United Way of Central Kansas has announced the campaign co-chairs for the 2017 campaign, said UWCK Executive Director Julie Bugner-Smith. 

This years co-chairs are Kevin and Kista Holt, representing Larned, Chuck and Meg Wilson, representing Ellinwood and Great Bend, and Cole and Regan Reif as the young leaders. 

“These individuals are integral to the success of the campaign each year and become a part of the United Way family and mission,” she said. “These co-chairs are the face of the UWCK each year and help with everything from events and fundraising to helping spread the word about what United Way is doing in Baron and Pawnee counties.”

The Holts grew up in Larned, settled in Olathe after college and then returned to Larned in 2007. They own Tabler Furniture in downtown Larned. Kevin manages the store while Kista teaches at Northside Elementary. Both are civic minded and actively involved in the community and their church. They have three young daughters: Kathryn, Abigail, and Olivia.

Chuck and Meg Wilson have been married for 33 years and moved from Smith Center to Great Bend in 2010. They are members of the Prince of Peace Catholic Parish and their grown children, Nickolas, Jenna, and Braden, all live in the Kansas City area. Chuck is a graduate of Kansas State University and taught agricultural education and FFA for 9 years. Chuck is currently Vice President with Community Bank of the Midwest in Great Bend. Chuck is the President of Central Kansas Catbackers, president/elect of the Ellinwood Rotary, and serves on the Prince of Peace building committee. 

Meg is a graduate of Doane College with a M.S. from FHSU. She has been dedicated to the education profession for over 34 years serving as a teacher and junior and senior high school principal. In July, Meg began to provide administrative services at Westside High School at the Larned Juvenile Correctional Facility for SHESC. Through Meg’s passion for developing character and leadership opportunities for our youth, she served as the Co-Chair for the KS Social, Emotional, and Character Development Writing Standards Committee and currently serves as a board member for KSCharacter.org. 

Regan Ochs Reif is employed as the Marketing & Executive Administrator at Adams, Brown, Beran & Ball Chtd. Regan is a 2013 summa cum laude graduate of Fort Hays State University where she received her bachelor of science degree in organizational leadership. She is active in the community serving as an ambassador of the Great Bend Chamber and as the 2016 Chairperson of the Barton County Young Professionals organization. She also serves as the BCYP leadership committee chair. 

Regan is a member of the Barton Community College Business Advisory Board and serves as a mentor in the Voss Advanced Leadership Undergraduate Experience (VALUE) program at Fort Hays State University. Originally from Hoxie, Regan moved to Great Bend in May 2013. She is also a new Board Member for United Way.

Cole Reif is employed by Eagle Communications and is the sports director for Great Bend’s Eagle Radio. Cole announces basketball games for Barton Community College and calls football games for Hoisington High School. He is also a board member on the Cougar Booster Club at Barton and a member of the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Ambassador Club. Originally from Great Bend, Cole graduated from Fort Hays State University with a bachelor of science in information networking and telecommunications. He worked at Eagle Communications in Hays after graduation and spent time in North Carolina before returning to Great Bend in September 2013.

“United Way is blessed to have community leaders who volunteer their most precious commodity, time, to the United Way and the community,” Bugner-Smith said. “It is an honor to have these individuals be a part of the 2017 Campaign.”