Junior Achievement taps startup leaders as Hall of Fame inductees, KC Innovator winner

The newest inductees to Junior Achievement of Greater Kansas City’s Business Hall of Fame play an important role in building the metro’s ecosystem of entrepreneurship, creativity, and cooperation, said Leroy McCarty.

“Our 2021 Laureates exemplify the collaborative spirit that elevates Kansas City in the world of business, philanthropy, and civic engagement,” said Leroy McCarty, chairman of the Junior Achievement of Greater Kansas City board and vice president of operations at Fidelity Security Life Insurance Company. “Our honorees value teamwork, both internally and externally, and inspire young people to envision their own role in the future of our community.”

Among the new inductees from three top Kansas City companies:

• DEG — Neal Sharma, co-founder, CEO; Dale Hazlett, co-founder, CFO; Jasvindarjit Singh, CTO; Jeff Eden, Chief Growth Officer; and Sky Morey, Chief Software Architect

• Mark One Electric — Rosana Privitera Biondo, president; Carl Privitera II, vice president; Joe Privitera, vice president; and Tony Privitera, vice president

• PayIt — John Thomson, co-founder, CEO

Click here to read more about the 2021 Hall of Fame laureates.

The honorees and their organizations are set to be recognized Nov. 9 at the annual Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame reception at the new Junior Achievement Youth Learning Lab Kansas City, Kansas. 

DEG principals: Jeff Eden, Dale Hazlett, Neal Sharma, Jasvindarjit Singh, and Sky Morey

Mark One Electric leadership: Tony Privitera, Rosana Privitera Biondo, Carl Privitera II, and Joe
Privitera

Since 2000, the Hall of Fame event has recognized the achievements of local business leaders from Ewing Marion Kauffman, Barnett and Shirley Helzberg, and Henry Bloch to Gary Fish, Sandy and Christine Kemper, Peter Mallouk and Davyeon Ross.

Click here to read about the 2020 inductees.

Thalia Cherry, Cherry

In addition to the Hall of Fame laureates, Junior Achievement also plans to honor Thalia Cherry, founder and CEO of sports and fashion apparel company Cherry Co., with the KC Innovator Award.

KC Innovators are recognized for positively disrupting their industries, creating jobs and opportunities, and applying innovation to solve critical social and economic problems, Junior Achievement said.

Cherry prides itself on community engagement, according to the organization. The company has donated more than $500,000 and sponsored 100-plus community events since opening in 2012. Through Cherry, its founder strives to create a clothing brand that exemplifies sports, fashion, fun, and celebrates the greatness in women.

Click here to learn more about Junior Achievement of Greater Kansas City, which empowers the next generation of leaders, thinkers, and doers by connecting young people to mentors and learning opportunities which teach financial decision-making skills, inspire entrepreneurial thinking, and prepare them for 21st century careers.