City: Pittsburg
Term Ends: June 2026
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Blake Benson was appointed to the Kansas Board of Regents by Governor Laura Kelly in 2022. He is the the president of the Pittsburg Chamber of Commerce and also serves on the board of directors for Ascension Via Christi Hospital-Pittsburg and the Pittsburg State University Foundation. Regent Benson holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Arkansas State University.
City: Kansas City
Term Ends: June 2025
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Dr. Cynthia Lane is highly recognized for her leadership in the field of education. She has 40 years of professional experience, including 30 years in the Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools. Lane has received numerous awards and recognitions for leadership and advocacy for quality public-education, including being named Kansas Superintendent of the Year in 2016.
Now retired, Dr. Lane serves as the Chair of the Kansas Governor’s Council on Education, and serves on the Advantage Kansas Coordinating Council focused on driving Kansas forward with the highest skilled and educated workforce. Lane is also the CEO of Evolve Education Leadership Consulting LLC.
Lane considers it a privilege to serve. Her philosophy is to lead by example, cultivating strong relationships focused on shared vision and goals. She is passionate about empowering others through education. Lane continues to be involved and engaged within education community, cultivating partnerships between educators, business and civic leaders. Her attitude is that all things are possible when we come together to improve our futures.
Lane’s past leadership positions spanned the realm of education, including serving as superintendent of schools for Kansas City, KS Public Schools (KCKPS), assistant superintendent, director of special education, principal, director of the Parent and Professional Partnership Advocacy Coalition, and classroom teacher. While in KCKPS, she led the development of the diploma plus initiative focused on career exploration and preparation, graduating students with their diploma plus industry recognized credentials, early college, internships, and other key endorsements. During her tenure the district realized its highest graduation rate; significantly increased early college, technical college admittance and completion; developed primer programs for students and families speaking languages other than English; quadrupled early childhood programs and services; built or renovated 15 school facilities and led the passage of a zero tax increase bond of $235 million designed to rebuild five additional schools and remodel all remaining school facilities.
City: Manhattan
Term Ends: June 2025
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Carl recently concluded a highly successful 42-year career with BNSF Railway, the largest freight railroad network in North America with more than $20 billion in annual revenues and 35,000 employees. He was promoted through roles of increasing responsibility from his initial hire as an Intern to Executive Vice President of Operations and then to Chief Operating Officer following the $44 billion sale of the company to Berkshire Hathaway in 2010. He eventually rose to lead all aspects of the organization as Chief Executive Officer in 2014 and was invited by BNSF to continue to serve on the Board of Directors after his retirement from executive duties in 2020.
Throughout his tenure at BNSF, Carl delivered consistent financial outperformance. He increased annual revenues by 64 percent from $13.6 billion in 2009 to a peak of $22.3 billion in 2019 while doubling the net margin. He improved return on invested capital (ROIC) from 9.1 percent to 15.2 percent during the same time period.
He also created a culture of resiliency and ensured the company’s ability to adapt to changing market conditions. Under his leadership, BNSF was able to experience growth despite a contraction in the freight railway transportation market from 2014 to 2020 and to successfully offset a significant decrease in revenues derived from the transportation of coal by expanding the consumer products and agricultural freight businesses.
At BNSF, Carl recognized the importance of employee engagement and development at all levels of the organization. He championed a new leadership model and implemented the annual leadership development program for all managers, rolled out comprehensive training initiatives for the broader employee base, and achieved an unusually high employee retention rate with an average employee tenure of 13 years.
In addition to his many professional achievements at BNSF, Carl has made numerous contributions to the broader community. He has served as the Chair of both the Kansas State University Foundation and the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association. He currently serves on the Salvation Army National Advisory Board as well as on the board of American Royal. He was inducted into the Kansas Business Hall of Fame in October 2023, was named “Outstanding Philanthropist” by the Dallas Chapter of the Association of Fund Raising Professionals in 2020, was recognized by the naming of the Carl R. Ice College of Engineering at Kansas State University in 2018, cited as “Distinguished Citizen” by the Longhorn Council/Boy Scouts of America in 2017, and lauded as “Railroader of the Year” by Railway Age Magazine in 2016.
Carl holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Kansas State University from where he graduated summa cum laude. He also holds an Associate of Arts from Coffeyville Community College.
In June 2021, Carl was appointed to the Kansas Board of Regents by Governor Laura Kelly.
City: Topeka
Term Ends: June 2026
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John B. Dicus was appointed to the Kansas Board of Regents by Governor Laura Kelly in 2022. He is the chair, CEO and president of Capitol Federal Savings, where he has worked for 39 years. He also serves as trustee of the Washburn University Foundation, a trustee of the University of Kansas Endowment Association, board member of the Greater Topeka Partnership and appointed to the Washburn University Board of Regents.
Regent Dicus holds a bachelor’s degree in business and master’s in business administration, both from the University of Kansas.
June 4-5, Memorial Union - Washburn University, Topeka, KS
Kansas Board of Regents Data Quality and Planning Conference
The 2019 Kansas Board of Regents Data Quality and Planning Conference will be held June 4-5 at the Memorial Union on the campus of Washburn University. This conference, coordinated by the Kansas Board of Regents, focuses on updates and issues related to higher education data submission, usage and planning, including reporting data to IPEDS. In addition to sharing information about data issues impacting higher education in Kansas, the conference is a great opportunity for professional development and networking.
2019 Conference Materials:
- Agenda
- Conference presentations and other materials will be available soon
June 4, 2019
7:30 a.m. - Conference Registration and Breakfast
June 5, 2019
7:30 a.m. - Conference Registration, Breakfast and Data Quality Award Presentation
Location:
Memorial Union – Washburn University
1820 SW Jewell Ave
Topeka, Kansas 66621
Registration Fees and Deadlines:
Registration has closed.
Registration and Payment Information:
After registering, please submit a copy of your email confirmation with payment or properly signed purchase order to: Kansas Board of Regents, Attn: Julie Anderson, Conference Registrar, 1000 SW Jackson Street, Suite 520, Topeka, KS 66612-1368 or via FAX to (785) 430-4233, Attn: Julie Anderson, or via email at
Lodging Information:
A block of rooms has been reserved at the Topeka Capitol Plaza hotel located a little more than a mile from the campus of Washburn University at 1717 SW Topeka Blvd. Reservations must be made by Friday, May 10, to get the conference rate of $94, which is available the nights of June 3 and June 4. To make reservations, use this link:
http://bookings.ihotelier.com/bookings.jsp?groupID=2475674&hotelID=13576
You may also call the hotel directly at (785) 431-7200 and indicate you will be attending the Kansas Board of Regents conference, (group code KBOR19).
Many other hotels can be found in the Topeka area. If you choose to stay at another hotel, we would suggest that you ask for any applicable discounts that might apply such as government rates.
Conference Meals:
A full breakfast buffet will be provided each day. The buffet will feature buttermilk pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs with finely shredded cheese, seasoned breakfast potatoes, assorted mini Danish pastries and muffins as well as a selection of seasonal fresh fruit. Beverages will include coffee, tea, orange juice and fruit-infused water.
Lunch will be provided on Tuesday, June 4, and will feature a taco bar buffet. Attendees will have the opportunity to build their own tacos using seasoned ground beef, shredded chicken, corn tortilla shells, soft flour tortillas, salsa, sour cream, shredded lettuce and shredded cheddar cheese. There will also be rice, refried beans and a crisp tortilla salad (tortilla strips on the side). The meal will be capped off with a brownie for dessert.
In addition to meals, iced tea, coffee, water and soda will be available both days. Snacks will be served throughout the conference. To assist planners in ordering the appropriate amount of food, please indicate your preference for meals when you register.
The conference sessions and breakfast will be held in Washburn University’s Memorial Union. Lunch on Tuesday, June 4, will be held in the Bradbury Thompson Alumni Center, approximately 600 feet from Memorial Union. If you require assistance getting to and from the conference site and/or to the lunch site, please indicate on your registration.
An Equal Employment/Educational Opportunity Agency
“The Kansas Board of Regents does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. Inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policy should be directed to the Board of Regents General Counsel, 1000 SW Jackson St., Suite 520, Topeka, KS 66612-1368, phone (785) 430-4240 or to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, U.S. Dept. of Education.”
