(Kansas City Southern issued the following news release on March 1.)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Southern (KCS) announced that effective today its board of directors has increased the size of the board from eight to nine directors and has elected Karen L. Pletz, president and chief executive officer of The University of Health Sciences, to fill the new board seat.
“KCS is pleased that Ms. Pletz has agreed to join the board of directors,” said Michael R. Haverty, chairman, president and chief executive officer. “She brings a diverse business background, an extensive education and a keen understanding of the Kansas City business community.” Ms. Pletz currently serves as chairman of the board of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.
“I am honored to have been invited to join the Kansas City Southern board of directors,” said Ms. Pletz. “While Kansas City Southern has a rich heritage in Kansas City and is a leader in downtown revitalization, board leadership brings opportunities to address a variety of domestic and international business issues.”
Ms. Pletz holds a bachelor of arts in education, cum laude, and a juris doctorate from the University of Missouri. She is a graduate of Harvard Medical School’s Program for Leaders in Medical Education and Rutgers University Stonier Graduate School of Banking. As a recipient of the Honors Thesis Award, her work is a permanent part of the collection at Harvard University’s Business Library.
Ms. Pletz is a leader in national and community health care, corporate and service organizations. She also serves on the boards of Benedictine College, the Civic Council, Central Bank, Kansas City Area Development Council, Kansas City Public Television, Metropolitan Council of the Arts, Midwest Bioethics Center, Inc., Midwest Research Institute, Rising Tide, and Rockhurst University. She was appointed by Missouri’s governor to the Hawthorn Foundation Board, fostering economic development in the state of Missouri. She serves as one of ten special advisors to the Mayor of Kansas City and has been named one of Kansas City’s 20 Most Influential Women.
KCS is a transportation holding company that has railroad investments in the U.S., Mexico and Panama. Its primary holding is The Kansas City Southern Railway Company, which serves customers in the central and south central regions of the U.S. KCS’ rail holdings and investments are primary components of a NAFTA Railway system that links the commercial and industrial centers of the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
The University of Health Sciences is a fully-accredited, private university of medicine. Founded in 1916, it is the oldest medical school in Kansas City and the largest in Missouri.