UMKC - The Bloch School

The Council for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) is a voluntary group of leaders from the Kansas City business and civic community who are committed to supporting research, teaching and practical learning in the areas of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Bloch School. The CEI board acts primarily in an advisory capacity for the benefit of the Bloch School and its entrepreneurship programs, including the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (IEI) and KCSourceLink. The CEI board celebrates entrepreneurship each year by planning the Entrepreneur of the Year event which attracts internationally known entrepreneurs to Kansas City, such as Kate Spade, Malcom Forbes, Debbie Fields and Ted Turner.

Council for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Members:

• Bethany Derrough
  Council for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Chair
  
• Roger Arwood
  President and CEO, Citizens Bank and Trust (Chillicothe)
  
• Ed Bartak
  Partner/Managing Director, RSM McGladrey, Inc.
  
• Lee Bolman
  Interim Dean, UMKC Bloch School
  
• Randy Buseman
  Partner/Dir. of Emerging Growth Market Services, Ernst & Young
  
• Bill Duncan
  President, Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute, Inc.
  
• Julie Edge
  President, Inside Edge Solutions, LLC
  
• Michael W. Farmer
  Vice President of Innovation, CAP CO2
  
• Joe Freeman
  Chief Operating Officer, Pioneer Services
  
• Jeff Kaczmarek
  President and CEO, Economic Development Corp. of KCMO
  
• Christine Kemper
  Kemper and Company, LLC
  
• Dan Lowe
  Partner/Development, RED Development, LLC
  
• T. Nelson Mann
  Nelson Mann Law Firm
  
• Lindsey Patterson
  Associate Services Program Coordinator, Cerner
  
• Brad Pemberton
  Shareholder/Director, Polsinelli Shalton Welte Suelthaus, PC
  
• Jim Polsinelli
  Polsinelli Shalton Welte Suelthaus, PC
  
• Paul Rodriguez
  President, Rodriguez Mechanical Contractors
  
• John Valentine
  Founder, VML

UMKC Staff

Beth Follmer, Events Coordinator, UMKC Bloch School

Karlyn Wilkins, Director of Development and Major Gifts Officer, UMKC Bloch School