EOY recipients epitomize the phrase
The 29th Annual Entrepreneur of the Year Awards put a spotlight on individuals who built something – success.
Entrepreneurship is not just about starting new ventures. It’s a mindset focused on creating value, and it can have positive impact on a broad array of activities throughout the community – from sports and entertainment, to logistics, to child care and social services. The 2014 EOY event, sponsored by the Henry W. Bloch School of Management at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, portrayed and paid tribute to the broad sweep of entrepreneurship in its many forms.
Philip Anschutz, international entrepreneur of the year, is owner of The Anschutz Corporation; Tim Barton, regional entrepreneur, founder of Freightquote; and Sister Berta Sailer and Sister Corita Bussanmas, recipients of the Marion and John Kreamer Award for Social Entrepreneurship, co-founders of Operation Breakthrough. Each has achieved entrepreneurial success, according to their own definitions.
Anschutz is the epitome of an international entrepreneur, with business interests in communications, transportation, natural and renewal resources, real estate, lodging, publishing and entertainment. His influence is worldwide in areas such as AEG concerts and venues, including Kansas City’s Sprint Center.
During his presentation at the event, Anschutz focused not on his accomplishments, but those of others, including “high-quality individuals” from 1800-1920.
“I have been very blessed and have used my commitment of faith in my career,” said Anschutz. “I was lucky, and I was prepared for what showed up. I recognize my team quite often for their accomplishments, and, truly, they are the ones who deserve the credit.”
In addition to his team, Anschutz talked about the 50 business leaders included in a yet-unnamed book he is completing. He described them as “good role models and leaders.”
He listed some of their characteristics, including singularly-focused, bold and courageous, and possessing the ability to overcome adversity. According to Anschutz, these early entrepreneurs were true pioneers.
“They built businesses, established new technology, established cities and hired hundreds of thousands of people,” said Anschutz.
They were the predecessors to the individuals honored at EOY.
“This is a great time for entrepreneurs – a time when startups are exciting and more approachable,” Barton said. “There is so much technology available that will assist in building a business. There is so much available to entrepreneurs today.”
Barton said his idea for Freightquote is characterized as a disruptive innovation, which is something no one ever thought of – or thought they needed. They found out they did need it, and it is now one of the largest shipping companies in the nation.
His local freight-shipping company moves more than one million shipments across the U.S. annually; it leveraged a groundbreaking use of technology to meet the needs of shippers and drive tremendous, rapid growth, and its revenue should reach more than $600 million this year.
The co-founders of Operation Breakthrough, the not-for-profit childcare agency, is the largest single-site childcare center in Missouri.
After having been described as “Kansas City’s living saints,” which Sailer disputed, Sisters Sailer and Bussanmas received a standing ovation when introduced. And, they received another when they introduced the “staff that believes in what we all are doing.”
Sailer said the staff has 434 years of combined experience. Thirty-five of their students, some of whom have been with them since infancy, are now enrolled in college.
“We didn’t know what we were doing when we started Operation Breakthrough. We responded to the need of the parents in the neighborhood, and we learned by doing it wrong,” said Sailer. “We had an idea and a passion, and we were ready to take risks.”
With that statement, Sister Sailer summed up what makes an entrepreneur – those who have an idea, a passion and are ready to take risks. They are building something.
|Wandra Brooks Green, Division of Strategic Marketing and Communications