KANSAS CITY, MO. – Four new members – three of whom are alumni of the University of Missouri-Kansas City – have joined the UMKC Board of Trustees and were recognized at the Sept. 13 Trustees Board meeting.
New members include:
Angela Bennett, Regional Director, U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Region VII. Bennett is a member of the Missouri Bar Association, Association for Women Lawyers of Greater Kansas City and the Jackson County Bar Association. Bennett serves on a number of Kansas City boards, including the UMKC Alumni Association Board of Directors, the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey Advisory Board and the Board of Directors of the Kansas City Ballet and the University of Missouri Alliance. Bennett earned a B.A. in Political Science and Radio, TV and Film and a Juris Doctor from UMKC.
Thomas Hyde, former Executive Vice President, Legal and Global Ethics and Corporate Secretary, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Hyde currently serves on the UMKC Foundation Board. He received the UMKC Alumni Achievement Award in 2004 and has been honored with the Corporate Diversity Leadership Award from the Coalition of Bar Associations of Color. Hyde earned his Juris Doctor with Distinction from UMKC.
John McMeel, Chairman and President of Andrews McMeel Universal; President and Treasurer, Andrews McMeel Universal Foundation. McMeel serves on a number of boards, including the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and The Advertising Icon Museum boards of directors, the William Allen White Foundation Board of Trustees, Journalism School, University of Kansas, and the Board of Trustees of St. Luke’s Hospital Foundation. He also is co-founder of Christmas in October in Kansas City. McMeel earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame.
Julie Wilson, Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer, Cerner Corp. Wilson is responsible for leading Cerner’s human resources and associate services organization, providing direction and developing people and support strategies for the company worldwide. She also serves as the senior executive responsible for Cerner’s India organization, which includes engineering, consulting and support service teams. Prior to joining Cerner, Wilson was the business manager for the UMKC Athletics Department. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from UMKC.
The addition of the new members brings the Trustees Board to a total of 56 members.
“These four individuals provide continued excellence to the UMKC Board of Trustees,” said Leo E. Morton, UMKC chancellor. “Their civic and business leadership, and their commitment to the critical mission of higher education, strengthen the role the university plays in the community.”
The UMKC Trustees represent the spectrum of Kansas City’s business, civic and philanthropic leadership. Our members advocate on the University’s behalf, provide community feedback and forge partnerships to help the University achieve its strategic priorities and financial objectives. The board works to ensure that UMKC is an exceptional urban university embedded in the fabric of our community and that the community is embedded in the University.
The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), one of four University of Missouri campuses, is a public university serving more than 15,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. UMKC engages with the community and economy based on a four-part mission: life and health sciences; visual and performing arts; urban issues and education; and a vibrant learning and campus life experience. For more information about UMKC, visit www.umkc.edu. You can also find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and watch us on YouTube.