The St. Louis Business 500 highlights some of the metro area’s most impactful, innovative, and inspirational leaders, from C-suite executives to under-the-radar entrepreneurs across an array of industries.
Beyond the brief bios below, we created a questionnaire to shed light on some of these leaders’ achievements, aspirations, and interests beyond the office. Click the names highlighted in blue for more interesting insights from some of St. Louis’ top business leaders.
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Director and CEO, St. Louis County Library
Sorth has been working for St. Louis County Library since 1998 and became its director and CEO in 2013. Throughout her time, she’s watched libraries evolve to better serve the needs of their communities, including the new Clark Family Branch in Ladue. “For the past 10 years, we have modernized and improved 20 branches in the Library District as part of the Your Library Renewed campaign,” Sorth says. “We continue to help bridge the digital divide in our region.”
Kristen Slaughter
President and CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri
Slaughter was named president and CEO of the organization in March 2023, after more than 20 years of commitment to the cause. Not only has she served in various positions across the nonprofit, but she’s also spent time as a Big Sister herself. Slaughter has maintained a 20-plus-year friendship with her Little Sister, Kiara; in a radio interview last year, she even credited a conversation with Kiara as providing inspiration to step into the CEO position.
Kimberly McKinney
CEO, Habitat for Humanity
McKinney is passionate about giving people the opportunity to be homeowners, and that passion is what has led her to stay with Habitat for Humanity for more than 25 years. Overseeing board recruitment and development, strategic planning, fundraising, community relations, and advocacy, McKinney has myriad responsibilities, and every aspect of her job is crucial. McKinney’s commitment pays off, however, every time she sees a local family finally have a place to call home.
President and CEO, Operation Food Search
Wild joined Operation Food Search after serving as executive director of the Ladue Education Foundation & Alumni Association. Her career has focused on advocacy and education, and her background includes working for Autism Speaks, Sylvan Learning centers, and various public school districts. “Given my roots in teaching kids whose basic needs were not being met, I was drawn to the opportunity to meet one of the most basic needs of all, food security,” Wild notes. “Without food security, children are unable to thrive in the classroom or in life.”
Laurel Pickering
President and CEO, Midwest Health Initiative
The Midwest Health Initiative aims to tackle problems the health care system is facing—and to discover insights that will lead to higher quality, more affordable health care. Pickering has focused her career on innovation, and after joining the organization this past June, she’s excited to collaborate with various stakeholders to continue driving positive change and innovative solutions for the Midwest Health Initiative. And beyond her role with the nonprofit, she serves as president and CEO of the St. Louis Area Business Coalition.
Lesley Hoffarth
President and Executive Director, Forest Park Forever
While St. Louisans know and love Forest Park, Hoffarth has helped get the word out nationwide about all the park has to offer. Under Hoffarth’s leadership, Forest Park has been voted “Best City Park” in the country multiple times in the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice awards, and it’s received a variety of other regional and national accolades. A leader in the field of park conservancies and management, Hoffarth has succeeded in taking on ambitious fundraising campaigns, securing city funding, and upholding the standard of greatness that the public expects of the city’s favorite green space.
Leslie Gill
President and CEO, Rung for Women
Gill’s interest in public service was ignited the summer after college, when she worked on a political campaign in Washington, D.C. Since then, she’s dedicated her career to nonprofit work. Gill was the first employee of Rung for Women, an organization that works to uplift women to achieve their personal and professional goals. A results-driven leader, Gill is passionate about empowering women to find opportunities for growth and helping them actualize that potential.
President and CEO, St. Louis Area Foodbank
At age 11, Knopp learned the importance of hard work and personal relationships by delivering newspapers. “Kindness and a smile went a long way,” she says. Those early lessons have informed the work she does today, as she prepares to lead the St. Louis Area Foodbank into its 50th year. “Over the past 12 months, the St. Louis Area Foodbank has focused on improving our technology, our processes, and our systems to better support our community,” she says. “We are using more data to drive our decisions, and really focusing on equity and better serving our entire region in the future.”
Mark Arens
President and CEO, MERS/Missouri Goodwill
Twenty-five years before becoming president and CEO, Arens started his career with MERS as a vocational counselor. It was a formative experience that helped him understand the importance of the organization’s work in job matching and vocational counseling. (MERS and Goodwill merged in 2001.) Beyond his work at MERS/Goodwill, Arens enjoys woodworking, welding, brewing beer, and scuba diving.
Michael McMillan
President and CEO, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis
The youngest member ever inducted into the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame, McMillan has devoted his life to public service. He’s been part of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis since he was 16 years old. Since becoming its president in 2013, he’s exponentially grown the organization’s budget and services. From mobilizing a record number of volunteers for COVID-19 emergency relief to creating the Save Our Sons program to help uplift and empower Black men, McMillan’s impact can be felt in countless ways.
Co-Founder and President, Dream Builders 4 Equity
Dream Builders 4 Equity focuses on two areas: empowering local youth and developing underserved communities. This past summer, the organization hosted a successful Summer Academy, which employed 56 young people ages 16–24. Woods hopes to see the program continue to expand into new areas following its success in St. Louis. “We are creating a blueprint of our work,” Woods says. “This blueprint will lay the foundation for Dream Builders to be able to scale into different areas in our region and to new cities and states.”
President and CEO, United Way of Greater St. Louis
The United Way of Greater St. Louis invests nearly $80 million into the local community each year and offers vital support to more than 1 million people annually. Tucker’s drive leads the way for helping those in need and strengthening the St. Louis community. “Anyone can experience setbacks at any stage of life,” Tucker says. “The difference between successful individuals and those facing challenges often comes down to the support and opportunities available to them, along with their capacity to access those resources effectively.”
Executive Director, St. Louis Area Diaper Bank
More than 30,000 St. Louis families who struggle to afford diapers and period products benefit from the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank each year. As executive director, Smith intends to expand the organization’s work to serve families in an even larger capacity. “We are growing our current partnerships with other nonprofits to make a bigger impact on childhood hunger, early childhood education, and helping to decrease poverty in the St. Louis region,” Smith says.
Tony Hilkin
CEO, Places for People
Hilkin’s background in the behavioral health field, particularly in serving the unhoused, is at the core of his work as a leader. He began his career at Places for People as an intake and outreach worker, and he’s always looking for ways to improve the physical and mental health of those whom the organization serves. “I am constantly energized by our mission and values,” Hilkin says. “We are committed to a higher social good for the St. Louis community.” Beyond his role at the nonprofit, he also serves as regional president of Greater St. Louis for behavioral health and addiction treatment provider Brightli.
Executive Director, Gateway Arch Park Foundation
McClure sees the parks industry as playing a vital community role when it comes to “conserving, preserving, and activating public spaces.” Last fall, his organization entered into a contract to purchase the Millennium Hotel to lead redevelopment efforts in a crucial part of downtown. “We drew record crowds for Winterfest and Blues at the Arch, two of our signature public programs,” McClure says. “At a time when there is a narrative that people do not want to come downtown, these events are proving that people do want to be in the heart of our region.”
Tim Helm
President and CEO, Gateway Region YMCA
For the past decade, Helm has led the Gateway Region YMCA, which serves more than 250,000 people annually. Under his leadership, The Gateway Region Y celebrated the completion of its Opportunity for All capital campaign, which raised more than $59 million. Currently, Helm is working on a partnership with SSM Health to bring a medical care facility to the Chesterfield YMCA as part of a larger $9.2 million expansion project at the location.
CEO, Community Impact Network
If not in her current profession, Franklin would be a teacher, so it’s fitting that she is leading an organization that has been a trailblazer in early childhood education. Her work focuses on creating and enhancing opportunities to build equity in the 24:1 community, which represents the 22 municipalities within the Normandy Schools Collaborative. “What excites me most about the future of The Network is the power of our partnership-driven approach and the deep commitment to investing in the everyday success of individuals in our community,” Franklin says. “We aren’t just building temporary collaborations; we’re creating spaces where transformational, long-term relationships take root and thrive.”
Waller McGuire
Executive Director and CEO, St. Louis Public Library
St. Louis Public Library locations across the city see more than 2.3 million visitors each year, and its continued success is rooted in McGuire’s leadership. McGuire has worked for the St. Louis Public Library since 1989 and was named its executive director in 2004. His expertise was crucial to the award-winning renovation of the Central Library, which Fodor’s Travel listed among the “11 Most Beautiful Libraries in the United States” in 2022.
Wendy Sullivan
CEO, Easterseals Midwest
With nearly 40 years of experience advocating for the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities into our communities, Sullivan is deeply committed to Easterseals’ work in helping people with disabilities lead full and independent lives. She has overseen the expansion of many programs and guided the organization through various mergers and acquisitions. Under Sullivan’s leadership, Easterseals has become the largest organization of services to people with developmental disabilities in Missouri.
President and CEO, FOCUS St. Louis
Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, Akande-Bartsch has always strived to “lead with empathy.” Putting others first has driven her work and success. “Understanding the needs, motivations, and challenges of others has not only strengthened my relationships but also enhanced my ability to drive meaningful change in our organization and the communities we serve,” she says. Through her leadership, FOCUS St. Louis has expanded its reach and impact through new initiatives that integrate technology and civic education. “I have seen firsthand how empowering individuals with the right knowledge and leadership skills can transform communities, break cycles of inequality, and create lasting change.”
Kelvin Adams
President and CEO, St. Louis Community Foundation
Even before joining the St. Louis Community Foundation in 2023, Adams was already a household name in the metro area. During his 14-year tenure as superintendent of the Saint Louis Public Schools, the district regained provisional and full accreditation from the Missouri State Board of Education, and the graduation rate increased from 54 percent to 80 percent. Now, at the St. Louis Community Foundation, Adams aims to build the community in new ways, largely through collaborative philanthropy.
Jared Bryson
President and CEO, Catholic Charities of St. Louis
With more than 15 years of executive experience in complex health care and social service organizations, Bryson leads a federation of a dozen agencies to support the community in myriad ways. The nonprofit offers a wide range of services, including workforce development, natural disaster relief, legal aid, and mental health and wellness support.
Barbara Carswell
CEO, Youthbridge Community Foundation of Greater St. Louis
Carswell is a force within St. Louis’ philanthropic sector. In addition to her work at YouthBridge, Carswell serves on the board of Philanthropy Missouri. In her role at YouthBridge, Carswell leads philanthropy services and community impact through grant-making programs, donor-advised funds, and private foundations. She brings a global perspective to her work, having studied in Bonn, Germany, and Geneva, Switzerland. She has also earned a law degree from the University of Munich.
Founder and CEO, WEPOWER
Cooksey says true collaboration will take the community further than we could ever go alone. Aided by this mindset, WEPOWER created a Community Wealth Building Playbook, which guides residents, investors, organizers, and officials to advance equitable economic policies. In navigating environmental business change locally, Cooksey hopes to see an influx of flexible capital for Black and Hispanic businesses, as well as prioritization of small, local businesses committed to St. Louis.
Barry Falke
CEO, American Red Cross–Missouri-Arkansas Region
Falke, who leads a team of 90 employees and 2,500 volunteers, was recently deployed to Asheville, North Carolina, to support those affected by Hurricane Helene. During the experience, he helped gather necessary supplies, connected with fellow Red Cross volunteers, and visited with shelter residents. “What I love about this kind of mission and the work of the Red Cross is that each day, we get a chance to help communities that are in need or that are experiencing some form of human suffering,” Falke says. “That is the work that we get to do—truly supporting communities that are at their toughest point.”
Executive Director, Invest STL
Early in her career, Eskridge was advised to be open toward multiple career paths. Following that wisdom, she now leads Invest STL, a nonprofit that prioritizes investment in communities affected by systemic racism. While Eskridge has a vast network of mentors who’ve helped her reach this point, she says her go-to mentors are her parents, who have expertise in a variety of fields, such as investment banking, real estate, public policy, and nonprofit management.
April Elston
CEO and President, Epworth
Before stepping into her current position, Elston held various roles at Epworth, including chief operating officer, chief administrative officer and vice president of clinical and residential services, and senior director of risk and compliance. The multiservice agency works to empower local youth through a full range of services, such as therapeutic foster care, family therapy, vocational training, and crisis care. Elston previously held key roles at St. Patrick Center, including senior director of program operations and director of compliance in homeless services.
Andwele M. Jolly
President and CEO, St. Louis Integrated Health Network
Jolly works to promote health equity—including quality, access, and affordability—for marginalized communities. A past board treasurer for CareSTL Health, an Eisenhower Fellow, and a participant in Leadership St. Louis, Jolly has also served on boards for numerous nonprofits, including Build Missouri Health, the National Association of Health Services Executives, the Missouri Foundation for Health, and the St. Louis Regional Health Commission.
Bryan Knicely
Executive Director, Craft Alliance
Knicely is excited about expanding community programs, getting out into the broader St. Louis–area schools, and building partnerships to ensure that more people have access to creative work and craft. “It’s always fun to work with community partners to build more creative outlets for kids and adults taking classes,” Knicely says. Such work can also have a larger-scale impact: “Using the arts and crafts as a vehicle [can] create change in this neighborhood.”
Chris Krehmeyer
President and CEO, Beyond Housing
With Krehmeyer at the helm, Beyond Housing has evolved in myriad ways over time. Today, the community development organization has a portfolio of more than 600 housing units, as well as a food hall, movie theater, commercial kitchen for food industry training, and retail and commercial space for local entrepreneurs. Over the past decade, Beyond Housing has raised and invested more than $150 million in North County. The organization’s model is based on investing holistically in the areas of housing, health, education, economic development, municipal government, forestry, and more. Under Krehmeyer’s leadership, Beyond Housing has refined its mission to emphasize lasting change and the importance of strengthening families and transforming communities to create a stronger, more equitable St. Louis.
Larry Linthacum
President and CEO, Special Olympics Missouri
Linthacum leads a team of 30 professionals who address inactivity, injustice, intolerance, and social isolation of people with intellectual disabilities. In 2022, Linthacum came into the role with nearly 30 years of experience in education, having served as a superintendent, teacher, counselor, and coach. The nonprofit supports more than 16,000 athletes across Missouri’s 115 counties. In his role, Linthacum looks forward to continuing to transform lives throughout the state.
Lúcia G. Lohmann
President and Director, Missouri Botanical Garden
Lohmann recently became the eighth president of the Missouri Botanical Garden—and the first woman in the acclaimed garden’s storied history. A former professor at the University of California–Berkeley, Lohmann is eager to promote botany on both a local and global scale. “I always tell my students that plants are our friends,” says Lohmann, who emphasizes the importance of spending time outdoors. “You go out and you learn all kinds of new things, and it can be super inspiring.”
Julie Lock
Executive Director, Food Outreach of St. Louis
When Food Outreach of St. Louis was founded in 1988, its mission was to provide food support to HIV-positive and AIDS patients. Now, the nonprofit’s support has extended to include people living with cancer. Lock leads the mission of providing nutritional support and enhancing the quality of life for the St. Louis community. Among other initiatives, the nonprofit is giving clients three-portion containers that meet standardized nutritional guidelines overseen by registered dietitians.
Blake Hamilton
Interim President and CEO, International Institute of St. Louis
After Arrey Obenson’s departure in December, Hamilton recently became interim president and CEO at the International Institute. A 15-year agency veteran, Hamilton notes, “Immigrants in our community struggle to navigate the complex immigration system in our country,” adding that the nonprofit plans to help immigrants navigate those challenges with legal services. “There are more opportunities around every corner,” Hamilton says. “If you know your core and keep it strong, you will have a solid foundation that will allow you to take advantage of the best opportunities to fulfill your mission.”
Jason Purnell
President, James S. McDonnell Foundation
Purnell has long worked to address some of St. Louis’ biggest divides. More than a decade ago, in 2014, he published a groundbreaking study, “For the Sake of All: A Report on the Health and Well-Being of African Americans in St. Louis and Why It Matters for Everyone.” In 2023, after leading the community health improvement strategy at BJC HealthCare, Purnell stepped into his current role with the foundation, which aims to improve economic mobility for St. Louis populations facing the starkest disparities.
CEO, Variety the Children’s Charity of St. Louis
Variety empowers children and teens with disabilities by providing medical equipment, therapy, and innovative recreation and performing arts programs. The organization arranges access to programs and services that support children and teens with disabilities across 15 Missouri and 15 Illinois counties surrounding St. Louis. Roy also supports local youth through coaching youth rugby, which he says emphasizes respect for teammates and coaching officials.
Indigo Sams
President and CEO, Center of Creative Arts (COCA)
Sams is responsible for leading innovative arts education through the nonprofit, which serves more than 60,000 people of all ages, backgrounds, and ability levels. A longtime St. Louisan, Sams began the position in 2023, following 30 years of experience in resource development, facilities operations, and recruitment strategies. For Sams, working at COCA was a “full-circle opportunity.”
Dwight Scott
Dana Brown President and CEO, Saint Louis Zoo
Scott has held leadership positions at some of the most beloved animal parks in the nation: the San Diego Zoo, the Oklahoma City Zoo, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Kansas City Zoological Gardens, and the Tulsa Zoo. Yet when the Missouri native took the helm at the Saint Louis Zoo in 2022, it was something of a homecoming. His work, however, isn’t limited to St. Louis: Scott is a fierce advocate for conservation and helps lead the fight against wildlife trafficking.
President and CEO, Missouri Historical Society
With a background in journalism and American studies, Sowell brings an informed perspective to his role leading the Missouri Historical Society. Before that, he was an oral historian, director of exhibitions and research, and managing director of public history for the institution. Sowell says the future of the Missouri Historical Society is intertwined with the future of St. Louis.
Blake Strode
Executive Director, ArchCity Defenders
Strode works to combat the criminalization of poverty and state violence against poor people and people of color. The St. Louis native helped establish the civil rights litigation unit at ArchCity Defenders, which has challenged practices such as debtors’ prisons, police misconduct, and inhumane jail conditions. Strode and his colleagues have filed more than 50 civil rights cases in state and federal court, impacting upward of 40,000 people across the region. You can also hear him co-host the Under the Arch podcast.
Dr. Cheryl Watkins
President and CEO, YWCA of Metro St. Louis
As a child, Watkins wanted to be a physician and a mother. Today, she’s proud to have achieved both. She’s also making a real impact for other women and children through the YWCA of Metro St. Louis, which provides resources for domestic and sexual violence survivors, as well as education, career readiness, and racial and social justice efforts. She aims to give everyone the opportunity to earn a living wage while creating safe, stable, and affordable environments where the community can thrive.
Major Adam Moore
Greater St. Louis Area Commander and General Secretary, Salvation Army
Moore has been with the Salvation Army for more than 30 years alongside his wife, Deannie Moore. He was commissioned and ordained as a Salvation Army officer in 2004 and has also served in central and southern Illinois, the Twin Cities, Detroit, Omaha, and Fargo. While the Salvation Army’s red kettle is a fixture around the holidays, the organization works year-round to provide housing, combat poverty, empower youth, help disaster survivors, and make a lasting difference in the community.
Ray Vandiver
President and CEO, Saint Louis Science Center
A St. Louis native, Vandiver was recently named president and CEO of the Science Center, succeeding Todd Bastean. Vandiver brings more than three decades of experience working in science centers and museums, including the Discovery Lab in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Vandiver also has a bachelor’s degree in physics from Saint Louis University, as well as a master’s degree and doctorate in physics from the Missouri University of Science and Technology.
Brandon Williams
President and CEO, Boys & Girls Club of Greater St. Louis
In November, the St. Louis native and former St. Louis Rams wide receiver was named the new leader of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater St. Louis, following Flint Fowler’s 28-year tenure. Williams’ success as vice president of team business and event operations for the St. Louis Battlehawks helped generate more than $18 million in economic impact for St. Louis. His background in entrepreneurship and public speaking allows him to showcase his leadership ability as he brings his influence to a new endeavor.
Wendell Kimbrough
CEO, ARCHS
Guided by his personal mission to enhance the lives of St. Louis residents who need the most help, Kimbrough is a seasoned nonprofit manager with more than four decades of experience. Under Kimbrough’s leadership, ARCHS (Area Resources for Community and Human Services) leverages more than $850 million in resources and collaborates with local leaders and organizations to build partnerships that will positively impact the area. His personal interests include art collecting, jazz and funk music, traveling, and golf.
President and CEO, Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis
Cooksey took the helm at RACSTL in 2020, during the heart of the pandemic. Despite the challenges, she found a way to back artists throughout the metro area, securing $10.6 million in ARPA funds to support the arts and culture sector’s ongoing recovery from the pandemic. As Cooksey says, “The arts have an amazing capacity to unite and heal our region. No other industry brings St. Louis together across demographics and economics in the way that artists and arts organizations are able to. We have a unique opportunity to make a tangible difference in how residents and visitors of this region experience a sense of civic pride and cultural belonging.”
Kathy Warnick
President, Humane Society of Missouri
Warnick has led the Humane Society of Missouri for 25 years. During that time, the nonprofit has assisted myriad rescue animals—at times, during natural disasters—and added significant services and facilities, including the Best Buddy Center and the Animal Medical Center of Mid-America in Maryland Heights. It has also continued to host popular fundraisers, including Bark in the Park and Purses for Pooches.
Ken and Beverly Jenkins
Founders, Refuge and Restoration (R&R) Marketplace
The pair of pastors at Refuge and Restoration Church have taken a grassroots approach to create opportunity in the community. After nearly a decade of planning, in 2022, the couple opened the R&R Marketplace, a resource hub in the former Springwood Plaza in Dellwood. It houses organizations focused on innovation, workforce development, finances, health, and child care. The multiplex also houses the Jenkins’ church, a black-box theater, commercial kitchen, library, computer lab, and a small café. As Beverly told SLM, “The goal is to create meaningful opportunities for people to advance with their own upward mobility.”
