JOPLIN - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Board Member of Several Kansas City
- Member of the Greater Kansas City Estate Planning Council
- PFS
Daniel J. Haake began his career with the Internal Revenue Service. He spent nearly four years as a revenue agent, auditing income tax returns for individuals, businesses and trusts.
As a CPA, Mr. Haake initially practiced public accounting in the areas of tax compliance and consulting, financial and wealth management, and general business consulting. He also has assisted many clients in the sale and acquisition of businesses. He left a national CPA firm in mid-2004 to start his own firm.
In addition to his role on the KCU Board of Trustees, Mr. Haake serves as a board member of several Kansas City area companies, including Western Forms, Inc., and Hearing Health Associates.
A member of the Greater Kansas City Estate Planning Council, Mr. Haake serves on the planned giving committees for Donnelly College, Rockhurst University, Holy Spirit Catholic Church and Children's Mercy Hospital. He has held many other civic leadership positions, including for Rockhurst's board of regents. He is a past president of Donnelly's board of trustees and former board secretary for the Eastern Kansas Royalty Owners Association.
Mr. Haake's professional affiliations range from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and Missouri and Kansas CPA societies to the National Association of Royalty Owners and the American Association of Professional Landmen. He holds Specialist Accreditation as a Personal Financial Specialist from the AICPA.
Mr. Haake earned his Bachelors of Science and Business Administration in Accounting from Rockhurst University in Kansas City.
A college athlete, Darwin Strickland, DO, attended the University of Nebraska, University of Colorado and Drake University on full athletic scholarships in football and track. After three years of undergraduate studies, he was accepted and earned a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine from the Illinois College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery in Chicago, graduating magna cum laude. Dr. Strickland received one of only 10 scholarships from the American Osteopathic Auxiliary Association in Chicago, which paid for his full tuition at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences; he graduated with a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine in 1965.
Dr. Strickland completed an internship at Flint Osteopathic Hospital in Flint, Mich., and then moved to Denver, where he opened a solo family practice and remained in the same office until retiring at age 80. He is board certified in family medicine and geriatrics. Dr. Strickland also served in the U.S. Army Reserves Medical Corps for 18 years, receiving an honorable discharge as a Lt. Col. in 2001.
Dr. Strickland was active in his Colorado community as a volunteer team physician for football at Northglenn High School for 50 years. He received the Outstanding Community Service Award from the Colorado Athletic Association Board of Directors, was inducted into the Colorado High School Activities Hall of Fame, and was elected to the Adams County District #12 School Board for eight years.
At KCU, Dr. Strickland served as president of the KCU Alumni Association and class agent for the Class of 1965. He was the recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, the Alumni Service Award and the Alumnus of the Year Award. KCU's Strickland Education Pavilion is named in honor of Dr. and Mrs. Sue Strickland for their longstanding support of the University.
Job Titles:
- Board Member for the Kansas City Kansas Police Athletic League
- Chief Financial Officer for Bardavon Health Innovations
Edward Enyeart is chief financial officer for Bardavon Health Innovations, a leading workers' compensation and musculoskeletal digital health company. The company, headquartered in Kansas City, offers musculoskeletal injury prevention, treatment, and work readiness solutions through their national network of therapy providers and a data-informed approach.
Enyeart is a proven strategic thinker with a talent for building effective teams. Throughout his career, he has focused on top-line growth, financial processes, operations, accounting and prioritizing client relationship development. His expertise is in expanding investor assets and analyzing potential strategic initiatives.
At Bardavon, Enyeart contributes to business growth and leads multiple internal departments including, finance, accounting, business intelligence and analytics, legal, human resources, and technology services.
Throughout his career, Enyeart has held many leadership roles. Prior to joining Bardavon he was senior vice president of Client Financial Operations at Cerner Corp. He was responsible for Cerner's revenue cycle, including contracting, accounting, as well as the development of financial management strategies. During his tenure, revenue grew from $187M (1995) to $5.6B (2020). He was also chief financial officer for Cerner's client organization. Prior to Cerner, Enyeart worked at Unitog Company in enterprise controls, and for KPMG as a senior accountant. While at KPMG, he acquired knowledge across multiple industries such as construction, manufacturing, retail and distribution.
Enyeart is a board member for the Kansas City Kansas Police Athletic League and Starlight Theater and is also on the Finance Advisory Board for Kansas State University.
He practiced as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) after graduating from Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.
Eugene Oliveri, DO, maintained a long career practicing, teaching and advocating for osteopathic medical education and health policy. He retired in 2011.
Dr. Oliveri earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from City University of New York-Brooklyn College while serving in the U.S. Army. He received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in 1964. Dr. Oliveri took his internship at Detroit Osteopathic Hospital and his internal medicine residency at Botsford General Hospital (now Beaumont Hospital) in Farmington Hills, Mich. He also completed a gastroenterology fellowship at the VA Medical Center in East Orange, New Jersey.
Dr. Oliveri is certified in addiction medicine and a is a fellow in both the American College of Osteopathic Internists (ACOI) and the American College of Gastroenterology.
In addition to 30 years in private practice in Farmington Hills, Dr. Oliveri was a professor of osteopathic surgical specialties and served as assistant to the dean at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSU-COM). He was a senior member of the Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology, at Botsford and was associate program director of the hospital's gastroenterology residency program.
Dr. Oliveri is a past president of both the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and the ACOI, and past chair of the American Osteopathic Foundation and the Michigan Osteopathic College Foundation.
Dr. Oliveri is the recipient of the AOA's Distinguished Service Award, KCU's Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award, and medals of public service from MSU-COM, the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine - Ohio University and the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine.
He has also served on the boards of the University of Pikeville-Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine, the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine and the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners.
Job Titles:
- Chief
- Chief of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma
Glenna Wallace is chief of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma in Ottawa County, Oklahoma - one of three federally recognized Shawnee tribes. Since 2006, Chief Wallace has served as the tribe's first-ever female chief. She works with federal, tribal, state, community and individual entities, consistently emphasizing education, historical preservation, rebirth of cultural awareness and economic security. She worked in the Eastern Shawnee Business Committee for 18 years prior to her tenure as chief.
Chief Wallace also worked at Crowder College in Neosho, Missouri, for more than 38 years as an instructor, department chair, division chair, director of travel and interim academic dean. She taught more than 25,000 students and traveled to more than 70 countries.
In addition to the KCU Board of Trustees, Chief Wallace has served on the Seneca R-VII Board of Education, Seneca Public Schools Foundation Board and People's Bank Board of Seneca in Seneca, Missouri. She also served on the Claremore Indian Hospital Board of Trustees, Pittsburg State University Foundation Board of Trustees, UNESCO World Heritage Steering Committee, Indiana University's First Nations Leadership Ambassadors Council and the Inter-Tribal Council.
Chief Wallace earned Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts and Education Specialist degrees from Pittsburg State University, and she continued post-graduate studies via The University of Tulsa, University of Arkansas and Southwest Missouri State University (presently known as Missouri State University).
Job Titles:
- Marketing and Communications Manager
Job Titles:
- Treasurer
- Trustee
- Chief Executive Officer of the Parry Group
John Parry is chief executive officer of The Parry Group, a holding company for health care properties. His prior experience includes roles as chief executive officer and president for Hometown Hearing & Audiology in Overland Park, Kansas, and for Omni Family Medicine.
Mr. Parry has helped numerous organizations through the start-up phase and in navigating major organizational realignments. He has guided companies through all phases of the business cycle, from raising capital and driving growth and expansion to divesting the business for a profit. He has mentored and guided many professionals to advance in their careers to senior leadership roles.
In addition to serving as a trustee for KCU, Mr. Parry has served on the boards of many Kansas City area organizations, including Della Lamb Community Services, The Don Bosco Centers, the American Royal and the Youth Symphony of Kansas City.
A resident of Liberty, Mo., he has served as city councilman and as a member of the Clay County Charter Commission.
Mr. Parry completed his Bachelor of Arts in Healthcare Administration and Marketing at Ottawa University in Kansas.
Job Titles:
- Chief of Staff and Chairman of the Department of Surgery for Via Christi Hospital
John P. Smith, DO, provides guidance to the KCU board in its strategic and fiduciary responsibilities to internal and external stakeholders. He previously served as KCU Board vice chair, has been a trustee since 2001, and has chaired numerous committees.
Dr. Smith earned a Bachelor of Science from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas, and a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in 1975. He completed a transitional rotating internship at Cuyahoga Falls General Hospital in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and a four-year general surgery residency at Normandy Osteopathic Hospitals in St. Louis, Mo. Dr. Smith also completed a one-year fellowship in clinical nutrition in Chicago, Ill. He was board certified in general surgery and recertified by the American Osteopathic Board of Surgery.
Dr. Smith has served as chief of staff and chairman of the Department of Surgery for Via Christi Hospital - Riverside, chairman of the Credentials Committee for Via Christi Hospital - Wichita and president of Medical Staff for Via Christi Hospital - St. Teresa. He also has been on staff at Wesley Medical Center, Galichia Heart Hospital, Ridgewood Surgery Center, Cypress Surgery Center and Wesley Rehabilitation Hospital, all in Wichita, Kan.
Dr. Smith has held leadership roles in numerous professional societies and committees, including the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons, where he served on the Board of Governors, is a past president and holds fellowship status. He served as chairman of the Via Christi Riverside Hospital Board of Trustees.
Dr. Smith holds adjunct faculty positions at Oklahoma State University, University of New England, West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, Wichita State University and University of Kansas. He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors recognizing his contributions to the practice and teaching of medicine.
For the past 20 years, Dr. Smith has participated in and led medical missions to the Dominican Republic and remains active within his home town of Wichita, Kan. He is currently a consultant to Surgical Specialists, PA.
Job Titles:
- Member of the American College of Surgeons
- Principal and Owner of Simpson Eye Associates
Kenneth Melchionna, DO, received his osteopathic medical degree from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in 1990. He completed a surgical internship at The Cleveland Clinic and an ophthalmology residency at The Ochsner Medical Foundation in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and a member of the American College of Surgeons, Dr. Melchionna specializes in advanced no-stitch cataract, laser and glaucoma surgery. He is affiliated with the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, American Academy of Ophthalmology and Illinois Association of Ophthalmology. He is presently on the Medical Executive Committee at Advocate Sherman Hospital, Elgin, IL, on staff at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, on the Board of Algonquin Road Surgical Center, Algonquin, IL, and has received the "Excellence in Service to Patients Award" from Sherman Hospital for 10 consecutive years.
Dr. Melchionna is the principal and owner of Simpson Eye Associates, a 75- year-old multi-specialty ophthalmology practice comprised of five DO/MDs and two optometrists with three locations in the suburbs of Chicago treating 50,000 active patients.
Having performed over 10,000 cases during his 25 years in practice, Dr. Melchionna's glaucoma management and cataract surgery has helped thousands of people improve their sight.
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer at Fulcrum Global Capital
- Trustee of INTRUST Bank
Kevin Lockett is a partner and chief financial officer at Fulcrum Global Capital, a venture capital fund focused on investments in the agriculture and animal health sectors. He is responsible for fund administration, as well as identifying, evaluating, financing and managing innovative food production, food safety and food waste investment opportunities.
Mr. Lockett formerly held the positions of chief executive officer and chief financial officer/chief operations officer of the Kansas Bioscience Authority, where he led the organization in attracting and growing the bioscience sector. The Kansas City Business Journal named him CFO of the Year in 2015.
Mr. Lockett also worked for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City, Mo., a $2 billion foundation that advances education and entrepreneurship. While there, he served as chief operations officer for the Urban Entrepreneur Partnership Inc.
A former professional football player, Mr. Lockett played for the Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins, Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets. In 1998, he and his family formed a nonprofit organization that encourages academic achievement in public schools.
In addition to the KCU Board of Trustees, Mr. Lockett is a trustee of INTRUST Bank and the United Way of Greater Kansas City. He is a member of the advisory board for Kansas State University's Center of Advancement and Entrepreneurship, and he recently completed his term as a board member of Kansas State University Foundation.
Mr. Lockett earned his bachelor's degree in accounting from Kansas State University.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- Executive Director, University Relations
- Media Relations
Job Titles:
- President and CEO, Ex Officio
Marshall D. Walker, DO, served as KCU's 13th president and CEO from 2012 to 2013. He is a past chairman of the KCU Board of Trustees and has been a member of the board since 2010.
Dr. Walker earned a Bachelor of Arts from Kansas State Teachers College, now Emporia State University, and a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in 1972.
After graduating from KCU, Dr. Walker began his medical career in the U.S. Navy and service in Honolulu. He completed a rotating internship and his residency in otolaryngology at the Naval Regional Medical Center in San Diego. Dr. Walker achieved the rank of Commander in the Medical Corps after serving 21 years in the U.S. Navy.
Following Dr. Walker's career in the military, he had a long career as a head and neck surgeon in Wichita, Kansas. He was the director of medical education for American Osteopathic Association programs for Via Christi Hospitals and its family medicine residency program. Dr. Walker also held faculty and leadership positions at Via Christi Riverside and Wesley Medical Center, both in Wichita, and the Medical Center of Independence in Independence, Missouri. He served as vice chairman of the Riverside Health Foundation.
In addition to his position as a clinical professor of surgery at KCU, he has taught at A. T. Still University - Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita's Department of Family and Community Medicine.
Dr. Walker has been active on many KCU committees, and the University has recognized him with numerous awards, including Alumnus of the Year, the Star-Spangled Banner Medallion for Military Service, the Ricci Outstanding Educator Award and the Alumni Association Service Award.
The Walker Family Welcome Center in KCU's Administration Building is named in honor of Dr. Walker and his wife, Dr. Donna Walker, for their longstanding support of the University.
Job Titles:
- Director and Chair of the Pediatric Hematology Oncology Division of the University of Kansas Medical Center Subspecialty Group
Nathan Hall is director and chair of the Pediatric Hematology Oncology Division of the University of Kansas Medical Center Subspecialty Group in Wichita, Kan. He oversees the daily clinical, research and medical education for his department, and he provides direct patient care to children with a variety of hematologic and oncologic problems. Dr. Hall has a special interest in providing subspecialty health care to children and families in rural and underserved regions of the community he serves.
Dr. Hall grew up in Hutchinson, Kan., and graduated from Buhler High School in 2001. He attended Kansas State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology in 2005. Dr. Hall was then accepted into KCU's inaugural class of the College of Biosciences, where he earned his Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences in 2006. He went on to earn a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from KCU and a Master of Business Administration in Health Care Leadership from Rockhurst University, both in 2010. Dr. Hall completed both his residency in Pediatrics in 2013 and fellowship in Pediatric Hematology Oncology in 2016 at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo.
Throughout Dr. Hall's career, he has been the recipient of various awards including the faculty teaching award, fellowship teaching award, residency teaching award and student DO of the year award. In addition to serving on the KCU Board of Trustees, he is a trustee on the Leukemia Lymphoma Society Board in Wichita, Kan., and the KCU Alumni Association Board of Directors.
Job Titles:
- President Emeritus / American Dental Education Association
- President Emeritus of the American Dental Education
Dr. Richard Valachovic is President Emeritus of the American Dental Education Association and is Director of the Center for Oral Health Policy and Management at the New York University College of Dentistry.
He joined ADEA after more than twenty years in research, practice and teaching of pediatric dentistry, oral medicine and oral and maxillofacial radiology. Dr. Valachovic served on the faculty of the University of Connecticut and Harvard Schools of Dental Medicine. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology and is certified in pediatric dentistry and dental public health.
He has served in multiple capacities in national organizations and institutions, including serving as President and Board Chair of the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC), a founding member of the National Academy of Medicine's Global Forum on Innovations in Health Professional Education, a member of the Washington Higher Education Secretariat, and the Founding President of the ADEA Gies Foundation.
Dr. Valachovic earned his BS from St. Lawrence University; his DMD from the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine; and he holds the Master of Public Health degree and the Master of Science degree in health policy and management from the Harvard School of Public Health. He completed a residency in pediatric dentistry at the Children's Hospital Medical Center in Boston. He is an author of more than 120 articles, book chapters and monographs.
He was granted an honorary Doctor of Science degree by the University of Connecticut in 2012 and was elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2019.
Robert S. Juhasz, DO, is a board-certified internist from Concord Township, Ohio, who currently practices clinical medicine at Cleveland Clinic's Willoughby Hills Family Health Center.
Upon graduating from Kansas City University's College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1981, Dr. Juhasz completed his internship and internal medicine residency training at what is now South Pointe Hospital in Warrensville Heights, Ohio.
A pioneer in the adoption of electronic health records, Dr. Juhasz was actively involved in the implementation of the electronic medical record system at the Cleveland Clinic before many physicians used these systems. In 2005, he participated on a panel with President George W. Bush to discuss the benefits of electronic medical records. From 2013 to 2017, Dr. Juhasz served as president of Cleveland Clinic's South Pointe Hospital. In 2014, he served as the 118th president of the American Osteopathic Association.
Dr. Juhasz holds adjunct faculty positions at the Cleveland Clinic's Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western University in Cleveland and at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (OU-HCOM), where he also served as an associate dean. His commitment to providing excellence in patient care has not gone unnoticed. He is the recipient of the Phillips Medal of Public Service by OU-HCOM, and the Ohio Osteopathic Association's Trustee Award.
Dr. Juhasz is a fellow and diplomat of the American College of Osteopathic Internists and a fellow of the American College of Physicians.
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- Member of the Independent Colleges
- President of Avila University
Ronald Slepitza, PhD, is president of Avila University in Kansas City, a Catholic university sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. Since 2006, Dr. Slepitza has overseen advancements in student curricula and led a capital improvement plan of more than $30 million that included a new athletics pavilion and all-purpose field, new residence halls and renovations to the dining hall and anatomy and physiology lab.
Dr. Slepitza is a member of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Missouri, the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities as well as the Council of Independent Colleges. In addition to serving KCU, he is also a member of the board of trustees for Notre Dame de Sion Schools, Conception Abbey College and Seminary and the Midwest Center of Holocaust Education. He is a leader in a Kansas City-area Rotary Club and active in a variety of other service organizations.
Job Titles:
- Fellow
- Chief Operating Officer ( COO ) of Unity Health Care
Sheilahn Davis-Wyatt is Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Unity Health Care, the largest network of community health centers in Washington, D.C. that provides a full range of health and human services to meet the needs of communities through a network of over 20 traditional and non-traditional health sites. Prior to joining Unity, she was the COO for Kansas City CARE Clinic, where she had a long history of supporting the Health Center, having served as a member of the board for more than a decade in the roles of treasurer and chairman.
Davis-Wyatt is a Fellow within the American College of Healthcare Executives and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and General Studies from William Jewel College in Liberty, Mo., and a Masters in Health Care Administration from the University of Missouri - Columbia.