Meet the Kauffman Foundation’s newest board member
February 9, 2017 | Bobby Burch
The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation has added a new member to its high-caliber board of trustees.
The foundation announced Thursday that Esther L. George — the current president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City — will serve on its board. As a member of the board, George will support the foundation’s mission of advancing educational achievement and entrepreneurial success.
“I am excited for this opportunity to contribute to the Kauffman Foundation’s mission of developing entrepreneurs, who drive the U.S. economy,” George said in a release. “The importance of the legacy Mr. Kauffman left for Kansas City through his foundation, and the support it provides to this region and beyond, cannot be overstated.”
George was appointed as the Kansas City Fed’s president in 2011 after serving nearly 30 years, most recently as chief operating officer. As president of the Kansas City Fed, she directs Federal Reserve activities in a seven-state region with offices in Kansas City, Omaha, Oklahoma City and Denver. George is also a member of the Federal Open Market committee, which is responsible for setting U.S. monetary policy.
“We are honored to have President George join the Kauffman Board of Trustees,” Kauffman board chairman Janice Kreamer said in a release. “Her deep roots in our community along with her understanding and expertise in economics and finance will greatly inform our work with entrepreneurs around the country. She has the experience and insight to help us move forward on our strategic directions.”
A Missouri native, George received a degree in business administration from Missouri Western State University and an M.B.A. from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She is a graduate of the American Bankers Association Stonier Graduate School of Banking and the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
George joins nine other trustees on the Kauffman board, which you can check out here.

2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
The Nerdery powers down, exiting Kansas City in move to consolidate investments
Once topping Inc. Magazine’s fastest-growing companies list, The Nerdery is now pulling back — closing its Kansas City office and redirecting the paths of 28 metro employees, the company revealed this week. “This decision is by no means a reflection of the performance of the team in Kansas City, who have all done a fantastic…
SafetyCulture executing fireproof growth strategy from new Crossroads US HQ
A recent move placed SafetyCulture into the largest fireproof building in KC — a choice reflecting the startup’s customer-centered approach, said Ross Reed, noting the building’s more-than-a-century-old history was an added plus. “iAuditor helps organizations prioritize safety and quality,” said Reed, president of SafetyCulture’s KC-based North American branch. “If construction companies can show they they…
Prime Digital Academy set to launch KC training for tech hopefuls in transition
Prepping workers for roles in an ever-updating tech space just got easier for Kansas Citians, declared Mark Hurlburt. “We do that through immersion learning,” said Hurlburt, president and co-founder of Prime Digital Academy. “We have a program that we’re excited to bring to Kansas City.” Minnesota-made in 2014, Prime Digital Academy — a 20-week program that…
