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GRAND BLANC, Mich. – Officials of The Ally Challenge presented by McLaren announced today the details of the fourth annual Women of Influence Luncheon. The celebration of the power and accomplishments of women in Southeastern Michigan, and beyond, takes place on Thursday, August 21, 2025, from noon to 2 p.m. at the famed 17^th hole at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club.

Thanks to overwhelming community support and the event’s sponsors¾ELGA Credit Union, Huntington Bank, DOW, and The Genesee Group¾the Women of Influence Luncheon is nearing a sellout for this year’s event. A limited number of tickets remain available, starting at $250. To join us for this special Luncheon please contact Ryan Pabreza at rpabreza@theallychallenge.com.

The 2025 Women of Influence Luncheon will include remarks from event emcee Rhonda Walker, award-winning and versatile journalist at WDIV-Local 4 News and the founder and president of the Rhonda Walker Foundation.

Luncheon panelists include: Moderator Andrea Brimmer – Chief Marketing and Public Relations Officer, Ally Financial; Joanie O’Sullivan-Butler – President & CEO, John P. O’Sullivan; Roxanne Caine, Vice President, Detroit Lions Foundation & Community Relations; and Alicia Jefferys, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at the Detroit Pistons.

Luncheon guests will also experience a special charity spotlight segment that will feature a conversation with Brooke Gow, Executive Director, Family Service Agency of Mid-Michigan, facilitated by Laurie Prochazka, Vice President of Community Partnerships, McLaren.

RHONDA WALKER has been helping Detroiters get motivated and ready for the day with her incredible energy, enthusiasm, impeccable style, and passion for her hometown for the past 27 years. A confessed morning person, this talented journalist starts her day at 2:00 a.m. to co-anchor the weekday morning and noon newscasts at WDIV¾a position she’s held since 2003. Walker is known for her compassionate  storytelling and keen interviewing instincts with top local and national leaders to families struggling to make ends meet.  But for those who only know Rhonda Walker the anchor person, there is so much more to her.

Throughout her life, Walker has been committed to serving the Metro Detroit community. Her passion for giving back and uplifting others is shown by over 50 appearances she makes throughout the year with motivational speaking and in support of charitable efforts. She is well established not only as a leader in her profession but also for service to the greater Detroit Community, especially in youth and women’s empowerment, homelessness, health and wellness and philanthropy.

The Rhonda Walker Foundation, now in its 22nd year, includes the Foundation’s award-winning, comprehensive five-year Girls into Women education, career and personal development, mentoring and college prep programming. This initiative has resulted in 100% high school graduation and college enrollment rates among the inner-city teen girls who complete the program, along with a 95% college graduation rate. For more information about the foundation visit http://rhondawalkerfoundation.org/.

Born in Detroit and raised in Lansing, Walker holds a degree in communications from Michigan State University. In her spare time, she is an avid golfer and loves to travel with her husband Jason, shop, dine out, enjoy Michigan summers, volunteer and spend quality time with family and friends.

ANDREA BRIMMER is responsible for leading all aspects of the company’s integrated marketing and brand transformation, driving unprecedented growth and disruptive consumer engagement.?? 

Brimmer joined the company in 2006 and spearheaded the creation and launch of the Ally brand in 2009. Since becoming CMO in 2015, she has unified the brand under the company’s “Do It Right” mantra, and at her direction, Ally has established itself as a “different” kind of financial services company, dedicated to solving customer pain points that traditional institutions ignored.?? 

Brimmer is widely recognized as one of the country’s most innovative and effective marketing leaders. She has appeared on the Forbes World’s Most Influential CMO list five times, earning her a spot in the 2024 Forbes CMO Hall of Fame. Her many other honors include 2024 She Runs It Women of the Year, 2023 Forbes Entrepreneurial CMO 50, 2023 Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business and the 2020 Adweek Brand Genius award. 

She holds several board positions with organizations including eHealth, Ad Council, Effie Worldwide, American Advertising Federation, MMA and Women’s Sports Foundation.?Brimmer also serves on multiple advisory boards at Michigan State University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree and played varsity soccer for four years.

JOANIE O’SULLIVAN-BUTLERis the President and Chief Executive Officer of John P. O’Sullivan Distributing, Inc. a second-generation beverage distributor based in Grand Blanc, Mich. In that role, she oversees the company’s distribution of beer, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages to over 2,200 retailers in an eleven-county footprint throughout mid-Michigan. A dynamic beverage executive known for maximizing sales and operational excellence, she has led her family business through rapid organic sales growth as well as multiple brand and territory acquisitions. Her passion has resulted in the company’s recognition as a top distributor by supplier partners many times, including winning the prestigious MolsonCoors President’s Award six times in the last twelve years. Joanie joined John P. O’Sullivan Distributing in 2000. Prior to her current role, she served as the Chief Legal Counsel and Distributor Operations Manager for the company working alongside the founder, her father John P. O’Sullivan. She also previously worked as an attorney in Washington, D.C. focused on government contracts and import/export law.

Joanie holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame, a Juris Doctor from The Catholic University of America, and an LLM from Georgetown University. This year Joanie was elected as the first female chairperson of the Michigan Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association in over 18 years. She has previously served on the Board of Directors for Whaley Children’s Center and the Board of Directors of Catholic Charities for Genesee and Shiawassee counties. In her free time, Joanie enjoys spending time with her family and traveling.

ROXANNE CAINE is the Vice President for the Detroit Lions Foundation and Community Relations. Roxanne joined the Detroit Lions in 2022 and is responsible for leading the community engagement efforts on behalf of the organization as well as directing all aspects of the foundation. Much of the engagement activities are directly tied to NFL initiatives, which brings awareness and activation around cancer support, military support and social justice initiatives as well as developing youth.

Hailing from Grand Blanc, Roxanne has dedicated most of her career to philanthropic causes, fundraising, grantmaking and community outreach. She worked for McLaren Health Care in several capacities for nearly 20 years. In 2018, Roxanne joined the staff of Michigan State University College of Law where she led the development and alumni team. She has been involved in a myriad of community organizations.

Roxanne holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Michigan and a Master of Science in Health Services Administration from Central Michigan University. She has held the status of Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) since 2008. Roxanne resides in Grand Blanc with her husband, Joe and their dog Theo, and they have two adult sons, Jason and Brian.

ALICIA JEFFERYS is currently the Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for the Detroit Pistons. She recently celebrated her 24th season with the franchise. As a senior executive, Jefferys is focused on global brand positioning, the cultivation of strategic collaborations and marketing-led revenue-driving efforts.

In her role, Jefferys leads with a wealth of experience and expertise. Managing a diverse team, she takes pride in developing top talent, fostering a collaborative work culture, and demonstrating effective leadership through times of change.

In addition, and most importantly, she is the proud mother of four daughters.

BROOKE GOWis a dedicated community advocate and the Executive Director of Family Service Agency of Mid-Michigan. A proud two-time graduate of Central Michigan University, she holds a Bachelor's degree in family studies and a Master's degree in public administration.

With over 12 years of experience in the human and social services field, Gow has built a career grounded in compassion, innovation, and advocacy. Her professional journey includes roles as a Program Developer at West Midland Family Center, Guardian ad Litem for the Lapeer County Circuit Court, and

CPS Caseworker with the State of Michigan. In 2017, she found her "forever home" at Family Service Agency, where she now leads the organization with passion and vision.

In her role as Executive Director, Gow writes and develops impactful programs, breathes new life into existing services, and continuously seeks opportunities to expand the agency’s reach. She also serves on several community boards, advocating for marginalized populations and working to educate the public about the often-unseen challenges these individuals face.

Outside of her professional life, Gow is a proud mother to four beautiful children who are her heart and soul. Any time not devoted to her community work is happily spent with them.

LAURIE PROCHAZKA has worked at McLaren Health Care for 39 years, currently serving as Vice President of Community Partnerships. In this role, she is instrumental in the promotion, activation and community outreach in McLaren’s tremendous support of The Ally Challenge. She greatly values giving back to the community, currently serving on the boards of the United Way of Genesee and Shiawassee Counties, the McLaren Flint Foundation and as a Lifetime board member of the YWCA of Greater Flint. A proud graduate of Michigan State University and a resident right here in Grand Blanc, she and her husband have three grown daughters and three grandchildren.

The 2025 Ally Challenge presented by McLaren will take place the week of August 18–24 at renowned Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club.

Tickets for The Ally Challenge can be purchased by visiting the tournament website (theallychallenge.com). The Ally Challenge is open to spectators from Thursday (August 21) to Sunday (August 24) and ticket prices start at $15. Children 17 and under receive free grounds access with a ticketed adult. For a complete listing of ticket options please CLICK HERE.

Access to The Concert @17, and the Ally Community Concert featuring Thomas Rhett, require the purchase of a valid tournament ticket for the day each concert is hosted, or a weekly ticket option.

The Ally Challenge is a Regular Season PGA TOUR Champions event in 2025, which will give way to the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs¾a season-ending, three-tournament series used to determine the TOUR’s season-long champion. The 2025 PGA TOUR Champions schedule features 28 events and will conclude with the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix, Arizona. The 2025 Season will have players competing for more than $69 million in total prize money, the highest in PGA TOUR Champions’ 45-season history.

All three rounds of The Ally Challenge presented by McLaren will be broadcast on Golf Channel.

Since its inception in 2018, The Ally Challenge presented by McLaren has donated nearly $8.4 million to support charity.

For more information about The Ally Challenge, please visit www.theallychallenge.com. For the latest Ally Challenge news and updates on social media follow the tournament on Twitter and Instagram at @AllyChallenge and on Facebook at Facebook.com/AllyChallenge.

About The Ally Challenge presented by McLaren
The Ally Challenge presented by McLaren is an official event on the PGA TOUR Champions owned and operated by Tournaments for Charity, a Michigan non-profit corporation. This 54-hole stroke play golf tournament features 78 PGA TOUR Champions professionals competing for a $2.2 million purse at the historic Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club in Grand Blanc, MI. The event is designed to showcase the best golf on the PGA TOUR Champions for the enjoyment of spectators and to benefit local charities in the greater Flint area. All three official rounds will be internationally televised on the Golf Channel.

For more information about The Ally Challenge presented by McLaren, please visit www.theallychallenge.com. For the latest Ally Challenge news and updates on social media, follow the tournament on Twitter and Instagram at @AllyChallenge and on Facebook at Facebook.com/AllyChallenge.

About Ally Financial
Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALLY) is a financial services company with the nation's largest all-digital bank and an industry-leading auto financing business, driven by a mission to "Do It Right" and be a relentless ally for customers and communities. The company serves customers with deposits and securities brokerage and investment advisory services as well as auto financing and insurance offerings. The company also includes a seasoned corporate finance business that offers capital for equity sponsors and middle-market companies. For more information, please visit www.ally.com.  

For more information and disclosures about Ally, visit https://www.ally.com/#disclosures.

For further images and news on Ally, please visit http://media.ally.com.

About McLaren Health Care
McLaren Health Care, headquartered in Grand Blanc, Michigan, is a $6 billion, fully integrated health care delivery system committed to quality, evidence-based patient care and cost efficiency. The McLaren system includes 13 hospitals in Michigan, ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, a 490-member employed primary and specialty care physician network, commercial and Medicaid HMOs covering more than 690,000 lives in Michigan and Indiana, home health, infusion and hospice providers, pharmacy services, a clinical laboratory network, virtual and retail care services and a wholly owned medical malpractice insurance company. McLaren operates Michigan’s largest network of cancer centers and providers, anchored by the Karmanos Cancer Institute, one of only 53 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the U.S.  McLaren has 22,000 full-, part-time and contracted employees and more than 113,000 network providers throughout Michigan and Indiana.  Learn more at www.mclaren.org.

About HNS Sports Group
HNS Sports Group is a Dublin, Ohio-based LLC founded in 2000. The company offers over 125-plus years of collective experience and is committed to providing professional, efficient and effective client representation in the categories of sponsorship consultation, event management, hospitality management, sales representation and tournament operations within the golf market. To learn more about HNS Sports Group, visit www.hnssports.com.

Media Contact
The Ally Challenge presented by McLaren
Thomas P. Sprouse, Director of Communications  
E-Mail: tsprouse@hnssports.com           
Office: 614-889-6791               
Mobile: 614-519-1873

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