Alumni in the News
CLASS V
SANDRA AUST
Following the Amendment 2 campaign, and a run for the MO Senate, I am delighted to be a part of Shepherd’s Center Central serving as Director for Coming of Age: Kansas City. This civic engagement initiative was researched and developed at Temple University, Philadelphia. It is designed to connect the enormous talent, skills and experience of those 50+ with nonprofits and other organizations. Our website www.comingofage.org/kansascity is THE Conduit for Inspiring Opportunities, a monthly e-newsletter for those 50+, and postings for interesting work, paid and unpaid. Since our launch last Fall we have conducted two Learning Labs, training 75 people representing 40 nonprofits. Participants learn new strategies and skills necessary to attract those 50+ to their organization. One person/one group at a time we are helping to build a Greater Kansas City! JUMP IN! Sandra Doolin Aust, Sandra@sccentral.org; 816-444-1121 x 109.
ANGELA BENNETT
I am the Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Region VII. I currently serve on the UMKC Alumni Association’s Board of Directors, Board of Directors for the Kansas City Ballet, Advisory Board for KCUR-FM Radio and I am Co-chair of the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey Advisory Board. I was previously the President of the University of Missouri System Board of Curators and Chair of the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Professionalism. My awards include: The Honor Society of PHI KAPPA PHI Chapter 103 Alumna of the Year: 2010; Legal Leaders of The Year Award: 2008; NAACP Lucile H. Bluford Special Achievement Award: 2007; and the UMKC Alumni Service Award: 2006-07.
JIM BERNARD, JR.
I'm practicing law at the same law firm that I joined upon graduation from law school 34 years ago. My current volunteer activities include Chairman of the board of the National World War One Museum [the Liberty Memorial], Council Commissioner for the Heart of America Council of Boy Scouts of America, Clerk of Session at Second Presbyterian Church, and I am serving on the board of [or attorney for] several local Foundations.
Jim Bernard, Jr.
CLASS X
BILL BLESSING
Bill Blessing is serving on the Kansas City Life Insurance and nonprofit boards and consulting on smart grid strategy at Burns & McDonnell after retiring as SVP of Corporate Strategy and Development at Sprint and Embarq. Current civic activities include teaching a MBA strategy course at UMKC, chairing the Governance Committee for the local Boy Scouts Council, and chairing the Strategic Planning Committee of the Kansas CIty Repertory Theatre. Both sons are in college so he and Anne (Class XI) are trying to travel more.
BILL CRAIG
I am still President/CEO at Lakemary Center, a not-for-profit agency providing services to over 500 children and adults with developmental disabilities in Johnson and Miami Counties. Recently, I served, after being appointed by Governor Sebelius, as Chair of the Kansas Autism Task Force. Currently I'm serving as Board Chair of Bridging the Gap, Kansas City’s leading environmental and sustainability not for profit, and on the Johnson County Advisory Board of MOCSA. Also, I'm celebrating 36 years of marriage to Jody Ladd Craig (KCT Year I), Public Affairs Director of MARC.
CLASS XV
ROGER LUMLEY
I am currently Vice President – Senior Relationship Manager in the National Banking Division of Bank of the West here in KC. Our division is typically involved in commercial and industrial banking and lending for companies with revenues ranging from $50 million - $3 billion + in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. Bank of the West is a $60 billion banking organization with headquarters in San Francisco. Bank of the West is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BNP Paribas, a $2.8 trillion global banking institution based in Paris, France.
Last fall, I was appointed to the Alumni Board of Directors of the Spears School of Business - Oklahoma State University, in Stillwater, OK. I have also been financial sponsor of the Parkinson’s Foundation in Kansas City.
STEPHEN G. MITCHELL
I am currently a partner with the national law firm of Lathrop & Gage LLP and I am located in the Kansas City office near Crown Center. One of the highlights of my career was that from 2005-2006, I was the lead negotiator and draftsman for Jackson County, Missouri, for a $575 million expansion and renovation of the Truman Sports Complex in KC and for new long term leases with the KC Chiefs Football and KC Royals Baseball organizations, and I was also involved in preparation of a comprehensive MBE/WBE For Share Agreement for the construction project for the stadiums. I am currently working on various projects involving KCMO Downtown and Crossroads mixed-use condo projects and leasing and sale of commercial real estate.
DAN MUSSER
Dan serves as director of Zimmer’s Development Management Group that provides development services to corporate, governmental, institutional, and not-for-profit. He is a board member of MainCor and chair of the Architecture Advisory Committee at Kansas State University. Current projects include: master developer for the Beacon Hill and Columbus Park neighborhoods in Kansas City, MO; master developer of Village West for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas; recently selected as developer to the GSA for the new NNSA National Security Campus in a partnership with CenterPoint Properties Trust.