Carolyn Cassin

President and CEO, Michigan Women Forward

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Hall of Fame Class of 2023

Carolyn J. Cassin is a nationally recognized healthcare CEO and social change agent. She is an expert in operational leadership, financial analysis, and innovative strategies that drive profitability and market share. Cassin started two hospice companies, one of which became a publicly traded company in 2005, VistaCare (NASDAQ:VSTA) and led the turnaround of two other failing hospice organizations into highly profitable exits. Her expertise is in growing and scaling companies from $200k - $250 million with top and bottom line growth and positive EBITDA. Cassin also has extensive regulatory compliance and public policy experience and led a team that wrote and vetted the development of national Medicare Hospice Rules and Regulations.

In 2010, Cassin launched the first of three Venture Capital Funds under the BELLE Michigan brand, the first women General Partner of a fund that invests in women owned businesses with her own resources. Her third fund, BELLE Michigan Impact Fund, launched in 2018 with 67 women investors. Six years ago, Cassin created a statewide micro finance program for women entrepreneurs, Michigan Women Forward, which now invests in over 100 low to moderate income women annually.