A diverse group of 11 professionals with an array of experience in higher education, business, banking, public service and law enforcement has joined the Emporia State University Foundation Board of Trustees.
“These incoming trustees bring a wealth of knowledge and a broad range of skills and experience to their roles as trustees,” said Shane Shivley, president/CEO of Emporia State University Foundation. “Their enthusiasm and dedication to ESU is remarkable, and I am excited for the work we will do together for the advancement of Emporia State.”
The new trustees are:
Bob Baker
Bob Baker, 60, of Wichita, Kansas, is president of Clark Investment Group, a private real estate development and investment company. Baker’s broad range of experience in corporate taxation includes mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcies, multi-state and international projects, and accounting for income taxes. He received the Wichita Business Journal’s CFO Award in 2013.
Aaron Bauck
Aaron Bauck, 44, of Birmingham, Alabama, is senior director of OptumCare Speciality Practices at Surgical Care Affiliates Health, where he is responsible for due diligence assessment on the potential acquisitions of the company. The firm operates more than 130 ambulatory surgery centers across the United States with more than 2,000 physician partners.
Dennis Brockman
Dennis Brockman, 58, of Seattle, Washington, is the senior vice president of U.S. Operations at Starbucks, where he has also served as the company’s senior vice president and global chief inclusion and diversity officer, its regional vice president for the Midwest region, its district manager in the Kansas City metropolitan area, and its regional director for stores in Chicago.
Edward Cates
Edward Cates, 51, of Stockbridge, Georgia, is vice president of marketing for ARCO Design/Build, a national leader in design-build construction that has completed more than 5,000 projects in more than 400 U.S. cities. He founded Nuance Marketing, a marketing, communication and advertising agency in 2007. He previously worked for Bank of America Corp. and Carter Brothers LLC.
Greg Ek
Greg Ek, 69, of Wichita, Kansas, is a first vice president, branch manager and financial advisor with Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. In 2007, Ek and his brothers, John Ek and Larry Ek, established the Don & Elaine Ek Family Scholarship at ESU that’s open to full-time freshmen who graduated from Emporia High School and are majoring in education or business.
Rob Gilligan
Emporia native Rob Gilligan, 46, is president and chief executive officer of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce. Before moving to Missouri, Gilligan served three terms as Emporia’s mayor, directed Ignite Emporia with the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce, and was a member of both the Emporia Main Street Board of Directors and the Regional Development Association of East Central Kansas Board of Directors.
Rose Haggerty
Rose Haggerty, 71, was the health and PE manager for K-12 schools in the Houston Independent School District from 1976 to 2014. In that role she helped the district receive grant funds from agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Education, the Texas Education Agency and the University of Texas School of Public Health. She also served as co-chair of the Healthy Kids, Healthy Schools Initiative and facilitated the district's nationally recognized School Health Advisory Council. She was the Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance’s associate executive director from 2017-2021.
Mary Leonida
Mary Leonida, 67, of Fairway, Kansas, is president of The Polaris Companies and chief executive officer of Track Consulting Services. Throughout her lengthy career she has created business plans, conducted evaluations on asset allocation and assisted businesses with development of marketing and expansion strategies. Her consulting background covers a wide range of areas, including commercial real estate, start-up businesses and national franchise restaurants and has led to numerous board memberships and leadership positions with national and state organizations.
Peggy Miles
Peggy Miles, 72, of Midlothian, Virginia, was supervisor of psychological services for Chesterfield County Public Schools, where she managed a staff of psychologists and educational diagnosticians for the district. She retired in 2011 after 22 years of service.
Scott Seeling
Scott Seeling, 47, a 25-year veteran of the U.S. Marshal Service has been the U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Missouri since the Attorney General named him to the post in January 2022. In that role he is responsible for oversight, strategic planning and execution of the service’s missions, which includes a wide range of duties such as fugitive apprehension and protection of judicial officers.
Ken Weaver
Dr. Ken Weaver, 71, a professor of psychology and retired dean of The Teachers College at Emporia State University, is deeply connected with ESU, where he began teaching in 1986. He received the Roe R. Cross Distinguished Professor Award in 1999, which recognizes professors who best demonstrate teaching excellence, service to the university outside the classroom and status as a student mentor. At The Teachers College, Weaver’s accommodations include the Darrell E. Wood Service Award (2011), the Excellence in Service Award (2008), the Excellence in Scholarly Activity Award (2004), the Excellence in Scholarly Activity Award (1998), the Excellence in Service Award (1994), and the Excellence in Instruction Award (1989).
Emporia State University Foundation Trustees are actively involved in university events and programs and serve to raise philanthropic resources to advance ESU’s mission. They also serve as role models for potential donors by generously contributing their own time and resources.