About: Michaelyn (Micki) Benz served as Vice President at Mercy Health Saint Mary's for twenty-five years, until October 2019, having varied responsibilities including fundraising for the Lacks Cancer Center, the Hauenstein Center, and several outpatient health centers. In that capacity, she led teams of staff and volunteers in raising $62 million for those projects. She also was responsible for political advocacy, community relations, and media relations. Micki is committed to the local community and has volunteered actively for dozens of organizations and committees over the years, including her past positions as board chair for the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce (where she was also the first female board chair of the organization), Grand Rapids Urban League, Pilgrim Manor Retirement, Grand Rapids Historical Commission, and Catholic Social Services (now Catholic Charities).
She currently serves as Immediate Past Chair of the the Literacy Center of West Michigan and is a tutor in the Adult Tutoring program. Other current positions include chairing the board of the Beacon Hill Foundation and serving as a trustee of the Legacy Trust board. Prior to joining Saint Mary's, she served as First Vice President of Business Development for Michigan National Bank, which is now Bank of America, and as a director of Continuing Education at Davenport College (now Davenport University.)
Originally from Cleveland, Ohio (and a staunch Cleveland Indians fan), she earned her B.A. degree in English at Mount Saint Joseph University in Cincinnati and her M.A. at Loyola University of Chicago. Micki and her husband, John, have one son, Matthew, who is an attorney for the firm HQLAx in Luxembourg and lives with his wife, Ashley, and their nine-year old son, Henri, in Paris and Metz, France.
Hobbies: In her free time, Micki enjoys pilates, running, biking, and reading, especially American history. She also enjoys traveling and visiting her family in Europe.
Affiliated with the Literacy Center: Micki has been affiliated with the Litearcy Center since November 2011.
