The effectiveness of the Greater Wichita Partnership is in each member, each investor, each community and business leader serving this region. We invite you to connect with any of the area professionals serving on boards, committees, and within the many alliances and task forces. Our strength is in our diversity and united efforts for success.
Exists to ensure the work of the organization aligns with the mission to fast-forward economic growth in the Greater Wichita region.
Learn more about becoming an investor of the Partnership by contacting Becca Newman at becca@greaterwichitapartnership.org.
Charlie Chandler, INTRUST Bank, Chairman & CEO, Executive Board Co-chair
Aaron Bastian, Fidelity Bank, President & CEO, Executive Board Co-chair
Marty Cornejo, Cornejo Holdings, President, Executive Board Vice-chair
Ben Hutton, Hutton, CEO, Executive Board Secretary
Jeff Fluhr, Greater Wichita Partnership, President
Matt All, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, President & CEO
Paul Allen, Allen, Gibbs & Houlik, L.C., Chairman of the Board
Dr. Sean Black, The Boeing Company, Vice Presiendent/General Manager
Jeff Blubaugh, Sedgwick County Commission Chair
Chuck Caisley, Evergy, Chief Customer Officer
Wayne Chambers, High Touch Technologies, Chairman & CEO
Sam Chandler, INTRUST Bank, President, Downtown Wichita Chair
Ramin Cherafat, McCownGordon, CEO
Margaret Dechant, 6 Meridian, Partner & Founder, CEO
Raymond Dondlinger, Dondlinger Construction, Vice President of Operations
Ron Draper, Textron Aviation, President & CEO
Steve Feilmeier, Feilmeier Family Office, Managing Director
Stephanie Harder, Textron Aviation, VP of Communications and Public Affairs, TRLC Lead
Keith Lawing, Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas, President & CEO
Matt Michaelis, Emprise Bank, Chairman & CEO
Dr. Rick Muma, Wichita State University, President
James Nastars, Meritrust Credit Union, President
Dean Newton, Delta Dental of Kansas, President & CEO
Mark Nichols, Koch, Inc., VP of Government & Public Affairs
Ed O’Malley, Kansas Health Foundation, President & CEO
Gary Oborny, Occidental Management, Chairman & CEO
Victor Ojeleye, Cargill Protein, Chief Legal Counsel
Steve Patrick, Bombardier Defense, Vice President
Mark Quayle, Cargill Protein, Chief Legal Counsel
John Rolfe, Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce, President & CEO
Jon Rolph, Thrive Restaurant Group, Chairman & CEO
Gabe Schlickau, CoBank, Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce Chair
Rick Sems, Equity Bank, President & CEO
Todd Slawson, Slawson Companies, President
Kevin Strecker, Ascension Via Christi, Ministry Market CEO
Greg Tice, SPT Architecture, Managing Partner
Dr. Sheree Utash, WSU Tech, President & VP of Workforce Development, TRLC Lead
Mayor Lily Wu, City of Wichita, Mayor
Scott Schwindaman, Greater Wichita Partnership, Emeritus Director, Economic Development
Comprised of private-sector leaders and public-sector officials, this team assists in guiding economic development strategies, goals, and opportunities within the Partnership’s jobs priority. In addition, the team provides critical leadership to propel the initiatives identified within the Regional Growth Plan.
Troy Anderson, City of Wichita
Ryan Baty, Sedgwick County Commission Chair
Dr. Loren Hatfield, Wichita Public Schools
Brent Shelton, Sedgwick County
Tom Stolz, Sedgwick County
Mayor Lily Wu, City of Wichita
Ebony Clemons, Evergy
Amanda Duncan, Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas
Mark Eaton, Envision, Inc.
Jeff Fluhr, Greater Wichita Partnership
Sarah Hoefgen, El Dorado, Inc.
Joshua Jefferson, Kansas Department of Commerce
John Rolfe, Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce
Andrew Schlapp, Wichita State University
Scott Schwindaman, Greater Wichita Partnership
Beth Shelton, Harvey County Economic Development
Debra Teufel, Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce
Kyle Blasdel, Hutton
Brie Boulanger, McCownGordon Construction
Scott Casebolt, Key Construction
Brent Castillo, Dondlinger Construction
Clint Cornejo, All-Metal Recycling
Matt Cortez, TESSERE
Tracy Dible, Professional Engineering Consultants, P.A.
Aron Dunn, Allen, Gibbs & Houlik, L.C.
Jeff Emmot, INTRUST Bank
Grant Glasgow, NAI Martens Companies
Jeff Gordon, Bombardier
Jamie Harrison, Meritrust Credit Union
Kasey Jolly, Boeing
Charlie King, Occidental Management
Brandon Mason, Slawson Companies
Colin Marsh, Murfin Inc.
DJ McClenny, Crossland Construction Co. Inc.
Ryan Pearson, Conco Construction
Dan Reisig, UV&S
Harvey Sorensen, Foulston Siefkin LLP
Brice Turner, Hornet Cutting Systems
Dave Wells, SPT Architecture
Van Winter, True Blue Power
To support the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, the Partnership provides support to Accelerate Wichita (formerly the Entrepreneurship Task Force), which focuses on identifying, activating and mentoring an entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Accelerate Wichita has a vision to build and support an inclusive, globally competitive, and impactful entrepreneurial ecosystem creating sustainable long-term growth for the Wichita region through job and wealth creation.
A key accomplishment of the Entrepreneurship Task Force (ETF) was the launch of the first entrepreneurial accelerator in Kansas – e2e, now named NXTUS. In 2015, ETF launched a planning committee that took the necessary steps to open the independent entity. The Partnership now partners with NXTUS to cultivate the entrepreneurial ecosystem by activating, accelerating, and mentoring entrepreneurs in the heartland.
For specific questions related to entrepreneurial development, please contact Tami Bradley at tami@greaterwichitapartnership.org.
Comprised of Human Resource Executives and community leaders, this committee is regularly convened to provide strategic direction for current and future talent recruitment and retention efforts. In addition, this committee works to propel the initiatives identified within the Talent Marketing Blueprint.
John Bates, INTRUST Bank
Cara Chennault-Reid, Koch, Inc.
David Dellinger, Dondlinger Construction
Nici Duncan, High Touch Technology
Emily Faught, Fidelity Bank
John Ford, TESSERE
Kara Franks, Allen, Gibbs & Houlik, L.C.
Ryan Karasek, The Boeing Company
Jeff Koch, SPT Architecture
La'Rell Marion, Cargill Protein
Brittni Mayagoitia, Ascension
Sonja Mencacci, Textron Aviation
Phet Namphengsone, Textron Aviation
Gonzalo Neira Maquilon, City of Wichita
Chelsie Ness, Integra Technology
Stacey Parker, McCownGordon Construction
Vicki Plank, Meritrust Credit Union
Trisha Rizzo, Bombardier Defense
Sarah Rundell, Key Construction
Jenna Shaban, Wichita Public Schools
Yvonne Turner, Bombardier Defense
Kristin Webb, Hutton
For specific questions related to the Talent Advisory Committee, or to get on the mailing list, please contact Tami Bradley, Senior Strategic Advisor for Talent Roadmap and Workforce Development at tami@greaterwichitapartnership.org.
Focused on promoting a seamless partnership between private business and education leaders to inspire, develop, and produce the productive workforce needed for sustained economic growth for our region. The Talent Roadmap Leadership Coalition is guided by the Student Success Task Force Plan, which identifies three priority areas based on the initiatives outlined in the Lifelong Learning Action Plan of the Project Wichita Community Report. The Coalition is currently led by Co-chairs Stephanie Harder, Director of Communications and Public Affairs at Textron Aviation, and Dr. Sheree Utash, President of WSU Tech.
Mike Beene, Kansas Department of Commerce
Misty Bruckner, PPMC
Jordan Buxton, Hutton
Nici Duncan, High Touch Technology
Scott Evans, Ascension Via Christi
Michele Gifford, Textron Aviation
Tim Hamblin, Wichita Public Schools
Stephanie Harder, Textron Aviation
Kathleen Jagger, Newman University
Mary Beth Jarvis, NXTUS
Keith Lawing, Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas
Jared Lesher, Wesley Medical Center
Colin Marsh, Murfin Inc.
Pete Meitzner, Sedgwick County Commission
Robin Merriman, Bombardier
Laura Ritterbush, Goodwill Industries
Jesse Romo, Wichita Airport Authority
Joseph Shepard, City of Wichita
Sheree Utash, WSU Tech
For specific questions related to Talent, or to get on the mailing list, please contact Tami Bradley at tami@greaterwichitapartnership.org.
