Community advocate who helped nature and people retires
The Honor Flight Network, which brings U.S. Veterans to the war memorials in Washington, DC, is one of many organizations Cindy Finch has worked with as an Enbridge corporate citizenship advisor.
Region received grants to strengthen communities
March 8, 2023
Though hard to choose her favorites among the hundreds of organizations with which she has worked since 2015, it seems only fitting that the Mackinaw Straits Raptor Watch (MSRW) is among them.
Cindy Finch, Enbridge’s retiring corporate citizenship advisor, not only embraces the symbolism of her last name with the MSRW, but she has a genuine admiration for the MSRW’s work.
“I appreciate the bird monitoring conducted by the MSRW to help understand and conserve these species,” said Finch.
“Raptors are incredible animals, and I find their speed, beauty, and gracefulness captivating. That some of the banding activities take place on Enbridge property demonstrates our willingness to support this important work.”
“Along the way, there have been many, many conversations with people committed to making our world better.”
—Cindy Finch, Enbridge corporate citizenship advisor
Upon joining Enbridge, Finch recalls learning about environmental issues, and equally important, about Enbridge’s commitment to supporting sustainable communities and initiatives. Fast forward almost eight years, and Enbridge, under Finch’s watch, has awarded approximately $5 million in grants.
“I’m grateful for that experience and it has been fulfilling to have a job where I learned every day—from my colleagues and from our communities,” said Finch.
“The partnerships we’ve nurtured have helped provide safety for citizens, promoted environmental stewardship and inspired vibrant communities.”
Positive impact spans Michigan
Having worked across Michigan and Enbridge’s operational footprint, Finch finds it a challenge to pinpoint her favorite partnerships.
“Along the way, there have been many, many conversations with people committed to making our world better,” she recounts fondly. “We have supported numerous causes with hundreds of partnerships with first responders, robotics programs, food shelves… Their collective impact on our communities is amazing, and Enbridge has been proud to support them.”
After much deliberation, Finch shared her five favorite initiatives with which Enbridge has been involved during her tenure. She added the Straits Area Sportsmen’s Club; Upper Peninsula and Mid-Michigan Honor Flights; Moving Mountains Adaptive Program; and Detroit Area Pre- College Engineering Program Inc. (DAPCEP) to the list with the MSRW.
“It has been an honor to watch these organizations and Enbridge’s contributions in action,” said Finch.
“Involving young people in outdoor experiences where they learn to appreciate our natural resources, offering veterans an assisted trip to Washington, D.C., to visit national memorials, making Michigan’s fantastic skiing and snowboarding experiences available to individuals with disabilities or inspiring underrepresented students to consider the possibilities of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), has been heartwarming.”
Following her March 17 retirement, the avid hiker, golfer and nature enthusiast intends to spend time with family and friends in Pentwater, MI, where her great grandparents established a farm. Finch spent her childhood summers there, and while it no longer is an active farm, it remains a treasured gathering place. She and her husband also plan to continue hiking national parks across the globe—taking in nature, one step at a time.
