UMKC kicks off high-impact entrepreneur speaker series
August 20, 2015 | Bobby Burch
The University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Bloch School is hosting a bevy of successful area entrepreneurs to offer lessons and insights.
UMKC’s “First Wednesdays” series will kick off this fall, aiming to offer area residents and students the chance to network and learn from some of Kansas City’s brightest business minds.
The university’s first event is set for Sept. 2 and will welcome Bill Zahner, CEO of A. Zahner Company. Zahner’s company is best known for its use of metal in iconic structures around the world, including the “Sky Stations” atop Kansas City’s Bartle Hall.
Other speakers scheduled thus far are Terry Van Der Tuuk, founder of Graphic Technologies, Inc. and angel investor, and Dan Lowe, founder of RED Development and RED Legacy.
All three of the speakers are a part of the UMKC Entrepreneur Hall of Fame, which opened in late 2014. The hall aims not only to educate visitors on remarkable Kansas City businesspeople, but also celebrate the area’s entrepreneurial spirit. Take a tour of the hall of fame here.
The events are free, and parking, food and drink will be provided. RSVP here.

2015 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Area investors, entrepreneurs urge for meaningful connectivity
As Global Entrepreneurship Week wrapped up, Startland News marked the celebration Thursday with its second Innovation Exchange event. In partnership with Think Big Partners, the Innovation Exchange offers news junkies context and behind the-scenes details to stories they read in Startland. The conversation covered what innovators, corporations and investors can do to make Kansas City’s…
Dontari Poe: Veteran Kansas City Chief, rookie tech investor
Quarterbacks know the Kansas City Chiefs’ Dontarti Poe as the hulking 346-pound defensive lineman that’s planning to smash their offensive aspirations. But the tech community may want to acquaint themselves with Poe as a forward-thinking investor that is starting to evaluate deals around the nation. The two-time Pro Bowl selection recently invested in Lab Sensor…
PayIt lands ‘the Lou’ as a client for mobile payments
Government tech startup PayIt is working with the second-largest city in Missouri. The Kansas City-based company is now providing its mobile payment technology to the City of St. Louis, allowing its more than 300,000 residents to more easily pay property taxes via an app. Timing was apt for the partnership, as St. Louis’ property taxes…
Kauffman Foundation becomes key supporter of Startland News
I never thought I’d be here. Comfortable with a keyboard, coffee and notepad, I’ve always thought of myself solely as a journalist. After years writing about entrepreneurs, I never imaged that one day the strategies and struggles they shared would help me make sense of leading a new venture. Indeed, entrepreneurship is often glamorized. I’ll…
