Brian Everist – Mission Hills
Brian D. Everist is president and CEO of Intercontinental Engineering-Manufacturing Corp. Intercon is a 55 year-old manufacturing firm headquartered in Kansas City, MO with additional facilities in Louisiana; the company traces it roots to several family-owned businesses dating back to 1876. Intercon specializes in the design, fabrication, machining, and assembly of heavy machinery while serving the defense, heavy industry, and marine transportation markets. Mr. Everist has previously served as a board member with Commerce Bank of Kansas City and TSM Services, Inc. He is also active in the community as a past member of both the Business Council Steering Committee at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the Young Presidents’ Organization. He is a 1973 graduate of Harvard University and earned his MBA from the University of Chicago in 1977.
Al Higdon – Wichita

Al Higdon served as director of public and media relations at two Fortune 500 companies between 1961 – 1971. He then co-founded the Sullivan Higdon & Sink advertising and public relations firm (now Signal Theory), which presently employs 170 people in offices in Kansas City and Wichita. Retiring as SHS Chairman/CEO in 1996 he taught graduate level courses in the Elliott School of Communication at Wichita State for eight years. Civically he served as interim CEO of the Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition, vice chair of the Wichita Area Chamber of Commerce, board member of Wichita Community Foundation, Salvation Army advisory board, president, Wichita River Festival, board chair of Exploration Place, trustee of Wichita Art Museum, president of Music Theatre of Wichita board, chairman of WSU Foundation National Advisory Council, WSU board of trustees, and chair of University of Kansas Endowment Association Chancellor’s Club. He is a business graduate of KU and a journalism graduate of WSU.