CONTACT: Melissa Beltrame, Marketing Director | mbeltrame@leadbankonline.com
Jenny Kincaid, Socialworx PR | (816) 550.4382 | jenny@socialworxpr.com
KANSAS CITY, MO (JANUARY 2016)—Lead Bank, a locally owned financial institution dedicated to the needs of small businesses, is proud to announce the three $500 scholarship recipients for the Introduction to Entrepreneurship course: JJ Higgins, Darla Pennington and Ryan Johnson.
The course began January 19 and is offered through UMKC Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation with a partnership between University of Missouri–Kansas City (UMKC) and the Blue Springs School District (BSSD). It is aimed to educate high school students and adults wanting to start a business or better their small business skills.
Annette Seago, the Deputy Superintendent of BSSD, believes that the class is not only opening doors for the participants, but for the Blue Springs Community as a whole. “This class is blazing the trail for future partnership activities with UMKC, while providing community members an opportunity to learn more about being an entrepreneur, ensuring an auspicious future for our students and community members alike,” Seago said.
Pennington, 53, is a co-owner of PennTech, Inc., a mechanical and electrical contractor, and owner of iSupply, Inc., a wholesale industrial supplier. “I’m looking forward to applying what I learn to both businesses,” said Pennington. “In the Intro. to Entrepreneurship class, I’m very excited to learn about feasible studies...and their application to iSupply since it is a new company.”
Johnson, 38, is a multi-media sales executive with The Examiner newspaper. He is looking forward to the opportunity to expanding his knowledge in the area of business, since he so closely works with businesses and business owners every day. “I know the course information will give me greater insight on how business owners think and process information when it comes to their business,” said Johnson. ”This will allow me to bring value to my current and new clients, as I will have more appreciation of what owning your own business is like from the ground up.”
“I am honored and truly appreciate being the recipient of this scholarship from Lead Bank,” Pennington said. “I’m confident that my businesses as well as our community will see long-term benefits from their investment.”
About Lead Bank
For more than 85 years, Lead Bank has remained a strong independent commercial bank dedicated to delivering smart financial solutions for business owners, managers and their families and communities. With two Missouri locations in Garden City and Lee’s Summit, Lead Bank provides treasury management, lending services, and personal client products. Lead Bank also offers advisory services to companies from bookkeeping to business brokerage services through its division, Lead Business Advisors. For additional information about Lead Bank, call (816) 220.8600 or visit lead.bank.