THE HONOREES OF OUR 12TH CLASS OF 40 UNDER FORTY HAVE MASTERED BALANCING BUSINESS, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY, AND THEY ARE NOT AFRAID TO SHARE THE SECRETS OF THEIR SUCCESS.
What does it take to be an Ingram’s magazine 40 Under Forty honoree? Significant leadership responsibilities in dynamic companies are a must, but our honorees have more than that. Does it take physical prowess? Stacy Stotts walked on to the KU Tennis Team as a freshman in college and made the varsity team and Richard Muller is training for Ironman Arizona. Does it take coordination and inner balance? Jean-Paul Chaurand teaches Mexican folk dance for El Grupo Folklorico Atotonilco while Tae Kwon Do instructor Ryan VanWinkle demonstrates the tenets of courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control and indomitable spirit. Or perhaps it’s a solid command of language. Corey Lagerstrom did win the Arkansas City spelling bee in the fourth grade. In reality, it takes these qualities and more to be an Ingram’s 40 Under Forty honoree. Our honorees’ ages span almost a decade—from 30 to 39—and they represent a variety of industry and philanthropic interests. Some manage millions of dollars; others are propelling somewhat smaller businesses to new heights; all are at the top of their game. They excel in what they do and are garnering accolades from within their professions and communities. Whether creating camaraderie, mentoring a new generation of leaders, establishing human rights and equality for those that have traditionally struggled, helping others to succeed (and sometimes just helping others to see), our honorees are bettering the community, bettering their businesses and bettering themselves. Congratulations to Ingram’s 2009 class of 40 Under Forty.
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Joseph Accurso Joe Accurso is not afraid of commitment. The 34-year-old Principal with real estate powerhouse Kessinger/Hunter says he approaches life—both personal and professional—with the intention of building long-term relationships. It’s an approach that seems to be working for Accurso, who was only 33 when Kessinger/Hunter made him a partner in the company, where his portfolio includes more than $75 million in commercial real estate transactions. His work has twice earned him a spot on commercial real estate information company CoStar Group’s list of the Top 20 Brokers in Kansas City. “I happen to have a day job that I love,” Accurso says. But Accurso is not just committed to Kansas City real estate; he’s committed to the city itself. A lifelong Kansas City resident, Accurso believes in supporting his city, and he’s actively involved in the local chapter of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors, where he served as Communication Chair and Chairman for last year’s SIOR Development Day. Accurso also makes time to support Boys Hope Girls Hope, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Rockhurst University, where he’s an alumnus of the Business Administration program. |
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Amanda Adkins Amanda Adkins is living proof that it’s possible to be the master of many trades. At 34, Adkins has already made a name for herself in politics, business and public policy. She’s managed a political campaign (for U.S. Senator Sam Brownback in 2004) and worked as a staffer on the U.S. House Rules Committee. She has been a legislative director (for Congressman David Drier) and a staff director for the California Republican Congressional delegation. Adkins has so much political clout that when the national Republican leadership organization GOPAC needed an interim director and political director, Adkins was asked to take the helm. Today, Adkins oversees day-to-day operations for Cerner’s population health solution, a role she stepped into after serving as one of the company’s marketing executives and working with federal think tanks that created independent health record trusts. She now has executive responsibility for development of Cerner’s entire U.S. public sector business, a task that brings all of her considerable experience to bear. She keeps a hand in the political and business arenas as the Chairwoman for the Kansas City Republican Party, a member of the board of directors for the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and co-chair and founder of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Excellence in Public Service Series. |
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Amy Allison “Serving others gives me a greater appreciation for what is truly important in life,” says Amy Allison. The Executive Director of the Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City may be only 38, but she’s already brought her organization into the national spotlight. She spearheaded the successful effort to bring the annual National Down Syndrome Convention to Kansas City in 2007, and she launched the Down Syndrome Affiliates in Action, an initiative that allows the non-profit’s leaders from across the United States to share their best management practices. In fact, Allison has been so successful in branding the Kansas City organization as a reputable non-profit, she’s garnered numerous awards for her efforts, including the prestigious National Down Syndrome Congress Meritorious Service Award. Allison, who majored in psychology and sociology at Brigham Young University, honed her skills at the Platte County Board of Services for the Develop-mentally Disabled and as Public Affairs Director for the Parkville Ward of the Church of Latter Day Saints before joining the Down Syndrome Guild in 2003. “I find fulfillment in serving others, whether it’s my husband and three children or the Down syndrome community,” Allison says. |
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