34. Rhea Cunningham, CFO, Feazel

Rhea Cunningham was preparing herself for a busy fall, with the start of part-time law school adding to her already full calendar of a full-time job and a busy family life. Then, during a routine visit, her doctor asked if she'd noticed some swelling in her neck. It wasn't long before she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. “I never took on the diagnosis as a sign of defeat," Cunningham said during a recent taping of our Women of Influence podcast. Instead, she told her endocrinologist her surgery needed to be scheduled so she'd be able to start law school as scheduled. “I was going to do law school well," Cunningham said. "Cancer was not going to get in my way.” Cunningham, who is healthy today, said her response to the diagnosis was part of her overall outlook on life and her career, which includes a "refusal to be denied." It's an outlook that's driven her to a career in finance and a pair of law degrees, and helped lead her to her current role as CFO and human resources director at Columbus-based roofing company Feazel.Mentioned in this episode:Let Crate Media help uncover your company's story and amplify your messaging with a branded podcast. Get a free one-hour casting session at crate.media/cbf