Staff

Tim McKee’s career at the Olathe Chamber of Commerce began in spring 1998. He currently serves as the Chamber’s CEO. Prior to joining the Olathe Chamber of Commerce, Tim spent four years at the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce as the Business Retention Manager.

Throughout his career, he’s been involved in many service organizations. He’s currently a member of the Johnson County Community College Foundation Board and the University of Kansas Advanced Placement Board. Previously, he served on the board of directors for the County Economic Research Institute, the Institute for Organizational Management of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, chairing the Greater Kansas City Foreign Trade Zone Board and serving on Johnson County Community College Foundation’s Some Enchanted Evening Committee. He’s also served as Chairman of the Board for the Johnson County United Way.

During his time, the Olathe Chamber of Commerce became the first chamber in the state to receive Five-Star Accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce – a designation obtained by only 1 percent of the nation’s chambers. The Olathe Chamber has retained its Five-Star status for more than two decades. The Olathe Chamber of Commerce is the largest chamber in Johnson County and the second largest chamber in the Kansas City area.

Tim received a bachelor’s degree in business from Missouri State University. He enjoys running, golfing, and outdoor activities of hunting and fishing.

tmckee@olathe.org

Mary comes to the Chamber after spending 12 years with the Olathe Public Schools. During her time with the district, she served as a library clerk and, most recently, as an administrative assistant in the Student Services department.

A native of Louisiana, Mary enjoys baking, cooking her native Bayou dishes and crafting. In her spare time, she likes dinner with friends, and spending time with her husband, two daughters and their dog.

mbarrios@olathe.org

Jim joined the Olathe Chamber of Commerce in April 2016. He graduated from Westminster College with a degree in English and brings two decades of communications experience with him as the director of communications.

A lifelong Olathe resident, he comes to the Chamber from the Olathe Public Schools where he was the manager of communications. He spent eight years as the sports editor of The Olathe News before becoming the managing editor of event media at Ascend Integrated Media — a leading business-to-business publishing company in Overland Park — before his with the school district.

Jim is a member of both the Olathe Public Schools Foundation Board and the Salvation Army Advisory Council. He also enjoys spending time with family and friends. He and his wife, Aisha, have a son, Gunner, and twin daughters, Elise and Kyra.

jbradford@olathe.org

Bright has been lobbying on behalf of Kansas business associations for more than 14 years, specializing in business issues, specifically in the areas of taxation, human resource, insurance, judicial reform, and transportation. She received her law degree from Washburn School of Law in 1998 and began lobbying for the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and Industry during the 1998 Legislative Session.

natalie@brightcarpenter.com

Jhirya Brock joined the Olathe Chamber of Commerce in the summer of 2022. She is a 2022 graduate of MidAmerica Nazarene University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in digital communication with an emphasis in marketing. Brock was also a member of the MNU track team. Born and raised in Olathe, she is a proud Olathe North High School graduate.

In her free time, she likes hanging out with family and friends, and also enjoys cooking, baking and just relaxing. Prior to coming to the Olathe Chamber, she spent six years at Main Event Entertainment including the last six months as a marketing coordinator intern in the sales office.

jbrock@olathe.org

Bre Geary is an Olathe native who graduated from Olathe Northwest High School. She then attended Nebraska Wesleyan University and graduated in 2024 with a degree in Sports Management and a minor in Business Administration. She began her career with the Olathe CVB in 2024.

Geary was a two-time All-American in track at Wesleyan and two-time USTFCCA Midwest All-Region selection, as well as a seven-time all-conference performer. She was also a finalist for the prestigious 2024 NCAA Woman of the Year as a Top 30 honoree at the 2025 NCAA National Convention.

Bre interned with the Nebraska State High School Activities Association and with Visit Lincoln during college. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, and spending time with her family and friends.

bgeary@olathe.org

Brian Geary has been the Chief Operating Officer since January 2026. He’s a former banking executive and community leader with three decades of experience in commercial banking, partnering with businesses across the Kansas City metro in their growth plans and the area’s economic development. He served as the Olathe Market President for Bank of Blue Valley for nine years.

He served on the Olathe Public Schools Board of Education from 2017-2021, where he contributed to advancing educational opportunities for local students. He has held leadership roles with many nonprofits including the Olathe Public Schools Foundation, Kids TLC and the Olathe Chamber of Commerce, serving as Treasurer and Chair of the Business‑to‑Government Committee.

Brian is a 2009 graduate of Leadership Olathe and 2012 graduate of the Greater Kansas City Chamber’s Centurions Leadership Program.
He earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance from Northwest Missouri State University. Brian and his wife, Heather, have two children – Bre and Micah – who both graduated of Olathe Northwest High School.

Brian’s hope is to balance professional excellence with civic responsibility underscoring his belief that true success is measured not only in business achievements, but more importantly, in the positive impact made on the community.

bpgeary@olathe.org

Duke Henke started with the Olathe Chamber in July of 2025. He is a 2025 graduate of the University of Arkansas where he earned a bachelor’s degree in finance with an emphasis in real estate. Prior to joining the Olathe Chamber staff, he interned at Diode Ventures as an operations intern specializing in land development.

Henke is from Shawnee and graduated from Shawnee Mission Northwest High School where he was a three-sport letterman.

In his spare time, Henke enjoys golfing, weightlifting, mountain biking, hiking and traveling.

dhenke@olathe.org

Melissa Hess joined the Olathe Chamber of Commerce as the Manager of Leadership Programs in February of 2020. She’s an experienced program manager with a robust background in organizing and facilitating leadership programs and fundraising events. IN her current role, she organizes each session, facilitates the organization of the class project, and manages alumni networking events. Previously, Melissa managed annual campaigns and special events at the Lawrence Memorial Hospital Endowment Association, where she successfully executed a variety of fundraising activities and managed donor relations.

Melissa and her husband Chris have lived in Olathe for 20 years and have two children, Stella and Charlie. In her free time, Melissa enjoys exploring new restaurants, parks and businesses around the city with her family and friends.

mhess@olathe.org

Dan Hutchins joined the Olathe Chamber of Commerce in 2014. As the Multimedia Manager, Dan manages all aspects of the Chamber’s website, including design, layout and functionality and works with all departments to create marketing, informational and promotional materials to advance programs and projects. He also shoots and edits photos for Chamber-sponsored events and creates videos for the Chamber. Dan is also an FAA-certified drone pilot.

Prior to joining the Olathe Chamber, Dan was an art director and project manager at Immersion Media, where he focused on 3D animation, multimedia development and art direction. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in 2001 and graduated with honors.

Dan enjoys photography, drumming and playing and collecting vintage video games.

dhutchins@olathe.org

Shannon Latham joined the staff full-time in January of 2001, after serving as an intern for eight months. While in high school and college, she worked at the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce for six years. As assistant director for the Economic Development department, Shannon works with new business prospects, maintains updated demographic information and coordinates the meetings and events for the department.

Additionally, Shannon handles the tax abatement applications and analysis required for the City Council. Shannon earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Kansas. In her spare time she enjoys outdoor activities, traveling and spending time with her husband and two daughters.

slatham@olathe.org

Jason Leib joined the Olathe Chamber of Commerce as the Vice President of Business Development in January of 2025.

He spent more than 20 years in the IT industry, starting his own company. The company eventually merged with Associates Solutions Inc., which he and his partners sold in 2019. During that time, he served on a number of boards and committees, including Board Chair of the Lenexa Chamber of Commerce, on the Board at the County Economic Research Institute (CERI) and as Rotary District Governor in 2019-2020.

Jason co-founded Transport Brewery in Shawnee in 2019 and also served on the Lenexa Planning Commission for eight years during the bulk of the development of Lenexa City Center and other major developments.

He took over as President and CEO of the Gardner Chamber of Commerce in 2022. During his time in Gardner, he established the Leadership Gardner program and the Gardner Community Foundation, and grew the operating budget by more than 50 percent. In his spare time, enjoys hiking and running, completing several half marathons each year.

jleib@olathe.org

Suzann Mack joined the Olathe Chamber of Commerce as the Membership Relations Manager in July of 2024. She has over 20 years of sales experience and graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a BA in English. She served on the Blue Valley School District Special Education Advisory Committee for six years, volunteered with Ronald McDonald House Charities and the Junior League. She’s passionate about education, special education and inclusion. A natural at networking, Suzann is very energetic, outgoing and builds strong, professional relationships.

Suzann is a mother of two wonderfully diverse, high achieving sons. She loves running, cycling, golf, pickleball and is very competitive. She also loves the Chiefs, Royals and the Nebraska Cornhuskers. (As a native Nebraskan and UNL grad, it’s required to be a Cornhusker fan).

smack@olathe.org

Ava Miller is a Destination Services Manager who is passionate about creating meaningful, memorable experiences for visitors and strengthening the connection between people and the communities they explore. She builds strong relationships with event planners, local partners, and regional organizations, ensuring every group feels supported throughout their visit. With a thoughtful blend of creativity and strategic insight, Ava helps shape a warm and welcoming impression of the destination she represents.

Ava graduated from MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe with a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, where she discovered her love for storytelling, hospitality, and community-centered work. She brings that passion into her role every day, highlighting the unique character and charm of her destination and helping others experience it in an authentic and memorable way.

amiller@olathe.org

Sara Misemer has served as Manager of Events and Activities for the Olathe Chamber of Commerce since June 2007. Prior to this role, she was the Business Retention and Expansion Manager for the Olathe Economic Development Department, a position she held beginning in June 2002.

In her current role, Sara leads the planning and execution of logistics for the Chamber’s major events, including the Annual Meeting, State of the City Luncheon, golf tournament, After Hours networking events, Foundation benefit, quarterly business lunches, board and staff retreats, the Amplify women’s event and weekly networking coffees, as well as numerous additional events throughout the year.

Sara is a 2004 graduate of Leadership Olathe and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from the University of Kansas. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, spending summers at the lake and time with family and friends.

smisemer@olathe.org

Doug Norwood graduated from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota and brings more than two decades of IT experience with him. He spent 10 years in the Air Force and Army, leaving as a communications officer. Most recently, he spent a decade as the manager of IT at Custom Storefronts in Olathe.

dnorwood@olathe.org

Kelly Peetoom has more than 22 years of hospitality and hotel sales experience. Prior to joining Olathe in October 2015, he worked for 10 years for the Overland Park CVB. He served in such positions as Director of the Overland Park Sports Alliance and Vice President of Sales. Also while at the Overland Park CVB, he assisted in the sale of events for the Overland Park Soccer Complex, including landing the first National Championship to be hosted at the complex. He directed the sales team to t.wo record setting years of sales production. He is a graduate of the University of Central Missouri.

kpeetoom@olathe.org

Shannon Powers is the Vice President of Membership & Sponsorship Investment. She began in late December and brings more than 20 years of experience across banking, lending, sales and business development.

She’s a graduate of Leadership Olathe and deeply engaged in the community. She currently serves on the Boys & Girls Club of Olathe Advisory Board and the Olathe Mayor’s Children’s Fund, where she actively works to strengthen programs and partnerships that support children and families.

A natural connector, Shannon excels at building strategic partnerships, aligning resources and creating meaningful relationships that drive growth for organizations and the communities they serve.

Originally from Oklahoma, Shannon has lived in the Kansas City area home for more than 20 years. She is passionate about mentoring and helping others grow professionally. Outside of work, she enjoys attending live concerts, playing guitar and spending time with her husband, Kyle, and their three children – Michael, who plans to study law; Ava, a dedicated cheerleader; and Ella, their spirited wild child.

spowers@olathe.org

Sharon joined the Chamber in 2014. In her role today, Sharon handles the day-to-day responsibilities related to reviewing all financial statements and internal and external reporting, working to ensure all financial information is presented accurately and in accordance with GAAP.

Sharon earned a bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University and has an MBA from Southern Methodist University.

In her spare time, Sharon enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

spuddington@olathe.org