Event Co-Honorary Chair
Joe Suhor

Born in New Orleans, Joseph U. Suhor III received an architectural engineering degree from Delgado College located in New Orleans. In 1977 he began his career in funeral service. Nine years later he acquired a 50-year-old funeral company and renamed it Suhor Industries, Inc where he was Chairman of the Board & CEO. Currently Chairman of the Board of Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc., and Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Pierce Mortuary Colleges. Prior to his current position, he served as Chairman on the Board of Directors for Wilbert, Inc. (a former affiliated plastics company), as an Advisory Director at U.S. Bancorp in Kansas City and on the Board of Directors of the Epilepsy Foundation of Kansas and Western Missouri. Also, he served as a past Board Member of the International Memorialization Supply Association (IMSA) and serves on the Board of Regents for the National Museum of Funeral History. Suhor is a retired Captain in the United States Army Reserve. In 2013 Joe was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the Midwest Region.

In 1977 Joe and Carol met while employed for the same company, a cemetery and mausoleum development company, in their hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana. They married in 1980 and relocated to Leawood, KS in 1985. They have three daughters – Connie, Donna, and Michelle, along with three grandchildren – Kayla, Austin and Allison, who all reside in the Kansas City metro area. The family members, four of whom are in the medical field, have various cats and/or dogs; however, Carol and Joe currently love their two Persian felines: Sugar and Honey (so named because they are so sweet!). They believe their cats are excellent companions, being of very mild and loving nature. The Suhors love animals and the benefits of having them as companions are of great comfort and significant stress relievers! They have always been avid cat lovers, as are extended family members, as well but they’ve also experienced the love of three grand dogs!

They are committed to the Kansas City community by volunteering and donating. They believe everyone should contribute when possible. Suhor Family Foundation has helped those less fortunate – both animals and people. Wilbert Funeral Services and its licensee organization provides its burial vault products and services, at no cost to the families of all police, fire fighters, and EMT personnel who lose their lives in the line of duty, in the United States and Canada.

Event Co-Honorary Chair
Carol Suhor

A New Orleans native, Carol Suhor’s career in business administration brought her into the new field of word processing in its infancy, as “information technology” evolved (before personal computers) in the early 70’s. Her career as Marketing Service Representative for a word processor manufacturer, established Word Processing Centers within area companies; developed user procedures, and trained employees on utilizing the system. Carol was a member of International Word Processing Association for several years, during which time served as President of the New Orleans Chapter of IWPA. After moving to Kansas City, she served over 30 years on Suhor Industries Board of Directors. For 10 years, she owned and operated an Executive Suite business, which leased office space to tenants and provided administrative support to them. In addition, she served on the Epilepsy Foundation Board of Directors for Kansas and Western Missouri. She and her husband, Joe, are longtime supporters of Harvester’s, and have co-chaired the organization’s annual fund raiser Chefs Classic.

In 1977 Joe and Carol met while employed by the same company, a cemetery and mausoleum development company, in their hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana. They married in 1980 and relocated to Leawood, KS in 1985. They have three daughters – Connie, Donna, and Michelle, along with three grandchildren – Kayla, Austin and Allison, who all reside in the Kansas City metro area. The family members, four of whom are in the medical field, have various cats and/or dogs; however, Carol and Joe currently love their two Persian felines: Sugar and Honey (so named because they are so sweet!). They believe their cats are excellent companions, being of very mild and loving nature. The Suhors love animals and the benefits of having them as companions are of great comfort and significant stress relievers! They have always been avid cat lovers, as are extended family members, but have also experienced the love of three grand dogs!

They are committed to the Kansas City community by volunteering and donating. They believe everyone should contribute when possible. Suhor Family Foundation has helped those less fortunate – both animals and people.  Wilbert Funeral Services and its licensee organization provides its burial vault products and services, at no cost to the families of all police, fire fighters, and EMT personnel who lose their lives in the line of duty, in the United States and Canada.

Event Co-Honorary Chair
Terry Christenberry

Terry Christenberry was born in Fort Worth, Texas. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Texas Christian University and an MBA from Southern Methodist University. Terry has more than 40 years of investment banking experience. The early years of his career include the corporate finance division of Kemper Finance Services and the consulting division of Ernst & Whinney, now Ernst & Young. Currently Terry is a Managing Director of CC Capital Advisors. Prior to merging his practice with CC Capital Advisors, Terry co-founded and served for 15 years as President of Christenberry Collet & Co. Inc. Terry is past president of the Jackson County Industrial Development Authority, formerly served on the board of two public companies, as well as several private companies and continues to serve as a special advisor to the Audit Committee of the Dairy Farmers of America. Terry grew up on a farm and animals, including dogs, have always been a part of his life. He supports Wayside partly because he thinks the team at the shelter does a great job in meeting the community’s need for both the animals involved and the homes in which they are placed. Like his wife, he’s inspired by his fellow co-chairs, Joe and Carol Suhor, along with John and Marny Sherman.

Terry and his wife, Ann, were introduced by a mutual friend in 1985 at a gathering for co-sponsors of a 60’s party to celebrate the Kansas City Business Journals public stock offering. They were married a decade later by their neighbor, a federal judge. Together they share three daughters (who are all passionate dog lovers) and their Waif Alum, Casey.

Event Co-Honorary Chair
Hon. Ann Mesle

Ann Mesle was born in Independence, Missouri. She received her Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from the University of Missouri, Columbia. Then she received the Honorary Doctor of Laws from Graceland University. Last, she received her Doctor of Law (J.D.) with Distinction from UMKC Law School. Her legal career includes employment with Achtenberg, Sandler & Balkin, Southwestern Bell, and Lathrop & age. She served for nearly 13 years on the 16^th Judicial Circuit of Jackson County, Missouri. Currently she is an attorney. Ann received many honors through the years, including the Missouri Bar Association’s Theodore McMillan Judicial Excellence Award, the UMKC Law School’s Alumni Achievement Award and its Lifetime achievement Award, and the Association of Women Lawyers’ Judge of the Year Award for 2004. She served as President of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association in 1996 and the President of the UMKC Law Foundation in 1994. Since retiring as a Circuit Court Judge in 2013, Ann has been a board member of the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City. Prior to that she served on the boards of the Metropolitan Bar Foundation, Child Abuse Protection Center (CAPA), and Diastole Scholars’ Center along with boards she served on with her alma mater, UMKC. Her family always had non-pedigree dogs as pets while growing up. She believes dogs make wonderful companions and love us unconditionally. She is a proud supporter of Wayside because of the way both people and pets benefit from the shelter’s work. Like her husband, she’s inspired by his fellow co-chairs, Joe and Carol Suhor, along with John and Marny Sherman.

Ann and her husband, Terry, were introduced by a mutual friend in 1985 at a gathering for co-sponsors of a 60’s party to celebrate the Kansas City Business Journals public stock offering. They were married a decade later by their neighbor, a federal judge. Together they share three daughters (who are all passionate dog lovers) and their Waif Alum, Casey.