Southfield’s Michigan Council of Women in Technology Foundation Names Melanie Kalmar President

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Melanie Kulmar
Melanie Kalmar // Photo courtesy of the Michigan Council of Women in Technology Foundation

Melanie Kalmar has been named 2020 president of Michigan Council of Women in Technology Foundation (MCWT). Kalmar is corporate vice president, chief information officer, and chief digital officer for Dow in Midland.

She replaces Jane Sydlowski, CEO of AMI Strategies, who led the organization last year. Jennifer Charters, executive vice president and chief information officer of Flagstar Bank, will assume the role of vice president.

“Through our focus on education, engagement, and empowerment, MCWT has inspired women all over the state to pursue a technology career,” says Kalmar. “We will continue to drive more progress, serving as a resource and convening students, professionals, and companies in partnership to drive more opportunities.”

Kalmar began her engagement with MCWT four years ago when she got involved in nonprofit’s programs. Since then, Dow has sponsored a ConnectNet networking event for women in technology and five Camp Infinity technology programs for middle and high school girls.

“We’ve developed incredibly effective, robust programs that reach girls as early as the fourth grade and go through retirement,” says Kalmar. “In 2020, MCWT will focus on strengthening our programs to provide meaningful impact throughout the full life of a woman’s career while advancing our mission to inspire and grow girls and women in tech.”

The organization’s programs include mentoring opportunities, leadership development, and skill-building forums. It hosts ConnectNet and the annual Executive Connection Summit. The organization leverages partnerships with nonprofits and companies to offer additional resources and learning opportunities.

Kalmar’s role at Dow involves operating global strategy for information technology and digital capabilities to advance the company’s growth and business strategies. She also serves as a member of the executive leadership team at Dow, which sets the company’s direction, defines priorities, and is accountable for delivering enterprise-level results.

Kalmar also helps with Dow’s diversity and inclusion strategy as a member of the President’s Inclusion Council and executive sponsor of PRIME, an employee resource group.

The Michigan Council of Women in Technology Foundation supports Michigan’s female IT workforce, students, corporate partners, schools, and communities through networking, learning, mentoring, and technology experiences.