Chamber Names Champions Of Diversity And Ace Award Winners Celebrating KC’s Diverse Business Community

KC’s diverse business community will once again shine, as the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce honors the 2022 Champion of Diversity Award winners and Ace Award winners at the upcoming POWER of Diversity Breakfast.

Commerce Bank was named the Champion of Diversity, and GEHA was named the Nonprofit Champion of Diversity. The Champion of Diversity Award recognizes a regional business and nonprofit that have made an impactful commitment to embrace diversity in their workplace, diversity supplier partnerships, and the community. The award winners can also demonstrate their organizational practices are inclusive of all people.

The Ace Awardes are awarded to up-and-coming senior level managers who are advocating for expansion of their company's D&I and/or supplier diversity efforts. The 2022 Ace Award winners are:

Photo of Drew Eanes, Senior Client Solutions Manager, JE Dunn Construction
Drew Eanes, Senior Client Solutions Manager, JE Dunn Construction
Photo of Emanuel McCrainey, Department Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Talent Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
Emanuel McCrainey, Department Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Talent Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
Photo of Tiffany Willis, Licensed Clinical Psychologist at Children’s Mercy Hospital
Tiffany Willis, Licensed Clinical Psychologist at Children’s Mercy Hospital

The winners will be honored and receive their awards at the KC Chamber’s POWER of Diversity Breakfast, Wednesday July 20, at 7:30 a.m. at The LEX, 301 W. 13th Street, located in the lower level of Municipal Auditorium.

Not only will the award winners be honored, but the morning will feature a discussion on strengthening workforce by broadening the talent pool. The Marshall Project’s Ebony Reed will moderate a panel of Kansas City small business owners who have found success by including returning citizens, people with disabilities, and immigrants and refugees in their talent pool and workforce.

Special thanks to the Chamber’s 2022 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Sponsors. Our Presenting Diversity Sponsors are CommunityAmerica Credit Union, Evergy and Hallmark. Our Workshop Presenting Sponsor is Commerce Bank. Our Cornerstone Sponsors are American Century InvestmentsBayer, Ewing Marion Kauffman FoundationJE Dunn ConstructionLockton Companies, REACH Healthcare Foundation, Saint Luke's Health SystemT-Mobile, and Waddell & Reed. Our Regional Diversity Sponsors are Arvest Bank, Black & VeatchBlue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, Burns & McDonnell, FleishmanHillard, GEICO, Heavy Constructors Association, Honeywell, Kansas City Royals, KVC Health Systems, McCownGordon Construction, State Street, and VanTrust Real Estate. Our Supporting Diversity Sponsors are AccentureBank of AmericaBardavon Health Innovations, BlueScope Buildings North America, Bryan Cave Leighton PaisnerCBIZ/MHMCernerChildren's MercyEnterprise HoldingsErnst & YoungGarmin, HNTBHusch Blackwell, H&R Block, Kansas City UniversityLathrop GPM, Mazuma Credit Union, McAnany, Van Cleave & PhillipsShook Hardy & BaconSouthwest AirlinesSpireStinsonThe Builders' AssociationThe University of KansasThe University of Kansas Health System and Turner Construction Company.