2024 Hall of Fame Honorees

Kansas City Kansas Community College, a 2-year community college, provides general, career and technical education in a student-centered diverse and inclusive educational environment. KCKCC is committed to preparing students to succeed in the workforce, transition to 4-year institutions and contribute to their community.

In 2018, the college helped implement a general education degree (GED) at The University of Kansas Health System, allowing health system employees to work toward a high school diploma during their paid shifts. Since then, 29 employees have graduated from the program, and many of them have continued working at the health system, pursuing higher-level positions.

KCKCC President Greg Mosier, who is accepting the Partner in Excellence Award on behalf of the college, says the Because We Care GED program at the health system remains the cornerstone of a partnership between the 2 organizations, and that many traditional community college graduates are getting their start in healthcare at The University of Kansas Health System.

View Kansas City Kansas Community College's video from the 2024 Hall of Fame.

Well-known and highly respected throughout the region’s automotive and collector-car community, Frank Thompson started as a parts man and ended up owning the former Overland Park Dodge Chrysler Jeep. His love of cars is surpassed only by his devotion to his late wife, Babe. Together, they formed a powerful bond of successful businesses and generous philanthropy across greater Kansas City.

The Thompsons had been married 66 years when Babe died in 2020. Throughout her battle with Alzheimer’s disease, the Thompsons made significant contributions to The University of Kansas Health System to enable leading-edge treatments for complex cases. These include tools to pinpoint parts of the brain that require treatment, making procedures more precise while sparing healthy tissue.

The couple’s first contribution led to an interoperable magnetic resonance imaging system (iMRI), and they continued to give, providing support for Exablate, Exoscope and robotic epilepsy surgery technologies.

As a lasting tribute to the Thompsons’ generosity and steadfastness, Russell Swerdlow, MD, director of the University of Kansas Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, named his laboratory the Babe Thompson Alzheimer's Disease Research Laboratory.

View Frank Thompson's video from the 2024 Hall of Fame.

Dr. Mark Myron has played a key role in the treatment of cancer in the Kansas City area, both as a physician and as a leader when Kansas City Cancer Center joined forces with The University of Kansas Cancer Center.

He received his medical degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine.

Dr. Myron joined his colleagues at Kansas City Cancer Center shortly after it was formed in the 1980s. KCCC grew to become the largest outpatient cancer practice in the region, serving 12 community hospitals and seeing thousands of new cancer patients every year.

In 2011, Dr. Myron and his colleagues became part of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, celebrated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Richard and Annette Bloch Cancer Survivors Park on the Country Club Plaza. The event marked the beginning of a merger designed to give more patients access to the very best cancer care. It brought together the area’s premier academic medical center and premier network of outpatient cancer care locations, providing the latest treatment options, clinical trials and exceptional care to patients across the region, close to home.

View Mark Myron, MD's, video from the 2024 Hall of Fame.

One of the most recognizable and beloved employees to ever work at The University of Kansas Health System, Paula Miller taught tens of thousands of new employees in customer service classes. As a veteran member of the health system’s lab organization, Paula took on the additional challenge of teaching her fellow employees the culture of the health system through data-based training and a warm, quick wit.

Paula was born August 28, 1954, in Sabetha, Kansas. She died in 2022, not long after retiring. Paula’s final days were spent as a health system patient at the place she loved.

She graduated from Kansas State University in 1976 with a B.S. in medical technology. Paula was a member of Hope Lutheran Church in Shawnee, Kansas, and enjoyed making and serving dinners and attending youth basketball games. Her biggest joys were found with her family – at K-State football games, big holiday dinners, shopping and celebrating all their accomplishments.

View Paula Miller's video from the 2024 Hall of Fame.