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 “Read More” for more interesting insights from some of St. Louis’ top business leaders.
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ANDREW & ERICA BARNELL
CO-FOUNDERS, GENEOSCOPY
The sibling duo behind Geneoscopy continues to redefine what’s possible in noninvasive cancer diagnostics. Following the FDA approval of ColoSense—the first RNA-based colorectal cancer screening test—the company secured $105 million in early 2025 to support commercialization and broadened its St. Louis operations. “Work very hard to differentiate signal from noise,” Andrew says. Erica adds, “The best companies aren’t just businesses; they’re breakthroughs—and St. Louis is the place to foster growth.” [Read More] [Read More]
TOM CIRRITO
CEO, VARROBIO
After getting his doctorate in immunology from WashU, Cirrito built a career that bridges academia with science and entrepreneurship. In 2020, Cirrito co-founded Varro Life Sciences with the mission of improving human health and preventing future pandemics and disease outbreaks. An inventor, Cirrito holds multiple patents and patent applications, and he also taught bioentrepreneurship as an adjunct at New York University.
MATT COOPER
CO-FOUNDER, WUGEN
With degrees from the University of Surrey in the U.K., Cooper crossed the Atlantic to do postdoctoral work in hematologic malignancies at WashU. What began as a temporary stay became a permanent one. As co-founder of Wugen, he leads a team advancing a breakthrough cancer treatment that uses healthy donor cells rather than the patient’s own. Over the years, Cooper’s team has raised more than $200 million for their research and work in cancer treatment.
SAL FRISELLA
CEO, 1ST PHORM
Frisella understands what high-performing athletes need to train. A former St. Louis Cardinals draft pick, Frisella played two seasons of minor league baseball before co-founding 1st Phorm, a company that makes nutritional supplements and athletic apparel. 1st Phorm landed a major partnership last year when it teamed with Anheuser-Busch and Ultimate Fighting Championship boss Dana White to produce and distribute Phorm Energy drinks.
LINDSEY HERMES
CEO, BIOSPAN TECHNOLOGIES
Hermes’ father, Sheldon Chesky, launched BioSpan more than 30 years ago. She’s now leading it into the next generation, focusing on sustainable pavement preservation products that can extend the lifespan of roads and solve pothole problems. A WashU grad, Hermes first worked on the filling line in BioSpan’s factory and later moved into its lab. She believes the local business market needs to respond faster and back more women-led, innovation-driven businesses. [Read More]
KRISTY JACKSON
FOUNDER, SHECANCONNECT; EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CENTER OF INNOVATION & ENTREPRENEURSHIP (CIE) AT HARRIS-STOWE STATE UNIVERSITY
As the inaugural executive director of Harris-Stowe’s CIE, Jackson has expanded programming that now serves more than 1,200 entrepreneurs, scholars, and community members. To date, the center has deployed more than $215,000 in capital and funding to support Black- and brown-led businesses and student ventures, and it’s launched the Global Ventures Program in collaboration with the World Trade Center. Jackson also founded the SheCan Connect Global Network, which trains women in leadership and economic mobility. [Read More]
RYAN MAHER
CEO, BIZZYCAR
A third-generation car dealer, Maher saw firsthand how safety recalls frustrated both automakers and drivers. Backed by millions in venture funding, his St. Louis–based startup, BizzyCar, tackles that challenge with an automated platform that helps dealerships contact owners, schedule repairs, and even arrange valet pickup. Maher’s solution addresses an enormous safety gap—some 70 million U.S. vehicles still have open recalls—and Bizzy-Car has partnerships with nearly two dozen global manufacturers. [Read More]
BRIAN MONHEISER
PRESIDENT AND CO-FOUNDER, GEO261
A U.S. Marine Corps veteran with more than 25 years of experience in the geospatial industry, Monheiser has built a career at the intersection of national security, technology, and business growth. Throughout his career, he has advised the Department of Defense and the intelligence community on integrating advanced mapping and spatial technologies to support mission-critical operations. Monheiser currently leads GEO261, where he combines technical expertise with strategic business insight to help organizations accelerate growth, sharpen market positioning, and expand their impact. He also serves as chief growth officer for U.S. operations at St. Louis–based T-Kartor, a global geospatial software and services provider. A former board member of T-REX, Monheiser remains deeply engaged in advancing spatial literacy, workforce development, and geospatial innovation both regionally and nationwide.
LINDA NGUYEN
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, COMMUNITY BUILDERS NETWORK
Nguyen earned a master’s degree in social work from WashU, with a concentration in social and economic development and nonprofit management. She has more than two decades of experience in social welfare and community development, and she’s led anti-displacement programs in support of local households. Nguyen is also well versed in assessing city wide needs and guiding nonprofits through strategic growth.
ALEX OLIVER
CEO, OLIVER PROPERTIES
Washington Avenue is undergoing a transformation thanks to Oliver’s vision. In the past year, his company has acquired and repositioned 600 apartments and tens of thousands of mixed-use properties, including a soon-to-open food hall, along the Wash Ave. corridor. Oliver says he’s passionate about “driving sustainable growth of scattered-site multifamily, mixed-use, and retail assets that improve properties and improve communities.” [Read More]
PIERRE PAUL
CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, WE HEAR YOU
Born in Brazil and raised in Guyana, Paul immigrated to the U.S. to make a difference. His tech company is another Arch Grants success story: We Hear You designs hardware that helps people with disabilities safely and comfortably navigate their homes. Paul believes that accessibility should be a standard, not an exception, saying, “Independence should be built into everyday life for everyone.” [Read More]
STEPHANIE REGAGNON
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE YIELD LAB INSTITUTE
With more than 20 years in agriculture and sustainability leadership, Regagnon directs The Yield Lab Institute, a global organization dedicated to accelerating innovation in agrifood systems. Since stepping into her role last March, Regagnon has led efforts to develop innovative agriculture collaborations; advance sustainable agriculture technologies; and address global challenges, such as climate change and food insecurity.
NICK REINKE
DIRECTOR OF COMMERCIALIZATION, TAYLOR GEOSPATIAL INSTITUTE
Raised on his family’s fourth-generation farm in North Dakota, Reinke has spent his career at the intersection of agriculture, finance, and sustainability. Before joining the Taylor Geospatial Institute in late 2025, he served as CEO of HabiTerre, which creates technology that helps producers manage land more profitably while improving environmental outcomes.
JORDAN RUSSELL
FOUNDER AND CEO, GATEWAY QUANTUM ELECTRONICS
Russell, who earned his doctorate in physics at WashU in 2019, launched Gateway Quantum Electronics in 2023 to simplify one of quantum tech’s most difficult barriers: quantum amplifiers. GQE builds hardware that automates and streamlines the operation of quantum noise-limited amplifiers—technology that’s critical for scaling quantum computing and sensing. [Read More]
JOSH SMITH
OWNER, NEON GREENS
After more than a decade as a set and lighting designer in New York, Smith returned to St. Louis to unite his passions: creativity and sustainability. At his popular farm-to-table salad concept Neon Greens, Smith and his team grow thousands of pounds of lettuce on-site in The Grove and serve it to diners. “It’s been proof that a hyper-local, vertically integrated model can work at scale,” he says, “and that people are excited to be part of it.” [Read More]
KIM HURST
CEO, CONFLUENCE GENETICS
Hurst is leading the transition from Benson Hill to Confluence Genetics after the company took over its core intellectual property and assets in May. She was vice president of corporate development at Benson Hill and is now CEO of Confluence Genetics. Hurst also serves as a director on the Clayton School Board.
CRAIG STARBUCK
CEO, ORGACUITY
Starbuck’s company is an employee-listening platform that specializes in people analytics to make traditional human resources tasks more data-driven and helpful. OrgAcuity is a former Arch Grants recipient and a company to watch as the work world continues to evolve. “People are every organization’s most important—and often most expensive—asset,” Starbuck says, “and we help organizations identify hidden barriers to their success to help them thrive.” [Read More]
AARON WILLIAMS
PRESIDENT, 4THEVILLE
For years, Williams has sought to celebrate The Ville neighborhood and cultivate development opportunities. When the tornado ran through North City last spring, Williams stepped up. He partnered with Invest STL’s Dara Eskridge to launch the 4TheVille Hub, which helped residents get supplies and find stable housing. The tireless relief effort demonstrated how Williams has positioned the organization as both a cultural anchor and a catalyst for equitable development.
