Columbia, Mo. — The Greater Missouri Leadership Foundation (GMLF) Board is pleased to announce the selection of Katie Steele Danner as the organization’s new executive director. Current Executive Director Jan Grossmann has served in the position since 2012 and announced her retirement effective December 2019. The GMLF board began a search for the new executive director this past summer and out of a very competitive pool, selected Danner to fill the role.
“We are so excited about this announcement as Katie brings to this position decades of experience and over 20 years of involvement with GMLF as an alumna of the class, past member of the board of directors and a past President of the organization,” GMLF Board President Kim Becking said.
Danner comes to GMLF after serving as the director of the Division of Professional Registration at the Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions & Professional Registration. She has also served as the director of the Missouri Division of Tourism and deputy director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development. In addition to her experience in state government, she has extensive service in the non-profit world in the Branson and Kansas City areas. She was elected to three terms in the Missouri House of Representative for the 2nd Legislative District, which encompassed Kirksville, Missouri. She has a proven track record of working collaboratively on both sides of the aisle and her dedication and passion for our state can be seen through her multitude of professional and community roles she has served in throughout her career.
“The Greater Missouri Leadership Challenge empowers women across our state to be more engaged in their communities and in our state to address critical issues. I have seen first-hand through my involvement in Greater Missouri for decades the impact that this organization has had in our state.” Danner said. “This is what led me to apply for the Executive Director position, to mentor and build relationships with existing alumna and those who will go through the program in the future.”
Danner will be replacing Grossmann as the Executive Director on January 1, 2020, but will begin working with Grossmann effective on September 9, 2019 to transition to the new role. Grossmann started her term as executive director in 2013 after going through the program. She has long been active in the Columbia, Missouri, community through Chamber of Commerce, Women’s Network, Rotary, and as a small business owner. Upon her retirement, Grossman and her husband Larry plan to relocate to North Carolina to be closer to family.
Reflecting on her time at the helm of the organization, Jan stated, “The highlight of my career has been to serve as Executive Director for Greater Missouri Leadership Foundation, where I’ve been able to personally touch and positively influence the lives of several hundred exceptional women leaders, inspiring them and guiding them through our programming, as they experience Greater Missouri Leadership Challenge. Greater Missouri Leadership has grown dramatically in the past several years, and I look forward to watching its continued growth under Katie Steele Danner’s leadership.”
Since 1990, the Greater Missouri Leadership Challenge (GMLC) has been providing a unique introduction for exceptional women leaders across Missouri to the complex issues facing our communities, state, and nation. The Challenge is a statewide year-long leadership symposium (program) that provides a four-session, three day/ two night program (symposia) each year for selected women leaders. Participation in GMLC provides women leaders with unique personal and professional leadership growth opportunities Greater Missouri is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization.
For more information about the Greater Missouri Leadership Foundation, please visit greatermo.org.
