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Warren named civilian aide to secretary of Army

Patrick C. Warren, the newest Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army (CASA) was invested during a ceremony conducted on Aug. 16 at the Pentagon.

Warren was selected by the Acting Secretary of the Army, Ryan D. McCarthy, to represent Kansas (Greater Kansas City).

“One of the greatest opportunities I have had in my career at Kansas Speedway is meeting people who have chosen to serve our country,” Warren said in a news release. “I am honored to have the opportunity to serve in a different capacity as a CASA for the Greater Kansas City area, and look forward to working with the Army to achieve Secretary McCarthy’s priorities.”

CASAs are a vital part of the Army, promoting good relations between the Army and the public and advising the secretary about regional issues.

Each state, the District of Columbia and the five U.S. territories have one or more CASAs appointed to provide a vital link between the Army and the communities for which they serve. CASAs are usually business or civic leaders who possess a keen interest in the welfare of the Army and their communities.

A graduate of the University of Kansas with an undergraduate degree in political science followed by a Juris Doctorate, Warren worked in the KU Athletics Program for eight years following law school. Warren left KU to attend the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where he received his MBA with concentrations in finance and marketing in 2004. He joined Kansas Speedway in 2006 and was promoted to president in 2010. He received Fort Riley’s highest honor for private citizens, the Distinguished Trooper Award, in 2015 in recognition of his work with soldiers at the base.

Warren has served in leadership roles in a variety of civic organizations including the Board of Directors for the Kansas City, Kansas, Area Chamber of Commerce, Wyandotte County Economic Development Council, and Sunflower House. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and is an active member of the Whiteman Air Force Base Community Council.

CASAs serve a two-year term without compensation. Terms may be extended to a total of 10 years of service. The secretary may recognize a civilian aide as a CASA Emeritus after 10 years of service with distinguished service.

Kansas Speedway adds new infield hospitality option

Kansas Speedway has announced a new female-focused infield hospitality option called Beyond the Checkered.

This option will include question-and-answer sessions with women inside the NASCAR industry and Kansas City-based female executives, according to a spokesman.

According to the Kansas Speedway, those who have said they will participate in the question-and-answer sessions include Jill Gregory, NASCAR executive vice president and chief marketing officer; Sherry Pollex, longtime girlfriend of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver, Martin Truex Jr, ovarian cancer survivor, owner of Lavendar Boutique, founder and vice president of the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation, and creator of SherryStrong.org, a website designed to empower women about their health; Samantha Busch, wife of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch, mom, entrepreneur, lifestyle blogger, IVF advocate, philanthropist and race team co-owner; Julie Giese, president of ISM Raceway; Kim Coon, MRN reporter and co-host of Glass Case of Emotion podcast with Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney; Amy Walsh Stock, public relations representative for Jimmie Johnson and Charlotte Candle Company co-owner; Kirsten Krug, Kansas City Chiefs vice president of administration; Kathy Nelson, Kansas City Sports Commission and WIN KC – president and CEO; and, Sara Panek, Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway vice president of marketing. Additional question-and-answer participants will be announced later.

In addition to the question-and-answer participants, women executives will be in attendance to mingle with attendees.

Beyond the Checkered will take place in the driver-crew chief meeting tent located inside FanWalk in the infield and will be from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 20. In addition to the question-and-answer sessions, where fans will have the opportunity to ask questions, a light brunch will be provided, along with a gift bag, cold garage access, FanVision, opportunity to watch the pre-race concert and driver introductions from the infield, and the opportunity to watch the driver-crew chief meeting. Tickets for Beyond the Checkered are $50 and must be accompanied by a grandstand ticket or RV admission. Tickets may be purchased at https://secure.racetickets.com/KansasSpeedway/ft/util/launcher/Launcher.cfm?gatewayPass=1&VenueID=T5&filter=15808&action=PublicPkg&TixEventID=5451 or by calling 866-460-7223.

Story from Kansas Speedway

Fallen service members from the War on Terror honored with flags and ceremony

Flags were placed at the Kansas Speedway on Thursday to honor fallen U.S. military service members from the War on Terror. (Photo by Edwin Birch, Unified Government public information officer)

Mayor David Alvey, left, talked with John D. Rush, executive director of the American Fallen Warriors Memorial Foundation, and Michael Prevou, right, director of operations for AFWMF, at a flag ceremony on Thursday at the Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Edwin Birch, public information officer, Unified Government)

The American Fallen Warriors Memorial Foundation is continuing its efforts to honor fallen U.S. soldiers and service members from the War on Terror.

More than 4,000 flags honoring those who died in the War on Terror were placed by AFWMF and volunteers on Thursday at the Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas.

It is the fourth year that the AFWMF has placed flags in Kansas City, Kansas. The organization is holding a similar ceremony on Friday afternoon in front of the Veterans Affairs (VA) building in Leavenworth, Kansas.

Michael Prevou, director of operations and a board member for the American Fallen Warrior Memorial Foundation, said there was a flag placed for every soul who was lost during the War on Terror. The organization wants to honor them permanently with a memorial building.

He said the foundation is getting ready to start its capital fundraising campaign on Sept. 11 of this year with a luncheon at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas.

“That will kick off our project and we’re going to demonstrate what we call a virtual memorial capability,” he said.

It will be the organization’s first step toward creating the physical memorial, he added.

The foundation is proposing to put a national memorial to fallen warriors of the War on Terror in Kansas City, Kansas.

“We’re in negotiations right now with Kansas City, Kansas, and the Unified Government as to the specific location, but I can’t talk about any specifics yet,” he said. “It’s somewhere in the KCK area.”

He said they have looked at several sites and hope to have a specific site identified by the Sept. 11 banquet.

“We want to put it in a center where there’s a density of population and tourism that goes through there,” he said.

“Each flag represents one of the lost service members during the War on Terror,” Prevou said.

There are a lot of other activities, good events where flags are placed on graves, that are for everyone, but this organization is specifically for those who died in the War on Terror.

“Our focus is the War on Terror,” he said. “There is no national museum for the War on Terror, and memorial for that, and that’s what we want to build here in KCK.”

Prevou had some words of advice for people for the upcoming Memorial Day.

“Memorial Day is about remembering those who have given their lives, it’s more than barbecue and the first day of summer,” he said. “It’s a time to reflect and remember. Think about a loved one, go to the cemetery and plant a flag, just remember.”

Remember what it means to have service members willing to sacrifice their lives for a greater good, he added.