Our gratitude runs deep for our Corporate Partners, who demonstrate their commitment to women business owners by supporting the work of KC-CWBO.

Joy Wheeler, President, FirstGuard Health Plan
KC-CWBO Founding Corporate Partner

Joy Wheeler, President of FirstGuard Health Plan, has demonstrated her insight into and understanding of women in business by becoming our first Corporate Partner in 2001. Since that time, FirstGuard as a company and Joy as an individual have reaffirmed their support through participation in KC-CWBO activities and in promoting KC-CWBO to potential members. For this, we thank them.

FirstGuard Health Plan is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Swope Community Enterprises in Kansas City, Missouri. FirstGuard became operational in January 1997, in response to the privatization of health coverage for the Missouri Medicaid population.

Joy Wheeler is the senior executive responsible for initial development and execution of the FirstGuard Health Plan, which has had significant growth and success. In addition, Ms. Wheeler led FirstGuard Health Plan through the acquisition of the assets of Horizon Health Plan of Topeka, Kansas in 1999. This acquisition doubled FirstGuard’s membership and provided FirstGuard with the opportunity to be an insurer for Kansas Medicaid recipients. FirstGuard’s current membership exceeds 135,000 lives with over $230 million in annual revenue.

FirstGuard has been profitable since start-up and is recognized for caring, compassionate service and ethical business practices.

The KC-CWBO is honored to have Joy Wheeler and FirstGuard as its Founding Corporate Partner.

Read Joy Wheeler’s bio
Visit the FirstGuard Health Plan website

Kelly Scanlon, President, Kansas City Small Business Monthly
KC-CWBO Corporate Partner, 2003

Kelly Scanlon has repeatedly been the champion of women business owners, as evidenced by the coverage her publication gives to women and minority firms and issues that affect them. Her unwavering support is also evident in that fact that her company, the Kansas City Small Business Monthly, is KC-CWBO’s newest Corporate Partner. Because of Kelly, the KC-CWBO now has the opportunity to be more visible in the business community through consistent placement of an ad series in her publication.

However, the KC Small Business Monthly is more than a publication; it is an information resource organization dedicated to growing small businesses and entrepreneurs. This mission is accomplished by providing:

1. Practical "how to" strategy articles on a variety of topics critical to small business success;
2. Connections for small businesses and entrepreneurs to the resources (organizations, classes, people and events) that can help them grow;
3. Advocacy on behalf of small businesses through feature profiles of entrepreneurs and their achievements, information celebrating small businesses and their economic impact; and sponsoring events that promote entrepreneurs and small business owners (including the Annual "25 Under 25" Awards event.)

The information is disseminated through a variety of channels, including a monthly magazine, annual publications, weekly radio programming ("Eye on Small Business"), bi-weekly electronic newsletter, Web sites and live events.

In addition, Kelly Scanlon has amassed many awards and honors as the publisher of the Kansas City Small Business Monthly. The KC-CWBO is truly proud to have Kelly Scanlon and her company as our Corporate Partner.

Read Kelly Scanlon’s record of awards and honors
Visit the Kansas City Small Business Monthly website