The 2013 Pinnacle Awards
Are you inspired by someone who makes Johnson County a better place? Say 'thank you' by nominating them for the Pinnacle Award.
The Pinnacle Award was launched by the Johnson County Library Foundation in 2002 to recognize excellence in the arts, and has since grown to include advocacy and public engagement, business and entrepreneurship and literacy and education. Each year, the Library Foundation honors community leaders — picked by you — who demonstrate excellence in these four areas.
The Library Foundation welcomes your nominations!
Nominations are open through Thursday, July 11, 2013. If you need help filling out the online form, please call (913) 495-7579 and our Foundation staff will be happy to help. All nominations will be considered by the Pinnacle Award committee, appointed by the Johnson County Library Foundation.
Pinnacle Award winners will be honored at the 2013 Pinnacle Award Recognition Dinner on Thursday, October 17, 2013. For information on Pinnacle event tickets and sponsorships, call (913) 495-7579.
Nominate someone who inspires you »
The 2012 Pinnacle Awards
2012 Pinnacle Awards Sponsors
Judge Kathleen Sloan
Judge Sloan presented a very moving speech at this year's Pinnacle Awards Recognition Dinner. Here is some of what she had to say: When children’s writer Emilie Buchwald said, “Children are made readers on the laps of their parents,” she wasn’t talking about many of the children who come into my court.
For many of those children, the first book they’ll see is in school.
The first time they’ll read … is in school.
The first book they’ll finish … might be in school.
If … they make it to school.
Read Judge Sloan's full speech. (PDF)
From left to right: Chuck Haddix, Arts, Janis McMillen, Advocacy & Public Engagement, Joel Wiggins, Business & Entrepreneurship, Ron Gier, Literacy & Education, Stacy Jones, Business & Entrepreneurship, and Bob Zender, JCLF Board President.
More photos from the 2012 Pinnacle Awards Recognition Dinner.
2012 Honorees
Each year, honorees are acknowledged because they demonstrate excellence in their professional fields or philanthropic pursuits in your community.
Excellence in the Arts
Presented to an individual whose work as either a visual or performance artist or writer has had a significant influence on the cultural well-being of our community.
Chuck Haddix
Chuck Haddix is the director of the Marr Sound Archives, a collection of 338,000 historic sound recordings housed in the Miller Nichols Library at the University of Missouri--Kansas City. Haddix hosts the “Fish Fry” a popular radio program featuring the finest in blues, soul, rhythm and blues, jumpin’ jive and zydeco on KCUR FM 89.3, Kansas City’s public radio station, on Friday and Saturday nights from 8:00 to midnight. Over the years, Chuck has contributed to a wide variety of theatrical, recording, video and film projects including “Cronkite Remembers” a biography of Walter Cronkite, Robert Altman's “Kansas City” and Merchant-Ivory's “Mr. and Mrs. Bridge.” His articles have appeared in Down Beat and Living Blues Magazine. In 2005, he coauthored with Frank Driggs, a history of Kansas City jazz, Kansas City Jazz: From Ragtime to Bebop–A History for Oxford University Press.
Excellence in Advocacy and Public Engagement
Presented to a recognized leader who has made substantial philanthropic or public contributions to our community's improvement and development.
Janis McMillen
Janis McMillen became involved in public advocacy after joining the League of Women Voters where she was introduced to many opportunities to advocate for issues affecting her local community. Her advocacy efforts expanded statewide during her four years as president of the Kansas League of Women Voters. As a board member of United Community Services of Johnson County, she advocated in the Kansas legislature for continuing support of human services programs. As president of MainStream Coalition she advocated for church-state separation and quality public education. Currently she is serving as first vice-president of the League of Women Voters of the United States, where her public engagement and advocacy efforts have a more national focus. Prior to her volunteer activities, Janis spent her professional career in research and research management in the pharmaceutical industry after earning a PhD at the University of Kansas.
Excellence in Business and Entrepreneurship
Presented to a business person who has demonstrated innovation, an exceptional entrepreneurial talent and spirit, and contributed dynamic growth and economic well-being to our community.
Stacy Jones
Stacy Jones founded Helpers, Inc. in 2006 in response to a void she discovered in the delivery of in-home supportive care for developmentally disabled children and adults. She combined Fortune 500 human resource and recruiting expertise with empathy and understanding arising from having a developmentally disabled child. The result was an innovative approach to matching the skills and personality of each “Helper” with the unique needs of each family to create successful, rewarding and lasting supportive relationships. The Helpers, Inc. team has serviced over 2,000 families and currently employs over 800 Helpers throughout Kansas. In addition, Stacy serves as a leader on the Kansas Council for Developmental Disabilities and the Blue Valley Special Olympics board of directors. In 2009 the Kansas City Business Journal selected her as one of Kansas City’s Women Who Mean Business.
Presented to a business person who has demonstrated innovation, an exceptional entrepreneurial talent and spirit, and contributed dynamic growth and economic well-being to our community.
Dr. Joel Wiggins
Dr. Joel Wiggins is CEO & President of the Enterprise Center of Johnson County (ECJC), Kansas, which provides business assistance services to more than a dozen clients in the high-tech, biotech, and service industries. ECJC clients have raised $80M and generated sales of $110M while creating 850 net new jobs since 2000. Joel is also founding organizer and executive manager of the Mid-America Angels Investments, LLC. Started in March 2006, MAA has invested $9.6 million in 26 companies. In addition, he is vice chair of KU Edwards Workforce Development Advisory Board, and serves on the Kansas BIO Industry Advisory Panel, the KCNext Board, the National Association of Seed & Venture Funds Strategic Planning Committee, and the Invest Midwest Venture Forum Board. Joel holds a Ph.D. in Communication Studies from The University of Texas at Austin, and has conducted technology venture development workshops in more than a dozen countries
Excellence in Literacy and Education
Presented to an individual who has demonstrated a sustained commitment, either professionally or as a volunteer, to serving the causes of literacy or life-long learning in our community.
Ron Gier
As Vice President of Human Capital Planning & Employee Relations at Sprint, Ron Gier enables Sprint employees across the country be successful. His focus in the community is no different. Ron is passionate about improving educational opportunities for youth in science, technology, engineering and math. More specifically, he feels it is important to help students connect what they are learning with real world application as it increases their engagement and desire to learn. Ron serves on the industry council for the Kansas City STEM Alliance, has been a mentor for the Blue Valley School District’s FIRST Robotics team since 2007, and volunteers with Boy Scouts. He is a strong advocate for Project Lead the Way and the Blue Valley School District’s Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS). He connects those organizations with Sprint to provide both mentoring opportunities for the students and facilities for events. As a result of Ron’s passion for youth learning and involvement with the Blue Valley CAPS program led to the presentation of the “Friends of Education” Award presented to Sprint by the Blue Valley School District in 2009.
2011 Honorees