Friday, July 26, 2013

Unified Government announces new Ethics Commissioners

Courtesy of the Unified Government

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Two new Ethics Commissioners have been selected by the Ad Hoc Ethics Commission Appointment Panel and will be sworn in on August 1, 2013 at the ethics commission monthly meeting.  

These commission positions are open as two commission members terms have expired.

The appointees are Wyandotte County residents who will serve a four-year term. They were selected to serve on the Ethics Commission for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas by an Ad Hoc Ethics Commission Appointment Panel.   
           
The new members of the Ethics Commission are:
  • Patricia L. Brune, retired from the U. S.  District Court from the Western District of Missouri in 2009.  She has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master of Liberal Arts degree.  She has served as a past President of the KCK Women’s Chamber of Commerce, a Board member for the YWCA of Greater KC, Board member for Leadership 2000, and various other organizations.  She is currently serves as a member of the KCPL Advisory Council, Co-chair of KCKCC Advancement Council, a member of the KCKPL Foundation Board and Co-creator of DotteComm.com.  
  • George A. Kemper, Sr., is a Co-Pastor of Ebenezer Christian Fellowship Church.  He has over 28 years in Law Enforcement and retired in 2009.  He is a graduate from Washington High School, Kansas City, Kansas Community College, Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center and Carver Baptist Bible College.  He received two Distinguished Service Awards, was Selected Officer of the Year in 2002, and has several Commendations for Service to the department and the community.  He has been married for 35 years and has four children.
Currently serving on the Ethics Commission are:
  • Tami Schademann, Unified Government Ethics Chairperson, has overseen ethics and compliance programs for some of the leading financial institutions in the Kansas City area.  As a founding employee and Chief Regulatory Officer of BATS Global Markets, currently the third-largest stock market operator in the world, she oversees a team of regulatory and compliance professionals responsible for surveillance and monitoring of nearly one billion shares per day traded daily on the BATS Exchanges.  She is an active member of the community serving as a volunteer for Hope in the Streets, Habitat for Humanity and the Alzheimer’s Association.  A proud mother of three, she is a lifelong resident who was born and raised in Wyandotte County. 
  • Dana Rank Bye, currently works as an Independent Legal Assistant and has been involved with ethical issues for many years through her prior employment with the Unified Government of Wyandotte County-Kansas City, Kansas as a Traffic Coordinator and the State of Kansas as a Deputy Court Clerk and Judicial Administrative Assistant.  She is the former Vice President of the Kansas Judicial Professionals Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals.   A proud mother of three, she is a lifelong resident who was born and raised in Wyandotte County. 
  • Diana Aguirre, is founder and current director of Argentine Kommunity Awareness Association.  She has received many community service awards and very active in the community.  She has collaborated with sister agencies to host healthcare education workshops as well as collaborated with area agencies to develop new programs much needed in the community.
The Ad Hoc Ethics Commission Appointment Panel is comprised of R. Wayne Lampson, Chief Judge of the Wyandotte County District Court; Jerome Gorman, District Attorney of Wyandotte County, and Thomas L. Wiss, Legislative Auditor of Wyandotte County.

Members of the Ethics Commission are unpaid and must be a Wyandotte County resident and be of good moral standing and reputation.

The purpose of the Ethics Commission is to recommend ways to improve the Unified Government’s Ethics Code, to review and report on any and all violations of the Code of Ethics, to render advisory opinions on questions of ethics, conflicts of interest and the applicability of the Code of Ethics.

Ruth Benien, Ethics Administrator of the Unified Government, serves as staff to the Ethics Commission.