The Kansas Center for Entrepreneurship DBA NetWork Kansas Announces Reorganization/Promotions to Meet Demand for Services

December 15, 2021

News Release – For Immediate Release  

Contact:  Steve Radley
(877) 521-8600
[email protected]

 

 

Organizational Diagram_2021-2022_FINAL

 

The Kansas Center for Entrepreneurship DBA NetWork Kansas

Announces Reorganization/Promotions to Meet Demand for Services

 

Wichita, Kansas –The Kansas Center for Entrepreneurship DBA NetWork Kansas announced the formalization of internal structural changes and promotions to meet increasing demand for services and align resources to meet the needs of partners, E-Communities, and growing partnerships across the state.  In addition, the alignment will allow greater focus on building out collaborative partnerships.

 

Approved by the Board of Directors and effective immediately, Erik Pedersen has been named President and Chief Operating Officer of NetWork Kansas, Imagene Harris has been named Vice President of Impact Investment Services, and Kristi Pedersen has been named Vice President of Finance.

 

The Board of Directors also approved the restructuring into three organizational units: NetWork Kansas, e2 Entrepreneurial Ecosystems (e2), and Entrepreneurial Growth Ventures (EGV).  Mr. Pedersen will head up NetWork Kansas with Imagene Harris overseeing statewide impact investment programs and services.  Senior Vice President Don Macke will oversee e2, and Senior Vice President Trish Brasted will oversee EGV.  Steve Radley will retain his role as Chief Executive Officer overseeing the three organizational units.

 

“We are excited about the increasing cross sector partnerships that are accelerating on a variety of fronts,” Radley said. “Kansas entrepreneurs are increasingly playing significant roles in solving community challenges and provide the best opportunity for economic growth and individual empowerment. These structural changes and promotions will empower staff to accelerate the collaboration necessary for every Kansas entrepreneur to connect to the resources they need to succeed.”

 

The restructuring will also allow each individual organizational unit to focus on increasing collaborative efforts with the NetWork Kansas Empower National Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Board to develop, accelerate, and expand current programming to partners, communities, and entrepreneurs across the state and expand technical assistance to BIPOC entrepreneurs statewide.

 

NetWork Kansas, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, is dedicated to making entrepreneurship a priority for economic and community development in the State of Kansas. NetWork Kansas connects aspiring entrepreneurs, emerging and established businesses, to a deep network of business-building and community development resource organizations across the state. NetWork Kansas facilitates the development of an entrepreneurial ecosystem within participating communities through the E-Community Partnership. Contributing factors to successful development include the availability of financial capital, support by local leadership, and development of educational resources. All of these factors combine to increase entrepreneurial activity in participating towns, leading to increased startup activity, business expansion, job creation, and more. NetWork Kansas is also the home of e2 Entrepreneurial Ecosystems (e2) and Entrepreneurial Growth Ventures.

e2 Entrepreneurial Ecosystems provides best practice solutions to entrepreneurial ecosystem building in Kansas and nationally. e2 helps communities increase prosperity through entrepreneur-focused economic development and ecosystem building. Led by Don Macke, e2 has a national team providing research, coaching, incubation, market intelligence and other expertise to this work.

 

Entrepreneurial Growth Ventures (EGV)’s mission involves building and enhancing the network of resources to increase the capacity and support for innovative, high growth entrepreneurs in Kansas. EGV collaborates across the state with community leaders, economic development organizations, universities, government entities and other entrepreneur support organizations to provide the entrepreneurs of Kansas valuable access to education, mentorship and capital. These high-growth companies aspire to transform markets with radically innovative products and services to grow jobs, wealth and prosperity across the state.

 

 

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