2016 Bloch Magazine

BLOCH Fall 2016

Henry W. Bloch School of Management | University of Missouri-Kansas City

FACULTY CONNECTIONS

lead to lasting relationships BUILT TO LAST - Pg. 9

31ST ANNUAL ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR AWARDS International Entrepreneurs of the Year Dave and Demi Kiersznowski Honorary International Entrepreneur of the Year Ewing Marion Kauffman Regional Entrepreneur of the Year Gary Fish Marion and John Kreamer Award for Social Entrepreneurship Joe and Judy Roetheli

CELEBRATING THOSE WHO FEARLESSLY

create Secure your sponsorship at fearlesskc.com by October 15

11.10.16

LETTER FROM THE DEAN

BLOCH

THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY Henry W. Bloch School of Management Fall 2016

Our Connections are Strong Connections are at the heart of every educational institution’s success. At the Henry W. Bloch School of Management, our connections are strong. Students and faculty, staff and administrators, alumni and community partners, both civic and business, as well as international, provide pathways to connections that are uniquely Bloch.

I’m proud to present this issue of Bloch, highlighting many student, alumni and faculty successes, in addition to important information on current initiatives as we look forward to an exciting year.

One such initiative is the launch of a strategic plan that will lead us through 2020.

In preparation, an extensive process took place over the past year — researching trends in higher education, determining market needs and receiving input from faculty, staff, students, alumni and external stakeholders. The resulting strategic plan places the student experience at the center of our efforts and recognizes that building connections and partnerships with our alumni and the civic and business community is critical to our success.

Inside

News Briefs

2 MBA students compete in case-competition finals 3 Enactus advances in national competition 4 Entrepreneur of the Year Awards turns 30 5 Bloch faculty receive teaching awards 6 The Bloch School launches new strategic plan 8 Entrepreneur Hall of Fame announces inductees

Features

9 Built to Last Faculty and student connections continue beyond graduation day 14 Get Connected Bloch’s guide to Kansas City's top entrepreneur support networks 20 Millennial Mindset

Understanding the next generation of managers in the workplace

Over the next several months, we will refine specific strategies and metrics included in the strategic plan and develop departmental plans that supplement and integrate into the overall plan. More than ever, this new strategic plan supports and reinforces the Bloch School's mission.

Around the Bloch

Our faculty and staff support our mission by their commitment to teaching excellence, research and service. Part of the service they provide is advising students. Our cover story “Built to Last” profiles four Bloch faculty, showcasing how they make a difference in their students' lives through lasting relationships.

25 With Risk Comes Reward Stephanie Bedard reflects on her experience in the inaugural Full-Time MBA class

These outstanding faculty are not only teaching and conducting important research — they are experts at providing encouragement and guidance. Bloch faculty members are involved in mentorships that may last a career, and they are always willing to offer just-in-time advice. What is most gratifying to see is how the mentorship cycle starts over. Those who were once mentored make the best new mentors. Once the baton is passed, our students transform into their leadership roles.

29 Year in Photos Bloch looks back on events from 2015-16

Finally, our alumni and community leaders generously give their time and talents to benefit our students and programs. Your service and dedication to the Bloch School is invaluable, and we want you to know how much we appreciate your special connection and all you do to help us be a success.

Sincerely,

David P. Donnelly, Ph.D., CPA Dean, Henry W. Bloch School of Management

24 Bloch Career Center Takes Off Students and alumni receive new career resources

26 Breaking Community Boundaries Brent Never researches the geography of services for disadvantaged individuals

30 Class Notes Bloch alumni share their notable achievements 31 Up for the Challenge Jamie Berry transforms Toy and Miniature Museum 32 Top 10 Favorite Places on Campus UMKC students reveal the best spots on campus

CREDITS Production: UMKC Division of Strategic Marketing and Communications Editor: Bradley Bartlett Assistant Editor: Megan Cooper Art Director: Terry Raumschuh Photographers: Janet Rogers, Dan Videtich Writers: Megan Cooper, Wandra Green, Bridget Koan, Kristy Hill-Wegner Bloch Magazine is published annually by the Henry W. Bloch School of Management to encourage interest and support among UMKC alumni, friends and constituents.

bloch.umkc.edu

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NEWS Briefs

STUDENT SUCCESSES RAISE BLOCH’S PROFILE

MORE HONORS Amanda Cook (B.S.A.), Thomas Flanagan (B.B.A., B.S.A.), Claire Hansel (B.S.A.) and JoAnna Muenks (B.B.A., B.S.A.), accompanied by faculty team advisor Michael Wizniak (MBA ’14), took second place at the University of MissouriSt. Louis International Business Case Competition in April.

Sugeeta Kurada (M.S.F.), was named Best All-Around Winner in the 15th Annual Forecast Competition of the Financial Management Association International. Kurada was recognized for forecasting the closest value of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500.

MBA students applied classroom knowledge at international and national case competitions.

Full-Time MBA Students Move to Finals in Case Competitions In its inaugural year, the Bloch Full-Time MBA has seen its students have great success in case competitions.

Four students, Erin Christiansen, Aaron Lindenbaum, Ashley Hufft and Stephany Schler, traveled to Tokyo for the Third Annual Japan MBA Case Competition on Nov. 15. The Bloch team was one of nine international teams selected for the final round at Waseda University in Tokyo, and was the only semifinalist from the United States. The group was selected to compete in Japan based on their performance in the initial online round from early October.

In April, a five-student team advanced to the finals of the 26th Annual Wake

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Forest Marketing Analytics Summit in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Akash Kandhari, Aditya Rajagopalan, Kara Macy, Hufft and Christiansen were selected based on a case analysis and a creative video submission. The UMKC team competed against top MBA programs such as Brigham Young University, Penn State University, Washington University and Wake Forest University, among others.

“The fact that our teams reached the finals of two prestigious case competitions in the first year of the FullTime MBA program demonstrates the outstanding quality of Bloch students and faculty on a national and international scale,” says Dustin Cornwell, director of Bloch School MBA Programs. “As our program grows in enrollment and reputation, I anticipate our talented students will see continued success in these and other case competitions."

More than 50 teams competed for up to $40,000 in seed funding at the 2016 Regnier Venture Creation Challenge. My Heart Outcomes, formed by Cody Frizzell (MBA), Joseph Paris (J.D.) and Michael Nassif (M.D.), took the top prize and a $10,000 team award, in addition to a $500 specialty award for Outstanding Elevator Pitch.

Two Bloch teams advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2016 FMA Quiz Bowl in Chicago. The teams, which comprised Rebecca Chapman (M.S.F), Maria Davis (B.B.A.) and Christian Balmer (B.B.A.), and the other Clara Stahl (M.S.F.), Nan Dong (M.S.F.) and Dakota Sommerfield (B.B.A.), tied for fifth place.

TeeJay Hughes (B.B.A. ’16) and Alexis White (B.B.A. ’16) graduated from the UMKC Trustees’ Scholars program in May 2016.

The Bloch chapter of the Financial Management Association won the title of Superior Chapter for the sixth consecutive year. This designation places the group in the top 10 percent of chapters worldwide.

The 2015-16 Enactus team represented the Bloch School at the National Exposition in St. Louis, Mo.

Enactus Advances to Semifinals National Competition The UMKC Enactus team placed in the top 16 at the Enactus National Exposition in St. Louis May 17. The team advanced after receiving the top prize at the regional competition in Chicago, March 21.

Enactus is the largest professional student organization in the world, with more than 70,000 student participants in 36 countries. In preparation for the competition, the UMKC team spent the year developing and implementing projects that concentrated on three key initiatives: international trade, education and entrepreneurship. When competing, students made their case for how these endeavors make a difference in the world today, while also showcasing their momentum to create new careers and spark business innovation and social enterprise.

The presentation team for the National Exposition consisted of Chad Feather (B.B.A.), Dennis Mowry (Pharm.D.), Raj Patel (B.A.), Emily McIntyre (B.B.A.), Kate Ragan (Pharm.D.), Kellen

Sheil (B.B.A.), Tielyr Creason (B.S.), and Lucas Ryan (B.S.).

“The success of UMKC Enactus has brought local, national and international recognition to UMKC and the Bloch School,” says Ben Williams (MBA ’15), assistant director of the Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Enactus advisor. “This acknowledgment highlights the successful experiential learning and student development happening at UMKC, in addition to traditional classroom experiences.”

Williams describes the long-term impact Enactus’ achievements will have on UMKC. “Enactus is sponsored by the top 500 corporations in the world, many of whom are interested in hiring the students who invest in this experiential learning,” he says. “These employers have openly stated that UMKC Enactus is definitely a top team that they target in their hiring. This, in turn, provides the potential to attract the best students and faculty to UMKC.”

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NEWS Briefs

Celebrating 30 years of dreamers and doers In 2015, Kansas City’s entrepreneurial community celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.

The EOY gala is hosted annually by the Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Henry W. Bloch School of Management.

Holding true to this year's theme, “Fearless City: Celebrating Those Who Fearlessly Create,” three people were recognized as the honorees: Jaspreet Singh (B.B.A. ’15), Student Entrepreneur of the Year; Danny O’Neill, bean baron, The Roasterie, Regional Entrepreneur of the Year; and Gary White, chief executive officer and co-founder of Water.org, Marion and John Kreamer Award for Social Entrepreneurship.

Each of the event speakers shared how entrepreneurs overcome obstacles and resistance to achieve success.

Singh spoke of launching his startup Flyer Crate — a provider of luxury travel goods delivered monthly to frequent flyers. He said his lifelong interest in aviation inspired the idea for the business, but it also inspired him to persevere.

“Aviation teaches you the thing that is pushing against you is the very thing that will eventually lift you and make you soar,” he said.

O’Neill credited entrepreneurial mentors and advisors with teaching him perseverance and discipline.

He said the best business advice he ever received was from Henry W. Bloch.

“If I hire people better than me and smarter than me, at every position in the company, they just might succeed,” Bloch told him.

White shared that social entrepreneurs connect the dots in ways that others never see.

Through his organization Water.org, White discovered how to empower customers to create solutions for communities that lack clean water and basic sanitation.

Such insights are the essence of social entrepreneurship, he said.

– John Martellaro

BLOCH FACULTY Faculty Recognized for Excellence Each year, UMKC honors faculty and staff members who make outstanding contributions to students and the greater UMKC community. In April, two Bloch faculty members were honored at the 2016 UMKC Celebration of Excellence.

“These faculty are great examples of the impact we hope to see our employees have,” says David Donnelly, Bloch School dean.

“We are proud of their accomplishments and are grateful for their service to the Bloch School.”

NEW ON THE BLOCH Bloch is pleased to welcome seven new members to our team this year.

Brian Anderson, Ph.D. Assistant Professor in the Department of Global Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Bonnie Brown, Ph.D., CPA Assistant Professor in the Department of Accountancy

DORANNE HUDSON, MBA Associate Teaching Professor and Executive-in-Residence

JEFF JOHNSON, PH.D. Assistant Professor in Marketing

2016 UMKC Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching

2016 UMKC Chancellor’s Early Career Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Elmer F. Pierson Good Teaching Award in Business

The Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching is UMKC’s highest honor for excellence given to a teaching faculty member who demonstrates sensitivity and adaptability to individual student needs, interests and challenges.

Hudson started her career at the Bloch School as the executive-in-residence in 2004 after a very successful career at the Gillette Company and Hallmark Cards.

Her exceptional contribution to teaching is illustrated by her consistently stellar teaching evaluations and awards, including the Elmer F. Pierson Good Teaching Award in 2012.

She also was awarded Favorite Faculty Member of the Year by graduating students in 2010, 2011 and 2015.

The Chancellor’s Early Career Award for Excellence in Teaching is UMKC’s highest honor for teaching for an assistant professor, and the Elmer F. Pierson Good Teaching Award is awarded annually to an outstanding teacher.

Johnson’s nominations included details on his creation of the Sales Management course. He designed the curriculum, determined its student learning outcomes, selected the textbook and recruited students. As the semesters passed, the course enrollment excelled, all due to Johnson’s outstanding instructional presence in the classroom.

Ranjit M. Christopher, Ph.D. Assistant Professor in the Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management

Andy Heise, MBA Instructor/Assistant Director in the Departmentof Global Entrepreneurship

Laura Rees, Ph.D. Assistant Professor OB/HR in the Department of Management

Seyed Roozmehr Safi, Ph.D. Assistant Professor MIS in the Department of Management

Melissa Schulte, MAcc, CPA Instructor in the Department of Accountancy

PHOTOS: JANET ROGERS

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NEWS Briefs

Bloch launches

STRATEGIC PLAN

Strategic planning is a continual, iterative process of data collection, reflection and integration. We at the Henry W. Bloch School of Management feel our strategic plan fits the times and reflects the collective vision for how we intend to move forward to 2020.

5 STRATEGIC PRIORITIES TO ADVANCE THE SCHOOL

The plan is the culmination of a one-year, inclusive- and research-driven process, led by co-chairs Brent Never and Doranne Hudson and a 12-member Strategic Plan Steering Team, comprising Bloch faculty and staff from all academic areas.

2. Research Excellence: Foster a culture of research excellence

Our strategic priorities are based on careful examination of trends in higher education, market needs, intrinsic strengths and stakeholder input.

Our strategic priorities reflect the choices we have made in moving to our desired future state.

1. Student-centric: Advance student learning, success and life-long engagement

3. Partnerships: Strengthen current, and cultivate new, external partnerships 4. Brand: Articulate and build a strong, enduring Bloch brand 5. Growth: Pursue targeted and quality student growth

OUR MISSION The Bloch School develops purposeful, entrepreneurial and innovative leaders to meet changing global demands, and advances knowledge and practice through excellent teaching, scholarship, outreach and service.

OUR FOUNDATION

OUR INTEGRATING PRINCIPLES

No building can stand without the key support of a robust foundation. These are the essential assumptions upon which our strategic priorities stand.

Like the atrium that creates connection points with everything else in the building, this set of organizing themes is central to our mission. When threaded through each strategic priority and combined, each makes a stronger unified whole.

Diversity: Cultivate and value a diverse Bloch School Desirable Workplace: Create a desirable, productive and supportive place to work

Innovative Mindset: Infuse an innovative and entrepreneurial mindset

Transparency: Create a robust financial base and an environment of trust, transparency and open communication

Social Responsibility: Ground Bloch’s work in the broad interests of society

Global: Prepare Bloch for meeting global demands

WANT TO LEARN MORE? bloch.umkc.edu 6

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NEWS Briefs

Entrepreneur Hall of Fame Celebrates New Inductees The Entrepreneur Hall of Fame, housed in the Henry W. Bloch Executive Hall for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, will welcome its second class in spring 2017. Four of Kansas City’s most celebrated innovators will join the 20 distinguished members of the EHOF’s inaugural class who were inducted in 2014.

BUILT TO LAST

Faculty connections lead to lasting relationships

By Megan Cooper

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Noe Dewitt

Dan Videtich Photography

“The goal of the Entrepreneur Hall of Fame is to celebrate the stories of Kansas City’s most iconic entrepreneurs — those who built businesses from the ground up, and I can’t think of a better representation of that than these four individuals,” says Beverly Stewart, director, Entrepreneur Hall of Fame.

Kate Spade This native Kansas Citian’s name is synonymous with one of fashion’s most recognizable brands. She co-founded kate spade with her husband Andy in 1993 after realizing the market lacked stylish, practical handbags and decided to try her hand at designing a smart, well-edited collection. As her brand took hold around the world, kate spade expanded to include totes and luggage, shoes, eyewear, stationery and a home collection. Following an eight-year hiatus from the business, Kate returned in 2015 with a shoe and handbag line under the label Frances Valentine.

Ollie Gates Ollie W. Gates has been an innovative change agent for Kansas City since 1932.

After years of working in the family restaurant, completing his bachelor’s degree and serving his country in the U.S. Army, Gates became president and CEO of Gates Bar-B-Q in1970. The family's first restaurant opened in 1946 in a modest location at 19th and Vine. Under Gates’ leadership, it expanded to six family-operated locations and is known worldwide for delectable meats and unparalleled customer service, including the famous, “Hi, may I help you” greeting as customers enter the restaurant.

BLOCH  Fall 2016

Annie Hurlbut Zander CEO and co-founder of Peruvian Connection, an apparel company based on ethnographic and historical textile inspiration, Annie Hurlbut Zander found her entrepreneurial passion while visiting South America as an anthropology student at Yale. For the last 40 years, Peruvian Connection has grown from a 19-year-old’s love of woven textiles into a thriving direct-marketing business, releasing five internationally renowned collections a year through catalogs, online and in the brand’s retail stores across the U.S. and in the U.K.

Tom McDonnell With a brilliant approach to business growth and development, Tom McDonnell has served Kansas City well. He joined DST Systems Inc. in 1969, then a newly launched information processing and computer software services company. While he served as president and CEO of DST from 1973 to 2012, he was instrumental in the organization’s explosive domestic and international growth. His entrepreneurial prowess has also benefited the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, where he served as president and CEO.

Photos by Dan Videtich Photography

Ask any successful person for the

recipe to success, and more often than not, one common ingredient is an impactful individual who provides support, guidance and mentorship.

At the University of Missouri-Kansas City, cultivating strong relationships between faculty, staff and students is an integral part of the educational experience. Students rely on these advisors as they forge their future paths – pursuing an advanced degree, landing the perfect internship or entering their dream career field.

For many faculty and staff, these relationships are a two-way street, as they learn equally important lessons from their students.

While these relationships initially develop in the classroom, the best ones continue long after graduation day.

Doranne Hudson and Preston Coughlin, Leigh Salszieder and Alejandra Rodriguez, Kimberly Young and Barney Hill, and David Renz and Tim Sweeny are four perfect examples of connections that are built to last.

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Meeting the Challenge

Building Confidence

Doranne Hudson and Preston Coughlin

Leigh Salzsieder and Alejandra Rodriguez If Doranne Hudson could impart one piece of advice to her students, it would be to cultivate mentors and to develop those relationships to the fullest extent.

After connecting with Hudson, that’s exactly what Preston Coughlin (B.B.A. ’12, J.D./MBA ’15) did.

In his junior year, Coughlin received a coveted spot in the Edward A. Smith Urban Leadership program, a summer internship that combines classroom study, mentoring and a full-time position at an area nonprofit organization. Within minutes of sitting down with Coughlin at their first one-on-one meeting, Hudson was impressed.

“Preston had been relatively quiet in our initial group conversations, but when we met oneon-one he immediately began asking the most insightful questions I had ever heard from an undergraduate,” Hudson says.

The depth of their discussions would continue to be the crux of Hudson and Coughlin’s relationship.

As graduation drew near, Coughlin considered attending law school while also taking graduate business courses. While he received encouragement from most, Hudson was the first to challenge him on his decision.

“She asked me in-depth questions about my aspirations and what I hoped to accomplish,” Coughlin says. “When I chose to move forward, I was more confident in my decision. Professor Hudson forced me to reflect deeply and consider all alternatives.”

Since finishing his joint J.D. and MBA program, Coughlin has applied what he learned from Hudson as a corporate attorney at Fontg & Hansen LLC. “One of the most important things professor Hudson taught me was that I can be a leader, even if I’m not in a traditional leadership role,” Coughlin says.

And while Hudson has been impressed with Coughlin’s growth since their first meeting, she’s happy to say in this instance, certain qualities that drew her to Coughlin have remained the same.

“Preston certainly has a more broadened perspective of the world,” Hudson explains, “but some of his best qualities, like his drive and curiosity, I’ve been happy to see grow alongside his career.”

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Leigh Salzsieder’s teaching philosophy is twofold: meet students where they’re at and help them get where they want to go. In Alejandra Rodriguez’s (B.S.A. ’16) case, meeting Salzsieder in her introductory accounting class connected her to a mentor who would instill in her the confidence to land a job with one of the world’s largest accounting firms.

Originally an architecture major, Rodriguez decided to pursue a business degree her sophomore year. She signed up for a mandatory accounting course, worried about having no prior knowledge of the concepts.

“I initially connected with Dr. Salzsieder because I would regularly attend his office hours for help with classwork,” Rodriguez says. “I was struggling at first, but he explained the material in a way that was much easier for me to understand.”

Ultimately, Rodriguez performed well, and after discussing with Salzsieder the opportunities the industry had to offer, she decided to pursue an accounting degree. Semester after semester, Rodriguez and Salzsieder would keep in touch.

“Dr. Salzsieder is really well-known at the Bloch School, but he always made an effort to reach out and see how things were going, even when I wasn’t enrolled in his class,” Rodriguez says.

Fast forward to her junior year, Rodriguez received an offer for a two-year internship with PwC, a prestigious accounting firm with more than 180,000 employees worldwide.

Her performance in the internship program led to a full-time job offer with PwC’s Chicago office following graduation.

Though excited for the opportunity, Rodriguez was initially intimidated by the prospect of working for such a large organization.

“I really value Dr. Salzsieder’s opinion, so I often reach out to him when I have to make big decisions, and this instance was no different,” Rodriguez shares. “I tend to underestimate myself, but Dr. Salzsieder’s advice gives me the confidence to really go for what I want.”

This self-assurance is exactly the impact Salzsieder always hoped he would have on Rodriguez.

“Alex has always been mature and risen above her peer group,” Salzsieder explains.

“Even with those qualities, she has a hard time realizing how good she is and that she has earned every opportunity afforded to her.”

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Finding a Champion

Creating a Partnership

Kimberly Young and Barney Hill

Dave Renz and Tim Sweeny Meeting Kimberly Young has proven to be a life changing experience for Barney Hill (EMBA ’15).

After more than 20 years of service in the U.S. Army, Hill was considering what to do next. As part of his personal development plan, he selected the UMKC EMBA program due to its broad-ranging networking opportunities.

During his application process, Hill met Young, executive director of Executive Education and Executive MBA programs. Little did Hill know, this initial meeting would set him on a path to a new career in information technology with UMB. “Career counseling is a large part of the EMBA program, so Kimberly and I had several conversations about my talents and where I would like to end up,” Hill says.

This is when Young’s championing for Hill began.

“I make a point to understand our students' skills and talents, so I am able to connect them with opportunities that make sense for them,” Young explains. “Coming from a military background, leadership skills were not an issue for Barney, so we discussed his transition into the corporate world and the collection of experiences he hoped to gain.”

Though Hill and Young worked together to clearly define his career goals, the job search itself presented some difficulties.

“It can be very daunting for veterans to transition into more civilian roles,” Hill says.

“I met with several companies that weren’t a fit for my skillset, but Kimberly taught me to always recognize my value and what I can bring to the table.”

Through her network, Young learned that UMB had key positions requiring veteran talent. Naturally, Hill came to Young's mind, and near the end of his EMBA program, Hill began as a project manager in health-care services information technology at UMB. He was promoted to an IT manager a short eight months later.

“I couldn’t be more thankful for Kimberly’s caring and attention,” Hill says. “Her support helped me to stay above the fray, no matter the challenges I faced.”

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The relationship built between Dave Renz, Ph.D. and Tim Sweeny (M.P.A. ’06) has turned out to be a mutually beneficial partnership.

Renz was the instructor in Sweeny’s first graduate course, and he knew from the get-go that he wanted to connect with Renz further.

“From that initial class, I knew Dr. Renz was an outstanding and unique professor,” Sweeny says.

“From then on, I sought his classes out. Even if they didn’t directly correlate to my curriculum plan, I knew it would be worth it if he was teaching.”

Renz felt an instant kinship with Sweeny as well.

“Tim was one of those students who was always interested in looking deeper,” Renz explains. “He was a learning junkie and wanted to be challenged further than simply attending classes.”

As the two began to get to know each other outside the classroom, they discovered their unique professional skillsets could fill gaps the other was looking for.

Before founding Praxis Nonprofit Strategies, a nonprofit consulting firm, Sweeny spent time in El Salvador with the Peace Corps.

“We were working on a project through the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership and were searching to contract with someone fluent in Spanish,” Renz said. “Knowing his background, Tim immediately came to mind as a perfect fit.”

And when Sweeny was asked to help with the launch of Crossroads Academy of Kansas City in 2011, he knew Renz would be a valuable addition to the team.

“In the beginning the Crossroads Academy needed help with everything from outlining a mission and vision to establishing a board of directors and strategic plan,” Sweeny says. “The school founders knew they would be best served taking these critical steps with the guidance and wisdom of Kansas City leaders like Dr. Renz.”

This partnership showed Renz the effect his teaching had on Sweeny.

“My hope for our students is that they never lose sight of the key principles that guide them in their work in the community and for the people they serve,” Renz explains.

“Tim’s dedication shows that he wholly embodies this philosophy.”

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GET CONNECTED BLOCH'S GUIDE TO TOP STARTUP AND ENTREPRENEUR SUPPORT NETWORKS

By Bridget Koan

Ideas and innovation are the crux of any successful entrepreneur. Without a foundational support network, however, a brilliant idea can get lost in the crowd. Cue Kansas City. Well on its way to its goal of becoming “America’s most entrepreneurial city,” Kansas City boasts a diverse roster of resources for entrepreneurs at any point in the startup process.

“Kansas City is a thriving hub for entrepreneurship. A vast network of educational and community resources, a lively culture and affordable living costs create an optimal environment for startups to build and experiment,” says Jeff Hornsby, executive director of the Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and chair of the Department of Global Entrepreneurship and Innovation at UMKC. There’s no one path to entrepreneurial success. So how does one get started in Kansas City?

It all starts with building a network of support.

“Do your homework,” says Maria Meyers, UMKC Innovation Center director and founder of USSourceLink and KCSourceLink. “Start talking to people about your idea … don’t think everyone is going to steal it. Other people may see the flaws more clearly.“ Not sure where to start or which resource is right for you? Explore the Bloch School’s list of the most prominent UMKC and community resources to guide you along your entrepreneurial endeavors.

FIND YOUR PLACE Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation The Bloch School offers entrepreneurship and innovation education and resources at every level through the Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

From a startup seeking guidance to an entrepreneur wanting formal training, the Regnier Institute offers something useful for everyone.

In addition to the Regnier Institute, the Department of Global Entrepreneurship and Innovation offers an MBA with an Entrepreneurship emphasis, a specialized master’s degree in entrepreneurial real estate, and undergraduate, doctoral and certificate programs.

With a goal to serve as a global leader in the creation and dissemination of knowledge, the Regnier Institute's mission is to inspire and nurture entrepreneurs and innovators from all industries through transformational education and research.

“We encourage entrepreneurship

among all students, not just business students. We welcome students from any discipline who want to develop an entrepreneurial mindset, spark innovative ideas or launch new ventures,” Hornsby says.

Because of its unique location in the heart of the city, the entrepreneurship programs offer the opportunity to either plug into a wide variety of established businesses or to launch something new with the support of a vast network of alumni and mentors who are invested in the success of UMKC students and graduates.

DEVELOP IN THE PIPELINE Regnier Resources for Newcomers Throughout the year, the Regnier Institute hosts a variety of specially-focused programs that support its mission to inspire and nurture early-stage entrepreneurs and innovators. These programs advance the ideation stage, preparing students to move successfully into implementation and launch.

“If you are waiting for the perfect time to start your business, there may never be the perfect time.”

– Alisha Templeton (MBA ’07), global implementation manager of Techstars in the Sprint Accelerator

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Summer Scholars is a two week, intensive course for undergraduates.

The first half introduces students to entrepreneurial processes, theories and resources to prepare them for an entrepreneurial career. The second half focuses on venture creation, culminating in a pitch contest at the end of the week.

Enactus brings together a diverse network of students, academic professionals and industry leaders around the shared mission of creating a better, more sustainable world through the positive power of business. The UMKC Enactus team selects projects that make a difference in the community by helping people better understand how the free enterprise system works and harness the information for success.

Vets2Ventures is an entrepreneurial boot camp for transitioning military veterans. The program features an intensive, three-day curriculum designed and taught by experienced faculty and entrepreneurs.

FIND YOUR FOOTING Entrepreneurship Scholars Entrepreneurship Scholars, E-Scholars for short, gives rising entrepreneurs the grounding in fact-based, practical business knowledge to grow their businesses. It's open to the entire community and accelerates the formation of any participant's ventures.

Since its first graduating class in 2011, Entrepreneurship Scholars has helped launch more than 160 ventures ranging from enterprise software to health-care services to consumer products. Whether that means starting with an idea or taking a fledgling business to new heights, the program provides ample resources.

More than 150 accomplished business leaders, serial entrepreneurs, innovators, investors and founders of globally recognized companies serve as mentors in the program, providing one-on-one consulting and group mentoring sessions.

Participants receive business consulting from industry executives, technical assistance from experts, strategy and marketing advice from world-class faculty, fundraising guidance from entrepreneurs

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who have successfully raised funds and pro-bono legal guidance from top lawyers in the field.

Tin Ho is a UMKC student who participated in Entrepreneurship Scholars with his startup AddVenture.

“Our venture has progressed significantly since we first joined the program,” Ho says. “AddVenture won the Roo Idea Jump competition and $1,000 to invest in the business.”

“With the momentum and foundation we built in E-Scholars, I believe we will continue to take our venture far beyond what it is,” he proclaims.

CREATE STRATEGIC DIRECTION Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Local entrepreneurs are fortunate to have an amazing resource in the heart of the city — the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

The Kauffman Foundation works to advance entrepreneurship education and training to promote startup-friendly policies and to understand what new firms need. It’s also the largest private foundation in the U.S. that supports entrepreneurs. For years, UMKC and the Kauffman Foundation have collaborated on programs that educate and help startups.

“Kansas City’s entrepreneurs, along with the business and civic leaders in town, continue to build relationships and strengthen programming and networks around the city,” says Nathan Kurtz, senior program officer in entrepreneurship for the Kauffman Foundation. “Our strength is our relationships. Even in the digital age, business is still incredibly relational, and that is a huge strength that our city continues to build upon.”

The Kauffman Foundation’s programs support entrepreneurs by expanding signature education programs, notably Founders School, FastTrac and 1 Million Cups, and by investing in proven education models. Dozens of UMKC students who have participated in Kauffman’s programs have gone on to create successful startups.

“The Kauffman Foundation is proud to be a supporter, financially and programmatically, with UMKC

for educating students about entrepreneurship,” Kurtz says. “We also sponsor conferences together around the country, working together on the leading edge of entrepreneurship education and putting it all into practice.”

NETWORK AND ENGAGE First Wednesdays During the school year, the first Wednesday of each month is an exciting day for entrepreneurs in Kansas City.

Known as First Wednesdays, these days provide an opportunity for students, alumni, community, investors and employers to connect. Hosted by the Regnier Institute, these events have featured an Entrepreneur Hall of Fame Speaker Series, highlighting the journey of a successful entrepreneur who embodies the innovative mindset of the Bloch School.

“Allowing students and anyone who is interested in entrepreneurship the chance to not only hear from a local entrepreneurial legend, but to actually interact with them, is a rare opportunity — and that’s what First Wednesdays is all about,” says Ben Williams, assistant director for the Regnier Institute.

Past speakers include Entrepreneur Hall of Fame inductees Bob Regnier, from the same family for which the Regnier Institute was named and founder of Blue Valley Bank; John McDonald, founder of Boulevard Brewing Company; Lamar Hunt Jr., member of the founding family of the Kansas City Chiefs and owner of the Missouri Mavericks; and Bill Zahner, president and CEO of A. Zahner Company.

The last First Wednesdays event of the year culminates with the Roo Idea Jump Competition, where audience members participate in selecting students with the most exciting, new venture idea. Winners earn $1,000 toward their startup.

TEST YOUR IDEAS Venture Creation Challenge Developing a winning business plan can be a challenge, but it’s also an important piece

Be bold, network, expose yourself and your “ideas, and seek the right help.”

Tin Ho, UMKC student and Entrepreneurship Scholars participant

“The best learning tool is to go out and do it.”

Stuart Ludlow, RFP365, Entrepreneurship Scholars graduate

time as a student is a condensed period “One’s when one can either create an immense amount of value for themselves and their community — or not.”

Zach Pettet ’15, blooom inc, co-organizer of 1 Million Cups KC

of a successful startup. That’s why the Regnier Institute hosts the annual Regnier Venture Creation Challenge business plan competition.

This challenge encourages venture creation through a forum in which participants present new concepts to local investors, business leaders and entrepreneurs. After hearing from each semifinalist group, four teams are selected to compete for the top prize.

It’s a great first step and a hub for people who have created new ventures.

“The ventures presented at this event are always immensely impressive,” Hornsby says. “Henry Bloch never let his success blind him to the needs of those around him.

The Venture Creation Challenge embodies the spirit of Mr. Bloch and his vision for supporting ingenuity and imagination.”

The Venture Creation Challenge is supported by the Regnier Family

Foundations and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

LEARN “THE POWER OF POSITIVE CAFFEINATING” 1 Million Cups 1 Million Cups is a free, weekly, national and international program that was started in Kansas City by the Kauffman Foundation.

It is based on the notion that entrepreneurs discover solutions and network over a million cups of coffee.

Called “The Power of Positive Caffeinating,” the concept is simple. For one hour every Wednesday morning, two early-stage startups present their companies to a room full of their peers, mentors, advisors and potential investors.

WORDS OF WISDOM FROM AROUND THE BLOCH

Each founder presents for six minutes, followed by a twenty-minute questionand-answer session with the audience.

It’s fast-paced, designed to educate and connect entrepreneurs. Each startup also receives feedback from an audience survey and from the local organizers.

It takes a lot of people to organize 1 Million Cups. Zach Pettet (B.B.A.’15), who was named the Bloch School’s 2014 Student Entrepreneur of the Year, is an organizer of 1 Million Cups Kansas City.

“As a student, Zach started going to 1 Million Cups every Wednesday, where he met the founder of a company called blooom, who ended up hiring him. Now a regular in the entrepreneurial community, he serves on the Regnier Institute Advisory Council. This is an excellent example of how our students build their networks and personal brands,” Williams says.

1 Million Cups has expanded beyond

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MOVE YOUR TECHNOLOGY FORWARD Techstars A great resource for startups with a flare for technology is the Sprint Accelerator powered by Techstars.

Located in the Crossroads Arts District, its focus is to help startups build the future of mobile technology.

Participants specialize in wearables, mobile applications, enterprise solutions, education, gaming, entertainment, health, security and government.

Alisha Templeton (MBA ’07) is putting her Bloch School education to work as the Techstars global implementation manager.

“Techstars helps entrepreneurs in three ways: accelerator programs, startup programs and our $150 million venture fund,” she says.

Accelerator programs are threemonth, mentorship-driven, boot-camp style programs that help entrepreneurs build their businesses. By offering access to mentors, workshops, investors and other resources, Techstars supports startup founders for the life of their company and beyond.

Techstars’ commitment to Kansas City began with founder Brad Feld. Having been connected with the Kauffman Foundation, in 2013 he purchased a house in the KC Startup Village where he allows participating entrepreneurs to live and work rent free.

Each year 10 companies are selected from a pool of applicants from around the world, relocating 40-50 entrepreneurs to Kansas City. While building their companies, they often lay roots here. Of the 20 companies from 2014 and 2015, three have permanently relocated their companies to Kansas City.

GET HELP AT ANY STAGE UMKC Innovation Center The UMKC Innovation Center partners with the university and the community to spark entrepreneurial efforts within the region and across the country.

With a suite of high-impact programs, the Innovation Center helps emerging and existing business owners, whether they are student, faculty or communitybased, hone their business basics, evaluate commercialization opportunities and connect with the right resources at the right time.

“The Innovation Center’s unique position in entrepreneurship allows us to identify the gaps and make broad change to better support entrepreneurs,” Meyers says.

Within the UMKC Innovation Center, entrepreneurs will find training, counseling and access to resources.

KCSourceLink is a partnership between the Small Business Administration, Kauffman Foundation and UMKC. It is one of the top organizations leading the effort to make Kansas City America’s most entrepreneurial city. The first of its kind in the U.S., KCSourceLink helps small businesses in the 18-county Kansas City region — from Warrensburg to Topeka, from St. Joseph to Osawatomie — grow and succeed.

KCSourceLink’s network of professional entrepreneurial resources also helps with the startup process all the way through growth and successful exit. Whether it’s help writing a business plan, determining a target market, finding funding or writing a new marketing strategy, KCSourceLink is a vital resource.

“We can see what’s happening all across the ecosystem and what’s changing with the entrepreneurs themselves, allowing us to identify needs and gaps, and then foster collaborations to fill those gaps,” Meyers says.

KANSAS CITY STRONG, THE TIME IS NOW

“Entrepreneurs are critical to the longterm health of the economy,” Kansas City Mayor Sly James stresses in his 2016 State of the City address. His vision for Kansas City has innovation and entrepreneurship at the core.

“A person with an idea — that’s the economy of the future,” according to James.

Just as entrepreneurs always look for new ideas, Kansas City is coming up with new programs and resources to aid in the quest to become America’s most entrepreneurial city.

Meyers says the hard work by all has produced results. Kansas City has seen an increase in funding for startups, including microloans and new equity funds; an uptick in angel capital investment; LaunchCode is now in Kansas City to help bolster needed STEM talent to fuel entrepreneurial companies; Whiteboard2Boardroom is helping fill the pipeline of innovations.

More so than ever before, the time to get started is now.

“If you are waiting for the perfect time to start your business, there may never be the perfect time. Take the leap and look to the community for support, guidance and resources,” Templeton says. “Start by attending one of our many startup events for inspiration. And you never know, maybe that’s where you’ll meet your future co-founder.”

“The growth of the startup community in Kansas City has been incredibly rewarding to watch and participate in over the years,” Templeton continues.

“I think our community is unique in that we have tremendous resources for entrepreneurs to start their businesses, and we have the people willing to make those connections and motivate aspiring entrepreneurs. We enjoy extending a hand, offering help and taking a coffee with someone just getting started who may be looking for direction.” 

“Entrepreneurs are critical to the long-term health of the economy.”

– Mayor Sly James, City of Kansas City, Mo.

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BLOCH  Fall 2016

ANECDOTALLY YOURS (JEFF AND ERICA SHORT)

Kansas City, now led by more than 300 volunteers in over 35 states and 93 communities across the nation. It attracts an estimated national weekly attendance of more than 2,500 and continues to grow.

Enhanced Mobility

One couple’s idea goes viral after the Entrepreneurship Scholars program Liliana and Max Younger are proof that all it takes are the right resources to bring an idea to fruition.

After seeing Max’s dad struggle with mobility due to multiple knee surgeries, the Youngers were inspired to create a crutch that was easier on the human body, therefore improving the quality of life of its users.

The Youngers knew they needed to tap into business expertise to make their vision into the reality that is now Mobility Designed. We recently spoke with Liliana (Entrepreneurship Scholars ’15) to discuss hurdles, triumphs and advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

What challenges have you faced launching Mobility Designed?

Neither Max nor I had a business background. For a while, we worked on our idea part-time, but we knew we would have to dedicate more energy.

When I discovered the Entrepreneurship Scholars program, I quit my day job and focused full-time on launching our venture.

What have been your greatest entrepreneurial accomplishments so far?

Winning the 2015 Regnier Venture Creation Challenge

was a great moment. Also, having our product video go viral in spring 2016 was pretty incredible. All it took was one share from Tech Insider, and our video suddenly had millions of views. This actually prompted us to push up our product launch by several months, but it was worth it.

1

3

4

5

What role has Entrepreneurship Scholars played in your journey?

Before starting, we just had a product, not a business. Completing this program helped us outline the whole bones of our company, complete with a full business plan to share with potential investors.

UMKC has been a great supporter, and now we have a great network of peers and mentors after completing the program.

What advice would you give aspiring entrepreneurs?

You have to be willing to do the work. Your programs and resources will point you in the right direction, but you have to put in the time and effort in order to make your vision come true.

2

6 7 Max and Liliana Younger designed a crutch that improves mobility.

Their idea took off after participating in the Entrepreneurship Scholars program.

FEATURES 1. Elbow support causes no pain to the hands, wrists and armpits 2. Handle moves to allow hands-free walking 3. Flexible arm bands 4. Hinges to allow arm suppport 5. Adjusts to fit users: height 4'11" to 6'8" and up to 300 lb.

6. Shock absorbing feet 7. Interchangeable feet

19

eeJay Hughes (B.B.A. ‘16) had big plans leading up to his graduation. And while working was

one of them, it certainly wasn’t the most important plan on his list. After walking across the stage for his diploma, Hughes kept on moving, traveling straight to Asia for a three-month backpacking trip he documented for his travel and fashion blog — which, with more than 36,000 followers and fashion companies lining up for Hughes to try their merchandise, is a small business in its own right.

While completing his bachelor degrees in finance and marketing, Hughes interned with a social media advertising agency, AdParlor, who he’s hoping will hire him once he’s completed his three-month trip.

“I want to love my job,” TeeJay smiles wide. “I need to be aligned with what the company is doing and relate with the culture and other workers.”

At 23, TeeJay is part of the millennial generation, also referred to as Generation Y, and his expectations align with others in this group. In fact, 84 percent of millennials agreed that helping make a positive difference in the world is more important than professional recognition.

Beyond that, 77 percent stated their ability to excel in their job was contingent upon deriving meaning from their work.

Born between 1981 and 2000, millennials comprise 83.5 million of the country’s total population, making this generation larger than baby boomers and almost twice the size of Generation X. Since one in three workers in the U.S. are millennials now, this generation has an opportunity to impact the workplace with its sheer size alone, especially considering that baby-boomer retirees are leaving large vacancies at employers nationwide.

In the businessworld, understanding this generation means understanding how it impacts the workforce.

And the millennial impact will continue to grow in the future. By 2020, it is expected that half of all workers will belong to this generation.

I want to love my job. I need to be aligned with what the company is doing and relate with the culture.

MILLENNIALS Now the largest living generation, there are about 76 million millennials in the United States.

By 2050, there will be a projected 79.2 million millenials in the United States.

Millennials are the last generation born in the 20th century.

Source: Pew Research Center

– TeeJay Hughes (B.B.A. ’16)

MILLENNIAL

MINDSET Understanding the next generation of managers in the workplace

By Kristy Hill-Wegner

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BLOCH  Fall 2016

LEADERSHIP Many news stories have declared 2016 the year of the millennial manager. In 2016, more than 3.6 million baby boomers plan retirement and a quarter of millennial workers will become managers, according to Forbes Magazine 2016 Workplace Trends (Nov. 2015).

“We examined the strengths and leadership styles of millennials and found that they are transformation leaders, which is different than boomers who are autocratic leaders. This new generation will fill the leadership gap by flattening corporate hierarchies, empowering others to succeed and forcing companies to make an impact on society, rather than just focusing on money,” says Daniel Schawbel, partner and research director at Future Workplace and author of the Forbes column, who predicts great things under millennial leadership.

When it comes to leadership, millennials are ready for the challenge.

91 percent of millennials aspire to leadership positions, and their biggest weaknesses are technical expertise and influence, according to the Forbes Magazine article.

71 percent of millennials already consider themselves to be leaders, even though less than half hold formal leadership positions. This is happening because millennials are stepping up into “situational leadership roles,” according to a survey of 527 millennial professionals (ages 18-35) conducted by Virtuali, a leadership training company, Almost 50 percent of millennials surveyed defined leadership as empowering others to succeed. A more compassionate leadership style will be the trademark of the millennial manager. Using strong teaming skills, millennial leaders consider creating leadership teams in order to share the demanding workload, according to the Virtuali study.

MOTIVATION Millennials value transparent communication, real-time collaboration and the ability to make a difference. While pay is always an important factor, 65 percent of millennials said the opportunity for personal development influenced them most in their current job.

As millennials become a larger and more influential part of business, successful companies will learn to motivate, communicate and collaborate in new ways to meet this generation’s needs. This evolution is critical, especially since millennials are not hesitant to hold out for or to change employers to better meet their priorities.

“At Cerner we have big visions for improved health and care,” says Julie Wilson (B.B.A ’84), Cerner’s executive vice president and chief people officer. “I value the informed and confident attitude millennials bring. I think millennials will play a very instrumental role in writing the future of

21

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GENERATIONS Baby Boomers

Generation X

Millennials

(Born 1946 -1964)

(Born 1965-1980)

(Born 1981-1997)

Pros

Productive workers Hard-working Team player

Effective managers Problem solvers Revenue generator

Tech-savvy Leverage opportunities Enthusiastic

Cons

Not adaptable Not collaborative Not tech-savvy

Lack executive presence Not cost-effective Not social-media-savvy

Not hard-working Not cost-effective Not problem solvers

Generations

Source: Business Insider, E&Y Study and Pew Research Center

‘work’ and workplace expectations.”

Finding top talent is always a challenge for employers, and what motivates millennials goes beyond the basics: pay, benefits and time off.

John Brooks Jr. (B.B.A, management) plans to pursue human resources recruiting after graduation and already knows what he’s looking for in an employer.

“I want to work for a company that has an inclusive culture where my input is valued. Diversity is extremely important to me, but I think it’s still a struggle for many organizations,” Brooks says. “Also, work-life balance is something I value. There is more I want to achieve than working at my job.”

Brooks puts his paycheck after his values and doesn’t hesitate to say he’d pick a company that aligned with his values over one that offered a higher salary.

“In the long-term, the right fit is what matters because it leads to happiness," he says. "I know if I work hard, money will come, so I choose to work at a place where I love the culture and what they stand for.”

Both Brooks and Wilson echo national surveys about millennials. As the most educated and diverse generation to date, millennials aren’t OK with the status quo.

According to the PriceWaterhouseCoopers' 2010 Millennials Report: 88 percent look for employers whose values reflect their own.

65 percent accepted their current job based on the opportunity for personal development.

69 percent say office attendance on a

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BLOCH  Fall 2016

regular basis is unnecessary because they measure productivity by work completed, not time spent in the office.

52 percent expect to rise rapidly through the organization.

35 percent have started their own business on the side.

COLLABORATION One clear differentiator from the loner Generation X-ers is that millennials value collaboration, mentors and formal structures to support their development. This satisfies the age group’s sense of community and helps ensure that everyone’s ideas are heard within a meeting.

“Millennials are motivated by a collaborative environment. They frequently ask questions about the teams or projects they will be involved with more than the individual work they will be doing,” says Rebecca David, vice president of Human Resources at U.S. Engineering and member of the Bloch School’s Human Resources Advisory Board.

Millennials identify employees, specifically talented people and capable leaders, as the top reasons they believe their company is innovative. According to PwC Millennial Report, this generation tends to be uncomfortable with rigid corporate structures and turned off by information silos. They expect real time collaboration that isn’t possible in a world with rigid structure. The desire for meaningful collaboration requires leaders to rethink

business practices if they want to retain this ambitious generation.

This generation values similar traits in employers as they do in a consumer brand.

The companies that have already been the most successful in attracting talented millennials — like Google and Apple — are naturally innovative employers who are never restrained by “how things used to be done.”

Rhian Jones (B.B.A ’16) values working independently and plans to go to law school next fall. Like Brooks and Hughes, Jones places a major emphasis on mentors and role models.

“I want the company I work for to invest in my career development, giving me a clear career path and leaders who can share wisdom and help me succeed,” Jones explains.

The most important form of communication for millennials is feedback on job performance.

COMMUNICATION Real-time, transparent communication has always been available to this generation through social media, television and other technology.

Growing up with more screens available than any other generation, millennials are tech-savvy and switch between screens 27 times an hour compared to the 17 times recorded for previous generations. Social media is a large part of the way this group communicates and shares experiences.

“Strong communication is not just nice to do but it’s fundamental to business,” Wilson explains. “Certainly millennials have higher expectations around how much and how frequently leaders communicate. They value real-time updates and feedback — ideally not just from leadership but from everyone with whom they work,” Wilson says. “It requires leaders to up their game a bit. We can’t underestimate the value and importance of constantly engaging with our people and ensuring they are in sync with the company direction.”

The most important form of communication for millennials is feedback on job performance.

80 percent of millennials would rather receive feedback in real time, not to mention frequent check-ins to keep a pulse on progress.

41 percent of millennials prefer to be recognized for their work at least monthly if not more frequently, according to the 2013 PwC's NextGen survey.

Different from past generations, millennials are challenging the status quo of today’s workplace simply because they will soon be the majority of workers. As a whole, they are a generation who knows what they want and aren’t afraid to hold out for it.

91 percent of millennials expect to stay in their current job for three years or less.

45 percent of companies report higher turnover rates among this generation.

43 percent of millennials felt extremely or very confident that they could find another job if they lost or left their current one.

According to the PwC's Millennials at Work study, employers can align business practices with this generation, and in the end will be promoting cutting-edge business because what millenials want also define successful characteristics of all businesses: Create a culture of learning to help millennials gain the skills they will need to fill the leadership gap in the coming years.

Focus on ways to provide real-time feedback that creates an open culture between managers and employees, peer-to-peer and across departments.

I value the informed and confident attitude millennials bring.

– Julie Wilson (B.B.A. ’84) executive vice president and chief people officer, Cerner

Allow faster advancement through increased responsibility and new management structures. The need to feel increased responsibility and be rewarded for hard work is not exclusive to this generation.

Encourage the entrepreneurial spirit of the generation to improve projects and processes. The more rigid for change and growth, the less a company will reap the

benefits of millennials' way of thinking.

The world is changing, and millennials are ready to contribute, lead and make a difference in the world. David notes that millennials love to understand and be plugged into the big picture.

“Aside from being tech-savvy, I think the biggest advantage they bring is often a fresh perspective; they have a new way of seeing things,” David explains. “That means, if we listen to them, we might be able to focus on process improvement. They want to understand so they can come up with better ways of doing things. I love this about millennials — they are creative and often innovative.” 

OUR MILLENNIALS

WOULD YOU RATHER… We asked our three senior, millennial students a series of questions to see what they valued most.

Rhian

TeeJay

John

Have a job that aligns with your values

OR

Pays more

Work on a team

OR

Work independently

Only be able to email

OR

Never email

Receive a $20,000 education bonus

OR

Receive unlimited company sponsored professional development

23

BOOST YOUR CAREER

JANET ROGERS

Around the BLOCH

Whether you’re just beginning your business studies or are an alumna or alumnus with several years of work experience, the Bloch Career Center can help you prepare for or advance your career. Students and alumni are encouraged to take advantage of these free services.

BUILD THE BASICS

Develop a solid foundation for your career advancement: Kasey Kangaroo greeted employers and students at the first ever Bloch School career fair.

Bloch Career Center Takes Off Step inside any of Kansas City’s thriving corporations, nonprofits or startups, and you’re likely to meet at least one employee who is a student or graduate of the Bloch School. Thanks to Bloch’s recently revamped Career Center, the number of Bloch-educated employees in the area workforce will continue to expand.

Sensing a need for a full-service career support division, the Bloch School hired Tess Surprenant to helm the Bloch Career Center in July 2015, bringing more than 10 years of professional career services experience.

Since July, the department has expanded the staff to provide a complete menu of services, including mock interviews, resume reviews and job search strategies, in addition to several special events such as job fairs and site visits.

Services are open to Bloch students and alumni of any year and degree track.

Employers benefit from the center’s expansion as well. After learning of the new offerings, Ben Hagedorn (B.B.A. ’08) reached out to quickly fill an account manager role at his company, Northpoint Development.

“The challenge with finding potential employees is discovering a quick way to filter the best candidates to the top of your list,” Hagedorn says. “Typically the people who are working to improve their resume and participating in mock interviews are the types of people you want to work with.”

Daniel Wilkes (MBA) is one of the people Hagedorn was referring to. After 24

BLOCH  Fall 2016

connecting with the Career Center at orientation, Wilkes was matched with Career Coach Maggie Reyland, who assisted him with resume redesign, LinkedIn profile updates and career search coaching. Ultimately, Wilkes was offered the position with Northpoint Development.

In spring 2016, over 40 employers and 100 students attended the first job and internship fair, an event the Career Center plans to host each semester. Throughout the remainder of the term, interviews with area employers such as State Street, the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, DST Systems Inc. and PWC were held in the Bloch School’s specially designed space.

Surprenant says businesses spending time on campus is a surefire way to amplify employment opportunities for students.

“If a company commits to spending half a day here, they’re bound to extend second interviews to students, and hopefully, full-time positions,” Surprenant explains.

In addition to on-campus interviews, the staff meets with area companies to coordinate on-site visits and information sessions for students. Last spring, students met with organizations such as VML, InTouch Solutions, the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and DST, among others.

As employment statistics are a strong indicator of success at any university, Surprenant’s team will work toward gathering and reporting on job placement of Bloch students post-graduation.

• Career advice and exploration • Resume and cover letter review • Job and internship search strategy • Interview preparation • Industry research

/// STUDENT HIGHLIGHT

STEPHANIE BEDARD

JOIN THE NETWORK

Create an account with the Roo Career Network, an online job board and resource center that provides access to: • Job and internship postings • Opt-in to resume books • On-campus interviews • Registration for career events • Available coaching sessions

CONNECT WITH EMPLOYERS

Attend a Bloch School organized event to gain access to companies interested in hiring UMKC students and alumni.

Events and opportunities include:

With Risk Comes Reward

Moving to Kansas City leads to an experience of a lifetime Stephanie Bedard (MBA ’16) knows that, sometimes, the risk is worth the reward. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of South Carolina, Bedard accepted a rotational position with Johnson & Johnson.

This role allowed her to try her hand in different divisions in several locales, including New Jersey, Tennessee, California and most recently, the United Kingdom. When Bedard was ready to advance her education, she chose to join the inaugural class of the Full-Time MBA. As she neared the end of her time at Bloch, we asked Bedard to reflect on her experience in the Full-Time MBA program, her love for Kansas City and what's next.

• Job and internship fairs • Regnier Career Accelerator • On-campus recruiting • Site visits • Mock interviews • Information sessions • Networking events

You’re originally from South Carolina. How did you end up choosing the Bloch School for your MBA? Having an opportunity to be a part of the first class of the FullTime MBA stuck out to me. I love learning, and I’m a student at heart, so a full-time program was the only option in my mind.

I like to think out loud and discuss how things can change in the future, so the Bloch program appealed to me over more buttoned-up programs.

Visit the Bloch Career Center online: bloch.umkc.edu/careercenter

Being new to the area, what was your first impression of Kansas City?

I arrived in Kansas City on July 31, so my initial thought was that it was hot as blazes! Kansas City has grown on me over the past year. I love the Midwestern hospitality, and that when people are nice to you, they really mean it. And obviously, I arrived at the

perfect time to experience the World Series and the excitement surrounding it.

What is one memory you’ll take away from the Full-Time MBA program?

The way our class has bonded has been spectacular. When I was considering programs, I loved the idea of learning alongside people who were also courageous enough to be a part of the inaugural class. With only 21 members in our cohort, we’ve gotten to know one another quite well. Aside from our time together in class, we’ve had tons of informal gatherings where we “talk work” and discuss the program and how we hope to see it develop in the future.

How will you stay connected to Bloch?

As a part of the first class of the Full-Time MBA, I’m excited about the opportunity to connect with the incoming classes.

Our class is the only one who can put the experience into a framework for the new students, so it’ll be interesting to see how our feedback will shape the structure going forward.

What’s next for you?

I’ve taken a position as a sourcing associate with A.T. Kearney, a global management consulting firm headquartered out of Chicago. But first, I’ve planned a five-week trip to England, France and Spain to prepare for my transition back into the real world.

– Megan Cooper 25

DAN VIDETICH PHOTOGRAPHY

Around the BLOCH

Brent Never

Breaking community boundaries

By Wandra Green

A

s a political scientist at the Henry W. Bloch School of Management, Brent Never, Ph.D. focuses on the equity of economic policies and solutions.

“My research is in the geography of services for disadvantaged individuals,” says Never, associate professor in the Department of Public Affairs. “Since Ronald Reagan was president, more services in the United States have been moved from government-provided services to private service or nonprofit.

“A political scientist is concerned with power: who has it and what do they do with it. I am most concerned with the incentives that public leaders have in privatizing public services,” he adds.

According to Never, businesses have the incentive to provide those services that are profitable, such as hospice care. Largely left to faith-based and nonprofit organizations, hospice now represents a growth industry due to full Medicare funding. When services follow the money, individuals unable to pay are more likely left out.

“There are real concerns about due process under the law for privatized services,” Never says. “While government is required to serve everybody equitably, private organizations, including nonprofits, have an incentive to pick the most profitable clients.”

An example is inoculations and mental health services provided through county health departments; once performed by government employees, these services now are provided by nonprofit organizations through government contracts.

Never is extremely concerned about equity in the availability of services. His current research looks at ways to identify situations in which services are not readily available to people in need. He contends that geography has a profound influence on where service providers locate.

“As a community, Kansas City has stark boundaries: Troost Avenue, the state line, the Missouri River,” he says. “There are

four mental health providers in Brookside, while other areas have none, which is about economics. I want to start a conversation about where the services are located."

Never is very involved with mapping access to human services. These can run from mental health counseling and drug abuse treatment to youth development and legal aid. Since many of the services have been privatized over the last 30 years, there is no requirement to place service centers throughout a region. The government had the requirement, but private providers do not.

As an academic, my job is to help create the models that will, in turn, affect public policy.

– Brent Never, Ph.D. “My work is to map the connection between where people are and where their services are located. I have found that poorer people and minorities have the least access to human services,” he says.

In order to determine these areas, Never uses the tax returns of nonprofit organizations to find their location, how much money they spend and what types of services they provide.

To determine the people’s needs and resources, he uses census records; government sources, including economics, unemployment and SSI (benefits); and crime data from the Kansas City Police Department and the FBI. “A tool that I use is spatial regression, which is used to understand the exact effect of income, race, education and crime on the number of miles one needs to travel in order

Brent Never, associate professor of public administration, researches the geography of services for disadvantaged individuals.

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BLOCH  Fall 2016

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Around the BLOCH

Strengthening the Public Sector

Kauffman Foundation grant makes nonprofit research possible The Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership recently was awarded a $150,000 grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to support and strengthen the capacity of charitable nonprofit organizations in the Greater Kansas City region.

With the funding, the Center will be able to develop and deliver capacitybuilding programs and services to help improve the long-term viability, sustainability and effectiveness of the organizations, particularly the small- to medium-sized nonprofit organizations in the region that tend to have much lower access to alternative sources for capacity building and organization development support.

The grant provides operations and project resources that support two segments of the Center’s work.

• $40,000 allows the Center to conduct a State of Kansas City’s Nonprofit Sector Research Initiative to gather, analyze and

report on the state of development and conditions of the nonprofit sector. Assessment of the sector’s capacity to meet the needs of the region also will be included.

• $110,000 helps the Center sustain its general operations for the year and allows it to update and expand access to its leadership, management and organization development programs. Providing the services will strengthen the capacity, performance and long-term sustainability and effectiveness of the nonprofit community of the Kansas City metro region.

Founded in 1991, the Center focuses on building the ability of public service organizations to meet the changing needs of the people in the region through an integrated portfolio of education, applied research and community problem-solving programs and initiatives.

“This research project will enable us to research and report on the basic demographic characteristics of this sector,” says David Renz, Ph.D., Center director and chair of the Department of Public Affairs. “Of greater value, however, is that most of the work of this study will examine and report on the financial and operational health and competence of the region’s nonprofit organizations, with particular attention to the issue of how well-positioned the sector is to meet the changing needs of our dynamic growing region.”

Kansas City’s approximately 7,100 charitable nonprofits contribute to the vitality and success of the region through a range of programs and initiatives. These include the benefits and amenities of arts, leisure and recreational programming; the essentials of community health and well-being through programs that address health, education and safety net human services; and economic and community development programming.

1.

5.

2.

YEAR IN PHOTOS 1. Mike Plunkett (B.S.A. ’91) provides donor address at the Best of Bloch celebration of scholarship donors and recipients. continued from pg. 27 to access a service,” Never says. “This is good data for public policy leaders. They can find the number of cars, the amount of money, the number of stores and daycares in the area.”

“I want to help inform the decisions regarding where things should be,” Never shares. “As an academic, my job is to help create the models that will, in turn, affect public policy. We are an action-oriented department and seek to translate knowledge for the public at large.

Ultimately, my goal is to influence public policy.”

The privatization research is not the only project consuming Never’s time.

In 2009, his mentor and dissertation chair, Elinor Ostrom, was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Economics. She studied situations in which resources were being overused, such as overfishing of salmon and drawdowns of limited water supplies. No one knows how much will be available next year, if at all, so we use a lot and use it quickly.

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Never says such situations are called the Tragedy of Commons.

The “commons” is something used by everyone. Because it can’t be restricted, it often results in overuse. The rainforest is an excellent example.

In honor of professor Ostrom, Never and two of his former colleagues (one from the University of Georgia and one from the University of Massachusetts) are working on a special issue of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, which is entirely dedicated to Ostrom. They are discussing the importance of her work in their article. A total of nine articles are being written by a number of different authors.

“Economists typically have viewed the world through two lenses: the market, where private firms produce iPads and Big Macs; and the government, which produces national defense and elementary education,” Never says. “Ostrom saw a third way, a path where voluntary solutions to public problems are possible.” 

2. Kasey the Kangaroo explores job opportunities with employers from BKD at the spring Job and Internship Fair.

3. Precious Stargell-Cushman (EMBA ’13) and Stephanie Deer (EMBA ’13) participate in the Bloch Alumni Association’s Swinging for Scholarships event at Top Golf.

3.

4.

4. Attendees celebrate entrepreneurship at the 30th Annual Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.

5. Students surprise Larry Garrison, Ph.D., CPA, with a gift in honor of his retirement at the annual Accounting Reunion and Recognition Reception.

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Around the BLOCH /// ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT

CLASS NOTES

Henry W. Bloch (H.D. ’89) was inducted into the Missouri Public Affairs Hall of Fame.

Laura Boswell (B.B.A. ’08, MBA ’13) was named to Ingram’s list of "20 in their Twenties."

James Bronner (MBA ’00) was selected as the Black Hawk County city manager; he previously served as county finance director.

Nikolaus Busch (M.P.A. ’11) married UMKC alumna and Loose Mansion events coordinator Brittany Filkins.

Brian Dale Newby (M.P.A. ’90) was appointed as executive director to the United States Election Assistance Commission; he formerly served as the election commissioner for Johnson County for 11 years.

Sharice Davids (B.B.A. ’07) was given the Public Service Award by the Cornell Law School for her work on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

Terrence P. Dunn (MBA ’73) was named KCUMB Centennial Celebration honorary chair and Nonprofit Connect 2016 Volunteer of the Year.

Gregory Farmer (EMBA ’12) was promoted to managing editor of The Kansas City Star.

Terry Lee Hyer (B.B.A. ’90) was appointed Zarda BBQ partner and Chief Operations Officer.

Rachel Kathleen Koger (MBA ’11) was promoted to relationship manager in the quick service restaurant department at Mize Houser and Company P.A. Chazny Morris (M.P.A. ’13) was inducted into the UMKC Athletics Hall of Fame.

Mary Patonai (B.B.A. ’12) married UMKC School of Medicine graduate Nicolas Adrian Patonai Oct. 2, 2015.

Andres Rivera Hurtado (B.B.A. ’14) was named president of Prospanica-KC Chapter (formerly known as the National Society of Hispanic MBAs).

Matthew Schulte (MBA ’14) was recognized as one of the Kansas City Business Journal’s People on the Move.

Eric R. Slusser (EMBA ’01) was named executive vice president and chief financial officer at Express Scripts Holding Company.

Alisha Templeton (MBA ’07) was promoted to global implementation manager at Techstars. Her previous roles with the organization included program manager and director.

Jennifer Wampler (MBA ’90) was appointed president of the Mid-America Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

The East Tennessee Community Design Center established an award in honor of Annette Anderson (Managment ’58).

Each year, the UMKC Alumni Association hosts a luncheon to acknowledge the university’s remarkable alumni. In 2016, four Bloch graduates were recognized.

Judy G. Jacobs

Julie Wilson (B.B.A. ’84) Bill French Alumni Service Award Judy G. Jacobs (Management ’77, Education ’86) Defying the Odds Award Doug Baker (MBA ’95) Henry W. Bloch School of Management Alumni Achievement Award

Doug Baker

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BLOCH  Fall 2016

Don R. Armacost Jr.

UP FOR THE CHALLENGE Alumna takes on new role to transform Toy and Miniature Museum

Submit your news to bloch.umkc.edu/ classnotes

2016 UMKC Alumni Achievement Award Recipients

Julie Wilson

DAN VIDETICH PHOTOGRAPHY

David A. Bernstein (MBA ’95) launched Squix, a locally based, online retailer devoted exclusively to germ-fighting products.

Karen Bell-Dancy (EMBA ’01) was appointed Lincoln YWCA’s first black executive director.

The Armacost Family, including Don R. Armacost Jr. (B.B.A. ’66) Legacy Award

MINIATURE PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF TOYS AND MINIATURES

Chase Bean (EMBA ’04) was named president and chief operating officer at Tnemec Company Inc.

JAMIE BERRY

“You don't know what you don't know.” This quote has helped Jamie Berry (EMBA ’11) navigate her professional career.

In 2004, the Toy and Miniature Museum of Kansas City engaged David Renz, Ph.D., Public Affairs department chair and director of the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership, to assess the museum and recommend improvements that would ensure longevity. One suggestion was to hire an executive director, a role which Berry accepted in late 2005. Previously, Berry spent 17 years at IBM, mostly in financial sales, and ran an entrepreneurial vintage furniture company.

At the time, the museum staffed two full-time employees, one part-time employee and six board members.

With no museum experience, Berry admits there was a learning curve.

“I’m a big problem solver, so I was up for the challenge,” she says. Luckily, the Bloch School already had a plan.

“We tried to implement the recommendations from Dr. Renz’s organizational assessment,” Berry explains. This included a new strategic plan, board expansion and a better understanding of the visitor experience and industry best practices. This process highlighted a need for massive restructuring of the museum and further education for Berry.

“I started the Executive MBA because we were stuck,” Berry says, who chose UMKC because of the museum’s campus affiliation, the relationship she fostered with Renz and encouragement from former faculty member Joan Gallos, a member of the museum board.

“The EMBA gave me the skills to manage such a large scale project,” she says Berry and her team pressed forward, raising $11 million to fund an 18-month renovation that began in 2014.

“It needed to be less about what the founders wanted and more about the community experience,” Berry says.

This was achieved by separating the miniatures and toys, adding rotating exhibits, utilizing galleries that reflect the most popular toys from each decade and infusing a contemporary design.

“We thought we were picking the right path, but you don’t know until you let people test it out,” she says.

The museum relaunched in August 2015 with a new name — The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures — and rave reviews.

In the first year post-renovation, the museum project to have tripled the number of annual visitors and increase membership by 200 percent. There are now 13 board members, and the staff has increased to eight full-time and three part-time employees, plus an intern.

For Berry, it’s important to give back to her school and city.

She is a member of 100 Women Who Care and serves as board chair for SleepyHead Beds, an organization that provides beds for children. She also teaches in the Bloch School’s Master of Public Administration program.

“Leadership is something you learn how to do. You can read a lot about theory, but until you actually put it into play and see how it works for you, you don’t develop your own particular style,” she proclaims.

And it’s clear that Berry’s leadership style has been an important part of her success.

– Dionne Lewis

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Leadership

TOP 10 favorite places

SEMINARS

on campus

Between classes, studying, extracurricular activities and hanging out with friends, our students spend a lot of time on campus. The UMKC Volker Campus has approximately 36 buildings, each tailored to meet a specific need. Which space stands out the most to the UMKC student population? We took a poll to find out their favorite spaces, places and getaways on campus.

1. Miller Nichols Library and Learning Center 2. Student Union

u 3. Bloch Executive Hall 4. Scofield Hall 5. Oak Street Residence Hall 6. Education Building 7. Bloch Heritage Hall 8. The Performing Arts Center 9. Flarsheim Hall 10. Grant Hall

Strengthen your leadership talent with Bloch Executive Education’s open enrollment seminars.

Pricing begins at $495 for one seminar, or take advantage of one of our discounted pricing options.

All seminars are open to the public.

Upcoming seminars include:  Leading Change: How to Generate Support Traction and Results  Time and Energy Management: Breaking Down Barriers to Personal Effectiveness  Strategy and Strategic Planning for Growth  Strategic Leadership: How Leaders Inspire, Engage and Execute for Results  Leadership Courage: Do You Have It?

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BLOCH  Fall 2016

The three-year-old Bloch Executive Hall has a perfect atrium for group projects or studying.

Ready to enroll?

Visit umkc.edu/executive or 816-235-6184

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Kansas City, Mo. Permit #6113

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY Henry W. Bloch School of Management 5100 Rockhill Road Kansas City, MO 64110

UMKC is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution.

Survey Says… Forging strong relationships with our alumni starts with open communication. In Summer 2015, we asked you how we were doing.

Based on responses from 650 Bloch School graduates, here's a highlight of what you thought.

See the full results at bloch.umkc.edu/surveyresults.

#1

reason for alumni to return to Bloch...

COMMUNICATION WITH FACULTY

TOP 5 AREAS INFLUENCING ALUMNI PERCEPTION 1. VALUE OF DEGREE 2. ACADEMIC PROGRAMS 3. ADMINISTRATION/LEADERSHIP 4. ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF FACULTY 5. COMMUNITY OUTREACH

HOW ARE WE USING YOUR FEEDBACK? IN PROCESS

> Building a stronger social media presence

> Fostering a stronger alumni community

> Striving for increased transparency

COMING SOON

> Annual department reunions

> Increased opportunities for professional development

> Increased volunteer opportunities

> Engaging alumni outside of the Kansas City metro

82%

of alumni are proud to be a Bloch School graduate