Startup community organizers named to Chamber’s new Centurions class
February 15, 2019 | Startland News Staff
A trio of faces familiar within the Kansas City startup community have joined the city’s oldest and premier leadership development program.
The 35-member list of incoming Centurions — which includes John Coler, product owner at RFP360 and Startup Weekend organizer; Davin Gordon, business development officer at AltCap; and Courtney Windholz, COO at PROOF and former 1 Million Cups Kansas City organizer — was announced this week by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.
Coler and Gordon have been featured in Startland’s popular KCultivator Q&A series, while Windholz was profiled as a serial entrepreneur..
“Centurions’ motto of ‘learn, serve, lead’ means this next generation of leaders is not only continuing to lead Kansas City forward, but they’re also committed to lifting up our community right now,” said Joe Reardon, KC Chamber president and CEO.
The newest Centurions were selected based on a rigorous application and interview process, according to the organization, noting Coler, Gordon, and Windholz are set to begin a two-year, self-directed program that prepares emerging leaders across Greater Kansas City.
For 43 years, Centurions alums have included CEOs, federal judges, heads of nonprofit organizations, lawmakers, and many more of the region’s most impactful leaders.
Check out the full list of new Centurions below.
Featured Business

2019 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Children’s book turns KC’s Mayor Sly into time-traveling history buff
Kansas City’s colorful mayor was made for the pages of a children’s book, Audrey Masoner said. He gets his hand-drawn debut in “Mayor Sly and the Magic Bow Tie,” a project co-authored by Masoner and Mayor Sly James’ daughter, Aja James. The book is featured in Startland News’ 2017 Made in Kansas City Gift Guide.…
Storyteller sketches path from former Soviet Union to KC-based Sibukop
The teeth marks on Jasur Rakhimov’s Apple Pencil aren’t his own. They belong to his young daughter, Jasmira, who — despite a new protective pencil box — still loves to chew on the tools of his trade, he said. “Everybody and everything has its own story,” reflected Rakhimov, running his fingers across the indentions from…
MTC renews 2018 support for LaunchKC grant contest
Despite the government program’s uncertain financial future, the Missouri Technology Corporation will inject $250,000 into the popular grants contest LaunchKC for 2018. After having its budget slashed from nearly $23 million in 2017 to $3.4 million in 2018, the MTC announced Friday that it will once again support the Kansas City-based grant contest, which has…
CasaiQ announces name change, high-profile investors in $1.5M round
Techstars Kansas City graduate CasaiQ is hoping a new funding round — and new name — will accelerate the development and deployment of its smart home tech. Led by former Brightergy exec Adam Blake, CasaiQ announced Friday that it raised a $1.5 million round, which includes a handful of local investors. The KCRise fund, Techstars…

