three cheers for the boss!

June 19th, 2008 at 03:17pm Jennie Pollock

today, executive editor linda grist cunningham was honored by the rockford chamber of commerce’s woman manager of the year award. our early story is here. watch for photos and video later.

it’s hard to summarize all the reasons she won, but i’ll share with you the top of the nomination.

Linda Grist Cunningham would tell you that there’s a difference between a manager and a leader. Managers manage, and leaders lead. More specifically: Managers plan, solve problems and get things done. Leaders set the vision, innovate and inspire.

Linda was born, it seems, with the rare gift of being both an efficient manager and a dynamic leader.

She deserves to be named the Manager of the Year for not only her long-term impact but also her short-term savvy. She has been the executive editor at the Rockford Register Star for 17 years, which has provided a foundation for consistently progressive work in the industry and for the community we serve. But the last year and a half have probably been the most challenging in her 30-year career. Despite a corporate ownership change and voluntary staff buyouts in a struggling field, she revamped the newspaper and rrstar.com and launched three successful new products in Rockford Woman, BusinessRockford.com and HealthyRockford.com. This kind of leadership – amid floods, a tornado and a tragic campus shooting – earned her and the Register Star the 2007 Newspaper of the Year from GateHouse Media, our parent company.

we are proud of her accomplishments and awards. she is a big part of why i’ve stayed in rockford for 13 years. the photo above is from an event this fall. she could not attend the women’s expo, so she videotaped her speech in advance — like a pro, in two takes.

congratulations to the other winners as well:

Joy Baldwin, assistant vice president of cash management services at Alpine Bank, took home the Woman Business Leader of Tomorrow award.

MaryAnn Norwood, owner and president of Pathways Employee Assistance Program, won the Woman Business Owner of the Year award.

Entry Filed under: Rockford Chamber of Commerce award, Linda Grist Cunningham