KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) Foundation has announced the members of the Steering Committee appointed to oversee the Foundation’s ongoing fundraising campaign. Retired H&R Block Chairman Henry Bloch will serve as the Honorary Chair of the Committee, with Thomas and Vina Hyde and Robert and Ann Regnier serving as co-chairs.
This is the first major capital campaign undertaken by the new UMKC Foundation, an independent endowment foundation formed in July, 2009, by a group of Kansas City civic leaders and University alumni to manage all fundraising for UMKC. Since its formation, fundraising has set records in the number of donors, the number of gifts received, the percentage of alumni donors and the number of gifts of $1 million or more.
Thomas Hyde recently retired as Executive Vice President, Legal, Ethics, and Corporate Secretary, for Wal-Mart. Prior to that, he served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Raytheon Company, a Boston-based defense contractor. He is an alumnus of the UMKC School of Law and a 2004 UMKC Alumni Awards recipient. He also is a member of the UMKC Board of Trustees and the UMKC Foundation, where he is Chair of the Audit Committee, as well as a member of the Executive Committee. Vina Hyde is a retired special education teacher and active civic leader, including serving as the original co-director of the Girls on the Run program in Benton County, Ark., and a member of the Board of Walton Arts Center.
Robert Regnier is Chairman, President & CEO, Bank of Blue Valley, and an alumnus of the UMKC Bloch School of Management. He was named a Bloch School Outstanding Alumnus and is an avid supporter of the Bloch School’s Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, serving as the inaugural sponsor for the Institute’s New Venture Challenge Competition in 2007. Ann Regnier is an accomplished civic leader and supporter of numerous community organizations, including Kansas City Public Television (KCPT) and the Liberty Memorial.
Other members of the Steering Committee are:
- Alan and Mary Atterbury; President, Midland Properties, Inc. (Alan); Civic Leader (Mary)
- Ken Baum and Ann Kaufmann Baum; Chairman of the Board, George K. Baum Group, Inc. (Ken); Civic Leader (Ann)
- Tom and Mary Bloch; Co-Founder, University Academy (Tom); Civic Leader (Mary)
- Kay Callison; President, The Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation
- Newt Campbell; Former President, Burns & McDonnell Engineering
- James Duderstadt; President Emeritus & Professor of Science and Engineering, University of Michigan
- Terry and Peggy Dunn; President & CEO, JE Dunn Construction (Terry); Mayor, City of Leawood, Kansas (Peggy)
- Irma Lou Hirsch; Civic Leader
- Linda Hood; Talbott Chairman, Center for Philanthropic Leadership and President, Talbott Associates
- Natalie “Nikki” Krawitz; Vice President for Finance & Administration, University of Missouri
- Lora Lacey-Haun; Dean, UMKC School of Nursing
- Rocky Levell; Owner, Integrity Pharmacy
- Nancy Mills; Former Dean, UMKC School of Nursing
- Leo Morton; Chancellor, University of Missouri-Kansas City
- Annette Quick; Associate Professor, UMKC School of Medicine, and Medical Director, Echocardiology, Truman Medical Center
- John and Marny Sherman; President & CEO, Inergy, L.P. (John) ; Civic Leader (Marny)
- Betsey and Rick Solberg; Executive Consultant, Fleishman-Hillard (Betsey); Business Owner (Rick)
- Charlie and Jeanne Sosland; President & CEO, Sosland Companies, Inc. (Charlie); Civic Leader (Jeanne)
- Chuck Squire; Periodontist & Co-Owner, Wichita Periodontists
- Mel Tyler; Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs & Enrollment Management, University of Missouri-Kansas City
- Ray Wagner; Vice President, Enterprise Rent-A-Car
- Hugh and Eulalie Zimmer; Chairman, Zimmer Companies, Inc. (Hugh); Civic Leader (Eulalie)
UMKC officials expect that the 2011-2012 fiscal year will culminate as a record-breaking fundraising year for the University. Complete details of UMKC’s “This is the Time. This is the Place.” campaign will be announced on Nov. 9.
About the UMKC Foundation
The UMKC Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization serving as the official fundraising and fundraising management organization for UMKC. For more information about the UMKC Foundation, visit umkcfoundation.org.
About the University of Missouri-Kansas City
The University of Missouri-Kansas City, 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.