Corporate Stories

Conner Hazelrigg, 1773 Innovation Co., the Sunshine Box

‘Sunshine Box’ inventor earns $25K prize in pitch competition for women-led social ventures

The woman behind a solar-paneled electric charging station built to overcome challenges found in developing nations earned the spotlight herself as Thursday’s big winner in the inaugural HI-HERImpact Kansas City pitch competition. Conner Hazelrigg, founder of 1773 Innovation Co. — the maker of the Sunshine Box — was awarded the contest’s $25,000 prize in the…

Neal Sharma, DEG; John Thomson, PayIt; and Thalia Cherry, Cherry Co.

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…

Howard Schultz, Carla Harris, and Sandy Kemper

Former Starbucks CEO, C2FO’s Sandy Kemper join Morgan Stanley exec for ‘Nothing to Fear’ DEI conversation

Top business leaders are now embracing diversity and inclusion, Carla Harris said, but even their most sincere initiatives must survive the fear that comes with changing trends and an inevitable economic downturn. “Fear has no place in your success equation,” said Harris, a 33-year Wall Street veteran and Morgan Stanley executive who headlines Thursday’s Innovation…

Matt Condon and Ed Enyeart, Bardavon

Talent off the charts: Bardavon recruits another former Cerner exec to build team equipped for rapid expansion

To keep growing in the workers’ compensation industry — as well as expand into commercial healthcare and beyond — Bardavon Health Innovations needs an even stronger team at the top, said Matt Condon.  “I think Bardavon is going to be a bigger, more important company than we first anticipated,” Condon, founder and CEO of Bardavon,…

Stephanie Cummings, Please Assist Me, center, winner of the 2019 HERImpact DC pitch competition; Photo by My Bella Images LLC

Ford opens door to July 29 pitch competition, $50K in prizes for women entrepreneurs

The Ford Motor Company Fund is bringing a new pitch competition — and $50,000 in prizes — to Kansas City this summer as part of its effort to boost women social entrepreneurs. Announced during the final moments of last week’s HI-HERImpact virtual entrepreneurship summit for Kansas City, the planned July 29 competition is part of a national…