By Gary Fisher
PHOTOS COURTESY OF GENESEE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gives the introduction via Zoom at the Heritage Day event on June 12.
On June 12, the Genesee County Historical Society (GCHS) held its annual Heritage Day celebration. The GCHS has been an integral part of preserving Genesee County history for 113 years. Originators and contributors have included Charles Stewart Mott, J. Dallas Dort, Walter Chrysler, and Charles Nash, among many other notables.
The Heritage Day event is not only a time to reflect on the long history of the GCHS, but also an opportunity to recognize leaders who have achieved success and shined a positive light on Genesee County while making an important impact in their chosen endeavors. These individuals are recognized as Genesee County History Makers and inducted into the Genesee County Historical Society Hall of Fame during the event.
Past inductees include Reggie Williams, NFL “Man of the Year” and chief innovator of the Walt Disney Wide World of Sports at Disney World in Orlando, Florida; Pat McInnis, co-founder of Quicken Loans and creator of Fathead; Darryl “D.J.” Johnson, Flint basketball legend, Michigan State University standout, and NBA and international professional basketball player; Pete Flanders, legendary disc jockey, entrepreneur, and impresario; longtime Congressman Dan Kildee; Exact Sciences (Cologuard) CEO Kevin Conroy; Flint’s first female professional basketball player, Linnell Jones McKinney; and, in memoriam, “Wild” Bob Burman, race car driver for the Buick Racing Team and member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame.
This year’s event was held at the Genesys Banquet Center in Grand Blanc before a capacity crowd, and it was the biggest Heritage Day celebration yet in a variety of ways. The annual meeting for members kicked off the proceedings, as usual, with GCHS business and an update on the Saginaw Street Arches revitalization project. The famous arches are owned by the GCHS, and the three-year restoration project is winding down with repairs, maintenance, and preservation work nearing completion.
Following a terrific dinner and to kick-start the History Maker program, always the “meat and potatoes” of Heritage Day, the audience was greeted by United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who joined via Zoom with a special message of congratulations, support, and encouragement for the GCHS, Genesee County, and the History Maker honorees.
The theme for this year’s event was Health and Fitness = Strong Communities, and each honoree embodied that message.
Then it was time for the History Maker honorees to take the stage, with this author serving as moderator and GCHS president, always the most enjoyable part of the evening.
The 2026 History Maker honorees and Hall of Fame inductees were an estimable group with world-class credentials:
Ken Morrow
The class was headlined by Ken Morrow, a member of the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” Olympic gold medal-winning team and a four-time Stanley Cup champion with the New York Islanders. Morrow was born and raised in Flint, growing up on Kellar Avenue, where he learned to play hockey. He credits his blue-collar mindset to his Flint childhood, where he honed his skills on local outdoor rinks and through the Greater Flint Hockey Association at the IMA Ice Arena. His family later moved to Davison, where he graduated from Davison High School while focusing on travel hockey before becoming Bowling Green’s first hockey All-American and the 1979 NCAA Player of the Year. During his appearance, the final minute of the legendary 1980 U.S. vs. Soviet Union game was replayed, culminating with Al Michaels’ iconic call: “Do you believe in miracles?” It was an electric moment, both in 1980 and once again at Heritage Day. Morrow is a member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.
Ken Morrow and GCHS Board Member Susan Ledbetter
Sue Novara Reber
One of the most dominant track cyclists in American history, Sue Novara Reber was born and raised in Flint. A Flint Northwestern graduate, she became the youngest woman ever to win the World Sprint Championship at age 19 and repeated the feat in 1980, ultimately earning seven medals at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships. She also won U.S. National Sprint Championships in 1972, 1974, and 1975, and held the American record in the 200-meter sprint. Her success continued into the 1980s as she won multiple stages of the Tour de France Féminin. After narrowly missing the U.S. Olympic Team in 1984, she coached the U.S. Women’s National Team from 1986 to 1988. She is a member of the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame.
Gary Fisher interviews the “Lady Legends” panel (from left) Sue Novara Reber, Pam Stockton Brady and Geena Gall Levoe.
Dr. Bobby Mukkamala
President of the American Medical Association, Dr. Bobby Mukkamala is a graduate of the University of Michigan’s accelerated medical program and a Powers Catholic alumnus. Today, he is a highly respected otolaryngologist and national health care leader dedicated to medicine and the revitalization of his hometown of Flint. During the past 25 years, he has become a cornerstone of the Greater Flint medical community. His personal experience following a brain tumor diagnosis has made him a passionate advocate for medical research and the advancement of genomic testing. That leadership has extended to the national stage, yet he continues bringing his knowledge, connections, and leadership home to Flint and Genesee County.
GCHS Vice President Rick Hetherington (right) poses with Dr. Bobby Mukkamala at the Heritage Day celebration.
Geena Gall Levoe
A Grand Blanc High School graduate, Geena Gall Levoe was an elite American middle-distance runner, member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team, and University of Michigan track standout. She is one of the greatest female track athletes in the history of Flint, Genesee County, Michigan, and arguably the nation. Born in Flint, she initially excelled in basketball before turning her focus to track. In high school, she won three consecutive national championships while setting a long-standing record in the 800 meters. At Michigan, she earned All-American honors and captured 10 Big Ten titles, including back-to-back outdoor championships in 2008 and 2009. As a member of Michigan’s famed “Fab Four” relay team, she helped set two collegiate records at the prestigious Penn Relays. Gall Levoe became one of the youngest inductees into the Greater Flint Area Sports Hall of Fame.
Pam Stockton Brady
One of the most prolific athletes ever produced by Flint and Genesee County, Pam Stockton Brady is arguably the greatest female badminton player in American history. The Flint Southwestern graduate used her exceptional court sense and shot-making skills to help transform Flint into the undisputed badminton capital of the United States during the 1970s. Her remarkable career includes 20 U.S. National Championships between 1972 and 1985, 24 National Junior Championships, the South African Open singles championship, a Women’s Doubles World Championship, and three consecutive Uber Cup captaincies between 1971 and 1981. Her dominance was so complete that she failed to win a national championship only once between 1965 and 1983, missing 1975 following the birth of her daughter. Her coaching and mentorship led to hundreds of badminton success stories as she and her mother, Lynn Stockton, conducted clinics and organized leagues throughout the 1970s. She is a member of the U.S. Badminton Hall of Fame.
Genesee County Historical Society President Gary Fisher and Pam Stockton Brady laugh during an interview.
Jim Ananich
A Flint Central graduate, Jim Ananich has served as a teacher and education coordinator before entering politics in 2005 as a member of the Flint City Council, where he served for four years. He was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2010, followed by a 2013 special election victory to the Michigan State Senate. In 2015, he was elected Senate Minority Leader, a position he held until 2023, becoming the first person in Michigan’s term-limit era to lead a Senate caucus multiple times. Today, he serves as president and Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Flint Health Coalition, a university lecturer, and chair of the Michigan Gaming Control Board.
Gary Fisher with Jim Ananich
Gary L. “Fish” Fisher is President of the Genesee County Historical Society. Born and raised in Flint, he has lived in the area most of his life and his family has been a part of the Flint area for over 115 years. His fascination with the history of the city has existed as long as he can remember. In addition to writing, he is the President of G.L. Fisher Capital Management, LLC , an investment and financial planning firm he founded in 1992. He asserts that Flint has produced the best cars, athletes and coney islands the world has ever known – and the toughest people! Fisher can be reached at ply2win2006@aol.com.
