Kansas City, Mo – Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas today announced appointments to the Small Business Task Force to improve the development and support of Kansas City’s small businesses and entrepreneurs. The task force will be charged with developing a preliminary and long-term strategic plan to provide necessary funding, programming, technical assistance, and other support services to foster an inclusive and equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem. 

“Kansas City’s small businesses are vital to our growing community and economy, but there are a number of barriers entrepreneurs continue to face when growing or starting their business, including access to funding and resources for support. To ensure our community and economy continue to grow and be successful, we must invest in the entrepreneur with a dream for a startup, or the small business owner who is struggling to make ends meet,” said Mayor Lucas. “I am proud to appoint the Small Business Task Force to make it easier to grow businesses in our community and make Kansas City become the most small business-friendly city in America.” 

“As a small business owner, I understand the challenges that small business owners face starting and running their businesses,” said Mayor Pro Tem Ryana Parks-Shaw.  “It was extremely important for me to sponsor the ordinance to create the task force. I look forward to their report and recommendations.”


Small Business Task Force Appointees: 

• Second District Councilman Wes Rogers, Chair

• Davin Gordon, Hall Family Foundation

• Thalia Cherry, CEO/Founder of Cherry Co.

• Morgan Holecek, City of Kansas City

• Evan Absher, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law

• Christine Lau, Made in KC

• Phyllis Hernandez, Owner of Sala de Arte


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