The Helzberg School of Management at Rockhurst University established the Center for Leadership and Ethics with a primary focus on improving the quality of life for members of our community through the development of principled leaders. Consistent with Rockhurst's mission of learning, leadership and service, the center embraces ideas such as strategic philanthropy, in which organizations respond to real community needs in a way that aligns with their organizational mission and is good for business.
Rockhurst is dedicated to developing leaders prepared to shape the world around us. Our Jesuit educational experience reinforces the values that drive individuals to create a better community with a clear sense of connection with one another.
Business Leadership and Ethics Day
Occurs annually each fall
Community and business leaders volunteer their time throughout the day and evening, visiting classrooms to discuss various leadership and ethical issues. They focus on the theme of each classroom curriculum topic and relate their experiences, offer solutions, explain the approach to their successes and answer questions.
For more information, contact Tracy Blasdel, Assistant Professor of Marketing & Business Communications at jill.connors@rockhurst.edu.
Past Speakers
- Pat Warren, Kansas Speedway
- Katelyn Clark, '09, Glynn Devins
- Shari Tarwater, '93, Gallery Design
- David Buessing, '89, World Ag Associates LLC
- Camden Civello, '10, LTI Trucking Services, Inc
- Jessica Shea, '13, AEG
- Jenni Dold and Lauren Blood, Diamond Merckens Hogan
- Carol Ann Aylward, UMKC School of Medicine and Truman Medical Centers
- Justin and Rashaun Clark, Urban Cafe
- Ann Konecny, Foley Equipment Company
- Lisa Ginter, '87, Community America Credit Union
- Kevin Eleeson, '91, ProPath
- Josh Baker, '13, '15 MBA, Cerner
- Terry Dunn, '71, D.D. Ranch Leawood
- Maria Jenks, '17 EMBA, KCP&L
- Lori Top, '18 EMBA, Burns & MacDonnell
- Jerry Anselmo, '67, BMA Foundation
- Bill Conway, '92, CC Capital Advisors
- Erin Johnson, St. Luke's Health System
- Erika Liliedahl, '01, NAEYC
- CJ Harvat, '02, Lend Lease Americas, Inc.
- Audrey Masoner, '00, United Health group
- Paul Gomez, '96 MBA, Children's Mercy
- Patrick Bira, '81, Fort Madison Community Hospital
- Reece Clark, '11, '13 MBA, Polsinelli
- Peter Florzak, '88 MBA, Retired- Conway 103
- Brett Gordon, '88 MBA, McCownGordon Construction - Conway 205
- Matt Condon, Bardavon Health Innovations and ARC Physical Therapy+ - Conway 005
- Bo Nelson and Bill Holzhueter, Thou Mayest Coffee Roasters - Conway 004
- Ann Kenney Molloy, '87, Encompass Resolution - Conway 204
- Tom Gerke, '88 MBA, H&R Bloch - Conway 205
- Jon Dandurand, '12 MBA, JE Dunn - Conway 203
- Joe Anello, Rockhurst University - Conway 103,
- Zach Ornelas, MSTS - Conway 004
- David Zupancic, Retired: CPA - Conway 005
- Don Jalbert, Exhibit Associates - Conway 204
- Emily Figg, '15 EMBA, C2FO - Conway 203
- Christina Wightman, '11, '12 MBA, Dairy Farmers of America - Conway 001
- Jim McGraw, Marion Labs - Conway 205
- Barnett Helzberg, Retired: Helzberg Diamonds - Conway 200
- Robert Foster, '84, Bolder Healthcare Solutions - Conway 004
- Tracie Wiegand, '12 MBA, Primelead - Conway 200
- Tom McKeon, Elecys - Conway 104
- Dave Harrison, '81, Van Trust Realty - Conway 103
- Jarod Poland, '99, C3 Capitol - Conway 205
- Dr. Carol Ann Aylward, Truman Medical - Conway 203
- Dr. Cheryl McConnell, Rockhurst University - Conway 103
- Jim Killeen, Ametek - Conway 200
- Jake Buchheit, Visit KC - Conway 005
- Brian Madden, '89, Wagstaff & Cartmell - Conway 104
- Anna Florzak, Nike - Conway 100
- Edgar Palacios, '11 MBA, Blue Hills Community Services - Conway 001
- Chris Cheatham, Risk Genius - Conway 004
- Todd Scheiffer, Genessee - Conway 204
- Joe McMahon, '75, McMahon Energy Partners, LP - Arrupe 210
- Chadwick Andrews, '11, '17 MBA, VML - Conway 005
- Eric Giovanni, '10 EMBA, Cornerstones of Care - Conway 003
- Miles Figg, '16 MBA, Andereck Evans Widger Lews & Figg, LLC - Conway 103
- Brad Theis, Barr Assurance & Advisory, Inc. - Conway 002
- Patti Aspenleiter, LeadersNow
- Josh Brewster, '12 MBA, Trozzolo Communications
- Maria Butz, '10, Crawford Butz Insurance
- Matt Callegari, '12, and Alex Laughlin, Idea Jab
- Honorable Bill Collins, '79, Cass County, Missouri Circuit Judge
- Tyler Corlew, '16, Sphere3
- Jim Dawson, '90 MBA, Truman Medical Center
- Gary Dierks, Anchor Packaging
- Jay Dittmann, Ph.D., Advantage Paradox
- David Fowler, Instructor of Management, Leader of Magis Program
- Duane Hallock, American Red Cross
- Derek Hamilton, '96, '99 MBA, Waddell and Reed
- Gary (Brian) Hoban, '96, Mutual of Omaha
- Micah Hobbs, '93, Shook, Hardy & Bacon
- Stacey Hoffman, '02 MBA, American Century Investments
- Janet & Susan Horowitz, Bigg Whale
- Scott, '86, and Kathleen Hummel, '86, Our Little Haven
- Bruce Ianni, ShotTracker
- Fawn Jamerson, '15 MBA, Federal Reserve Bank
- Bridget McCandless, M.D.,'07 MBA, FACP, Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City
- Eli, '11, and George Medina, Reece Nicholes Real Estate
- George Meiners, '88, Mechanical Breakdown Protection, Inc.
- Ward Nixon, CrossFirst Bank
- Mark O'Donnell, '99, Lansing Trade Group
- Danny O'Neill, '93 EMBA, The Roasterie
- Joe Reardon, '90, Kansas City Chamber of Commerce
- Jim Reavey, '95, Vixxo
- Albert Rees, Alpha 1 Foundation
- Matthew Shull,'16 MBA, Capital Investments Advisors
- Susie Thompson, Wood & Huston Bank
- Christine Yannitelli, non-profit board member and volunteer
- Joe Anello, J. Patrick Marketing
- Mark Benedict, Husch Blackwell
- Nate Brancato, Brancato Enterprises
- Debra Bronston, On-Point Career Strategies
- Dan Cosgrove, Jeffrey Byrne + Associates
- Terri Curran, Mattie Rhodes Center
- Mark Deuel, TAG Aerospace
- Jeff Dunn, ApolloMed Software
- Darryl Getter, Congressional Research Service
- Andrés Rivera Hurtado, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
- Hunter Johnson, Tesla
- Lenetra King, Menorah Medical
- Patricia Mosher, HNTB
- Audrey Navarro, Clemons Real Estate
- Stephanie Neisen, HighPointe Financial Group
- Keri Olson, Chocolate Cork, LLC
- Lindsey Roy, Hallmark Cards
- Sydney Shaw, S&S Financial Services
- Tom Terry, UMB
- Dan Walsh, Inspired Homes
- Matthew Barksdale, ’04 EMBA, co-founder and president, Engage Mobile Solutions
- Jeri Bartunek, ’86 MBA, president, Bartunek Technology Group
- Dave Biersmith, ’58, founder, Truman Road Corridor Association
- Bill Conway, ’92, ’95 MBA, managing director, CC Capital Advisors
- Ron Cox, ’83, ’87 MBA, president, Dale Carnegie
- Mike Czinege, senior vice president and chief information officer, AMC Theatres
- Wendi Fox, ’95, ’14 EMBA, director, Employee Services
- Chris Gentile, ’99 MBA, Honeywell
- Gladys Hankins, Ph.D., ’75, ’78 MBA, independent management consulting professional
- Barnett Helzberg, former CEO and owner, Helzberg Diamonds
- Mike Kelley, ’08 EMBA, chief sustainability officer and vice president, external affairs, YRC Worldwide Inc.
- De Ann Lehigh, ’87, assistant district counsel, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Mary Lewis, ’10 MBA, supply chain management and sustainability, Sprint
- Missy Ling, ’12 MBA, vice president, client finance director, grey healthcare group
- Matthew Maggi, ’13 MBA, corporate treasurer, Hawthorn Bank
- Todd McCullough, ’98, owner, Proshred
- Tom McCullough, ’64, retired COO, DST Systems
- Scott McGinn, ’14 EMBA, regional director, Aramark
- James McGraw, former CEO, Marion Laboratories
- Bill Mullins, ’67, principal consultant, Better Choices Consulting
- Brian O'Laughlin, ’79, owner, Funeral Advocates
- Therese Ragsdale, ’80, vice president, human resources, DEMDACO
- Dennis Schmidt, '15 EMBA, general manager, Techniwaterjet
- Charlie Tholl, vice president of sales, Interface Solutions at Holland 1916
- Terry Urness, ’89, ’01 MBA, director of business development, Touchnet Information Systems
- Donna Valponi, ’86 MBA, vice president, communications and membership, American Academy of Family Physicians
- Ace Wagner, ’89 EMBA, president, Ace Wagner Coaching
- Gary Beggs, '03 EMBA, entrepreneur
- Angelo Brisimitzakis, Consultant, Advent International, Compass Minerals
- Reece Clark, '11, '13 MBA, Senior Analyst, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
- Jackie Emory, '13, Marketing Lead, The Briefcase, LLC
- Jeff Goering, '91, CFO, Baltimore Ravens
- Bob Grant, Vice President of Advancement, Rockhurst University
- Diego Gutierrez, '05, '14 EMBA, On-air Commentator and Analyst, FoxSports1, Sporting KC TV Network
- Scott Hanson, Vice President of Finance, Epiq
- LaVaughn Henry, Ph.D., '84, Vice President and Senior Regional Officer, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland
- LeiAnn Lacina, '13 EMBA, Manager of Logistics, Farmland Foods
- Kim Littlejohn, '00, '10 EMBA, Vice President of Business Development, Quantum Health Professionals
- Scott Marshall, '11 EMBA, Vice President of Operations, Webco Manufacturing
- Guy Kirby Montgomery, '10, '11 MBA, Public Affairs Management, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
- Kevin Murphy, Owner, Food-Chain Communications
- Nate Olson, '11, Program Specialist, Kauffman Foundation
- Caleb Phillippi, '11, '13 MBA, Co-founder, The Briefcase, LLC
- Jeanette Prenger, CEO, President, Owner, ECCO Select
- Maryanne Roepke, '78, Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, American Century Investments
- Chuck Searle, '00, '05 MBA, Executive Director, Client Services, VML
- Jared Steinshouer, '13 EMBA, AVP Application Systems, Kansas City Life Insurance Company
- Beth Wade, Chief Marketing Officer, VML
- Kelly Walls, '10 EMBA, Senior Vice President Human Resources, YRC Worldwide
- Patrick White, '11, Senior Audit Associate, KPMG
- William White, Senior Vice President Corporate Communications, Sprint