SLM’s new Solutions newsletter takes an in-depth, ongoing look at five key issues impacting the region: fairness, growth, education, sustainability, and safety. Below are just a handful of people doing important work in these areas. Keep in mind that these areas aren’t mutually exclusive—many of these leaders are working toward solutions across a range of issues. Along those lines, there are also elected officials—mayors, county executives, and legislators—working to address all five areas, which are in myriad ways interconnected. And there are difference makers in other areas—from the arts to fashion, media to medicine, dining to development, fashion to philanthropists—driving positive change in ways large and small.
Looking to learn more about St. Louisans driving change? Check out this list of related reading, with many of these stories contributing to this feature:
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- A-List 2023: Shaping the Region
- 35 St. Louisans working to build equity across the region
- 100+ people shaping St. Louis
- Local diversity, equity, and inclusion professionals discuss the work that still needs to be done in St. Louis and beyond
- 10 St. Louis leaders share insights on how things get done
And to discover more about potential ways to address some of the region’s challenges—whether ideas from other cities, innovative local programs that might be expanded, or how we’re tracking in key areas—sign up for the Solutions newsletter.
FAIRNESS
Julius B. Anthony
FOUNDER/PRESIDENT, ST. LOUIS BLACK AUTHORS OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
What changes have you witnessed through your work with St. Louis Black Authors of Children’s Literature? What we have done in this country is really render many children invisible in the learning process, and we said that that’s OK—and that’s not OK. And then we wonder why they don’t do well in school. The Believe Project [literacy spaces within schools that serve prekindergarten through third grade] creates these spaces where literacy is the pathway for them to connect, to not just reading, but to the school experience. We collaborate with a lot of local literacy-based organizations, and we encourage them to purchase our authors’ books as part of their programs. That’s a huge shift in this whole literacy community here in St. Louis, and had we not shown up and existed, that would not have happened. Now people are having that conversation. Schools had already started trying to have the conversation after Ferguson, but there was no outside catalyst pushing it.
What work still needs to be done? We’re already in a position to scale up, but we don’t have the human capacity. That’s our short-term goal. Long-term goal is to become national. Period. The whole idea of education being a pathway to a better life is not a new one for Black children. It is actually the oldest dream in the Black experience in this country…When we talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion, we are the manifestation of that dream…We have a responsibility to do whatever is necessary to create, to be innovative enough with whatever it is that we have, to move that dream forward until it is fulfilled.
Charli Cooksey
FOUNDER/CEO, WEPOWER
What changes have you witnessed through your work with WEPOWER? We’re a super fast-growing community of hundreds of folks, and we’re starting to see ways that thriving entrepreneurs and prepared leaders can work together to push for our systems to really transform. We are seeing a shift in our demographics in this country. Pretty soon, we will be a majority people of color country…I don’t think it’s a coincidence that voting and voter suppression is at an all-time high because there are deliberate efforts being had to make sure that everyday Black and brown folks aren’t able to exercise their political power.
What work still needs to be done? I’m really excited about what’s possible with this emerging demographic and population, but it also means that we have to be very intentional to protect the rights of everyday people because there are targeted efforts to decrease and deny folks of the power they should have the right to exercise, whether that’s at the ballot box, whether [that’s] the power to send your kid to a quality school, or whether that’s the right to the economic resources at your job to pay your bills to provide for your family.
Monique Bynum
MANAGING DIRECTOR, UMSL’s DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION ACCELERATOR
What changes have you witnessed through your work with UMSL’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Accelerator? When our founders succeed, we all succeed as a region because it strengthens and improves our community… It’s just what’s happening, and we’re starting to see people get on board. I think in the next two to five years, there will continue to be positive growth in our region, and it’s because of investment. Investment in these founders of color is a big game-changer for our entire region, and I’m so glad people are starting to take notice.
What work still needs to be done? We need more hand-raisers. We need more funding because we want to fund more founders, but we can only do that with more resources—i.e., more finances. Be a customer, be a client to some of these founders coming out of the program. Be a connector—introduce them to investors, introduce them to people that they wouldn’t have been able to get in front of before. Be a resource for them. Take it a step further. Don’t just clap and say, “This is great,” but really sit and think about how can you personally support them.
Dara Eskridge
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF INVEST STL
What changes have you witnessed through your work with Invest STL? In St. Louis, we have a really rich ecosystem of community development organizations and practitioners, but we don’t really have a central thesis that we’re all operating from. Having Invest STL provides the space and the table for us to shape what that could be, to create the roadmap, the way that we do the work, [and] the signs of equitable transformation that we’re looking for.
What work still needs to be done? We are seeing a shift and some momentum toward investing in Black neighborhoods, investing in organizing at the neighborhood level, [and] investing in Black-led organizations. I think we’re starting to see more openness to it, but I think that there’s further to go in being able to actually realize the dollars in the support going toward that effort in a real way—that is supportive of neighborhood-led transformation, versus using the typical playbook of external actors driving change.
What remains is how far people will be willing to go, how much they’ll be willing to live up to and invest in many different ways in the words that they’re starting to use and the phrases that they’re starting to use. The next challenge is getting people to honor the ideals that they’re starting to adopt.
Darren Seals
FOUNDER, SANKOFA UNITY CENTER
Seals has showed up at schools and handed St. Louis youth their own obituaries. He isn’t trying to be morbid; he wants to stop life-ending violence by making teens understand the consequences: “I don’t want to leave any kid behind.” He’s mentored more than 6,000 young men. “We teach them how to do drywall; we teach them how to do plumbing. We have them write letters to their unborn child,” says Seals, who makes himself available to St. Louis youth 24 hours a day. “They can call me at 2 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 4 o’clock in the morning,” he says. “If they need me, I’m there.” With a team of nearly 70 volunteers, the organization has made a significant impact in the Walnut Park West and East neighborhoods. He hopes that more people will start listening to youth. “Just imagine a kid, 7 years old, searching for happiness. How can you have happiness when the mother and father are on crack cocaine? How can you have peace if the household is messed up? How can you be happy if you’re not eating? There is an unheard cry,” he says, “and people need to start listening.”
Jamala Rogers
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ORGANIZATION FOR BLACK STRUGGLE
This year, the human rights coalition that Rogers helped start four decades ago has been part of a statewide movement that collected more than 350,000 signatures to get Medicaid expansion on the August statewide ballot. The organization has helped raise funds for Missouri inmates to stay in contact with family and legal advisers while incarcerated, and it’s raised awareness of the toll that COVID-19 has taken on Black communities. “You have to be grounded in the community and the issues, and you have to push those issues in the most powerful and profound ways,” Rogers says. “I think the fact that we’re still here after 40 years means that we’ve done something right.”
Will Jordan
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS EQUAL HOUSING AND OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL
According to the federal Fair Housing Act of 1968, every American has a right to secure housing without discrimination. Jordan has spent nearly 20 years with the Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing and Opportunity Council working to make that right a local reality. In a city where life expectancy is strongly correlated with ZIP code, he wants to see people either be able to change their ZIP code or change the circumstances within it. Jordan has collaborated with community banks to develop credit products for underserved populations, offering legal counsel to those facing discrimination and securing affordable housing in redeveloping areas. “Home ownership is the biggest wealth-building tool most Americans have,” Jordan says. “It should be preeminent in St. Louis, because the housing stock is strong and opportune.”
Maxine Clark
FOUNDER, DELMAR DIVINE
One day while driving, Clark took a wrong turn. The Build-A-Bear founder, who left the company in 2013 to focus on her work improving public education, found herself at a vacant building. It was once the St. Luke’s Hospital on Delmar…and there was a “for sale” sign. Now Clark is on track to open Delmar Divine—the name a take on the Delmar Divide—in that space in fall 2021. The $100 million mixed-use project will feature both a nonprofit hub and 150 affordably priced apartments to support community development and improvement. “I know how much talent exists in this community,” she says, “and I know that we have a great future ahead of us if we just unlock that talent.”
“We’re all in the same boat. Some may be in the front, some may be in the back, but whatever happens to that boat happens to all of us. We’re all going in the same direction… [We should be] concerned about the welfare of everyone—not that everyone will end up in the same position but [instead] that everyone should have the opportunity to live their best lives.”
FLINT FOWLER
PRESIDENT
Jamie Dennis
DIRECTOR, SAVE OUR SONS
As the region fell into the throes of a global pandemic, Dennis helped the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis coordinate a drive-thru distribution of food and essential items for families in need. His usual focus on the Urban League’s Save Our Sons program, a career training initiative for economically disadvantaged Black men, seemed to be on hold, but all of that time spent outside gave Dennis an idea for how to continue Save Our Sons’ core mission despite the pandemic: a series of socially distant open-air hiring events at the Ferguson Community Empowerment Center. Instead of a typical sprawling career fair, Dennis helped organize small groups of qualified candidates to meet with staffing companies and community partners.
Julia Ho
LEADER, MUTUAL AID NETWORK
When the pandemic began, Ho says, “it became obvious that all the problems that already existed in our community were going to get worse.” The Mutual Aid Network spans more than 1,000 people who support one another by providing supplies, funds, and emotional support. “It’s easy to feel powerless by everything that’s happening,” says Ho, “but there’s always something you can do.”
Pamela King
King regularly brings people together to have authentic conversations as part of Our Community Listens. “We teach an interpersonal class that allows people to learn who they are in the world and how they can create connection with others who may be different,” says King, who served in the U.S. Air Force for more than 20 years. Students range from nonprofit directors to CEOs, ages 19 to 75. King says the classes “ignite this human-to-human connection.” Her advice: People should work to find things they have in common with others instead of differences. “Then listen to that person,” King says. “Allow them to share, and don’t justify or argue. Just listen and learn from their experiences.”
“The region would be better prepared to weather a pandemic by expanding health care and accessibility to health care resources, bridging the digital divide, improving public transportation, and improving job opportunities… We would have to make a significant investment in health care; place facilities and resources in underserved communities; fund public transportation at a higher rate; and make a conscious and consistent decision to value diversity and inclusion at the governmental, corporate, business, civic, and philanthropic levels in order to remove the barriers.”
MICHAEL McMILLAN
PRESIDENT AND CEO
Frank Bell
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ELEVATE ST. LOUIS
Bell knows the power of candid conversation. The program partners with schools to provide underserved students with long-term support and guidance. Asked what he believes could help move the region forward, Bell challenges local media outlets to shine a light on efforts to engage in courageous, difficult conversations. “Everyday people like me are talking about systemic racism and discrimination in mixed company,” he says. “My sense is that most in our region aren’t aware that many of their neighbors are creating the grace and space needed for one another to work through feelings, ideas, and thoughts about the racial disparities. I’m seeing firsthand that trust and love emerges when a person is afforded the opportunity to work through their ignorance instead of being shouted down for it… I am seeing more common ground created. More attention placed here may help St. Louisans develop the courage to share, listen, and act.”
Erica Henderson
FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ST. LOUIS PROMISE ZONE
As the former executive director of the St. Louis Promise Zone, Henderson worked with more than 100 partners to provide services to a 60-square-mile portion of North City and North County. She also oversaw the Small Business Resource Program, which provided zero-interest loans to local businesses during the pandemic. “We can already see the impact that the lack of adequate health care has had during the pandemic in our economically undervalued communities,” she says, “and we know that if we improve our educational institutions, children will have more opportunities to be upwardly mobile, getting jobs at companies that have benefits.”
“We have a choice to make,” Strode recently wrote in an essay titled “Our Crisis” that was posted on Medium.com. “We can deepen our crisis by doubling down on failed systems and racist policies, or we can respond to it by transforming our public institutions and investments to recognize the fundamental humanity and dignity of Black people in a way that America never has before. We should choose wisely, because it will determine whether this crisis, our crisis, becomes an artifact of history, or a harbinger of an even more deeply troubled future.”
BLAKE STRODE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dr. Marcus Howard
ENTREPRENEUR
After moving away to earn a Ph.D. and teach, Howard, who grew up on St. Louis’ north side, always knew he wanted to return home. But he wanted a comeback with purpose. Now, Howard has it: launching a Black-owned pharmacy and wellness center to provide culturally competent health care, scheduled to open in summer/fall 2021. African-Americans here are disproportionately affected by conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and infectious diseases such as COVID-19. Black-owned pharmacies provide services like genetic testing, medication education, and weight loss programs to improve health outcomes. “It’s specific things that focus on what communities of color are experiencing,” Howard says. “[At a chain pharmacy], you walk up, you get your medicine, and you walk away. For communities of color, that’s not enough.”
Damon Davis
Davis’ largest and most prominent work to date, Pillars of the Valley, is an essential part of the Brickline Greenway, just outside CITYPARK. The series of pillars honor the once-thriving Mill Creek Valley neighborhood and preserve the legacy of its 20,000-plus residents, who were displaced by the city in 1959. Davis, who is a musician and filmmaker in addition to a visual artist, says his work boils down to stories and problems. “I’m trying to solve problems, whether they be internal or external, and I’m trying to tell stories,” he says. “You start to think, Maybe if I look at the world in a different lens, I might have more control over changing it than I thought.”
Vanessa Cooksey
PRESIDENT/CEO, REGIONAL ARTS COMMISSION
On what she wishes people understood about the arts in St. Louis: “What I’m calling ‘intratourism.’ If you live in North County, you have to make your way on down to South County. What creatives are doing in this community, all over, is absolutely outstanding.”
On other leaders she looks to: “We have an amazing number of women leaders across industries and sectors. So I will admit I look to the ladies first, whether it’s Penny Pennington at Edward Jones, Mayor [Tishaura] Jones, Congresswoman [Cori] Bush—that has been a consistent experience for me in St. Louis, the wonderful women leaders.”
Leslie Gill
PRESIDENT, RUNG FOR WOMEN
Gill has a passion for supporting women, helping them climb the career ladder while earning a family-sustaining wage. She and Rung have served hundreds of women and aim to “connect 100-plus women to high-demand career pathways in tech, geospatial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing. We want to help these women achieve their personal and professional goals.” In September 2022, Greater St. Louis Inc. announced that the area won a $25 million Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant, money that will go toward developing the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Center in North City. Rung will receive $1 million to identify gaps in advanced manufacturing and train women to fill them, playing a crucial part in St. Louis’ future workforce. Also look for a two-story addition to Rung’s building in Fox Park, now under construction.
What changes have you witnessed through your work with Rung for Women? There is a space and community for women to really show up, be their authentic selves, be acknowledged, and empowered to do more and to be better, but also not having to feel like [they] have to do it all alone [with] that Superwoman Syndrome. We’re seeing women get promotions. We’re seeing women move into tech careers and geospatial careers. We’re seeing women leave jobs that are toxic and unhealthy and having the courage to take a leap of faith and try something new.
What work still needs to be done? Our mission is focused on more women moving up the economic opportunity ladder, which means that they need to make more money, [and] they need to work for companies that have family-friendly policies. Most job loss occurred on the shoulders of women as a result of the pandemic. So, now, how do we make up for that time? What policies are in place to help more women recover? What training opportunities are out there to get us back into the workforce faster, and into roles that are higher paying? I certainly see that there’s more focus on it, but we’re not there yet. We’re probably further behind now than we were before the pandemic.
Michelle Tucker
PRESIDENT AND CEO, UNITED WAY OF GREATER ST. LOUIS
The United Way has raised and invested almost $3 billion into regional nonprofits over the past century. Everyone seems to have a “United Way story,” says Tucker. “It is neighbors helping neighbors, family members helping family members, and colleagues helping colleagues.” St. Louis’ United Way remains one of the top ranked in the nation of 1,100 affiliates.
A World of Difference
Not long after Arrey Obenson became president and CEO of the International Institute, in 2021, the institute began welcoming Afghan refugees. Likewise, Jessica Bueler at Welcome Neighbor STL is offering support, such as English lessons, citizenship classes, and family matching. Since the 1980s, Mark and Joani Akers of Oasis International have partnered with places of worship to help welcome thousands of refugees from more than 50 countries. And the St. Louis Mosaic Project’s goal under Betsy Cohen is for St. Louis to evolve into the fastest-growing metropolitan area for immigration by 2025. And at Casa de Salud, executive director Diego Abente helps ensure that immigrants and refugees have access to primary care, mental health services, and assistance navigating the system.
Flint Fowler
PRESIDENT, BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GREATER ST. LOUIS
This stat speaks for itself: When surveyed, 57 percent of BGCSTL alumni said the club saved their life—and there’s more growth to come. In spring 2022, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America received the largest gift given by a single person in its history: $281 million from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. St. Louis’ Boys & Girls Clubs received $5.2 million of that money.
Champions of Change
MORE ADVOCATES TO KNOW
- Shira Berkowitz, PROMO Missouri: The senior director of public policy and advocacy pushed back against state lawmakers when they tried to pass legislation that would ban transgender girls from competing in girls’ sports at school. (Berkowitz was among five St. Louisans advocating for St. Louis’ LGBTQ+ community recently highlighted in SLM.)
- Cassady Caldwell, Stray Rescue of St. Louis: The animal rescue shelter is expanding from Downtown West to a larger location in Bevo.
- Faith Sandler, Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis: The nonprofit provides interest-free loans to St. Louisans who want to pursue a postsecondary education but can’t afford it.
- Meredith Knopp, St. Louis Area Foodbank: The food bank has distributed more than 46 million meals across 26 counties in Missouri and Illinois over the past year.
- Chris Krehmeyer, Beyond Housing: The organization takes a comprehensive, holistic approach to supporting under-resourced communities, as Krehmeyer recently shared with SLM.
Dr. Cheryl Watkins
PRESIDENT/CEO, YWCA
Before she brought her talents to the YWCA last summer, Watkins demonstrated her leadership capabilities with positions at BioSTL and Accelerated Rehabilitation Technologies. For more with Watkins, read this Q&A.
EDUCATION
Eric Scroggins
CEO/FOUNDER, THE OPPORTUNITY TRUST
Scroggins set up his nonprofit, he says, to operate on multiple fronts: starting new schools, expanding successful ones, bolstering the educator pipeline, and helping parents engage. Donors such as the William T. Kemper Foundation have made it a well-funded and consequential player.
Stacy Gee Hollins
INTERIM ASSOCIATE PROVOST OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS, HARRIS-STOWE STATE UNIVERSITY; DEAN, ANHEUSER-BUSCH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT HARRIS-STOWE STATE UNIVERSITY
Dr. Hollins founded the school’s Minority Entrepreneurship Collaborative Center for Advancement, an incubator for future business leaders from minority and under-resourced communities.
Saras Chung
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SKIP DESIGNED
From her perch at SKIP Designed, an education think tank with a specialization in systems analysis, Chung has been facilitating the STL School Research-Practice Collaborative, a group coming together to generate mutually beneficial insights.
Ray Cummings
PRESIDENT, AFT ST. LOUIS LOCAL 420
Cummings pushes for “full-service” schools that provide wraparound services to kids who need them. Such schools would offer health and dental services, mentoring, tutoring, plus food and clothing banks.
Jen Brooks
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, URSULINE ACADEMY
Brooks, the 2021 St. Louis athletic director of the year, founded The Global Community of Women in High School Sports, an organization that supports women in leadership roles.
The College Scene
Under the leadership of Andrew D. Martin, the chancellor of Washington University in St. Louis, that institution has finally reached its goal of a need-blind undergraduate admissions model. At Harris-Stowe State University, president LaTonia Collins Smith is working with the NGA to establish job opportunities for students. Since Collins Smith took over, the school has also nailed down more than $2 million for a Center of Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Meanwhile, Saint Louis University president Fred Pestello is having an eventful tenure: SLU has cemented a partnership with health care provider SSM Health, which has completed its $550 million hospital. SLU is also catalyzing development in the area surrounding its campus, and it has built a $17 million Jesuit Center on campus. And with chancellor Elizabeth Stroble at the helm, Webster University is making moves here and abroad, including a partnership with Edward Jones for students from under-resourced communities and a new campus in the Republic of Georgia.
GROWTH
Yemi Akande-Bartsch
PRESIDENT/CEO, FOCUS ST. LOUIS
Facilitating Progress: FOCUS works to encourage civic engagement through leadership training, issue education, and other initiatives.
Setting the Standard: “For decades, FOCUS St. Louis has been the standard for professionals in the St. Louis area,” says Kelli McCrary, executive director of the Downtown St. Louis CID. “My parents were cohort members in the 1980s and developed lifelong connections.”
Kathy Osborn
PRESIDENT/CEO, REGIONAL BUSINESS COUNCIL
Keeping Busy: The RBC is responsible for an array of initiatives: among them, the Young Professionals Network, the It’s Our Region Fund (providing grants for capital improvement projects), and St. Louis Social Venture Partners (strengthening nonprofits by connecting them with philanthropists).
Building Community: Osborn is inspired by the work of Michael Woods, executive director of Dream Builders 4 Equity, which empowers youth to renovate homes in Hyde Park and sell them at affordable prices. “It is a transformational program,” says Osborn.
Kitty Ratcliffe
PRESIDENT, EXPLORE ST. LOUIS
Bigger & Better: Explore St. Louis is spearheading the renovation and expansion of America’s Center, including a new 72,000-square-foot exhibit hall.
National Acclaim: Ratcliffe, who has more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, recently received a lifetime achievement award from the Professional Convention Management Association Foundation.
Jason Hall
Regional Ambassador: “I believe he is our region’s biggest ambassador,” says Akande-Bartsch. “He has the drive and the support, which is critical for taking our region to the next level. He, along with others, have undertaken significant initiatives to ensure that our region remains relevant.”
Grant Winner: In September 2022, the St. Louis region won a $25 million Build Back Better grant, thanks to a proposal that Greater St. Louis Inc. helped submit. The money will go toward developing the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Center in North St. Louis.
Paving the Way: The organization’s STL 2030 Jobs Plan serves as a roadmap for developing the region’s economic future. To that end, the group’s GeoFutures initiative is working to make the region a hub for geospatial innovation. The organization is also working to increase representation among St. Louis’ business community: It launched the Diverse Business Accelerator to help expand minority-owned businesses.
Carolyn Kindle
CEO, ST. LOUIS CITY SC | PRESIDENT, ENTERPRISE HOLDINGS FOUNDATION
As the city fêted its newly awarded Major League Soccer expansion franchise on the morning of August 20, 2019, Kindle drew a deep breath. “Wow,” she said. “St. Louis, are we ready to do this?” The answer was a resounding yes. A trailblazer, Kindle not only organized a majority-women ownership group, but the investors behind MLS4TheLou also pledged to finance a proposed downtown stadium primarily with private funds. Three years later, construction on the new CITYPARK is complete, and St. Louis CITY SC is off to a strong start in its inaugural season. “As a European, I have a picture of what an American owner of a sports club is like,” says CITY sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel. “The Taylor family and the vision that Carolyn has is the complete opposite of how you imagine it, which is, I think, the biggest compliment you can make.” The franchise is striving to become more than a source of entertainment. The club has launched a series of free soccer clinics for kids and is reaching out to diverse communities to make sure everyone feels welcome at CITYPARK. “The Taylor family got this club to make soccer accessible for everybody,” Pfannenstiel says. “They got this club to make St. Louis better.” (Kindle is also the recipient of SLM’s 2023 Visionary Award.)
Richard Liekweg
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, BJC HEALTHCARE
On what health care might look like 10 years from now: “Giant leaps in genetic, cellular, and immune therapies will give us the ability to deliver personalized care. Patients will be more empowered to compare prices and services to make informed choices about their care. By necessity, health care will become more affordable, more transparent, more accessible geographically and virtually, more inclusive, and more equitable for all. Shaped by the pandemic, our leaders in a decade will have studied and learned during the most transformative and innovative period in our history, and I’m confident those insights will serve them well.”
Liekweg was also among one of the “the ambitious thought leaders and visionaries who continually push our region to do better,” as recognized in SLM’s 2023 A-List Awards. Liekweg was recognized for BJC’s partnership with Midwest BankCentre to help address disparities among white and Black St. Louisans by depositing money in branches of the bank tied to 20-plus ZIP codes where low-to-moderate-income customers live. The banks can do more lending to these clients, who are traditionally viewed as “riskier” borrowers, for things like home loans and business loans. “If you think about how you create wealth, it’s homeownership, and it’s having money to start or scale a small business,” Midwest BankCentre chairman and CEO Orvin Kimbrough told SLM.
Jim McKelvey
CO-FOUNDER, BLOCK / INVISIBLY / THIRD DEGREE GLASS FACTORY / LAUNCHCODE
McKelvey is bullish about St. Louis, having opened Third Degree, expanded Block’s offices to the former Post-Dispatch building, and launched data startup Invisibly. “We have a real advantage in financial services and life science in St Louis,” he says, “so that’s where I have been investing lately.” McKelvey is also investing in future talent, founding LaunchCode to teach coding skills. As he observes, “Every company is a tech company these days.”
Donn Rubin
FOUNDING PRESIDENT AND CEO, BIOSTL
BioSTL, which began as the Coalition for Plant & Life Sciences in 2001, has supported hundreds of startups, attracting more than $2.7 billion in capital to the region. BioGenerator, its startup arm, has invested $35 million into more than 100 local bioscience companies, such as Benson Hill, CoverCress, and Wugen. “These are companies moving the needle to improve lives and boost St. Louis,” says Rubin.
Gabe Angieri
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ARCH GRANTS
After helping launch an impressive list of startups over the past decade, Arch Grants launched the Growth Grants program to provide funding to companies creating local jobs. Looking ahead, Angieri says, “St. Louis has an opportunity to become the best place for startups led by founders from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds.”
Patricia Hagen
PRESIDENT/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, T-REX
The downtown incubator has long been a hub of innovation, but it’s especially busy these days. T-REX recently signed a partnership intermediary agreement with the NGA, after already launching Moonshot Labs and the Geospatial Innovation Center. It’s building out the Extended Reality and Simulation Lab for those interested in leveraging augmented, virtual, and mixed reality. And it’s part of the Downtown North Insight District, which includes the nearby Globe Building, the former Post-Dispatch building, and St. Louis Convention & Visitors Bureau. At the same time, it’s supporting early-stage startups facing significant hurdles, such as funding being harder to access than in the past, as well as the impact of the pandemic.
Sam Fiorello
PRESIDENT/CEO, CORTEX INNOVATION COMMUNITY
Home to more than 400 companies and organizations, Cortex is built upon the idea that collaboration can lead to solutions to big problems. Fiorello—who previously served as COO of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and president of the Bio Research & Development Growth Park—leads with a focus on equality, diversity, inclusion, and job creation.
Brian Matthews
CO-FOUNDER, CULTIVATION CAPITAL
Venture capital firm Cultivation Capital manages funds focused on early-stage investing. Most of its investments occur during a startup’s Seed or Series A phase, and the industries supported include life sciences, health tech, agriculture tech, geospatial tech, and software and IT. Matthews, who was a founder of River City Internet Group and co-founded various tech companies, has a degree in mechanical engineering from the Missouri University of Science and Technology and worked at McDonnell Douglas for 12 years before making his foray into entrepreneurship.
Penny Pennington
MANAGING PARTNER, EDWARD JONES
On a noteworthy win: “Edward Jones was named one of the 2022 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For, and it’s the 23rd time we’ve made that list. Every time I think about that, I’m just blown away. Being named to that list 23 times is reflective of how deeply we believe in being a place of belonging for our 50,000 colleagues, in service to our 8 million clients.”
On a problem she’s looking forward to solving: “Too many people aren’t financially resilient, and we’re intent on addressing that. We do it every day in the service we provide to individuals and families as we provide financial guidance to people who are just starting to invest… We also believe financial education helps address this issue. Our Financial Fitness program, which we launched in 2020, has already impacted more than 47,000 students in the classroom and over 362,000 people with our online curriculum.”
On a noteworthy book: “I recently read Billie Jean King’s book Pressure Is a Privilege, and I found it to be wonderfully inspiring. She believes moments of great pressure indicate that the situation involved is an important one, and not everyone has the opportunity to face that kind of pressure. Instead of fearing pressure, we should seek and embrace it.”
Hear more from Pennington on The BizSTL Podcast.
The Taylors
Community Impact: Seemingly anyone who has spent time in St. Louis has been touched by the family’s ongoing efforts in the community. Among their work: the new Taylor Geospatial Institute, the recently opened Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center at the Missouri Botanical Garden, and the forthcoming St. Louis CITY SC.
Driving Ahead: Since taking the helm as CEO of Enterprise Holdings in January 2020, Chrissy Taylor has led the company through the pandemic and the ensuing vehicle shortage. Prior to the pandemic, the company reported 10 straight years of revenue growth, and it has more than 75,000 employees across nearly 100 countries.
Mike Konzen
CHAIRMAN/CEO, PGAV
On a project he’s excited to tackle in the near future: “As planners and designers, we are excited to help reinforce downtown St. Louis as the social, business, and cultural center of our region. There is much to do, but the vision for downtown is taking shape.”
On a problem he’s looking forward to solving: “The major design professions seriously lack representation. For instance, only about 2 percent of architects nationwide are African American. We’ve been partnering with the Sam Fox School at Washington University on their Alberti Program, which encourages young, disadvantaged people to pursue a career in design.”
On a noteworthy person impacting the St. Louis region: “Zekita Armstrong Asuquo. Her Gateway Global [American Youth and Business Alliance Academies Inc.] organization connects young people with career opportunities in our booming geospatial sector. She is a rock star.”
Ron Kruszewski
CHAIRMAN/CEO, STIFEL
On a recent win: “Employee ownership is something that we at Stifel believe is very important. This year, we granted each eligible employee a $5,000 stock grant, which grew our employee ownership percentage to nearly 100 percent. Now nearly every Stifel employee can also say they’re an owner.”
On a problem he’s looking forward to solving: “Our local community is too divided, and this division affects how we are viewed nationally. We need to all work together—the city, the county, and the state—to do what is best for this wonderful community. Together is better.”
On a project he’s excited to tackle: “We are working on bringing a country Christmas music concert to St. Louis. Hopefully, this will be an annual event.”
On a go-to podcast: “How I Built This by Guy Raz. I pride myself on creating a culture that encourages and promotes an entrepreneurial spirit. This podcast explores some of the most famous innovators and entrepreneurs and the companies or movements they’ve built.”
On a noteworthy person impacting the region: “Posthumously, Michael Neidorff. Michael cared deeply about St. Louis and always gave his time and effort to improving our community.”
Hear more from Kruszewski on The BizSTL Podcast.
David Steward + Jim Kavanaugh
Rhythm & Racing: Forbes ranked Steward, World Wide Technology’s founder and chairman, No. 438 on its 2022 list of the world’s billionaires. Steward has invested in a variety of local projects and causes over time, including for The Muny’s renovation, Jazz St. Louis’ Harold & Dorothy Steward Center for Jazz, and the University of Missouri–St. Louis’ jazz program, as well as the company’s work with the revived World Wide Technology Raceway.
In the Game: Kavanaugh, the company’s co-founder and CEO, is a former professional soccer player and member of the St. Louis CITY SC ownership group. After years spent trying to bring big league soccer to St. Louis, he’s finally realized that dream.
Laura Ginn
VACANCY STRATEGIST, ST. LOUIS DEVELOPMENT CORP.
Every day, Ginn faces the urgent and monumental challenge of coming up with thoughtful solutions for the city’s vacancy problem.
Rachel Witt, who leads the South Grand Community Improvement District, has notched a number of wins over the years, including the construction of Ritz Park and the implementation of green initiatives, such as rain gardens along South Grand.
Kelli McCrary’s Downtown St. Louis CID seeks to make the area cleaner and safer, and its Youth Ambassadors program is helping mitigate problems caused by unsupervised teens. Safety and security are shared priorities of these special taxing districts.
Emily Thenhaus, who previously worked in former mayor Lyda Krewson’s administration, has been at the helm of the Cherokee Street CID since 2019. Cherokee Street recently launched a street camera grant program that is helping more businesses install cameras and improve safety in the neighborhood.
Kelly Kenter chairs the 11-member board of directors for The Grove Community Improvement District, which spends the majority of its resources—more than $140,000 in the 2021 fiscal year—on supplemental security services.
Michael Staenberg
PRESIDENT, THE STAENBERG GROUP
Head west on Highway 40 from Olive/Clarkson, and you’ll see Staenberg’s imprint on the county everywhere. To your left, he’s aiming to convert Chesterfield Mall into a walkable downtown Chesterfield complex. In the valley to your right, behold The District, which recently began Phase II construction and already includes several entertainment venues.Then, in that long retail strip across the highway, Staenberg owns a portion called Chesterfield Valley Square.
Kevin Bryant
PRESIDENT, KINGSWAY DEVELOPMENT
One of Bryant’s major goals is to catalyze further investments in the blocks just north of the Central West End and across the so-called Delmar Divide. The refurbishing of a historic building into a 25,000-square-foot coworking/retail space named Elevation is now underway. Next up, Bryant says: The Bridge, a mixed-use, “multifamily-forward” project nearby.
Brian Philips
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER REDEVELOPMENT CORP.
Under Philips’ leadership, the redevelopment corporation convened the Delmar Collaborative. It was conceived as an informal network through which corridor stakeholders could share ideas and form partnerships, and indeed, the Delmar Main Street project has grown out of the effort. Philips has also been working with Great Rivers Greenway to figure out how the Brickline Greenway might stimulate economic development in neighborhoods that have historically struggled.
Steve Smith
CEO, LAWRENCE GROUP AND NEW + FOUND
Throughout his four-decade career, Smith has restored buildings all across the city, but his most recent and celebrated project is City Foundry STL, which offers a bustling food hall, shops, and a dine-in movie theater.
Neal Richardson
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ST. LOUIS DEVELOPMENT CORP.
With Richardson at the helm, the city’s economic development arm has new branding, a new process for awarding incentives, and an Economic Justice Action Plan. Richardson and other officials recently persuaded Procter & Gamble to remain at its plant in Near North Riverfront, expand it, and then work with the school district and nonprofits to build a pipeline of local workers.
Bob and Steve O’Loughlin
As the father-and-son duo behind Lodging Hospitality Management (LHM), Bob and Steve O’Loughlin have their fingerprints on a variety of hotel developments around town, from the airport to Westport Plaza to The Cheshire in Richmond Heights. The most widely known are the two located in the city’s historic heart: the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark, completed in 2011, and the overhauled Union Station, which (re)opened in 2019.
Jason Deem not only opened St. Louis’ first coworking space, Nebula, but his South Side Spaces company has renovated a number of the city’s historic buildings, with a large role along Cherokee Street.
Brooks Goedeker serves as executive director for St. Louis Midtown Redevelopment Corp., a city-created entity run by shareholders Saint Louis University and SSM Health, which has had the authority to offer tax abatement to projects in its 400-acre footprint.
Phil Hulse at Green Street has helped flip the huge Armory building into an entertainment venue.
Michael Hamburg of Pier Property Group is putting the finishing touches on a trio of apartment buildings collectively called Steelcote Square.
SUSTAINABILITY
James Carrington
PRESIDENT/CEO, DONALD DANFORTH PLANT SCIENCE CENTER
Leading the Way: Renowned for his expertise on gene silencing, small RNA, and virus-host interactions, Carrington has led the world’s largest independent plant science institute since 2011.
Accelerating Startups: In February 2022, Carrington helped establish the Danforth Technology Company, which connects scientists with investors in the hopes of creating new agriculture technology startups. In announcing plans for the DTC, Carrington said it “will help accelerate the pace of agtech startup creation to deliver products and services that address significant challenges and needs in agriculture.”
Gregory A. Heckman
CEO, BUNGE
Listmaker: Heckman helped Chesterfield-based Bunge land on the latest Fortune Global 500 list, as well as being No. 219 in Fortune’s rankings.
Sustainable Work: The company partnered with Chevron to develop renewable fuel feedstocks. Its most recent sustainability report notes, “Bunge is proud to share the significant progress we have made in fighting climate change and meeting the growing demands of the global food system. We have taken important steps in our own operations and in partnership with key stakeholders, accelerating our effort to become a sustainable solutions provider, connecting farmers to consumers as we deliver essential food, feed, and fuel for the world.”
Other Accolades: The Best Practice Institute recognized Bunge this year as a Most Loved Workplace.
Susan Trautman
With an estimated cost of $250–$300 million, Brickline Greenway—one of Great Rivers Greenway’s projects—is one of the city’s coolest transportation feats. Once completed, it will consist of 10-plus miles connecting Forest Park, Fairground Park, and Gateway Arch National Park, as well as 14 city neighborhoods. Trautman points out that not only is it singular in St. Louis, but there’s also really nothing like it—in terms of engagement and partnership—in the rest of the United States either. That’s because Trautman and GRG recruited one of the city’s best artists, a historian, a historically Black university, a soccer team, and some philanthropists to design a 1-mile stretch that illuminates the history of Mill Creek Valley, the former neighborhood that the greenway cuts through. That stretch of the greenway includes a finished portion along Market Street between 22nd and 20th streets at the new CITYPARK stadium, and it will further connect to Harris-Stowe State University at Compton Avenue in 2024. Trautman sees bringing people together as an essential ingredient to executing on GRG’s mission. “You are creating incredible places for people to enjoy and to share,” she says. “If you want to do that, you have to connect people.”
Dwight Scott
PRESIDENT AND CEO, SAINT LOUIS ZOO
In January 2022, the Missouri native took the helm at the Saint Louis Zoo, after an eight-year stint as executive director of the acclaimed San Diego Zoo. In addition to drawing visitors with high-profile new attractions—such as the forthcoming 2.8-acre Destination Discovery, in the footprint former children’s zoo—Scott helps lead the zoo’s conservation efforts, both locally and globally. “The Saint Louis Zoo has and always will lead the way in conserving animals and their habitats through animal management, research, recreation and educational programs,” Scott said shortly before returning to Missouri. “I can’t wait to get started.”
Dr. Peter Wyse Jackson
PRESIDENT, MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN
“Finding a successor for Peter Raven after his 40-year tenure would’ve been like hunting a rare orchid in the Himalayas—if Peter Wyse Jackson hadn’t existed,” SLM wrote when Wyse Jackson took the helm at the Missouri Botanical Garden a decade ago. Having led the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation and served as director of the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland, he seamlessly stepped into the new role. He’s since continued to lead the garden’s charge in conservation and biodiversity, from the rainforests of Madagascar to our own backyard. As he told SLM when he started the position, “There’s a new realization that nature is fragile, and if we don’t do something, we are going to lose it.”
James Wild
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EAST-WEST GATEWAY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS
Along with Bi-State, East-West Gateway is involved in MetroLink corridor planning, as well as trying to keep the Loop Trolley on track. EWG recently applied for federal funds to help make the roads safer for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians, with a goal of reducing deaths by 2 percent every year. Years ago, as part of OneSTL and an 11-member consortium, it helped lead a years-long collaborative process to create a plan to encourage greater sustainability across the metro area.
Cindy Mense
CEO, TRAILNET
In 2019, Mense took the lead at Trailnet, where she’d worked for 12 years in other roles, including community services director and director of programs. At the same time, the organization unveiled its Connecting St. Louis plan, with a goal of interlinking neighborhoods via a network of trails. Already, over the course of 35 years, Trailnet’s helped pave the way for popular paths across the region, with a vision of seeing “the St. Louis area emerge as one of the healthiest, most active, and connected regions in the country.”
Bruce Morrison
PRESIDENT, GREAT RIVERS ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER
Billed as “Missouri’s first and only public interest law firm focused on the environment and public health,” the nonprofit provides free services to do just that. As Morrison reportedly told supporters last October, during its annual Lewis C. Green Environmental Service Awards, “The people and communities we serve deserve to breathe air that does not do them harm. They deserve access to water and spaces that are free from toxic substances.”
Adam McLane
STATE DIRECTOR–MISSOURI, THE NATURE CONSERVANCY
Leading a team of scientists and conservationists, McLane strives to protect the state’s natural resources. Last year, for instance, the organization worked to protect vital property in Missouri, repair fish-friendly passages, and create Centers for Conservation Innovation. Close to home, the Building Healthy Cities initiative also expanded, with programs to address air-quality monitoring and barriers to healthy tree canopy (alongside Forest ReLeaf of Missouri).
Katie Carpenter
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PERENNIAL STL
More than a decade after Jenny Murphy founded Perennial, a nonprofit devoted to creative reuse, the organization has grown to span a store and community workshop, hosting classes that cover such topics as upholstery, refinishing, and building new furniture from pallets. In a range of ways, it’s become a vital resource for the “community to discover ways to reuse objects, reduce waste, and live a sustainable and self-sufficient lifestyle through the power of their personal creativity.”
Jared Opsal
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MISSOURI COALITION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Opsal leads a nonprofit that advocates for clean water, better air, and more efficient energy in the Midwest and beyond.
Read More: Want to lead a more eco-friendly and sustainable life? These St. Louis resources can help
SAFETY
Colonel Gregory
POLICE CHIEF, ST. LOUIS COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
Last year, when Gregory became the first Black chief in the St. Louis County Police Department’s history, he told St. Louis Public Radio, “It shows that there is a cultural change within the department. I think it shows other minority officers looking to get to higher positions that it can happen.” Before taking the helm, Gregory served as the commander of the Division of Criminal Investigations division.
Robert Tracy
POLICE CHIEF, ST. LOUIS METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT
At a critical time in the city’s history, in December 2022, Mayor Tishaura Jones appointed Tracy as the city’s new police chief—the first to come from outside the department. “Chief Tracy has a demonstrable record of reducing violent crime while building deep ties to community and faith leaders,” the mayor said. “He will be a trusted partner in our work to reimagine public safety in our city as we strengthen alternative response programs like Cops & Clinicians and 911 Call Diversion.” He previously worked in Chicago and New York, as well as Wilmington, Delaware. Tracy faces a tall task, with local leaders across the region saying that crime in the heart of the city impacts the entire metro area.
Gabe Gore
After Kim Gardner resigned in mid-May, Governor Mike Parson appointed Gore to the high-profile position. “For far too long, dysfunction has plagued this office and the local criminal justice system,” Parson said. “This is an opportunity to correct course, an opportunity to demand better and do better by the people of St. Louis.” Gore was previously federal prosecutor and a partner at Dowd Bennett, where he focused on civil litigation and white-collar defense. In his new role, he’s emphasized the importance of hiring a talented team and building relationships with law enforcement and regional leaders. He’s since quickly gone to work, hiring a number of experienced prosecutors.
Wesley Bell
ST. LOUIS COUNTY PROSECUTING ATTORNEY
Unopposed: No Republican is even attempting to oust Bell in his bid for re-election this November.
Panning the Ban: In June, after the U.S. Supreme Court sent the question of abortion back to the states, Missouri enacted a near-total ban on the procedure—and Bell drew both darts and laurels for pledging not to enforce it.
Treatment, Not Prison: Treatment courts have long been operated by judges in the 21st Circuit, but Bell has shifted his office’s energies to his own prosecutor-led diversion program.
Mary Fox
DIRECTOR, MISSOURI STATE PUBLIC DEFENDER
Budget Boost: After years of Fox (and others) fighting to secure sufficient funds for public defense—which is guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution—the state budgeted for 53 new attorneys and 24 support staff statewide.
No Wait: Caseloads were so high that some indigent defendants went on a waitlist, but a court mandate and a freshet of resources have cut that list to zero.
Wraparound: Fox set up a “holistic defense” unit to help clients address underlying challenges that led to their contact with the system in the first place.
Reverend Charles Norris
MEMBER, MISSOURI FAITH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL
At a time when St. Louis saw a rise in gun violence among youth, the pastor of St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church and his colleagues on the Missouri Faith Leadership Council began looking for ways to provide safe spaces by offering after-school activities and support. The Village Safe Spaces program launched in February 2020, just before COVID-19 forced area schools to close. “The program had to reimagine itself within days,” says fellow Council member Rabbi Susan Talve, “to provide food, personal items, and wrap-around trauma-informed services.” Talve applauds the leadership of Melanie Forbis, Anthony Pickens, and Allisha Jones as well: “The staff has gone above and beyond the call of service.”
Captain Byron “Sarge” Watson
CHAPLAIN, ST. LOUIS COUNTY POLICE
Byron “Sarge” Watson spent more than 35 years as a uniformed police officer, first during a career with the St. Louis County Police Department and then as an officer with St. Louis Community College. Today, he serves as a chaplain for the St. Louis County Police. He’s thought a lot about policing and race relations and has concluded that problems begin with hiring: “If you get an individual in there who did not value people of color, until they do something, you can’t really see it.” As a member of the Ferguson Commission, Watson probed the causes behind the civil unrest following the death of Michael Brown in 2014. One of the biggest problems: Ferguson and neighboring municipalities drew much of their revenue—as much as 85 percent—from court fees and fines levied on people of color ticketed for minor violations. Now, as a result of a state law that the commission helped pass, municipalities can’t keep more than 10 percent of fines they assess. “People can no longer be held in jail for a traffic ticket anymore,” Watson says. “That committee came up with tangible things that really reformed police departments.”
Dan Glazier
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND GENERAL COUNSEL, LEGAL SERVICES OF EASTERN MISSOURI
Providing free legal help for low-income individuals and families, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri offers a wide range of services and programs, including health justice, neighborhood advocacy, public benefits, immigration, housing, parental justice, youth and family advocacy, education justice, and more. Glazier is also part of the regional steering committee for HomeGrown STL, one of the many additional organizations doing important work across the region to drive solutions to some of the region’s most pressing issues.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated from an earlier version.
