January Newsletter | 1st Edition

A Strong Start: MOCEO's First Few Months Under New Leadership

One of my favorite moments this month came from a simple exchange. A colleague asked how long I’ve been in my role as Executive Director of MOCEO. When I said “since October,” there was a brief pause—and then a nod of approval. Not bad for two and a half months in.

Since stepping into this role, we’ve been busy building a strong foundation for what’s next. In a short time, we’ve relaunched the Center, migrated our website, implemented a new CRM, updated our budget and strategic plan, welcomed new board members, and continued to deepen partnerships across the region. Each step has been about strengthening MOCEO’s capacity to support business owners, workers, and communities through employee ownership.

On January 15—marking my three-month anniversary—we’ll reach an important milestone with the official launch of the Kansas City Citywide Task Force on Employee Ownership. Together, we’re focused on advancing employee ownership as a powerful tool for inclusive economic development across our region.

There’s a lot to be excited about for Kansas City and the future of employee ownership. I’m grateful to partners and champions like Yoni Blumberg and WEPOWER for the inspiration and encouragement to keep pushing forward—and to Steve Storkan for his unwavering confidence and support. Big things are ahead, and we’re just getting started!

Sincerely,