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Karen Carroll

Karen "KC" Carroll
President and CEO
KCI Enterprises, Inc.

Karen Carroll assumed the role of President / CEO of KCI Enterprises, Inc. in March 2003. She brings to the position a wide range of executive leadership experience as well as valuable community and regional perspectives on economic issues.

Prior to forming KCI, Karen served as Vice President / General Manager of KMOX Radio, the Voice of St. Louis. While at KMOX, the station achieved national prominence, for coverage of the Pope's visit, the election of 2000, plus numerous special news programs. KMOX won the Edward R. Murrow award for best news coverage.

Karen was recognized by law enforcement community leaders for being the AMBER program to Missouri and for bringing the region together by producing the 9/11 Together We Stand, an Interfaith Prayer Gathering.

During her tenure at KMOX, she expanded the station's collaborative partnerships to include the Weather Channel, Post Dispatch Business Reports, RCGA President's Report, St Louis American CEO's Report and the Edward Jones Stock Market Report. Special programming added included Evening Specials, "live" overnights and Showdown with Saddam. Business operations expanded, advertising revenues reached record heights and the station maintained its rating dominance of #1.

In addition to the five years as GM/VP of KMOX, Karen spent 20 plus years crafting the #1 radio group in the St. Louis region - pioneering the operational design for the changes brought about by the Telecom ACT of 1996. Starting her years as General Manager of KYKY-Y98 FM, she then added the GM responsibilities of KSD-AM 550 and KSD-FM 93.7. As consolidation continued, she also became GM of soft-rock KEZK-FM and 590 all-sports KFNS. Soon after, Rams football joined the fold as part of the group's special programming.

Karen Carroll began her career in the mid-70's at one of St. Louis' first FM properties. The positions she held there included sales manager and then General Manager. During this period she developed and was one of the founders of the St. Louis Radio Association and was chosen as its Woman of the Year in 1994.

Other past projects include, service as a representative for EZ Communications on the National Radio Advertising Bureau. Working along the President, she authored and implemented the company training program to all employees across the city in seven markets and 21 stations.

Karen founded Outreach St. Louis, the charitable 501(c)(3) that was responsible for major awareness campaigns raising funds for the Bob Costas Cardinal Glennon Cancer Center, Edgewood Children's Home, Our Little Haven, the St. Louis Zoo, and Forest Park Forever. Both Chairman and Founder, she ascertained the community needs, educating the region and raising funds to help fulfill various charities missions.

During her extensive career, Karen has dedicated the time to a number of Boards. Currently, she serves on the Boards of Junior Achievement, Forest Park Forever (Executive Committee), American Cancer Research Center (Executive Committee, former President), The Muny, and Red Cross Disaster Relief as well as chair for the Red Cross Clara Barton Society 2003-2004. Karen is also currently serving Barnes Jewish Children's Hospital, for the Siteman Cancer Research Foundation leadership giving initiative. Karen is in her third year as the chairman of the University of Missouri - St. Louis Chancellor's Counsel.

During her career, other special recognition includes National Radio Industry Woman of the Year, 1994; YWCA Leadership Award, 1999; Top 100 St. Louis Business Leaders, 2001; Top 25 Women Business Leaders, 2000; and the Woman of Achievement Award in 2003.

As a born and bred St. Louisan and alumni of the University of Missouri - Columbia, Karen has spent her entire professional career based in St. Louis. Karen also serves as an investment partner in Platinum, LLC. dba Byrd a women's retail boutique, Westmoor Investments, LLC a real estate investment company specializing in multi-family and commercial properties. New Heights International, owner and operator of Sylvan Learning Centers, which provides supplemental education, enrichment, and remediation for kindergarten through high school students, is her largest holding with plans for expansion.