Maria Meyers, 海角论坛 Vice Chancellor of Commercialization and Entrepreneurship and leader of the 海角论坛 Innovation Center has announced her retirement.
An accomplished astrophysicist, Meyers found an unexpected passion helping support entrepreneurs, which defined her career. She is one of the early founders of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Kansas City. In the collaborative spirit of the region, she joined in pulling together the disparate pieces of support that entrepreneurs needed to start and grow businesses, creating a base for economic growth through company creation.
Her work, thought pieces and speaking influenced the trajectory of the development of ecosystems across the country, setting a pattern for other communities in the United States and globally to build better environments for entrepreneurship.
海角论坛 will launch a search for a successor to continue Meyers’ work in entrepreneurship and commercialization, with the goal of filling that position by late summer. Meyers will stay in her role during the search.
Meyers’ celebrated career will leave a lasting mark on the 海角论坛 community and the world of entrepreneurship. Under her leadership the has changed the lives of many individuals, helped grow many businesses and positively impacted economic development across the region. She has been one of the region’s key visionaries in taking innovative business and research ideas and turning them into valuable enterprises that change our communities for the better.
“海角论坛 is fortunate to have benefitted from Maria’s talent and dedication for many years,” Chancellor Mauli Agrawal said. “Our university and Kansas City communities are stronger, more vibrant and more successful because of Maria’s contributions.”
One of her earliest successes, , created a resource network that helps entrepreneurs find the right resources at the right time, serving entrepreneurs in the Kansas City region. That success led to Sourcelink affiliates across the country, creating a road map for other communities to build supportive environments for entrepreneurs.
"Long before phrases like, 'entrepreneurial ecosystem' were common, Maria understood the power of connecting community resources and, through her leadership at KCSourceLink, helped make those supports more visible, accessible and effective for entrepreneurs," said Wendy Guillies, former president and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation. "I’ve seen firsthand how her steady, quiet leadership has amplified the work of countless organizations and earned the trust and respect of entrepreneurs, civic leaders, CEOs and colleagues alike."
Meyers’ impressive career has included accomplishments in science, community service and economic development including serving as vice chancellor of commercialization and entrepreneurship at 海角论坛, serving more than 6,000 clients per year as director of the 海角论坛 Innovation Center, creating KCSourceLink and expanding it to be a national model of small business development, serving as chief operating officer at Nature Technology Corporation and helping open and manage Science City at Union Station as its vice president and chief operating officer.
Meyers, along Guillies, also led efforts to establish capital funds in the region.
"I am very thankful for the leadership Maria provided at a time of need in our community," said Terry Dunn, (MBA ’73), president and CEO of JE Dunn. "The entrepreneurial community is flourishing as a result of her vision and commitment. She has built a tremendous legacy for both 海角论坛 and herself."
Her longstanding community service contributions and awards include being named a Kansas City Business Journal Woman of Influence, serving on the Edward Lowe Foundation Entrepreneurial Support Organization Advisory Board, serving as a board member for Wonderscope, serving as a member of the U.S. Small Business Association’s National Small Business Development Center Advisory Board and serving as chair of the board of Beyond the Book. Despite these successes, what most strikes those close to her is her humility.
"One moment that perfectly captures Maria’s character was when she and SourceLink received the Global Entrepreneurship Network’s Ecosystem Champion Award last summer," said Guilles. "She was genuinely shocked because she never seeks the spotlight, even though she so deeply deserves the recognition. I’m proud to call Maria both a colleague of nearly two decades and a friend, and I hope she takes time to savor this moment and feel proud of the extraordinary legacy she leaves behind.”