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PUBLISHED DECEMBER 2024
Since its inception, Ingram’s has been a fierce advocate for business growth, a megaphone to tell the world about what makes the Kansas City region thrive.
But there’s an important difference between corporate entities that make commerce click and the people who, on an individual basis, help define the soul of a great city.
That’s where our Local Heroes come in as part of every year’s December Philanthropy Edition. Since 2008, we’ve turned the spotlight on individuals and couples who have made extraordinary contributions to philanthropy writ large, or to various non-profits and charitable causes on a more personal level.
This year, we’re pleased to bring you the stories of seven more people who have demonstrated that it’s not enough to recognize a need: What matters, as The Conductor famously declared in The Polar Express, “is deciding to get on board.”
This year’s honorees have helped improve the region in various ways—through social services, through support for the arts, through coaching and mentoring students into meaningful career pathways.
As has always been the case, none of them came to us seeking recognition. All made it into consideration through works that have compelled various organizations to tell us without reservation that these people are making a difference.
The culture of caring that they are part of is what makes the Kansas City region a special place. They are an inspiration for those around them, and we hope they will be an inspiration for all who read their stories. Please join us in congratulating them.
Evelyn Craft Belger
Love brought Evelyn Craft Belger to Kansas City in 2009 when she married Dick Belger and relocated from Florida. Then lightning struck twice: “On my first visit to Kansas City, I visited the Nelson-Atkins and was blown away by what I saw,” she says. Right away, she says of the museum, “I saw a superlative collection spanning world cultures from ancient times to today, impressive architecture, a gorgeous sculpture garden, and an engaging educational program. Even more amazingly, it is free!” Her day job is chief executive officer at Belger Cartage Service, but she’s also one of the city’s most active promoters of fine art, including service as chair of the Nelson’s board of trustees. Her affinity for the arts also includes the Belger Arts Center, which came to life in an old warehouse building in the East Crossroads as a gallery, studio and educational space for ceramic artists. Key to the concept was the wish to be a contributing part of the arts ecosystem of Kansas City, helping artists to develop and grow without taking community resources away from other arts organizations. She has also served on the boards of the Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City Ballet, and is the director of Belger Arts, a private operating foundation. Her attraction to the arts has been lifelong. “As a child, visual and performing arts were always important to my family, so I was lucky enough to visit museums and artist studios as well as attend the symphony, ballet, and theater performances,” she says. “I took art classes and ballet classes for most of my early life. I find that I am best—most engaged and creative—when I can incorporate participation in the arts into both my professional and volunteer life.” Before marriage brought her here, Belger served as director of the Morean Arts Center in St. Petersburg. Once here, she stair-stepped her levels of engagement after first serving as CFO for Belger Cartage, then becoming CEO in 2015. “At first, I was busy learning the business and spent any additional time working with my husband to expand the Belger Arts Center,” she says. “As that project developed and I became more confident in my role at Belger Cartage Service, I turned to other organizations that checked my personal boxes—arts education, ballet and visual arts.” She joined the Nelson board in 2017, helping expand its programming in both numbers and diversity. “It’s time for the Nelson-Atkins to take the next step in its growth and create additional spaces to welcome more visitors in a way that relates to newer audiences as well as traditional museum-goers,” Belger says. The board is also working to select an architect to design a new addition, winnowing a field of 180 candidates to six now under assessment. “I am committed to seeing this dream come to fruition for our community now and for generations after us,” Belger says. “To me, communities are defined by the quality of their arts. The Nelson-Atkins says so many positive things about the values of the Kansas City community today.”
Monica Curls
Just over 20 years since returning to her home town, Monica Curls has learned quite a few things about the giving of time, talent and treasure—and about the importance of The Right Fit. “When I first moved back to Kansas City, I was just trying to be involved in the community, so I was doing everything I could,” she says. “But now, my time is limited, so I am more selective about my commitments.” When a potential cause shows up on her radar, “first, I make sure the organization fits into an area of passion for me,” she says. “Then I look to see if I am in a position to make a unique impact, or do I bring a unique skill set to the organization. And then I verify that I have the time to commit to the organization, because I do not do things half-way. Once I am in, I am all in.” Is she ever: Her volunteer history spills over two pages covering efforts to support, at various times, 15 organizations, from K-12 education, youth-leadership development and children’s issues to Mizzou extension and outreach efforts, the performing arts, and the foundation board for engineering firm Terracon, where she works. “Terracon has been amazingly supportive of my community involvement,” Curls says. “They have allowed me to have a flexible schedule so I can attend meetings and events associated with other organizations,” while also financially supporting some of her favorite causes through the corporate foundation. Curls is a Kansas City native hailing from a family with a prominent name in local politics, so she says she “spent parts of my youth in political rallies, candidate canvassing, community meetings, and non-profit fundraisers. I was raised to understand that I had a responsibility to my community, and it was an expectation that I would volunteer and contribute towards the betterment of my community.” That started as a candy striper at Children’s Mercy Hospital, she says, and has evolved as her knowledge and capacity have improved. “My passions are women, children and diversity/international issues,” says Curls. “All of my volunteerism can be tied to one of those passions, because I see those are areas that have been underserved and undervalued, and I believe I have the opportunity to make the greatest impact in those areas.” Among them: The Junior League of Kansas City, where she was one of the inaugural co-chairs of C3KC Community Leadership Conference. “The leadership team worked together to develop the concept of C3—Corporate, Civic and Community—and the event leans into the League’s being a convener of these three aspects to help develop solutions for our challenges in the greater Kansas City area,” Curls says. “There were a lot of people within the League that did not believe we would be able to pull off the event. Not only was it a great event, but we made money as well, and on April 9, we will be celebrating the 8th annual C3KC conference.”
Sean Hurley
Colorado native Sean Hurley came to the Kansas City area to play soccer for Baker University, but showed up with more than just his skill on the pitch. “As a kid, my great grandmother was very active in our church and strongly encouraged our participation in volunteer activities,” says Hurley, who earned his degree in finance at Baker before embarking on a 30-year career through the insurance world. “This carried forward to philanthropic efforts through my fraternity in college, to efforts through different employers, as well as volunteer opportunities through the Kansas City Centurions organization.” One of those where he’s been most impactful is KVC Health Systems, says Amanda Smasal, director of development for the non-profit. “Sean’s commitment to our cause is truly the cornerstone of our efforts, driving sustainable change and lasting impact for those in need,” she says. The Hurley connection to Brown & Brown Insurance, where he’s a key producer and executive vice president, has supported the KVC Gala as a presenting sponsor and the KVC Kids Classic Golf Tournament as a title sponsor. “Sean has also chaired the Gala and has been an instrumental committee member for the golf tournament,” Smasal says. “These events raise critical funds for the children and families we serve. Brown & Brown also hosts their annual Sand Volleyball Tournament, and all proceeds come back to KVC”—$30,000 worth this past year. Hurley’s interest in service there has deep roots. “I’ve been familiar with KVC for decades, as I had a college friend who has been involved with the organization for 25-plus years,” he says. “Over that time, I’ve attended many fundraising events such as luncheons, galas, golf tournaments, etc. I have always been impressed by the mission of the organization, which is to serve kids and families in crisis. Witnessing the tremendously challenging yet rewarding work that is done by KVC people every day and the countless stories of kids and families that have been helped by KVC can only inspire participation.” The personal mission aligns precisely with his employer’s commitment to community service. “Brown & Brown, both locally and nationally, works hard to foster a culture of family and community within our organization,” Hurley says. “We support numerous charities throughout Kansas City and the region. It is an important part of what we do as an organization to give back to the community, which supports us and adds meaning to what we do every day. That depth of engagement, he says, produces frequent validations. “There have been many: From ‘reality check’ experiences while serving homeless people with Operation Uplift to anecdotal stories of people who have been helped through a particularly challenging time,” Hurley says. “As it relates to KVC, their mission of serving kids and families has always appealed to me.”
Dana Jermain
Serving on the small-town school board. Getting a T-ball program started. Coaching youth sports. Welcoming foster children into the home. That slice of rural life left an impression on Dana Jermain. “My parents have always been very generous and always helped fill needs by giving their time and resources,” she says. Activities like those, plus volunteering at church and school events, assisting single moms with school transportation—in all of it, Jermain says, “My parents have always been a great example of serving others.” The torch has been passed to Jermain, managing partner for Deloitte’s Kansas City office, and she’s carried it in a long journey of service since moving to this region 26 years ago. That’s been especially true of her work with United Way of Greater Kansas City. The mission there, she says, “has really interested me because they are the emergency group in Kansas City; their 2-1-1 hotline helps get people urgent help when they don’t know where to turn, and they meet the needs of one in three Kansas Citians.” She’s particularly drawn to United Way’s nitty-gritty efforts to research non-profits to determine which are addressing the most critical community needs in the most impactful way. “They provide that objective lens for me to know that my donated resources are being used in the best way,” Jermain says. “My husband and I have been donors to them for over 25 years. I saw KC families like the Halls, Dunns, etc., helping the United Way when I was young professionally, and that inspired us to get involved.” Children’s causes, in particular, resonate with her. “I’ve always enjoyed working with kids, and my husband was a high school teacher and basketball coach for 26 years, and through that lens, I saw more of the challenges that kids face, and much of it is out of their own control,” Jermain says. “It made us both decide that we were going to try and do what we could to help kids meet their potential. Most of our volunteer work has a connection to youth.” She has a healthy resume of philanthropic engagement, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kansas City, church roles with young students and teen youth groups, and, of course, United Way, for the past 22 years, where she’s currently vice-chair of the Board of Directors, previously chaired the Women United Cabinet, and in addition to volunteering with various events, has been on the Development Council and part of the Tocqueville Society, whose members have donated at least $10,000 to the organization. She has also been on the Raymore-Peculiar Public School Foundation board, was a founding member of Starlight Theatre’s Center Stage for Young Professionals, and previously volunteered in the oncology unit at Children’s Mercy.
Matt Mohler
After earning his degrees—bachelor’s and master’s—in electrical engineering from UMKC, Matthew Mohler hit the ground running as a volunteer. Not quite 10 years later, he hasn’t lost a step. The Lee’s Summit native found a perfect match for all of his passions—engineering, a supportive employer and plenty of robotics-related causes—and he’s already compiled an impressive record of service to promote interest in engineering careers. Technical Manager for the Kansas City National Security Campus, he also serves as a judge and regional judge adviser for the FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Robotics Competition (both since 2011), the security campus’ STEM Advisory Team and its STEM Partnership with the Grandview school district (both since 2023) and production director at Discover Church KC (since 2018). Before all of that, he served various planning, judging, mentoring, design or advisory roles for the FIRST Tech Challenge, the Best Robotics Competition, Metro Homeschool Robotics, UpNEXT Robotics and production tech for Abundant Life Church Lee’s Summit. “While my volunteering journey started well before coming to the KCNSC, I have always felt empowered and encouraged by my managers and peers to engage with volunteer opportunities,” Mohler says. “All employees receive 40 hours of paid community service time each year, a HUGE benefit that encourages our employees to think outside their day-to-day responsibilities and remember that we aren’t just around the community, we are in the community. It’s also incredibly rewarding to go to events with a larger number of volunteers and see so many co-workers at the events … that feeling of unity of purpose just encourages me to keep going.” FIRST Robotics altered his life’s trajectory back in high school, he says, “and I want others to experience those same opportunities.” Mohler looks for metrics when he can find them, as well as meaning. “I tend to gravitate towards organizations that provide a direct, measurable impact on students,” he says. “While my specific event role may not always include it, engaging 1:1 with students is something that I look for in the organizations that I volunteer with—something that isn’t just an event, but is a growth opportunity for the students involved.” Measurable differences, he notes, can be harder to quantify. “Ultimately, I don’t ever know what will come of each individual student while I’m there volunteering, but if at least one student gets a little bit more clarity on what their career path (or even options for a career path) may be, that is a huge success! He finds occasional validation in unexpected encounters. “Seeing the number of students that have progressed through the FIRST program, or that have been engaged with through in-school activities and where they are at today, is why I keep volunteering,” Mohler says. “It’s incredible to bump into students or have a student reach out and share stories of where they are at today, and how something that a volunteer did (maybe not even me) changed their life.”
Gail Snyder
People looking for a cause to serve as volunteers often must search before finding that match made in heaven. Gail Snyder found hers a little closer to ground level, in a church pew about a dozen years ago. Her eyes fell on a small item in the church bulletin, a call to volunteer for the Clay County Clothes Closet. With retirement bearing down on her, she was curious enough to check it out. It was indeed her perfect match. In the years since, she’s been a fixture at what is now the Northland Clothing Center, where her frequent duties can involve in-house operations as well as extensive efforts to fill gaps in the sizes of clothing available. That’s when she goes above and beyond, cruising thrift stores, snapping up bargains that meet the need, taking them home to launder and fold, then making them available to the non-profit’s clientele. “I just thought it was something I could do,” she says. “I believe it said they needed help on a Tuesday morning, and I was off on Tuesdays, so I responded. It just sort of evolved from there.” Kansas City’s Northland is a sprawling mix of wealthy and upper-middle class neighborhoods, but plenty of low-income pockets served by the Clothes Closet. “I talk to so many people who say they didn’t even know that kind of need was here,” she says. “I didn’t either. But I just thought I’ll do what I can do, and I’m very glad I did.” Deborah Butler, former executive director, said that in addition to serving as appointment scheduler and making weekly thrift-store rounds, Snyder would “personally deliver clothing to families without transportation, victims of domestic abuse with only the clothing on their backs and to school social workers who have identified a child critically in need of a winter coat.” In addition, Snyder and her husband, Gary, have been weekly volunteers for the Liberty Meals On Wheels. Snyder attributes her stripe of compassion to a western-Nebraska upbringing—she actually did attend a one-room schoolhouse during part of her youth—and a 35-year career in nursing at Liberty Hospital. “I think it came from the example of my parents and grandparents, how you help others in the neighborhood or community that need help,” she says. Volunteering at that level came later to her in life, after being a working mother of two children. When she and Gary lost their babysitting duties for their granddaughter—her parents moved for a while to South Africa—“I told my husband, we’ve got to get busy doing something.” After some infrequent shifts for the Clothes Closet, Butler invited her to become the scheduler, with near full-time demands. “But I’ve loved every minute of it,” Snyder says. “I know that on many days, I would see a teen or child go in and get clothes or shoes, and when they were waiting for their family, they would ask to use restroom, then go in and change clothes before going back to school. The smiles on those faces … it just made my day.”
Phil Thomas
In a nearly 40-year journey with A.L. Huber Construction, including nearly a decade since securing majority ownership, Phil Thomas has developed a keen awareness of the connection between business and community. But his leadership didn’t shape the company’s philanthropy; “it truly has been the opposite—the commitment of our team fuels my passion for wanting to help do good,” he says. “Our company has completed numerous projects for many not-for-profit organizations that are doing great things. It is amazing to watch our associates go above and beyond to assist the organization in fulfilling their mission. It is fulfilling to watch trade partners we work with perform additional work and donate back to the organization. It is the commitment of people on our team that shapes my philanthropy.” A native of Kansas City, Kan., who earned his architectural engineering and MBA degrees from KU, he says his passion for volunteering and philanthropy grew through my time at A. L. Huber. “The Huber family and the team at A. L. Huber has always worked to make Kansas City a better place,” he says. “Part of making Kansas City a better place is supporting organizations that are helping Kansas Citians in need.” Nowhere has he seen that need on a more acute level than with Newhouse, the shelter for victims of domestic violence. “The first time I toured Newhouse I was struck by the situation that some of the residents were in,” Thomas says. “A young lady, about the age of my daughter, walked out of a room, and all I could think was ‘that was somebody’s daughter.’ And then, her young son followed her out of the room. My thoughts were ‘a couple of weeks ago, that young toddler probably had a very low chance of building a good life, but now with the help of others, there is hope.’ I saw that Newhouse is not only giving people hope, but they are equipping them with the tools to move forward and build a better future.’ In service to the organization, he and his wife, Terri, have served as fund-raisers and co-chairs of the Imagine a Day Gala. Other past service has benefited Big Brothers and Big Sisters, where, he says, “we were able to see that just a little time or a little money might actually be able to make a big difference in someone’s future.” With financial donations and volunteer time, the team at Huber also supports a benefit golf tournament for Healing House, Children’s Mercy, Boys and Girls Clubs, Sleepy Head Beds, Heart Strings, Bright Futures, Kansas City Zoo, Wyandotte County Community Housing, Wayside Waifs, Guadalupe Centers, Sheffield Place, and Battle Within.
