Celebrating Kansas City’s Best Entrepreneurs

Honorees at annual Bloch School event include leaders in construction, design and social change

The UMKC Henry W. Bloch School of Management celebrated the 38^th Annual Entrepreneur of the Year awards ceremony at H&R Block Headquarters. This year's honorees include innovative leaders changing skylines and lives in Kansas City and around the globe.

"Each one of our honorees represents a combination of creativity, resilience and impact," said Brian Klaas, Dean of the Bloch School. "Each one of them demonstrates the power of translating vision into reality, no matter the challenges."

Our Inspiring Honorees

Henry W. Bloch International Entrepreneurs of the Year | Bloch Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame Inductees

Chris Carver, Ron Labinski, Joe Spear, Dennis Wellner and Earl Santee | Representing the Founders of Populous

Originally founded in 1983 as HOK Sport with its initial roots firmly planted in Kansas City, the firm quickly developed an outstanding reputation for stadium design, with early revolutionary projects including the Miami Dolphins' Hard Rock Stadium and Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore. A management buyout in 2009 rebranded the company as Populous, a name reflecting their commitment to fans and the communities surrounding their projects.

"This team has mastered the art of design in a way that goes beyond architecture and engineering," said Tom Bloch, son of the late Henry Bloch. "They create places where people come together and make memories that last a lifetime."

Upon rebranding, the firm's first notable domestic projects included the new Yankee Stadium and Citi Field, home of the New York Mets. Internationally, Populous is responsible for venues at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games and the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games.

"I don't think we envisioned this," said Dennis Wellner, one of the founders of Populous. "I don't think it was a goal, objective or anything else, but seeing what has been reflected about us and our clients is tremendously rewarding. I think the most appropriate words to the Bloch School of Management is 'thank you.'"

To date, Populous has more than 3,500 projects to its name, most recently completing game-changing venues like the Las Vegas Sphere and Co-op Live, the United Kingdom's largest-capacity indoor arena. The company has also earned more than 250 global design awards for projects in 34 countries, evolving into a firm known for historic firsts and award-winning work.

Kansas City Entrepreneurs of the Year | Bloch Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame Inductees

Pat McCown and Brett Gordon | Founders of McCownGordon

McCown and Gordon founded McCownGordon in 1999 with the desire to build a company that would last beyond their tenure, and that would provide opportunities for their employees and partners. They also wanted to ensure that every employee embodied the company's core values of integrity, performance, and relationships.

"We have never done it for the recognition and to be here is truly humbling," said Gordon. "We've done it for all of those clients, architects, friends, and those that have blessed us enough to let us work for them."

With 25 years in business, McCownGordon is responsible for some of Kansas City's most iconic buildings including Bartle Hall, the American Royal and Museum at Prairiefire. Their portfolio includes projects in education, science and technology, and healthcare, where they're leading construction of the $145 million University of Missouri-Kansas City Healthcare Delivery and Innovation Building.

"What an opportunity and privilege it has been to be part of this team and become important," said McCown. "Entrepreneurs have a unique opportunity to impact our community, job creation, poverty alleviation and so much more. Entrepreneurs and their businesses can and should be redemptive in all aspects of their community."

Marion and John Kreamer Award for Social Entrepreneurship

Natasha Herdman | Founder and CEO of Pawsperity

Herdman (EMPA '14) is the daughter of a dog groomer and a first-generation college graduate. She received her undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Iowa and an Executive Master of Public Administration from the UMKC Bloch School. She is passionate about working with parents who have multiple barriers to entering the workforce, such as lack of education, training or past incarceration. She brings experience in both staff and volunteer roles for Healing House, Reach Out and Read, Community LINC and Stop Child Trafficking Now to Pawsperity.

"I am indepted by the strangers who became my mentors and are still on this journey with me today," said Herdman.

Based in Kansas City, Pawsperity is the only 501(c)(3) nonprofit grooming school in the country. Their students are some of society's most vulnerable, with a focus on single parents living in poverty. In addition to a detailed curriculum for pet grooming, Pawsperity provides soft-skills classes such as communication and budgeting. Students also have access to a variety of wrap-around services to support them while in school such as housing, food assistance and case management. Soon, the organization will go beyond Kansas City.

"We are turning Pawsperity into a licensing model that can be purchased by other nonprofits throughout the country who want job training options who have multiple barriers to entering the job market," said Herdman.

Student Entrepreneur of the Year

Grace Kertz | Junior, Business Administration

Grace Kertz is a junior enroll in the Bloch School's Bachelor of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in marketing and a minor in communications studies.

Her passions for both strategy and creativity have drawn her naturally to entrepreneurship, where she has combined her interests to develop Sensory Sync. This new venture utilizes artificial intelligence to identify workplace triggers in sensory-adverse employees. The platform offers the employee immediate guidance for self-regulation, then recommends accommodation strategies to the employer based on company-wide trends in sensitivity. Sensory Sync seeks to decrease sensory burnout while increasing productivity and retention of diverse talent, including individuals with disabilities.

"I'm thankful for the opportunities that entrepreneurship has created in my life," said Kertz. "The unification of of analytical and creative thinking will be central to my career."

Kertz intends to pursue a career in brand strategy within an advertising agency and has completed four internships with this goal in mind.

All proceeds from sponsorships and donations directly benefit the Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, as well as student and community programs. Join us as we celebrate a legacy of entrepreneurship that lives on in Kansas City.