Ingram's December 2022

At Basys Processing, philanthropy is a team sport. The Lenexa-based company was founded in 2002 to process credit-card pay ments for banks, but CEO Brad Oddo was determined to build something more meaningful.

“Basys is a team of awesome people who like to help and make the people around us happy, so being able to give back is just second nature for our group,” he declares. “We are a community based, locally grown organization and we love KC. At our core, Basys believes in giving back to our community.” Among the favorite projects there, he says, are the ones where large groups can get involved. “One of our favorite charities is when Bags of Fun comes to our office and we assemble backpacks with toys and gifts for kids. Our team really feels and sees how giving this backpack to a child in the hospital will make their day better.” The company’s efforts will expand in 2023 as employees will receive a paid day to do volunteer work to help encourage community involvement. The company also commits $500 annually, per employee, to a charity chosen by the employee. That has benefit ted a long list of nonprofits, and it’s a particularly effect strategy to promote engagement, Oddo says, because the dollars are going to a place that means something different to each employee. “We have seen that this involvement is often personal, with mem bers of Basys often already being a volunteer or becoming one for the charities they love,” he says, and that has been one of the most positive aspects for the team and the company culture. “We look for organizations that can shape a future and make meaningful

and long-term effects for the positive in their lives. My goal is to share with as many people as I can know about some of the great organizations serving our community,” says Oddo, who makes an example of board service by serving with the Police Athletic League of Kansas City, Kan. “I know so many people, including myself, who want to get more involved but just don’t know where to start. My advice? Start anywhere, just so long as you start.” generations, the high school students would successfully develop an entrepreneurial mindset that would change their trajectory, and thus the alarming statistics for future entrepreneurs in the state of Missouri.” She found willing collaborators in the The Kauffman and the DeBruce Foundations, which saw the value in building a sustainable infrastructure for that instruction, and this summer, Pro X was born. “The vision of our company is to elevate others to achieve their greatest potential, which directly aligns with our philanthropic passion,” Cherry says. “We believe creating transfor mative opportunities for high school students through Pro X, the regional internship program, is impacting and changing the tra jectory for future generations through financial education, design thinking constructs and equity.” The corporate values are direct descendants of her family line. “My parents, Admiral and Mary Ann Flunder, demonstrated the value of community investment in their personal and professional lives,” Cherry says. “They instilled and modeled the importance of dedicating one’s life to build others and community regardless of race, ethnicity, gender or finances.” Already, hundreds of potential young entrepreneurs have respond ed to the opportunity, which elicits an immediate response from Cherry: “Wow.” The first thought that comes to mind, she says, “is how my parents would feel that their influence and example is the reason so many young people can aspire to reach their dreams. I genuinely believe this is my purpose, and being someone of faith, I’ve witnessed barriers being moved to ensure young people are presented with incredible opportunities because so many people in Kansas City have a heartbeat to help others achieve.” Back row (l-r): Danny Turner , Director of Outside Sales; Nick Orrick , Director of Cus tomer Experience; Drew Peterson , Chief Revenue Officer; Linda Oberzan , VP-Human Resources; Kenny Thompson , EVP-Partner Relations; Edwin Martin , Chief Business Officer. First row (l-r): Chris Borchers , Director of IT & Product Development; Whitney Johnson , Director of Business Operations; Patrick Redd , Director of Marketing; Jen Alexander , Chief Operations Officer; Brad Oddo , Chief Executive Officer; Jarod Dickson , Director of Sales Training; Toni Rogers , Director Accounting & Finance. Front: Bandit , #teamBASYS Mascot. BASYS PROCESSING

CHERRY CO.

GOING PRO: Members of a group meeting session with the Pro X program that stemmed from Cherry Co.’s Entrepreneurship KC initiative. The goal is to help minority business owners improve the odds for long-term success.

It’s not like Thalia Cherry didn’t have enough on her plate at Cherry Co. when the Lending Tree study came across her screen in 2020. But she decided to make room for more. The study ranked Kansas City No. 49—one spot ahead of St. Louis—pegging them among the worst cities for businesses of color to stay in business for at least five years. “This jolted me to create and design an internship program, named Entrepreneurship KC to reverse this result,” she says. “The three elements that affected long term busi ness growth were capital, access and mentorship. I believed that by extending my network and integrating these elements for future

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December 2022

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