Jana Kirlin Brownell, chairman of Kirlin Lighting in Detroit, has been named as the 2024 inductee into the Michigan Lighting Hall of Fame. This honor, presented at the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Detroit Section’s annual awards gala, recognizes Brownell’s contributions to the lighting industry and her leadership at Kirlin.
She joined Kirlin, a designer and manufacturer of sophisticated lighting products and systems for 129 years, as a product manager in 1986 and was named president and CEO in 1997.
“Tonight, it is both a privilege and a pleasure to introduce and honor someone who has not only redefined leadership but also exemplified what it means to commit to excellence in both industry and community,” says Michelle Prew, vice president of IES Detroit. “As we celebrate Jana, we recognize not only her exceptional career but her unwavering commitment to enhancing lives through light, her advocacy for Detroit’s vitality, and her legacy of service to those around her.”
Brownell says, “I should not be here; I had planned to become the creator of a global women’s health care delivery system to help women and their families preserve a life of vitality and good health. But, when my father was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in 1986, I returned to Michigan to join Kirlin and continue his legacy of innovation, quality, reliability, and dedication.”
For more information about Kirlin Lighting, visit kirlinlighting.com.
