CXS | Arvest Bank Presents: Conversations from the Top - Kelly Scanlon, CEO Thinking Bigger Business Media, Inc. - Noon

Kelly Scanlon is the owner of Thinking Bigger Business Media, Inc., a company that publishes and produces a variety of products and events that connect growth-minded business owners with practical strategies, resources and information that will take them to the next level of success. The company publishes monthly and annual business magazines, web content, e-newsletters, and produces a radio show, as well as several networking, educational and awards events, including the annual 25 Under 25® awards that recognize 25 companies with fewer than 25 employees.
Kelly serves on a variety of boards designed to advocate and assist small businesses. She served on the national board of directors for the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), and is a past national chair of the organization. In 2009-2010, she served as the national public policy director. She was also a member of the organization’s National Advisory Council. She has twice served as president of NAWBO’s Kansas City Chapter.

Kelly was a member of the steering committee for the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s BIG 5 Entrepreneurship initiative. She is also a founding member of StartKC and also served on the Small Diverse and Emerging Business Council for the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, and on the Johnson County Community College Collegiate Entrepreneurship Organization’s advisory board.

She was recognized in August 2011 on a list published by Forbes.com as one of the “Top 25 Women Tweeting About Entrepreneurship.”

In addition, she has served on the board of directors for the Northeast Johnson County Chamber of Commerce, on the advisory board for the UMKC Bloch School of Business & Public Administration, on the board of directors for the Entrepreneurial Exchange II and was publicly elected to a three-year term on the Johnson County Extension Council, where she served on the Community Development Committee.

Kelly has received numerous honors and awards in recognition of her role in the small business community. Among them are the 2011 United Nations NGO Positive Peace Award on behalf of Kansas City area small business owners; U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2009 Region VII Women’s Business Advocate (for Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska); Women’s Business Advocate for the State of Kansas, 2006; U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2002 Region VII Small Business Journalist Advocate of the Year; U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2000 Small Business Journalist of the Year Award for the Kansas City district; Women Who Mean Business in Kansas City from the Business Journal, 2001; Golden Door Knob Award from the First Step Fund, 2002, for opening doors for entrepreneurs; Women in Communications 2003 Leading Change Award; 2003 Honorary Member of SCORE; and the 2007-2008 NAWBO-KC Teambuilder Award.