She Matters: Taking flight with the globetrotting corporate powerhouse St Louis native Katina Lane-Fomby

If traveling with the ministry of God was a person, then Katina Lane-Fomby will be the top nominee. You can find her traveling to the shores of Italy to the board room of corporate America.

Katina Lane-Fomby is a wife, a singer in the church choir, a businesswoman, a globe trotter, and a shopping connoisseur.  With a very impressive resume with some top companies.  She has worked for 3M for many years and now is with her current position at Anderson Corporation in Minnesota.

Her love of international excursions has taken her to the Caribbean, Amsterdam, Paris, and Spain. However, her favorite destination is Florence, Italy. Moreover, since 2016, she has taken an annual trip to Florence before the pandemic abruptly halted both domestic and international travel. 

Not only does she enjoy the culture, the food, and the people. But she also feels like a celebrity whenever she is there. In addition, satisfying her Gucci fetish while vacationing in Italy most certainly contributes to that sensation.

When Katina is not living the glamorous life jet setting around the globe, she is a bit of health nut. She has not eaten read meat or pork in twenty-five years, and she works out frequently.

Given the fact that she is not overweight, she does not smoke or have any other cancer risk factors. Because her being breast cancer survivor may surprise you and many.

She has been a breast cancer survivor for five years now. And there will be a follow-up story for October; her birthday and Breast cancer awareness month.

So you left 3M and was promoted to Andersen, tell me about that experience?

-I worked for 3M for almost 12 years in various Human Resources roles, and the decision to leave was bitter/sweet because I was leaving a company that was familiar to me and overall had been good to me, and stepping out on faith into the unknown. At the the end of the day, I had to trust where God was taking me, and leaving 3M going to Andersen was a promotion for me mentally and financially. 

Are there any program initiatives where your new company helps blacks strive, in the community and at the workplace?

-Yes, Andersen Corporation is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture.  They’ve sponsored events such as “Motown” featuring the Sounds of Blackness.

They’re also sponsoring a “People of Color,” career fair and the company also have built strategies to close the inequities in the workplace and have given money to various organizations focusing on social justice.  Our leaders review their demographic data, and in partnership with Human Resources, build strategies around those identified ethnicity and gender gaps.

Tell me about your traveling adventures?

-I love traveling and seeing the world. My favorite place is Florence, Italy. The culture, food, people and overall experience is absolutely amazing.  People don’t have an agenda, and they’re genuinely kind and grateful. Americans are treated like superstars! I’m a collector of fine things; specifically Italian goods like Gucci.  Being immersed in the European culture has been an eye opening experience, and has definitely reminded me of those who are less fortunate, and how blessed I am.

It is great that you are active in church ministries, tell me about the experience with worship?

I have an amazing church. I attend Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church where Dr. Steve Daniels, Jr. is the Senior Pastor.

Pastor Daniels.has a passion for winning souls, and a true “servant” leader. Worship is personal time that I spend with God, and praise is showing my gratitude to God for EVERYTHING I am and EVERYTHING I have.

I sing in the choir and serve on the church’s special events committee.  In addition to my labor of love, I’ve recently started a non-profit called “Tina’s Loving Treasures,” where I spread God’s love throughout the community be providing spiritual and earthly treasures by touching the lives of those who have been forgotten.

You do a walk in your native St Louis for cancer survivors, how long have you been traveling home to do that?

My commitment to curing cancer started years before my own diagnosis. I was walking for every wife, mother, sister, cousin, niece and friend who have either been personally affected by breast cancer.

As well as the ones that know someone who has. Raising awareness is everyone’s commitment.

I’ve been walking, raising money and donating to the cancer society since 2011. Then in 2014 stage 2 infiltrating ductual carcinoma showed up on my front door step.  I took an attitude of defeat….cancer picked the wrong one!

Now I continue to be a motivational speaker, advocate and listening ear for those who have or who are currently fighting this mean disease, and I won’t stop until there’s a cure for all cancers!

Thanks for your time and we look forward to a follow-up

Thanks for having me.

EAW WEBSITE:
www.eatingasanactofworshipministries.org