Beth Gerstenberger is the Employee Communications Manager at Seaboard Foods. In this role, Ms. Gerstenberger is responsible for internal communications, recruitment marketing, employer brand, and community enrichment for the company. Passionate about food and how its raised, Ms. Gerstenberger has spent ten years working in agribusiness in roles related to grain, manufacturing, marketing, and distributor communications. Raised on a family farm, Ms. Gerstenberger pursued …

Tony L. Van Trece is a lifelong resident of Kansas City, MO., a dedicated family man, and an aspiring community activist.  A 2019 graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, Tony was Vice President of the Black Law Student Association and received his Juris Doctorate in December 2019.  Tony also studied political science at UMKC and served two terms …

John Gordon Jr. Is the Founder and Executive Director of Kansas City based BoysGrow. Since its inception in 2010, he has been responsible for designing, executing and overseeing the organization’s approach to youth development.  A graduate of UMKC, after working in the Northern California Juvenile Court System and seeing the positive impact agriculture had on young people, he relocated back …

Ryan joined Boys Grow as a member of the board in fall of 2017.  February 2019, Ryan became the Board President.  He joined Cargill, Inc in 2008 where he today works as a Workstream Leader for Cargill’s Accelerated Continue Improvement organization.  In addition, he leads Cargill Cares, the companies community outreach committee in Kansas City. Ryan and his wife, Melanie, have a son, Chase, and …

Enrique Chi was born in Panama and moved to Kansas City when he was six. He’s the leader and songwriter for Making Movies, a Kansas City-based band with an international following, and he’s making a big difference for kids in his community. In 2011, Enrique and the band, in collaboration with Mattie Rhodes Center, created a week-long music education camp for youth from under-resourced communities. Last …

Carlos Gomez Is the president/CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City.  Carlos also serves as the Executive Director of the Greater Kansas City Hispanic Collaborative, which is the 501c3 sister-organization to the Hispanic Chamber. Four programs comprise the Collaborative, KC Bizfest, the Latinos of Tomorrow, the Young Latino Professionals and The Latino Leadership Institute. Carlos graduated …

Mark Allen is the Managing Director and CEO of WRS Solutions, LLC and Titanium Sports, LLC. WRS Solutions works as a global consulting company with second stage businesses, now in 7 countries. Titanium Sports represents numerous NBA, D-League, and FIBA (international) basketball players as a professional sports agency. Offices for both are located in Kansas City, Los Angeles, and New …

Mike McEnany is Vice President and the Small Business Loan Manager for Commerce Bank with primary responsibilities of Credit and Market Expansion. He received his B.S. at Missouri State University and an MBA at UMKC’s Bloch School of Business. Mike’s previous volunteer experience includes serving on the Board of Catholic Charities, 3&2 Baseball Coach, and facilitating projects in India and …

Brooke Tippin works at National Multiple Sclerosis Society as the Senior Development Manager for Bike MS, the largest fundraising bike event series in the nation to create a world free of MS. National MS Society funds research, advocates for social and political change, provides education, and sponsors services that help people with multiple sclerosis and their families. She enjoys being …