New leaders assume their roles on K-State Alumni Association board of directors
The K-State Alumni Association board of directors transitioned its membership and leadership June 5 during the board’s annual meeting. This year’s meeting was held digitally.
Nabeeha Kazi Hutchins, Washington, D.C., who was named chair-elect last year, assumed her leadership position as 2020-21 chair at the annual meeting. Hutchins earned dual bachelor's degrees from K-State in 1996. She is the founder and major initiatives adviser for Humanitas Global and the vice president of programs for KaBOOM!. Kendal Frazier, Centennial, Colorado, now fills the immediate past-chair position until June 2021. A 1973 K-State graduate, Frazier worked more than 34 years for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association before retiring as CEO earlier this year. Candace Hart Duncan, Bethesda, Maryland, was named the incoming chair-elect. Duncan, a 1975 K-State graduate, is former managing partner of the KPMG Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area. She was with KPMG for 37 years.
In a general election this spring, members of the Alumni Association approved a slate of five new members of the board of directors.
These alumni also began their four-year terms at the board's annual meeting and will continue to June 2024.
They are Morgan Fisher '04, Arlington, Virginia, assistant director of student-athlete support services at Howard University; Lydia Peele Kinkade '09, Overland Park, Kansas, co-founder and managing director at iiM; Steve Lacy '76, '77, Des Moines, Iowa, chairman of the Meredith Corporation board of directors; John Niemann '93, Mount Hope, Kansas, president of Protein Ingredients & International for Cargill Inc.; Karen Wiley Works '76, Humbolt, Kansas, a registered dietician and retired child nutrition consultant for the Kansas Department of Education.
Additional board leadership includes Carl R. Ice '79, Westlake, Texas, president and CEO of BNSF Railway and chairman of the Kansas State University Foundation board of directors; Curt Frasier '73, Beloit, Kansas, partner with Frasier, Johnson and Martin LLC and board treasurer; Amy Button Renz '76, '86, Manhattan, president and CEO of the Alumni Association and board secretary; K-State President Richard Myers '65, Manhattan; Greg Willems, Manhattan, president and CEO of the KSU Foundation is an ex officio member.
Two K-State students will serve year-long appointments. They are Tel Wittmer, Holton, Kansas, K-State student body president, and Ariana Coker, Shawnee, Kansas, Student Alumni Board president.
Outgoing members recognized for their service to the Alumni Association's board of directors were Debra Downing Ball '81, Eureka, Kansas; Bill Keller '72, Pratt, Kansas; Calvin Mayfield '92, Kansas City, Kansas; Skye Hang Nguyen '97, Olathe, Kansas; and Sylvia White Robinson '71, exiting past-chair, Kansas City, Kansas.
Jansen Penny, Burlington, Colorado, 2019-20 K-State student body president, and Keaton Petite, Junction City, Kansas, 2019-20 Student Alumni Board president, also were recognized for their service.
"On behalf of the Alumni Association, I would like to extend our utmost appreciation for the leadership these volunteers, both past and present, have given to the organization," Renz said. "These K-Staters provide us with their time, talents and experiences which allow us to be better stewards of our mission to 'to lead and inspire lifelong involvement that will benefit Kansas State University and all members of our Wildcat Community.'"