2021 Group Award Honoree — Special recognition of The Dow Company Foundation, Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation and The Charles J. Strosacker Foundation.
Executive Director, Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation
Velasquez began as the first Executive Director for The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation in October of 2005. She served as Chief Executive Officer of Midland County’s Economic Development Corporation, Midland Tomorrow, beginning in 1999. Two years prior, she served as Midland Tomorrow’s Manager of Economic Development Services. She was Midland’s first Downtown Development Authority Coordinator. Prior to living in Midland, Velasquez worked for the Manhattan, Kansas Convention and Visitors Bureau. She earned a B.S. in business administration from Kansas State University and her M.B.A. from Michigan State University, as well as completing an executive education course at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Community activities include serving as a member of Huntington Bank Community Advisory Board, Vice Chair MidMichigan Health Board, Chair of Midland City and County Joint Building Authority, Michigan Municipal League Foundation Board, Council of Michigan Foundations Board, Chair of Midland Entranceway Initiative Task Force, Past Chair and current Member for Michigan Non-Profit Association Board, Greater Midland Community Centers Trustees Board, Past Chair for Leadership Michigan Advisory Board, Midland Business Alliance, Midland Rotary Club, Local Development Finance Authority Board, Past Chair of Saginaw Valley State University Board of Control, Past Chair of Delta College Foundation Board, Past Chair of Brownfield Redevelopment Financing Authority, Past Vice President and Assistant Secretary for Michigan Baseball Foundation, Midland Blooms Volunteer, Dow Community Advisory Panel, Junior Achievement Volunteer, Michigan Humanities Council Grants Committee, Leadership Midland Alumni, and 1000 Leaders-Leadership Saginaw Alumni.
