Ingrams September 2023

Mitzi Cardenas EXECUTIVE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, UNIVERSITY HEALTH Cardenas is especially proud of her organization’s post-COVID resilience. “Despite the financial roadblocks that threatened us,” she said, “we con tinued to grow with new services and facilities that give our patients, staff, and visitors the space and surroundings needed to have the very best care and experience.” She’s excited about the work, saying “the UMKC Health Sciences District is positioned for incredible growth and is perfectly situated to expand its role as a regional health-care hub.”

Faruk Capan CEO, EVERSANA INTOUCH

Faruk Capan demonstrated a commitment to his passion by launch ing a digital marketing platform for the pharmaceutical industry near ly 25 years ago—and put it on display again by taking on a leadership role following its 2021 acquisition for a reported $950 million. Along the way, he created one of the region’s biggest entrepreneurial suc cesses and turned his company into a job-creation engine.

COLLEGE: Marmara University, Istanbul; MBA, University of Central Missouri INNOVATOR AT HEART: In addition to daily oversight of Eversana Intouch as CEO,

COLLEGE: B.B.A., University of Texas-Arlington; M.S., Troy State University RECESSION ODDS: “I don’t see a recession, but I also don’t think the road ahead will be necessarily smooth. Unfortunately, I think some of the issues with staffing are here to stay for a while, and that obviously will make for a bumpy ride moving forward.” SALUTING A MENTOR: “A key mentor was Lana Jane Lewis-Brent, President and CEO of Sunshine Junior Stores, a large convenience store and supermarket chain serving the southeastern part of the country out of Panama City, Fla. I worked under her early in my career, and she taught me how to think and act like an ex ecutive leader with a female voice. This was back in the late ‘90s when female leaders, particularly in this in dustry, were almost unheard of. She was my first role model when it came to the whole concept of ‘leaning in.’” LEADERSHIP HIRE PRIORITIES: “The ability to lead as well as to follow. Humility is key.” DREAM CHARITY MISSION: “I would focus on bringing young women into healthcare leadership roles.”

Capan serves as chief innovation officer for the parent company, which is based in Milwaukee. HIGH PRAISE: Both he and the firm came out of the PM360 Trailblazer Awards with major industry props: Eversana Intouch was recognized as Agency of the Year last fall, and Capan himself was named Advertising Agency CEO of the Year. STILL GROWING: In the year following the union of the two firms, the hits just kept on rolling: “In the middle of being integrated into a big cog of the wheel and becoming part of the commercial team, we still grew almost $65 million, which is our highest number ever in growth size,” Capan told PM360. “Of course, we also won 50-plus awards, and our people grew by about 200, so those are all great, positive signs that have made us even more excited for the future.”

Melissa Cather PRESIDENT, PROACTIVE SOLUTIONS

Tim Chadwick CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, MMC CORP

Not many women-owned enterprises in this region surpass $100 million in revenue, but if Melissa Cather and her team at one of the region’s biggest tech providers have a 2023 top-line bump that’s any where close to last year’s, they’ll not only crack that threshold, they’ll be in line to claim No. 1 on Ingram’s Women-Owned Businesses list. She’s a 20-year veteran in leadership roles delivering hardware, soft ware, and related technology services.

Talk about milestone performances: Last year, Tim Chadwick saw his MMC Corp team absolutely shatter past growth trends, with revenues surging more than one-third and blasting through the $1 billion threshold. Most recently, he has announced that he’ll be exiting the leadership stage for an Overland Park company with four national construction services brands (two of them based in Kansas City).

COLLEGE: B.A., General Studies, Wichita State University AT WORK: Cather, the majority owner of ProActive, oversees management and control of the compa ny’s finances, key partnerships, contracting, marketing, sales support, and public relations. ABOUT PROACTIVE: The firm is about as close as you’ll get to a one-stop-shop for a broad range of IT services, including data-center transformation, infrastructure, cloud solutions, and functions like asset management, financial services, and staffing. SUPPORTING THE CAUSE: She’s also a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners, which provides members with educational programming, peer support groups, professional mentoring, and national opportunities, among other perks.

2022 REVENUES: $1.18 billion COLLEGE: B.S., Construction Science, Kansas State University

ON GROWTH: “This is an achievement we look forward to sharing not only with our employ ee-owners nationwide but with the communities and markets we serve,” Chadwick said of the rev enue growth. “It’s exciting to know we’re able to make such a significant economic impact in the Kansas City area and other regions as our company continues to grow its revenue and talent pool.” SHARING THE WEALTH: That performance means a great deal to nearly 1,700 MMC workers (more than 600 in the Kansas City area), many of whom are participants in the Employee Stock Ownership Plan that was formed more than 20 years ago. CHANGING OF THE GUARD: Chadwick will retire in April, turning the baton over to Jason Evelyn, who has been with the parent or subsidiary MW Builders for nearly three decades.

Ramin Cherafat CEO, MCCOWNGORDON

Jeff Cloud PRESIDENT/CEO, IBT INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS

Watching his people take on challenges and opportunities and grow together has been tremendously rewarding for Ramin Cherafat. “We took great strides in the past year in advancing our strategic plan and posi tioning our company for the next decade of growth,” he said. “Our team has worked together to develop our Strategic Plan, and now, over the past two years, we’ve taken significant steps forward to execute our plan, which should provide transformational opportunities for years to come.”

Working at IBT must be rewarding—the boss puts the spotlight on his people. “Thanks to the best team in industrial distribution,” says Cloud, “IBT Industrial Solutions has generated its largest revenue number in our 74-year history, with no intention of slowing down.” This third-genera tion leader also swings that spotlight close to home. “I have had many help shape my leadership style, but no one more than my father, He taught me the importance of treating people the right way.”

2022 REVENUES: $671.8 million COLLEGE: B.S., Construction Science, Kansas State University; MBA, UMKC

COLLEGE: General Studies, University of Kansas; AOS, Culinary Arts, New England Culinary Institute KC’S NEXT BIG THING: “I believe an above-ground commuter train system running along I-35 and I-70 would be a game-changer in navigating the city.” ON THE NEW KCI: “I think they nailed it. I’m excited to see our daily flight count begin to rise, increasing more direct flight options and hopefully justifying additional expansion.” MORNING READ: “I like to get caught up on the news. I have learned to get my information from a variety of sources, which helps me make sure I keep an open perspective on what is being reported versus reality.” LEADERSHIP HIRE TRAIT: “Being open-minded. The world is changing at such a rapid pace that we all need to be able to pivot when situations change, which is inevitable.” EMPLOYEES: “Approximately 450 and growing. We are budgeting to add additional headcount. Hiring continues to be a struggle, with the uneven balance of people retiring vs. entering the work force.”

KC’S NEXT BIG THING: “Job growth across our region, ability to attract new businesses to our region, from a business standpoint. ‘What are we really good at?’ We need to define this and utilize our strengths to attract and grow our economic base. KEEPING IT GOING: As a city, Cherafat says, “we have great momentum—Super Bowl, World Cup, NFL Draft, great stuff—but we also need to develop and implement long-term economic growth strategies for our region by growing, attracting, and retaining great companies for the long term. NEW OPPORTUNITIES: “The great work that has been done for the National Cancer Center desig nation for Kansas City has been incredible. These types of hard and challenging endeavors will help progress our region forward for decades, serve the people of our community, and provide outstanding opportunities.”

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I n g r am ’ s

September 2023

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