The 2022 Byron G. Thompson Medal has been awarded to Ken Williams, Chief Financial Officer at Black & Veatch. Father Luke Turner, Director of the Thompson Center for Integrity and Ethics at Benedictine College, presented the medal during a reception and ceremony held at 1 Ward Parkway, on May 4.
The Byron G. Thompson Medal was first announced on Byron Thompson’s birthday—July 22, 2018—along with Benedictine College’s Byron G. Thompson Center for Integrity in Finance and Economics.
The Center was established at Benedictine, Byron’s alma mater, to carry out the legacy of his lifelong commitment to integrity in finance and economics. The Center's mission is to support the next generation of ethical leaders in financial professions.
The medal, cast with a likeness of Byron, is presented annually to a person who demonstrates a commitment to integrity in their personal and professional lives; has demonstrated notable professional skills and competence; has made a significant contribution in finance, economics, banking, commerce, or entrepreneurship; and contributes to community life outside the bounds of their profession. The medal recipient also receives an endowed scholarship in their name that is awarded each year to a Thompson Fellow attending Benedictine.
Ken honed his background in business development, strategy and risk management through his tenure at global engineering and construction company Fluor and Black & Veatch, the largest engineering firm in the Kansas City area. As CFO at Black & Veatch, Ken establishes corporate financial policies and leads the company’s global financial operations.
He previously served as President and CEO of Catholic Charities in Northeast Kansas and as CFO for World Vision International, a $3 billion non-profit organization focused on attacking the root causes of poverty that affect children around the world. Ken is a member of the board of directors at Black & Veatch, the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation and the KU Edwards Board of Advisors.
CCB Chairman Paul Thompson opened the program, followed by remarks from Benedictine President Stephen Minnis and Byron’s grandson Jake Thompson, who is a current student at Benedictine. Tom Hoenig, the former Tenth District president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, and later the vice chairman of the FDIC in Washington, D.C., delivered the keynote remarks. Hoenig, who is a graduate of Benedictine College (then St. Benedict's College), offered insights into the factors that have contributed to the current inflationary pressures and the actions he believes are necessary to alleviate them. Chris Thompson, EVP of CCB Capital Markets Group and father of Jake, closed out the evening.
To learn more about the Thompson Center and the Thompson Medal, listen to this recent episode of our "Banking on KC" podcast featuring Benedictine College President Stephen Minnis.
Commentaires