Executive Leadership Team
E. Frank Ellis
Chairman & CEO
For thirty-five years, Frank has been a driving force behind the growth and development of Swope Community Enterprises’ member companies. He was president and CEO of Swope Health Services, formerly Swope Parkway Health Center, for twenty-one years, chairman and CEO of FirstGuard Health Plan, Swope Community Enterprises, Swope Community Builders, and the Applied Urban Research Institute, all of which work to improve quality of life for patients and residents in surrounding communities.
Mr. Ellis has received local and national recognition for his impact as a social entrepreneur – effectively applying business principles and practices to address the total health and economic well being of the indigent and working poor. He has successfully fostered public-private partnerships resulting in investments in some of Kansas City’s most blighted and depressed neighborhoods, transforming them with new housing, office and retail space, resulting in new jobs, social services, economic growth and a restored sense of pride, hope and self-sufficiency.
Mr. Ellis serves on the boards of the Heart of America Boy Scouts, United Missouri Bank, Rockhurst University, UMKC Trustees, Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Council, Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, Kansas City Area Development Council, Starlight Theatre, and Midwest Research Institute Board of Trustees. He is a former Chairman of the Board of Brush Creek Community Partners.
He graduated from the University of Michigan with a Master of Science degree in Public Health, and has performed postgraduate work at Harvard University School of Business.
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Gary L. Brown
General Counsel
As general counsel, Gary manages litigation matters, contract issues, and manages outside counsel for Swope Community Enterprises and its member companies.
Prior to joining Swope in 2003, Gary had twenty years of legal experience as general counsel with Global Water Technologies, Inc.; Psychrometric Systems, Inc. in Golden, CO; Fischbach Corporation in Englewood, CO, and as a partner with Gorsuch, Kirgis, Campbell, Walker and Grover in Denver. His experience has included contract review and negotiation, EEOC compliance and litigation, bonding and insurance issues, and general liability.
Mr. Brown holds a Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from Washburn University Law School in Topeka, KS, and a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, KS.
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Verneda Robinson
Chief Operating Officer, Swope Community Enterprise Services
Verneda is responsible for overseeing all Human Resources functions including Compensation and Benefits, Staff Development and Training, Organizational Development, and Employee Relations for Swope Community Enterprises and its member companies.
She joined the company in 2001 after serving as president of V. Robinson & Co., Inc., a management consulting firm specializing in business consulting, human resources management, professional development training and coaching, and executive placement.
Previously she moved through a progression of positions at Western Resources and Missouri Gas Energy, including Vice President of Customer Service and Accounting. Her accomplishments include developing and implementing customer service policy, facilities management, and centralization of all customer service functions including
Customer billing, accounts receivable collections, customer call centers and training.
Verneda is a member of the Board of Directors of YouthNet, Kansas City. Previously she served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Gem Theater, the YWCA Advisory Board, KCPT, The National Association of Women Business Owners, and Junior Achievement of Middle America. She is a graduate of the Kansas City Tomorrow program.
She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Washburn University, an MBA and a Master of Arts in Management, both from Webster University of St. Louis.
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Kant Doshi
Senior Vice President
Kant is responsible for business development strategies for Swope Community Enterprises and its member companies. He has been affiliated with Swope since 1982 as an independent financial management and business development consultant. He was instrumental in designing member company business models and finance functions and assisted in formulating merger, acquisition and affiliation strategies for Swope’s board of directors and senior management team.
Prior to joining Swope Community Enterprises, Kant was owner and president of Doshi and Associates, P.C., a financial management and consulting firm specializing in advisory services for federal and state government agencies, commercial, private and not-for-profit clients. His clients included the Department of Health and Human Services, where he provided services to most of the Blue Cross/Blue Shield companies in the Midwest to establish their Medicare reporting and managed care operation. He has done extensive work for the Small Business Administration to provide 7(j) assistance, and for the Department of Education, which named him Contractor of the Year in 1992.
Before forming his own company, Kant was a partner in a local accounting firm
providing business analysis, expansion, merger and acquisition consulting and accounting services, and a manager of a regional accounting firm.
Kant has been a part owner in several businesses over the past twenty years including commercial and residential property development and management, property maintenance, fire sprinkler supply, and small business venture capital investment.
Kant was born in India and moved to the United States in 1970. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Accounting from the University of Bombay, Bombay, India, and a Master of Science in Business Administration from Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas. He is a Certified Public Accountant.
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Barrett Hatches
Chief Operating Officer, SCE
Barrett is responsible for the strategic operations of the Swope Health Services system of nonprofit health centers, and Swope Community Builders, a community development corporation.
Prior to joining Swope, Barrett was president and chief executive officer of Northern Indiana Public Service Co., Northern Indiana Fuel & Light Company, and Kokomo Gas & Fuel Company in Merrillville, Indiana. He previously held senior management positions with SEMCO Energy in Port Huron, Michigan and Anchorage, Alaska, where he served as president and CEO of ENSTAR National Gas, and with North American Salt Company and Missouri Gas Energy, both in Kansas City.
Barrett holds a Master of Arts in Management from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi. He has been actively involved in community leadership wherever he has lived including serving as chairman of the board of directors of the Northwest Indiana Urban League; a board member of the Providence Hospital Foundation in Anchorage, Alaska; and chairman of the Port Huron Hospital Business and Professional Committee. He was named one of the 100 Most Influential Africa-Americans in Kansas City in 1994.
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Patrick Kaufman
Vice President Finance and Accounting
Swope Community Enterprise Services
Pat joined SCE/SCES in October 2005, with responsibility for accounting operations, financial reporting, fiscal policy, investment planning, materials management and risk management.
Pat brings 17 years of accounting and financial experience from the for-profit and non-profit sectors. Most recently, he was Director of Finance at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research with responsibility for the finance, accounting, employee benefits, and
Grants administration functions. Prior to that, he spent seven years at Sprint Corporation in various finance and accounting roles. Pat also worked in public accounting at Deloitte & Touche.
He is a member of the American Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants. He is a member of the Kansas City Tomorrow program and has served on numerous non-profit boards, most recently with Wildwood Outdoor Educational Center. He is a native of Winfield, Kansas, and a graduate of the University of Kansas in Lawrence where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Business Administration.
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Sylvia Robinson
President, Swope Center for Career Advancement (SCCA)
Sylvia joined SCE in January 2007 as president of the Swope Center for Career Advancement, a new business unit that provides workforce development and educational opportunities for low income youth and adults.
Prior to joining Swope, Sylvia was a vice president with the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City. She brings a wealth of experience in philanthropy, education, research and evaluation, strategic planning and professional development to this position. Dr. Robinson also served as Director of Education Policy for Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas. In this capacity she served as a member of the Governor’s cabinet and advised the Governor on education issues vital to the state’s education system for pre-kindergarten through postsecondary education. Prior to being appointed as the Director of Education Policy, Dr. Robinson was a vice president with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.
Sylvia graduated from Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education. She received a Master of Science degree and a Ph.D. from the University of Kansas. Her professional activities have involved serving as president of the Grantmaker Forum for Community and National Service and her civic activities have included serving on boards of directors for the Kansas Board of Regents, Kansas City, Kansas Board of Education, Kansas University Medical Center’s Hospital Authority Board and most recently, the K-State Foundation Board of Trustees.
She has received numerous awards and recognition during her career. Most recently she was selected Alumni Fellow for Kansas State University in the college of education and was inducted into the Mid-America Educator Hall of Fame.
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