As the new assistant men’s coach, Burke Slusher brings more than 20 years of coaching and playing experience to the Kansas City Kansas Community College soccer program.
The assistant to head coach Ruben Rodriguez, Slusher comes to KCKCC after serving as the assistant coach for men and women at William Jewell College.
“I played with Tait Einerson (KCKCC women’s assistant coach) and was familiar with Coach Rodriguez reputation in coaching so it was an easy decision to come here,” Slusher said. “Also, everyone wants the program to go in the right direction.”
A native of the Kansas City area, Slusher grew up in the northland, attending and playing at North Kansas City High School. He played collegiate soccer for Missouri State University (formerly Southwest Missouri State University).
Slusher coached youth with the KC Pace soccer club, winning Missouri state championships in 2005 and 2007, and served as an associate head coach and director of goalkeeping for the Kansas City Brass PDL from 2002-2013.
In addition, Slusher has been a coach for the Wizards youth training program, Missouri ODP identification camps, William Jewell goalkeeping camp director, and a talent evaluator for Sporting KC and FC Kansas City open tryouts.
Pete Zevenbergen, who has expanded the scope and services of Wyandotte County’s community mental health center into a family of organizations to address a broader range of client needs, has announced that he will retire from his role as president and CEO of Wyandot Inc., effective June 30, 2014.
Randy Callstrom, current executive director of PACES, the Wyandot, Inc. agency that serves children, adolescents and families, will assume the leadership role of Wyandot Inc. on July 1. Callstrom has been with Wyandot Inc. related agencies since 1993.
The Rev. Ken Nettling, Wyandot Inc. board chair, said that Zevenbergen accelerated his retirement plans following the March 20 car accident that claimed the life of his 20-year-old son Robert.
“This is a bittersweet transition for our organization,” Nettling said. “Pete has brought a unique and visionary leadership style to Wyandot Inc. and Wyandotte County. He has expanded services significantly, cultivated strong community partnerships and enhanced our visibility locally, statewide and nationally – all in support of our mission to improve the quality of life of Wyandotte County residents.”
Zevenbergen plans to return to his native Iowa where he previously served as executive director of two community mental health centers.
“This will place Pete and his wife Cindy close to their families,” Nettling said.
Zevenbergen joined Wyandot Center in 2000 as executive director of the community mental health center. In 2010, he restructured the organization. Wyandot Inc. is the parent company of four nonprofit agencies: Wyandot Center, serving mental health needs of adults; PACES, providing services for children, adolescents and families; Kim Wilson Housing, developing innovative solutions to housing challenges; and City Vision, developing urban Kansas City, Kan.
Zevenbergen has grown the organization to a $31 million budget with 366 full-time and 189 part-time employees serving in multiple Wyandotte County locations and providing extensive community-based services.
For his local, state and national leadership in the mental health field, Zevenbergen received multiple awards including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare at its annual meeting in 2006. He was also recipient of the Distinguished Leadership Award from The Community Leadership Association (2006); the Jackson-Scroggins Distinguished Service Award from Friends of Yates for promoting a “safety net” for domestic violence victims; the Chamberlain-Rapp Exemplary Leadership Award by Kansas consumers (2008); and the Kansas NAMI Provider of the Year recognition.
“Pete and Randy will work together to help ensure a smooth leadership transition across our organization and with community and statewide partners,” Nettling said. “This will include naming the new executive director for PACES.”
The meeting location has been changed for the 5 p.m. special session of the Unified Government Commission Thursday, April 10.
The 5 p.m. meeting location has been changed to Commission Chambers, lobby level, City Hall, 701 N. 7th, Kansas City, Kan.
The Unified Government Commission is scheduled to discuss changes to the charter ordinance and code of ethics at the 5 p.m. meeting. There is also a 7 p.m. meeting at the same location.
A healthy campus presentation has been added to the 5 p.m. meeting topics.
