While 2021 was marked a successful year for many in the area, that success looks different for GreatNews.Life Executive Director Jenny Craig-Brown. For Craig-Brown, success is being the spokesperson for GreatNews.Life and spreading the great news all across the Region. This past fall, Craig-Brown has been all over Lake County, Ind. sharing the great news with everyone she sees.
“One of my favorite events this past year has been the Goodwill Little Black Dress Fashion Show,” said Craig-Brown. “Not only did I get to attend, but I got to be a part of this event by being a model in the fashion show itself. The Goodwill team is absolutely incredible, including Debbie Coble and Guy Fisher. They're fantastic.”
Thanks to this fashion show, Craig-Brown was able to connect more with local business people like herself and branch out to make new connections.
“The woman who runs the show, Kathy Friend, is the fashionista,” said Craig-Brown. “She is an absolutely stunning, smart, very talented woman who made even me look fantastic in all of the styles she had me in.”
“I got to meet a lot of great people and hang with even more great people. I got to know Cindy Lopez, who is the owner and operator at the Merrillville Tea Room,” she continued. “Similarly, I got to hang with Africa Tarver, who is the leader of Economic Development for the City of Hammond. She is just such a fun person who, as I learned, has a huge love for shoes. So kudos to you girl. It was fun to chat with you, and you are a powerhouse.”
Being a model at the event, Craig-Brown also formed a special bond with the other models who helped showcase outfits for the show.
“I got to model alongside some really great people,” she said. “I want to say a special thank you to Kelly Nissan from Boys & Girls Club of Greater Northwest Indiana, Tom Dakich, who was such a fun model to be around, Jackie Dermody, who killed it on the runway, Mary Wright from Horizon bank who did an awesome job not only modeling, but helping me stay calm, and the style crew that we had that night was also fantastic. So, thank you Cyn Sacramento, who owns Glowbar by Cyn.”
Craig-Brown was not the only Lifer representing the GreatNews.Life name at this event though.
“We had a photographer there to capture pictures of all of the models and the entire crowd,” she said. “Rachel Calderone was covering the event for GreatNews.Life, making sure to have everyone smile and wave, so we were able to get plenty of great pictures thanks to her.”
Another event that Craig-Brown got be part of this year was the Lake County Economic Alliance Fall Recap and Reception.
“I cannot say enough good things about Karen Lauerman and Don Koliboski,” said Craig-Brown. “They are both phenomenal people that are doing incredible things for economic development in Lake County. I mean, the stuff that they're doing, and the stuff that we got to learn about at the Fall recap, was just astounding. They are just really ahead of the game in the Region, and I'm excited to see all that 2022 will bring for them.”
Most recent for Craig-Brown on her Lake County appearances was the Crossroads Chamber Annual Gala.
“Most recent, and one of the most fun of the year, was the Crossroads Chamber Annual Gala,” she said. “We are finally getting back into some larger events like the gala, and I was excited to be able to get to go to that because of the people there.”
The gala, which is an annual event for Crossroads Chamber, brought many great connecting and networking opportunities to Craig-Brown as well.
“I got to connect with Deann Patena and her team at the Chamber who are doing an absolutely phenomenal job,” said Craig-Brown. “I got to hang with Kevin Frazier from NW Indiana ER and meet his wife. I also connected with Candace Arvin as well as Nicole Garza, who were both there with some others from General Insurance services, and Mike Telesky from UnitedHealthcare and his wife were also in attendance, as well as many others.”
“The food was amazing, but the company was fantastic,” she continued. “It was exciting to learn what the Crossroads has planned for the coming years, the fantastic first responders that were awarded that night, and I also managed to come home with some really fun silent auction items as well.”
As 2021 comes to an end and the new year draws near, Craig-Brown is looking forward to the events she will be attending in the fall and spring.
To stay tuned with all of the great events in Lake County that Craig-Brown and GreatNews.Life will be at in the upcoming year, follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. To read more great news from around the Region visit https://nwi.life/.