DeBruce Companies is a single family office managing a diverse investment portfolio of Paul DeBruce, founder and former CEO of DeBruce Grain, Inc.Founded in 1978, DeBruce Grain and its affiliated companies became a multinational, industry-leading agricultural and grain-trading organization with over $5 billion in annual revenues before being sold to Gavilon in 2011.The portfolio of DeBruce Companies includes private equity and other asset class investments across a broad range of industries, including biotech, energy, manufacturing, technology and real estate.

I'm honored to launch TIGER 21 in Kansas City. TIGER 21 is a world class, global peer community established to help ultra high-net-worth founders and investors to achieve their wealth preservation, growth goals, and significance. In our premier membership group, members help their peers in the movement from "Success to Significance". As a group Chair and peer, I create a space where members work with each other to improve our ability to invest wisely, handle family wealth and relationship issues, and engage in high impact philanthropy. We are life-long learners from a variety of incredible backgrounds. Evaluating deals, helping each other with confidential issues and opportunities and challenging one another to be better.

A collaboration of family offices and high net worth individuals to support Kansas City’s Next Generation (NextGen) of businesses and their ecosystem.

The Capitus Group is comprised of highly experienced business leaders who have owned, operated, turned around, bought, sold, analyzed and led a wide variety of organizations. Expertise includes corporate transition advisory services including growth, turnaround and exit planning.

At Bank of Kansas City, our clients enjoy the advantages of banking locally with a community partner. But they also experience the breadth of products, resources and expertise only a regional powerhouse can offer. As part of BOK Financial Corporation, we're backed by the strength of a $32 billion financial leader so you can bank with confidence. We provide financial solutions to lower-middle market businesses. Capabilities include: operating lines of credit, cash management, owner occupied real estate, equipment financing, business and succession planning, acquisition financing, letters of credit, private equity, interest rate hedging and foreign exchange.

Co-founded company to acquire intellectual property portfolio of the EarCheck product line, a hand-held, FDA medical device to detect the presence of middle ear fluid, a key sign of ear infections. Responsibilities/accomplishments included:.Initially served as CFO/COO - responsible for all accounting, administrative, operational and legal functions of company.Responsible for all equity financing - nearly $6 million.Assisted in product development and responsible for manufacturing transfer.Established and managed all manufacturing/distribution of product and packaging, including contract manufacturer in China.Responsible for all regulatory compliance (FDA).Responsible for administration of all intellectual property (11 US Patents and over 30 International).Established all accounting and operational SOP's for company.Launched manufacturing quality program and SOP's.Established on-line sales capabilities.Involved in national retail product launch of product including distribution, promotion, advertising and marketing.

Started Kessinger Consulting Associates (KCA), a management consulting firm specializing in value-added services to entrepreneurial, growth businesses. KCA also served as the management firm for the Enterprise Center of Johnson County, a technology-oriented, small business incubator, and the Bio-Technology Development Center, a "wet-lab" incubator. KCA also served as the Commercialization Office for the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation (KTEC) and administered Prairie Investments in Technology Advancements, a seed capital fund.Services included technology evaluation, market studies, financial projections, business valuations, business planning, strategic evaluation and planning, debt and equity consultation and placement.Founded and administered the Bi-State Investment Group, LLC, an angel-financing group. Assisted in starting nearly 100 companies raising approximately $50 million in equity financing.Co-Founded Kansas Womens Business Center.

Purchased and assumed full responsibility of turning around this financially distressed, 42 year old electronic manufacturing company. Accomplishments included raising capital, empowering employees, redesigning product line and marketing materials, launching over 35 new products, implementing new information/product costing system, reducing product costs by 50%, reducing inventory by 67%, and reducing operating expenses by 35%. Successfully sold to international concern in 1997.

Client services included business plan evaluation and consultation, facilitation of strategic planning, capital structure advice, corporate valuations, assistance in raising capital and merger/acquisition transactions and general management consulting of entrepreneurial and start-up clients. Administrative functions included planning, coordinating and implementing all sales and marketing activities of the Kansas City/Wichita offices.

Complete responsibility for overall operations including budgeting, marketing, investment criteria, proposal evaluation, transaction negotiations, portfolio management and business consultation. Total funds under management exceeded $15 million.