Ingram's March 2023

Tisa Mason Fort Hays State University, Hays Tisa Mason, a career educator, was sufficiently impressed with the setting at Fort Hays State University that she decided to move there—twice. The first time was in 2008, when she took on the duties of vice president for student affairs. The second came in 2017, when

Jim Lee Lee Aerospace, Wichita

Jim Lee took the entrepreneurial plunge in 1989 by founding his own company in the highly competitive universe of Wichita’s aviation suppliers. Over the course of the next 11 years, he built it into an attractive acquisition target for Pennsylvania-based Triumph Group, then made the sale. Flash forward 14 years,

and Lee saw an opportunity to make an acquisition of his own: He bought back the very company he had founded. Lee Aerospace designs and manufacturers acrylic aircraft windows, aerostructure assemblies, and composite parts for companies in the Air Capital of the World, and beyond with a client list that reads like a corporate Who’s Who of Aviation—Textron Aviation’s Beechcraft and Cessna brands, Hawker, Dassault, Galactic, Gulfstream, and Bombardier. There’s a good chance that if you’ve craned your neck on a plane to get a glimpse of the landscape below, you were looking out of a window fabricated by Lee’s team of nearly 250. In fact, the company earned Coolest Thing Made in Kansas from the state Commerce Department last year for a window that does double duty helping cool cockpit interiors. In addition to product design and manufacturing, Lee Aerospace repairs, installs and distributes aircraft assemblies, sheet metal wing spars, and fuselage assemblies. Beyond his expertise in aircraft production, Lee has also jumped into the digital marketing space, investing in a software platform that gives companies new tools to advertise their products.

the university called her back as president three years after she had left to assume the leadership role at Valley City State University in North Dakota. “One of the greatest privileges of being a university president,” she said before last spring’s graduation ceremonies in Hays, “is to be present to celebrate our people—knowing that each diploma, each award, and every ceremony is not only about the glorious outcome, but it is equally about the discipline of getting back up after each stumble or fall.” Among her initiatives during her leadership there was introducing the first Day of Giving, a 24-hour fundraising event that supports the university foundation. Mason is a Massachusetts native whose career in higher education has also included stops at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, the Sigma Kappa Sorority and Foundation in Indianapolis, Christopher Newport University in Virginia and Hanover College in Indiana. Her own academic background started with in a bachelor’s in sociology /anthropology from Transylvania University in Lexington, Ky., followed by her master’s in education from Eastern Illinois, and her doctorate from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va.

Tony Mattivi Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Topeka

Jy Maze Maze Freight Solutions, Overland Park Despite her success in the logistics industry, Jy Maze nevertheless saw an opportunity to make some much-needed improvements. “I was frustrated there was such a lack of diversity and integrity in management and ownership in the entire logistics industry,” she said. “I decided I

As a former federal prosecutor, Tony Mattivi helped convict the Kansas militia members who plotted to murder Somali immigrants in Garden City, the former Marine who tried to detonate explosives at the Wichita airport, and the would-be truck bomber at

Fort Riley. So, when he was asked to consider the role of KBI Director—and confirmed by the Senate in February—he said it felt like a natural next step. “I was excited for the opportunity to lead an agency that accomplishes so many critical tasks on behalf of our state,” he said. “We investigate many of the most violent crimes that occur across the state in order to ensure justice for victims and to hold those accountable who wish to threaten or harm our citizens. … It is critical for Kansans to feel safe and secure where they live, work and raise their families.” After spending his childhood and college years in Colorado, he left his job as a paramedic to attend law school at Washburn University. His first job after law school was at the Shawnee County district attorney’s office in Topeka, where he and his wife, Mary (whom he met in law school), raised three children and has been Mattivi’s home ever since. It’s also where he remains committed to serving his fellow Kansans in his new role. “I have centered my professional life on public service and public safety. Our communities must be safe for businesses to thrive.”

wanted to be a change agent for this situation.” Starting her career in customer service and then the sales division at Freightquote, Maze not only excelled but was soon setting sales records. Yet, she decided to take the “giant step” to become an entrepreneur, launching her own firm, Maze Freight Solutions, in 2017. Based in Overland Park, the company is now a nationally certified WBE/ MBE/DBE. “Building my business by utilizing Black leadership and management, today there is diversity, transparency, and integrity throughout my entire logistics team.” A graduate of Wyandotte High School and National American University, Maze is now involved with Heartland Heroes, a CEO peer group for aspiring business leaders, as well as the Heartland Black Chamber of Commerce and the Kansas City Women’s Business Center. She’s encouraged by the promise of a stronger future for the state. “Kansas is in an incredible growth phase. Because of our central location, available labor, and many resources, major manufacturers and distribution centers are choosing to build facilities here. The result will be the shipping of products all over the United States and to international locations. This will all be a major boost to the Midwest logistics industry!”

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