Ingram's April 2023

CLASS of 2023

SARAH ARMENDARIZ At just 34, Sarah Armendariz became a partner at Dentons—one of the world’s largest law firms. That was in 2020. In

what your country could do for you” has always had a special meaning for him. From Park Hill High School to the Marines to the stark desolation of Afghanistan, Arnold has striven to do what he can for his country. He’s still doing so at age 38 as senior security com pliance manager for Honeywell, which manages the National Security Campus for the Department of Energy, producing non-nuclear components for the nation’s defense arsenal. Arnold rose to captain in the Marines, where he oversaw intel ligence operations for a helicopter squad ron that completed more than 3,500 safe flight hours and nearly 600 combat missions, earning three Air Medals in the process. He could have gone anywhere after his service, but “family and commu the time since, the wisdom behind that elevation has become evident: Working in the Real Estate practice group and focusing on sophisticated commercial real estate lending, she has represented some of the biggest names in global and regional commerce: Guggenheim Partners Invest ment Management, Landesbank Hessen Thüringen (Helaba) and JPMorgan, and closer to home, Sunflower Bank. That work entails the representation of for eign and domestic financial institutions, real-estate investment trusts, commer cial banks, mortgage lenders, and life insurance companies. Success, she says, is grounded in responsiveness with each client, whether by answering questions quickly in the midst of a closing at any time of day or night or by taking calls on

nity are extremely important to me and were the main drivers for me returning to Kansas City,” Arnold says. While still an undergrad at Park University (where he also attended graduate school), he was accepted to the Pryor Leadership program, which immersed him in the concept of servant leadership. That con tinues outside the workplace, with his avid support of Christmas in October, improving the homes of those in need throughout the community. In addition, he says, “I routinely support veteran orga nizations such as Veteran’s Community Project, Wreaths Across America, and the Military Advisory Council. Lastly, my wife (Adriane) and I frequently don ate to local shelters such as Friends of Parkville.” her cell phone when she’s out of the office. Ever one to pay it forward, she credits the influences of helpful, invested mentors, which prompted her to become the Kansas City office’s WomenLEAD Partner repre sentative to advocate for younger lawyers. “For a young woman in a profession that is still, particularly at the highest levels, led by men, it can be difficult to navigate a legal career without support,” Armendariz says. “I received, and continue to receive, such support from colleagues at the firm, and I plan to do my best to be a support ive figure to others.” That also informs her work with the International Refugee Assistance Program, Wayside Waifs, and Lawyers/Accountants for the Arts. She and husband Kevin have two children, ages 3 and 4.

SETH ARNOLD America’s 35th president issued the challenge a full 25 years before Seth Arnold was even born, but the call to “ask not

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A LEADER?

Ingram’s editors have studied what it takes to be a great leader for many decades, under many extraordinary instructors. We can think of no more important initiative than to serve as stewards of the 40 Under Forty program, and to dedicate efforts each year to research hundreds of the region’s most accomplished young leaders and to introduce several of the best to our readers. We hope you’ll agree that this year’s 40 Under Forty class meets the same pinnacle standards as the 24 classes that preceded them.

Congratulations to the 2023 Members of Ingram's 40 Under Forty.

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April 2023

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