Holden-Kay
The Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce has selected its 2023 Women in Leadership honorees who will inspire the audience at the 2023 Women in Leadership Lunch on Sept. 26 at Hilton Garden Inn-Edinburgh.
Set to grace the stage as this year’s honorees are Kim Bennett, Lindsay Holden-Kay, Courtney Metzger, and Luz Elena Michel Marti. Their stories of success and empowerment will undoubtedly resonate, underscoring the profound impact of women in leadership roles, chamber officials said.
Under the banner of “Celebrating Unstoppable Women,” this year’s gathering promises to be a tribute to the resilience and accomplishments of women.
“Year after year, this event allows us to applaud the invaluable contributions that women bring to both our professional arenas and our wider community,” said Chamber President Cindy Frey.
This year, the event kicks off with a spoken word performance by Titi Obasanya, entrepreneur-in-residence at Elevate Ventures, and concludes with remarks by The Republic Editor Julie McClure.
The honorees are:
Lindsay Holden-Kay began her legal career as a deputy prosecutor in Marion and Bartholomew counties and was elected the first female prosecutor in Bartholomew County in 2022. Her contributions to the community include her work with Schmitt Elementary School, 4-H, Council for Youth Development, as well as many professional groups. Her leadership style might best be summed up by her campaign slogan “Because Hard Work Matters.”
Courtney Metzger, who from her early beginnings at Kenergy to her impactful tenure in Washington D.C. at Rural Electric Utilities Finance Corporation, and now as a leader at Bartholomew County REMC, has had a unique career trajectory. Her leadership contributions to the Greater Columbus Economic Development Corp. and Heritage Fund boards of directors, and the positive culture she has cultivated at BCREMC are notable. She is blazing a new trail in an indispensable and rapidly changing industry.
Kim Bennett brings energy and positivity to the workplace. She has distinguished herself in various aspects of banking, including branch management, personal and small business lending, and now, treasury management at German American Bank. The selection committee noted how visible she is in the community, by serving on boards of organizations like the United Way, Doug Otto Center, kidscommons, Turning Point, and Leadership Bartholomew County. She works to make a difference.
Luz Elena Michel Marti moved to Columbus from San Luis Potosi for what she hoped would be a two-year stint. Now, she is proud to call Columbus home. As the Latino Outreach Manager Tu Futuro, a program of the Community Education Coalition, her work is improving the educational outcomes for Latino students in very significant ways. Her work was recognized by the Indiana Human Rights Commission in 2020 when she was given the prestigious “Trailblazer Award.”
The 2023 event is presented by Columbus Regional Health and supported by Old National Bank.
Tickets are $50. Tables of eight are available for $400. Reservations are required and can be made on the Chamber website at columbusareachamber.com.
