20th Annual Awards Gala

Gala Registration

Registration is required for ALL attendees. RSVP by Deadline: April 22, 2026.

Speaker Bio

Keynote Speaker

DeAngela Burns-Wallace, Ed.D.

President and CEO
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace is president and chief executive officer of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a private, nonpartisan foundation that provides access to opportunities that help people achieve financial stability, upward mobility, and economic prosperity – regardless of race, gender, or geography. Working across the public service, academic, and philanthropic sectors, Dr. Burns-Wallace carries a career commitment to enriching and strengthening equitable economic mobility. With Ewing Kauffman’s vision serving as the centerpiece for the Kauffman Foundation, Dr. Burns-Wallace guided a comprehensive community engagement process to solidify the Foundation’s enduring bond with Kansas City and renew its focus on college access and completion, workforce and career development, and entrepreneurship.

Working across the public service, academic, and philanthropic sectors, Dr. Burns-Wallace carries a career commitment to enriching and strengthening equitable economic mobility. With Ewing Kauffman’s vision serving as the centerpiece for the Kauffman Foundation, Dr. Burns-Wallace guided a comprehensive community engagement process to solidify the Foundation’s enduring bond with Kansas City and renew its focus on college access and completion, workforce and career development, and entrepreneurship.

Click here to read the full bio.

2025 Award winners

Entrepreneur of the Year
Grace Ahn
NvisionKC, LLC
Professional Leader of the Year
Marissa Love, MD
The University of Kansas
Health System
OutStanding community partner of the year
Ewing Marion
Kauffman Foundation
For past award winners click here.

2025 Scholarship Recipients

Esther Tommy
Business
Exp. Graduation:
Spring 2026
Kansas City Kansas Community College
Isabelle Morrow
Associates in Biology
Exp. Graduation:
May 2027
Metropolitan Community College
Muhammad Bazil Samdani
Corporate Finance
Exp. Graduation:
December 2029
Park University
Aurora Marie Ivester
MBA
Exp. Graduation:
May 2025
Rockhurst University
Karnissa Caldwell
MBA
Exp. Graduation:
Fall 2025
University of Missouri Kansas City
View previous scholarship winners here.

2026 Silent Auction

TBD.


Sponsorship & Ticket Options

Presenting

—$

20000

• Premier reserved seating for 16 (2 tables) • Opening remarks • Full page commemorative advertisement in Awards Gala program • Promotional corporate video advertisement • Logo on event entrance signage and front page of program • Prominent logo/link on Chamber website and online marketing materials for one year • Dedicated social media recognition • On-screen logo recognition • Special acknowledgement from the podium at event • Complimentary AACC corporate membership for 1 year • Two complimentary bottles of wine

Platinum

—$

14000

• Premier reserved seating for 8 (1 table) • Full page commemorative advertisement in Awards Gala program • Logo on event entrance signage • Prominent logo/link on Chamber website and online marketing materials for one year • Dedicated social media recognition • On-screen logo recognition • Special acknowledgement from the podium at event • Complimentary AACC corporate membership for 1 year • Two complimentary bottles of wine

Sapphire

—$

10000

• Premier reserved seating for 8 (1 table) • Full page commemorative advertisement in Awards Gala program • Logo on event entrance signage • Prominent logo/link on Chamber website and online marketing materials for one year • Dedicated social media recognition • On-screen logo recognition • Special acknowledgement from the podium at event • Complimentary AACC corporate membership for 1 year

Gold

—$

7000

• Premier reserved seating for 8 (1 table) • Half page commemorative advertisement in Awards Gala program • Logo on event entrance signage • Prominent logo/link on Chamber website and online marketing materials for one year • Dedicated social media recognition • On-screen logo recognition • Special acknowledgement from the podium at event • Complimentary AACC corporate membership for 1 year

Silver

—$

5000

• Premier reserved seating for 8 (1 table) • Quarter page commemorative advertisement in Awards Gala program • Prominent logo/link on Chamber website and online marketing materials for one year • On-screen logo recognition • Complimentary AACC corporate membership for 1 year

Bronze

—$

3700

• Reserved seating for 8 (1 table) • Logo/link recognition on Galawebsite/Program/e-newsletters • On-screen logo recognition • Complimentary AACC corporate membership for 6 mos.

On-Screen Logo Sponsor

—$

2700

• Two reserved seats • Logo with link on Gala website/Program book/On-screen

Individual Ticket

—$

325

Gala Registration

Registration is required for ALL attendees. RSVP by Deadline: April 22, 2026.

Gala Registration

Registration is required for ALL attendees. RSVP before the deadline: Thursday, April 25th

2026 Gala Sponsors

Platinum

VIP Reception

No items found.

Gold

No items found.

Silver

No items found.

Bronze

No items found.

Foundation Sponsor

No items found.

Scholarship Sponsor

ABC Cafe 釗記餐廳
Tacos Borrachos

2025 Annual Sponsors

Annual Gold Sponsors

Nuvento

Annual Silver SPonsors

American Century Investments
Black & Veatch
Blue Cross & Blue Shield Kansas City
Burns McDonnell
Busey Bank
Catalyst
City of Overland Park
Evergy
Husch Blackwell
KC Royals
Object Technology Solutions Inc.
Stinson LLP
T-Mobile

Annual Bronze Sponsors

Argosy Casino Hotel & Spa
Johnson County Government
Mazuma
McCownGordon Construction
Modus Light, LLC
PK Tax & Accounting Svcs, LLC
Power & Light District
Saicon Consultants, Inc.
TranslationPerfect.com
Wyngate Solutions

Community Partners

Asian American Bar Association of Kansas City
Ethnic Enrichment Commission
Filipino Association of Greater Kansas City
Fountain of Life
Heart of America Japan-America Society
India Association of Kansas City
Kansas City Chinese American Association
Kansas City Chinese Association
Korean-American Society of Kansas City
NAAAP KC
Vietnamese American Community of Greater Kansas City