PAULA D. CUNNINGHAM
2009 COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER
CANDIDATE FOR HONORARY DOCTOR OF LAWS DEGREE
Paula D. Cunningham is President and CEO of Capitol National Bank (CNB), a subsidiary of Capitol Bancorp Ltd. Cunningham is the third president of Capitol National Bank, which just celebrated its 25th anniversary. “CNB is a community bank that employs 70 people and has approximately $250 million in assets.” Prior to joining Capitol National Bank Ms. Cunningham was President of Lansing Community College from October 2000 until February 2006. Lansing Community College has more than 30,000 students and is the State’s 3rd largest community college. As President of Lansing Community College, she successfully led a community millage campaign to generate an additional $9 million for the institution into perpetuity. Under her leadership, the college implemented a strategic planning process that resulted in five new buildings and that significantly renewed the college. The main building on the LCC campus was officially named the Paula D. Cunningham Administration Building in 2006. Throughout her career, Paula D. Cunningham has been actively involved with numerous community and governmental organizations. She currently serves on the following boards:
- Ingham Regional Medical Center
- Lansing Rotary Foundation
- Michigan Association of United Way
- Lansing Rotary
- State of Michigan Library Foundation
- Lansing Sesquicentennial
- Greater Lansing Visitors and Convention Bureau Foundation
- Team Lansing
- The Imagine Fund
Her previous service included an appointment by Governor Jennifer Granholm to serve on the Michigan Education Trust Fund and the Cherry Commission. Governor John Engler appointed her to serve on the Council on Technical Excellence. She also served as the 2002 Campaign Chair of the Capital Area United Way leading an effort that raised close to $7 million dollars for local charities. Cunningham also makes time to teach Sunday school. Ms. Cunningham’s dedication to education and community have been recognized by many organizations and she has received numerous awards and recognition throughout her career:
- 2008 awarded the Distinguished Citizen’s Award by the Okemos Boys Scouts of America
- 2007 featured in Ebony Magazine as a “Woman on the Move”
- 2006 recipient of the distinguished Athena Award
- 2005 recipient of the Child Advocate of the Year Award
- 2003 she received the Excellence in Education Award by SBC Ameritech
- 2002 she received the Vocational Excellence Award by the Rotary Club of East Lansing
- 2000 Ms. Cunningham received the Honorary Achiever of the Year Award by the YMCA
Ms. Cunningham holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s in labor/industrial relations from Michigan State University. Paula and her spouse, Darius, have a son, Darius II, a daughter, Dana, and a grandson, Darius III.
