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Outstanding Kansas Citian Award

The Native Sons created the "Outstanding Native Kansas Citian of the Year" award in 1973. Later, this was shortened to the "Outstanding Kansas Citian" award that endures still today.

The 49th Annual Gala honoring the Outstanding Kansas Citian!

Mr. Ed Eilert and General Richard B. Myers (Ret.)


2021 Outstanding Kansas Citian Gala
November 9, 2021 at the Overland Park Convention Center

6000 College Blvd.  |  Overland Park, KS

Cocktails and Silent Auction 5:30 p.m.  |  Dinner 7 p.m.  |  Program 8 p.m.
Tickets and Sponsorships

The Native Sons and Daughters Announce
Outstanding Kansas Citians for 2021

The  Native  Sons  and  Daughters  of  Greater  Kansas  City  is  pleased  to  announce  the  selection of its Outstanding Kansas Citians for  2021.  This  year  the  honor  will  go  to  two  out-standing  and  accomplished  leaders  from  Johnson  County:  Ed Eilert,  Chairman  of  the  Johnson  County,  Kansas  Board  of  County  Commissioners  and   Kansas   State   University   President,   Retired   General Richard Myers, former Chair of the United States Armed Forces Joint Chiefs of Staff.

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Retired Air Force General Richard B. Myers
Richard  Myers  was  born  in  Kansas  City,  Missouri.  In  1960  he  graduated  from  Shawnee  Mission  High  School  (today’s  Shawnee  Mission  North)  in  1960.  Myers  graduated  from  Kansas  State  University  with  a  Bachelor  of  Science  in  mechanical  engineering  in  1965,  and  was  commissioned  by  Detachment  270  of  the  Air  Force  Reserve  Officer  Training  Corps  at  KSU.  Myers  entered  the  Air  Force  in  1965  through  the  Reserve  Officer  Training  Corps  Program.  He  received  pilot  training  from  1965  to  1966  at  Vance  Air  Force  Base,  Oklahoma.

Myers is a command pilot with more than 4100 flying hours in  a  T-33  Shooting  Star,  C-37,  C-21,  F-4  Phantom  II,  F-15  Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon, including 600 combat hours in  the  F-4,  and  served  our  Country  during  the  Vietnam  War  and Iraq War. Myers graduated from Auburn University with a Master of Business Administration in 1977.

Myers  attended  the  Air  Command  and   Staff   College   at   Maxwell   Air   Force  Base,  Alabama;  the  U.S.  Army  War   College   at   Carlisle   Barracks,   Pennsylvania;   and   the   Program   for   Senior   Executives   in   National   and   International   Security   at   Harvard   University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

General  Richard  Myers  held  many  Commands including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, North American Aerospace   Defense   Command,   U.S.   Space   Command,   Air   Force   Space   Command,   Pacific   Air   Forces   and   Fifth Air Force. Myers  was  the  acting  Chairman  of  the  Joint  Chiefs  of  Staff  during  the  September  11,  2001  terror  attacks  on  the  United  States  of  America.  Myers  has  received  47  military  awards  and  decorations.  He  retired  from  military  service on September 30, 2005.

On  November  9,  2005,  Myers  was  presented  the  Presidential  Medal  of  Freedom   by   President   George   W.   Bush for distinguished service as Chair of  the  Military  Joint  Chiefs  of  Staff  and  many  years  of  honorable  military  service to our nation.On   April   14,   2016,   Myers   was   selected as interim president of Kansas State  University.  On  November  15,  2016,   the   KSU   Board   of   Regents   announced  Myers  as  the  university’s  president.  The  university  has  named  the  Military  Science  Building  Gen.  Richard B. Myers Hall, in honor of his service and dedication.General Myers and his wife Mary Jo have two daughters and a son.

Ed Eilert
Ed  Eilert  was  raised  in  the  small  Kansas  farming  community  of  Furley,  located  northeast  of  Wichita.  He  attended  Emporia  State  University  receiving  a  bachelor’s  degree  in  Business  Administration  and  a  master’s degree in Business Education. Eilert has been a resident of Overland Park since 1965 and has devot-ed  most  of  his  adult  life  to  public  service,  initially  on  the City of Overland Park City Council (1977-1981), then  as  Overland  Park  Mayor  for  24  years  between  1981-2005.  Eilert  served  on  the  Board  of  Johnson  County  Commissioners,  District  4,  Overland  Park  from 2006-2010, and was elected to serve as Chairman of  the  Board  of  Johnson  County  Commissioners  and  re-elected in 2014.

Ed’s career started as a high school business teacher and  evolved  into  being  a  distinguished  professional  financial advisor. Eilert serves, both locally and nation-ally, on the Board of Directors of numerous private and public sector associations and businesses. Eilert serves on many Kansas City area Commissions including the Mid-America Regional Council. His work on regional projects include campaigning for the first bi-state sales tax  (KS-MO)  that  financed  the  reconstruction  of  Kansas City’s Union Station in the late 1990s.

This leader has received many accolades and awards including being honored with the 2018 Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Award, 2017 Overland Park Chamber of  Commerce  Lifetime  Achievement,  Excellence  in  Local  Government,  and  Distinguished  Alumni  Award  from  Emporia State University. Eilert is a member of the Overland Park South Rotary Club and is a Paul Harris Fellow. In 2005, the  U.S.  House  of  Representatives  through  official  resolution  (H.R. 524) recognized Eilert for his years of public service to Overland  Park,  and  dedicated  the  Blue  Valley  Post  Office  of  Overland Park in his honor.

Eilert and his wife Jan have three children.

Past Outstanding Kansas Citians

2021
Ed Eilert
Richard B Myers

2020
Canceled
Due to COVID

2019
George Guastello

2018
Cliff Illig

2017
Alvin Brooks

2016
Frank White, Jr.

2015
Kay Barnes

2014
Larry Moore

2013
George Brett

2012
Marilyn Maye

2011
Julia Irene Kauffman

2010
Thomas A. McDonnell

2009
John A. Dillingham

2008
Terry and Peggy Dunn

2007
Jonathan Kemper

2006
Jeanette Nichols

2005
Carol Marinovich

2004
Jim & Virginia Stowers

2003
Barnett & Shirley Helzberg

2002
Mary Shaw Branton

2001
Buck O'Neil
Carl DiCapo

2000
Whitney and Day Kerr

1999
Dr. Felix N. Sabates

1998
Dr. Bruce Prince-Joseph

1997
Drue Jennings

1996
Jerry Cohen

1995
Anita B. Gorman

 

1994
Roy Ranck

1993
William Clarkson

1992
Jane Flynn

1991
Henry Bloch

1990
Walt Bodine

1989
David Stanley

1988
Irvine O. Hockaday, Jr.

1987
Michael Burke

1986
Ewing Kauffman

1985
Vic Swyden

1984
Jay Dillingham

1983
Richard Bloch

1982
Tom Watson

1981
Crosby Kemper, Jr.

1980
Ilus Davis

1979
William Dunn

1978
Charles Wheeler

1977
Miller Nichols

1976
Lester Milgram
 
1975
Crosby Kemper, Sr.

1974
John Ayres
Donald Hall
Richard Berkley
Ewing Kauffman

1973
Clarence Kelley