Dr. Marylou DeWald, Assistant Professor and Division Chair, Ottawa University, is an experienced educator, seminar leader, consultant loan officer, author and business owner. She has frequently spoken nationally and internationally to a wide variety of audiences. Marylou is known for her work with troubled firms through her consulting company, Goodman & Bove, as well as her two entrepreneurship texts. Formerly a Senior Loan Specialist with the U.S. SBA in Kansas City, Missouri and a Commercial Loan Officer with Commerce Bank, Marylou is now involved in the world of academia, serving as an Assistant Professor and Division Chair of the business department at Ottawa University. She also teaches the First Step FastTrac curriculum for two local organizations.
Christine Jackson, NCES, Inc. earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. After twenty-two years of experience in operations and management, Chris entered the entrepreneurial world when she acquired NCES in 2000. NCES is a mail-order and on-line resource of nutrition education products that includes books, tapes, teaching and other learning tools. Through NCES, Chris helps educate dietitians, health-care professionals and teachers about nutrition and good health, all subjects consistent with her own lifestyle.
As an entrepreneur, Chis believes in sharing her knowledge by lending encouragement and support to others in the nutrition industry who want to market their products. She also mentors small business owners through the Kansas Women's Business Center and serves on the board of bothe the Kansas and Missouri Women's Business Centers. In her relatively short history as a business owner, Chris has been recognized for her personal achievement and the success of her company. In 2004, NCES was selected for the 25 under 25 Small Business Awards and ranked 24th among the Top 50 Small Diversity Businesses in the State of Kansas in 2004, 2005 and 2006. chris was also selected for the Athena PowerLink Program in 2003.
Jill Adams, The Richmond Group, knows the nonprofit world from both the board side and the staff side. She has served in a number of volunteer capacities, including Board President for the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater Kansas Ctiy and served in the staff position as Director of Affiliate Relations for the National Kidney Foundation.
Her entrepreneurial successes include starting a professional services management company, building the marketing division for Survival Skills Education and Development and developing specialty food businesses. Currently, she is the owner of The Richman Group, providing employee assessment services designed to help organizations hire and keep high performing employees.
Jeff Lanza, Special Agent, has investigated matters involving public corruption and other white-collar crimes during his tenure at the FBI. He has served as head of internal security of the Kansas City FBI and serves on the FBI's National Recruitment Team. Agent Lanza has participated in hundreds of television, radio and newspaper interviews, including appearances on The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Larry King Live, Hannity and Colmes and National Public Radio. Agent Lanza speaks regularly to Kansas City groups on the topics of Internet safety, identity theft and general FBI matters.
