Detroit. You can catch her 4Warn Weather forecasts weekday mornings and at noon on NBC in Detroit and streaming on Local4+. Her career has come full circle. She started at WDIV in 2010 as a traffic anchor, general assignment reporter and fill-in meteorologist. She then went on to WBNS, the CBS affiliate, in Columbus, Ohio as a full-time meteorologist for seven years before returning home this past January. While there, she quickly climbed the ranks, being named the station’s first female chief meteorologist. During that time, she received multiple Emmy nominations including a win for a severe weather special in 2021. She was awarded “Best Weathercast” by the Ohio Associated Press Media Editors three times and voted as Best Weather Person in the Columbus Dispatch’s “CBUS Top Picks” for four consecutive years. She light-heartedly jokes that one of her biggest accomplishments was getting Buckeye country to like a Michigan Wolverine.
Ashlee’s greatest pride and joy are her two children. During her first pregnancy, she inspired a conversation about body positivity through her experiences with body shaming. Her message went viral making headlines in the New York Post, People Magazine and on the Today Show. Ashlee served as Miss Michigan 2008 and was a top ten finalist in the Miss America pageant. She is also a former captain of the University of Michigan dance team. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, a Broadcast Meteorology Certification from Mississippi State University and has a Master of Science degree from Eastern Michigan University.
BALLARD is a seasoned executive with more than 25 years of deep retail experience. In August 2021, Shari charted a path into the world of professional sports, taking over as Chief Executive Officer for Minnesota United FC, the State’s Major League Soccer franchise. Prior to joining MNUFC, she was the president of multichannel retail for Best Buy Co. Inc., where she was responsible for all U. S. Best Buy stores, e-commerce, Best Buy Mexico and the company’s real estate strategy until August of 2018. She continued to serve as an advisor until April of 2019.
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan – Flint, Ballard was hired in 1993 to work in a local Best Buy store, beginning as an assistant store manager and rising to general manager. After a variety of retail leadership roles, she was promoted to executive vice president of human resources and legal.
In 2007, Ballard assumed responsibility for Best Buy stores in the United States, focusing her energies on deepening customer relationships and better utilizing the full range of talent and resources that reside within the company’s stores to drive growth. She was promoted to president of Americas, U.S. and Mexico in 2010, and two years later, she was appointed president of international, overseeing business and the transformation efforts in Canada, China, Europe and Mexico. In 2014, Ballard assumed the role of president of U.S. retail and eventually began a dual role to include chief human resources officer. In 2017, she added e-commerce to her responsibilities.
Ballard serves on the board of directors for Ecolab Inc., the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services; PetSmart the leading specialty pet retailer; Allina Health; and the board of trustees for the University of Minnesota Foundation.
AVERYHARDT is a professional golfer hailing from Flint, Mich. She began her golf journey at the age of 7. With heavy parental involvement, she continued developing her love for competition through the junior and amateur ranks where she became a multiple tournament winner. That led her to Jackson State University (JCU) where she studied business with a concentration in accounting. While at JSU, she won nine collegiate golf tournaments including four individual Southwestern Athletic Conference championships setting the conference record of six under par.
In 2011, Averyhardt earned her LPGA Tour card becoming the 4th African American Woman to earn LPGA Status. During her professional career to this date, she has won seven professional tournaments along with qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Open Championship. She spent some time competing on the LPGA Symetra Tour, where she won the 2012 LPGA Symetra Tour Rising Star Award.
In 2014, Shasta decided to step away from the game and explore her accounting background as a tax associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. In her third year at the firm, she realized how much she missed playing professional golf and decided to pursue the LPGA Tour again in the spring of 2017.
In 2018 at the conclusion of her LPGA Epson Tour Season, she made her way back to her Alma Mater, Jackson State University, where she was inducted in the JSU Sports Hall of Fame. In 2020, she put her distance off the tee to use when she competed in the Capital Long Drive Classic hosted by the Golf Channel.
Currently, Averyhardt has conditional playing status on the Ladies European Tour and the LET Access Tour for the 2023 season. In between competition, she engages in various panel discussions that range from women in sports, golf, HBCU’s and health/wellness. In addition, she is a board member of a progressive organization: The HBCU Golf Alumni Group.
Off the golf course, Averyhardt enjoys traveling, visiting local coffee shops, playing other sports, studying astrology, assisting with animal welfare and enjoying the journey of life.
HARRIS, former United States Women’s National Team & Gotham FC goalkeeper and current global creative advisor for Gotham FC, made her debut in 2013 with the National Team. She was a member of the 2015 and 2019 World Cup Champion team, is a two-time CONCACAF Champion, and is a three-time She Believes Cup Champion.
In 2016, Harris was named NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year after making 62 saves and having a 1.33 goals-against-average in 15 games. She was also named to the 2016 NWSL Best XI. Ashlyn always dreamed big and set her standards high. During her senior year of high school, Harris knew that the University of North Carolina (UNC) only gave full scholarships to players on the full National Team, but, after expressing her dream to the head coach, UNC said they would find a way. Fast-forward four years: Harris graduated with a 3.3 GPA, the first in her family to graduate from college, after winning three national championships with the Tar Heels.
The youngest starter on the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Cup Team at just 16 years of age, Ashlyn is a two-time Goalkeeper of the Year and has amassed a stacked resume of accolades during her career. The Florida native was a strong veteran presence for the US Women’s National Team (USWNT) that shot to fame in 2019. Ashlyn is known for her distinct sense of style, her love of expressing herself through fashion and her extensive tattoo work. Ashlyn is a champion of self-expression and self-love, and, as a result, her fan base is extremely devoted. In 2021, Harris was named the 3rd most marketable athlete in the world.
Ashlyn has always been an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and Women’s rights and uses her platform to promote positive change.
In 2019, she married former teammate Ali Krieger, making them one of sports’ most beloved couples. They split time between New York and Florida and are parents to two young children; Sloane who they welcomed in February 2021 and Ocean who they welcomed in August 2022. Ashlyn and Ali also have two dogs – Logan and Storm.
In November 2022, Ashlyn hung up her cleats and retired from her professional playing career to join Gotham FC’s front office. Ashlyn and Ali ran a podcast through the 2022 World Cup called the Most Important Thing and will continue to engage in media in the near future. Ashlyn is extremely active on social media and loves creating content whether that be trends, relevant Tik Toks, creating her own Reels with her family, pets, outfits, or just showing her daily life.
WEST is a modern country-pop artist with timeless twang. She was just 12 years old when she picked up her grandfather’s guitar and strummed her first song. Music had always been a daily part of her life, from the gospel songs she sang in the church choir to the Motown classics that rang throughout her family’s Detroit-area home. Even so, something changed the day West began making music of her own, sparking a meteoric career that would soon see her signing a publishing deal as a teenager, relocating to Nashville shortly after graduation, and creating a sound that blended northern roots with southern living.
From Motor City to Music City, West’s path has been thoroughly defined by music. Her grandfather—a guitar player who loved iconic rock acts like Led Zeppelin—was an early inspiration, as were the musical theater productions that West starred in as a child. Coming from a long line of Detroit natives, she also felt herself drawn to Motown music, whose songs told classic tales of life and love. And then there was Nashville, a town separated from Detroit by 530 long miles, yet still near and dear to West’s heart from a very young age. She loved country music, and as soon as she learned her first handful of guitar chords, she was playing her own country songs at local venues.
“I’m making pop-country with an old-school vibe,” she says proudly, nodding to Luke Combs and other contemporary stars who’ve straddled the border between country music’s classic traditions and modern makeover. “I love bringing the elements of classic country—the foundation of the genre—into a more modern sound.”
West secured second place on Season 23 of NBC’s The Voice. As Blake Shelton’s last button push ever, he calls her “The real deal.” She went on to highlight her “pure” vocals and her love for the country music genre throughout the season.
Since the show, West continues to write and perform and is currently working on releasing an EP.
HOLLOMAN is a dedicated advocate for the well-being of children. Previously, she worked as a private practice attorney, representing both children and adults in various capacities, including several non-profit organizations. Currently, she serves as the president & CEO of Voices for Children Advocacy Center, where her focus is on helping children and families who have been victims of child abuse, neglect, and human trafficking. Throughout her tenure, Claudnyse has actively worked to expand services and improve laws for child survivors, solidifying Voices for Children Advocacy Center as a leading organization in the mid-Michigan area.
Voices for Children Advocacy Center acts as a haven for children and families in Genesee and Shiawassee counties who have experienced child sexual abuse, severe physical abuse, neglect, exposure to violence, and human trafficking. Claudnyse has played a pivotal role in developing statewide and county protocols and policies aimed at assisting survivors of human trafficking and child abuse. Additionally, she has been instrumental in advocating for legislative changes to ensure more effective processes for child survivors. Claudnyse has provided testimony on child abuse and human trafficking issues with the Michigan House Judiciary and actively communicates with legislators and elected officials on national, state and local levels.
The Ally Challenge will be one of the premier Regular Season events on the PGA TOUR Champions in 2023, featuring a $2,200,000 purse and leading to the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs¾a season-ending, three-tournament series used to determine the TOUR’s season-long champion.
All three rounds of The Ally Challenge presented by McLaren will be broadcast on Golf Channel.
For more information about The Ally Challenge, please visit www.theallychallenge.com. For the latest Ally Challenge news and updates on social media follow the tournament on Twitter and Instagram at @AllyChallenge and on Facebook at Facebook.com/AllyChallenge.
About The Ally Challenge presented by McLaren
The Ally Challenge presented by McLaren is an official event on the PGA TOUR Champions owned and operated by Tournaments for Charity, a Michigan non-profit corporation. This 54-hole stroke play golf tournament features 78 PGA TOUR Champions professionals competing for a $2 million purse at the historic Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club in Grand Blanc, MI. The event is designed to showcase the best golf on the PGA TOUR Champions for the enjoyment of spectators and to benefit local charities in the greater Flint area. All three official rounds will be internationally televised on the Golf Channel.
For more information about The Ally Challenge presented by McLaren, please visit www.theallychallenge.com. For the latest Ally Challenge news and updates on social media, follow the tournament on Twitter and Instagram at @AllyChallenge and on Facebook at Facebook.com/AllyChallenge.
About Ally Financial
Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALLY) is a financial services company with the nation’s largest all-digital bank and an industry-leading auto financing business, driven by a mission to “Do It Right” and be a relentless ally for customers and communities. The company serves more than 11 million customers through a full range of online banking services (including deposits, mortgage, point-of-sale personal lending, and credit card products) and securities brokerage and investment advisory services. The company also includes a robust corporate finance business that offers capital for equity sponsors and middle-market companies, as well as auto financing and insurance offerings. For more information, please visit www.ally.com and follow @allyfinancial.
For more information and disclosures about Ally, visit https://www.ally.com/#disclosures.
For further images and news on Ally, please visit http://media.ally.com.
About McLaren Health Care
McLaren Health Care, headquartered in Grand Blanc, Michigan, is a $6 billion, fully integrated health care delivery system committed to quality, evidence-based patient care and cost efficiency. The McLaren system includes 13 hospitals in Michigan, ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, a 490-member employed primary and specialty care physician network, commercial and Medicaid HMOs covering more than 690,000 lives in Michigan and Indiana, home health, infusion and hospice providers, pharmacy services, a clinical laboratory network, virtual and retail care services and a wholly owned medical malpractice insurance company. McLaren operates Michigan’s largest network of cancer centers and providers, anchored by the Karmanos Cancer Institute, one of only 53 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the U.S. McLaren has 22,000 full-, part-time and contracted employees and more than 113,000 network providers throughout Michigan and Indiana. Learn more at www.mclaren.org.
About HNS Sports Group
HNS Sports Group is a Dublin, Ohio-based LLC founded in 2000. The company offers over 125-plus years of collective experience and is committed to providing professional, efficient and effective client representation in the categories of sponsorship consultation, event management, hospitality management, sales representation and tournament operations within the golf market. To learn more about HNS Sports Group, visit www.hnssports.com.
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