Cunnington Named Among Distinguished Women

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 Northwood University has recognized Laurie Cunnington as one of seven nationally known women at its recent 45th Annual Distinguished Women Awards Gala.

Cunnington is a partner with Cunnington and Cunnington, a consulting firm specializing in midsize energy projects. She is the CEO and co-founder of the Cunnington Foundation. She is the former president of Ward Williston Oil Co. having led the firm to acquisition in 2013.

She holds the following board positions: Harvard University, J.F. Kennedy School of Government, Women’s Leadership Board, Oakland Family Services, Beaumont Hospital Foundation, Women of Tomorrow Advisory Board, and UN Women. She is a trustee of Beaumont Health Systems. She is a member of the Clinton Global Foundation, and a member of Committee of 200.  In addition, she is a former board member of Opportunity International and the executive committee of JAM, an African relief organization.

Her philanthropic work includes programs supporting education, mentoring, microfinance and relief work in the United States, as well as developing countries. She is currently working on projects in Rwanda, Mozambique, Sudan, Uganda, Jordan, and the United States.

Honored by Ernst & Young with the Entrepreneur of the Year Award, she received the Top Women Owned Business Award by Diversity Business.com. She was honored as Woman of the Month by Women Of.Com. She was  honored by DBusiness Powered by Detroit Women in 2011, and chosen by the Wall Street Journal for their Female Leaders Network.  She serves as a Judge for the EY Winning Women’s Program. Under her leadership, her company was awarded Inc. 5,000 Fastest Growing Private Co. in 2008 and the Top 50 Woman Owned Business in North Dakota.

Established in 1970 by the Northwood University Board of Trustees under the inspiration of founders Dr. Arthur E. Turner and Dr. R. Gary Stauffer, the Northwood University Distinguished Women Awards were created to recognize the enormous contributions women make to communities, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and public and private sector services world-wide.