Best Sam Meers Podcasts (2025)

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Pete Kovac // NKH&W 51:53

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2M ago51:53

51:53

Pete Kovac is an absolute legend in the advertising world and a founding partner of the iconic agency NKH&W. Pete’s been part of the Kansas City marketing scene for decades, with a career that stretches from working on the client side, to running major agencies, to co-founding one of the most successful shops in town. He’s going to share his take o…

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Jim Glynn // Glynn Devins 54:30

3M ago54:30

54:30

Up next is Jim Glynn, the co-founder of the legendary senior living agency Glynn Devins. Jim and his partner George Devins started from scratch and built one of the most respected firms in the senior living space. Jim’s story is a great ride. He takes us back to his early days doing promotions at Worlds of Fun, where he first caught the advertising…

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A New Model for Pediatric Trust – Krista Nelson 33:08

3M ago33:08

33:08

Krista Nelson, head of innovation at Children’s Mercy Hospital, shares how she’s transforming pediatric care through human-centered innovation—and how PedsMrkt, a first-of-its-kind B2B marketplace, is helping children’s hospitals across the country bring homegrown solutions to market. From scrappy startups to frontline breakthroughs, she’s proving …

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David Westbrook // Corporate Communications Group 54:07

3M ago54:07

54:07

David Westbrook has shaped Kansas City’s marketing and communications world in a big way. He’s the founder of Corporate Communications Group, and his story is incredible. From navigating challenges as a blind student to building a powerhouse PR firm and stepping into community leadership, David has done it all. You’ll hear him share some amazing st…

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Harry Campbell // Sprint/Embarq 58:06

4M ago58:06

58:06

Harry Campbell’s name comes up a lot when you talk about marketing in Kansas City — and for good reason. He’s had a standout career that’s taken him from Procter & Gamble to Sprint, with several entrepreneurial ventures in between. Whether it was leading big-time sponsorships or driving growth as a general manager, Harry has made a lasting impact. …

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Making Healthcare Work for Real People – Monica Engel 38:13

4M ago38:13

38:13

With 30 years of healthcare leadership experience, Monica Engel joins Sam Meers to discuss the root causes of broken trust in the system, from administrative bloat to misaligned incentives, and what it will take to fix it. Together, they unpack the emotional and financial toll on consumers, the false promise of simplicity, and the urgent need for i…

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Nick Vedros // Vedros Photography 1:10:09

4M ago1:10:09

1:10:09

Nick Vedros is a true legend in visual storytelling. Nick’s photography has taken him all over the world, from right here in Kansas City to big stages with some of the biggest brands, top publications, and creative agencies out there. Whether he’s shooting a high-energy ad campaign, an intimate portrait, or capturing the soul of a place, Nick’s sha…

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Matt Anthony // VML 1:10:22

5M ago1:10:22

1:10:22

If you’ve listened to this podcast before, chances are you’ve already heard his name. Matt Anthony isn’t just a Kansas City advertising legend — he’s one of the foundational forces behind it. Trace almost any thread through the local marketing community, and sooner or later, it leads straight to him. Over the years, Matt built a career full of mile…

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Restoring Trust with ClearPoint Health – Jeb Dunkelberger 36:57

5M ago36:57

36:57

Jeb Dunkelberger, CEO of ClearPoint Health, shares the personal heartbreak that fueled his mission to fix America’s healthcare chaos. From losing his stepmother to brain cancer and facing $2.4 million in medical bills, to building ClearPoint into a one-stop hub tackling high-cost claims, pharmacy costs, and the broken trust plaguing healthcare, Jeb…

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Deb Turpin // River City Studio 1:02:39

5M ago1:02:39

1:02:39

Deb Turpin didn’t just ride the waves of change in the design world — she helped shape them. Back in 1985, Deb co-founded River City Studio and built it from the ground up into one of Kansas City’s most admired creative agencies. For 25 years, she led with guts and vision — guiding her team through industry changes, from the dawn of desktop publish…

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Mike Goff // Sprint 56:39

6M ago56:39

56:39

Mike Goff is someone who’s left a lasting mark not just on Kansas City, but on the national and global stage. Mike’s career spans the agency world, the corporate world, and now the fast-growing space of fractional CMO services. He’s worked with some of the most iconic names in business and culture — Hallmark, the NFL, even the Rolling Stones — and …

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Joe Greene // American Century/Bernstein-Rein 56:50

6M ago56:50

56:50

Joe Greene is a true marketing heavyweight whose career spans both the client and agency worlds. From launching groundbreaking mortgage campaigns at Dreyfus to helping American Express dig out of a $300 million-hole, Joe has been at the center of some of marketing’s biggest challenges and boldest transformations. And when he landed in Kansas City, …

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Siobhan Lesley // Valentine Radford/Walz Tetrick 53:41

7M ago53:41

53:41

Today, we’ll hear the inspiring journey of Siobhan Lesley — one of the forces behind the success of Valentine Radford, one of Kansas City’s legendary agencies, where she rose all the way to President. Siobhan’s story is rooted in leadership, purpose, and a deep passion for people. We’ll dive into her work on iconic accounts like Pizza Hut, and how …

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Al Eidson // Eidson & Partners 1:00:53

7M ago1:00:53

1:00:53

From the cockpit to the boardroom, Al Eidson’s career is a masterclass in leadership and reinvention. He started out flying C-141 cargo planes across the Pacific in the Air Force, then moved into the corporate world at Procter & Gamble, helping launch new products. Eventually, he brought it all together — co-founding agencies like Eidson Spear and …

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Ann Willoughby // Willoughby Design 49:27

8M ago49:27

49:27

Season Two kicks off with the trailblazing Ann Willoughby, founder of Willoughby Design. Her story begins in the aisles of a small department store in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where she sketched fashion illustrations that would mark the start of a remarkable career. After relocating to Kansas City, Ann didn’t just launch a design firm—she built a …

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Welcome to Kansas City Marketing Legends Season 2 36:37

8M ago36:37

36:37

Welcome to Season Two of Kansas City Marketing Legends! After the incredible energy and inspiring conversations of Season One, we knew we had to come back for more. This season, we’re diving even deeper into the stories and insights of the people who have helped make Kansas City a marketing powerhouse. A special shoutout to our friends at Evolution…

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Episode 10: Lessons in Healthcare Innovation Part 4: Innovation into Reality with Spira Care 29:16

1y ago29:16

29:16

In the fourth and final installment of the "Lessons in Healthcare Innovation" series on Healthcare Champions, host Sam Meers revisits the groundbreaking journey of Spira Care with Jimmy Keown, VP of Health Innovations and Growth, and Jason Spacek, EVP of Health Innovations at BarkleyOKRP. This episode uncovers the triumphs of the final push to brin…

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Episode 8: Real-Time Data Transforming Healthcare - Part 1 - Dan Low 34:07

1y ago34:07

34:07

In this episode of Healthcare Champions, host Sam Meers from BarkleyOKRP welcomes Dan Low, Chief Medical Officer at AdaptX, to discuss his visionary approach to harnessing data and Lean principles for a transformative shift in patient care. As a pediatric anesthesiologist with an unconventional journey through critical care, neonatology, and emerge…

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Episode 9: Real-Time Data Transforming Healthcare - Part 2 - Dan Low 36:27

1y ago36:27

36:27

In this episode, host Sam Meers continues our conversation with Dan Low, Chief Medical Officer at AdaptX, we explore how healthcare systems can transform patient outcomes by harnessing real-world data. Dan shares the challenges of clinical variation and explains how this overlooked issue can significantly impact care quality, efficiency, and equity…

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Episode 7: Lessons in Healthcare Innovation Pt. 3: Bringing Advanced Primary Care to Life 29:57

1y ago29:57

29:57

In this episode of Healthcare Champions, host Sam Meers reconnects with industry innovators Jimmy Keown and Jason Spacek from BarkleyOKRP’s Health Innovations team to delve into the critical implementation stage of Spira Care. Following the initial planning and design phases, Jimmy and Jason now share how they brought their vision to life, navigati…

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Episode 6: Innovating Healthcare Savings with New Perspectives - Stuart Rosenblum 25:28

1y ago25:28

25:28

In this episode of Healthcare Champions, host Sam Meers from BarkleyOKRP sits down with Stuart Rosenblum, a transformative leader at Elevance Health, where he’s known as an “intrapreneur” with a talent for driving efficiencies and pioneering cost-saving strategies. Stuart shares his unique journey from the world of infomercials to an executive role…

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Episode 5: People vs. Patients: A Healthcare Shift - Munzoor Shaikh 34:32

1y ago34:32

34:32

In this episode of Healthcare Champions, host Sam Meers from BarkleyOKRP, sits down with Munzoor Shaikh, Founder and CEO of Long Game Health, to explore patient empowerment, value-based care, and the long-term transformation of healthcare systems. With a background in healthcare consulting, Munzoor is a leader in digital transformation, health equi…

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Season 1 // It's a Wrap 31:27

1y ago31:27

31:27

As they say, it's a wrap! Season One of Kansas City Marketing Legends is in the books. We are extremely grateful to all of you who have listened to our conversations with the legends of Season One and look forward to offering up more legends when we launch Season Two in early 2025. This final episode of our first season gives us a chance to remembe…

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Becky Blades // Blades & Associates 1:09:18

1+ y ago1:09:18

1:09:18

Becky Blades is the ultimate startist. Her second book is titled Start More Than You Can Finish. That certainly describes Becky to a tee. As you will hear into this episode of Kansas City Marketing Legends, Becky not only started a lot of things, but she finished a few as well. And how well she did finish. But as you will hear, after starting her o…

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Scott McCormick // VML 49:09

1+ y ago49:09

49:09

So, three ad guys are sitting around in one of their homes one summer talking about how to create a new approach in the marketing business. No this is not the start of a joke. It’s exactly how the world’s largest agency was born right here in Kansas City. Scott McCormick and his founding partners, John Valentine, and Craig Ligabel, left one firm in…

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Episode 4: Sick Care vs. Healthcare: A Rebel's Crusade - Terry Burke 40:37

1+ y ago40:37

40:37

In this episode of Healthcare Champions, we sit down with Terry Burke, a senior healthcare leader, strategic advisor, and executive performance coach at Oliver Wyman. With decades of experience in healthcare, Terry shares his straight-shooting insights on the critical shift from "sick care" to "health care." Terry discusses the significant impact h…

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Episode 3: Lessons in Healthcare Innovation Pt. 2 - The Birth of Spira Care 32:53

1+ y ago32:53

32:53

In the second episode of our "Lessons in Healthcare Innovation" series on Healthcare Champions, host Sam Meers continues the conversation with Jimmy Keown and Jason Spacek from BarkleyOKRP’s Healthcare Innovations team. This time, they delve into the critical friction points in healthcare that hinder innovation and how the innovation of Blue KC’s S…

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Pasquale Trozzolo // Trozzolo Communications Group 51:47

1+ y ago51:47

51:47

Pasquale Trozzolo, without a doubt, founded one of our city’s premier agencies. Trozzolo Communications Group is an exemplary example of a family business. It also is a company that has recognized over the years how to grow through smart acquisitions and how to keep the principals of those they acquired to stay involved. On this episode of Kansas C…

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Episode 2: Healthcare Overhaul: Reinventing Insurance Models - Ron Rowe 32:37

1+ y ago32:37

32:37

In this episode of Healthcare Champions, we sit down with Ron Rowe, Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska. With nearly 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry, Ron brings his straightforward and candid insights into the evolving payer models. Ron dives into the complexities that plagu…

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Episode 1: Lessons In Healthcare Innovation Pt 1. - Jimmy Keown & Jason Spacek 30:44

1+ y ago30:44

30:44

In our inaugural episode of Healthcare Champions, host Sam Meers sits down with Jimmy Keown from the BarkleyOKRP Health Innovations team and Jason Spacek, formerly of Blue Cross Blue Shield now the EVP at BarkleyOKRP Health Innovations. They kick off this first season with a series called Lessons in Health Innovation. They dive deep to discuss the …

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Andy Fletcher // Fletcher/Mayo; Barkley 44:59

1+ y ago44:59

44:59

What’s it like to have your dad be your boss? Well, our guest today on Marketing Legends of Kansas City can tell us. Andy Fletcher worked for his dad at Fletcher Mayo and learned a thing or two there about the marketing business, especially in the agriculture arena. But Andy has stories to tell us as he became in his words, a nomad in the business,…

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Landa William // LandaJob 47:19

1+ y ago47:19

47:19

Chances are more than a few of you have Landa Williams to thank for a job or for an employee hire in a Kansas City agency or company. And even if you didn’t, you absolutely know a few people who did. LandaJob is her company’s name, and she will tell us how that came about on this edition of the Marketing Legends of Kansas City. Plus, she might even…

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Larry Wheeler // Boasberg Wheeler 1:06:10

1+ y ago1:06:10

1:06:10

There can be no dispute that Ewing Kaufmann is one of the most impactful and influential business leaders in Kansas City history. In this episode of Kansas City Marketing legends, we hear from one of our own legends what it was like to work for Mr. K. at Marion Labs and the business lessons he learned that helped him run his own public relations fi…

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Bill Fromm // Barkley 58:40

1+ y ago58:40

58:40

Bill Fromm was a born entrepreneur. He ran a dry-cleaning delivery service in college and his dream was to come back to Kansas City and start an advertising agency. He made that dream come true and opened the doors of his agency on June 1, 1964. Today that agency is Barkley, and it is one of the leading independent agencies in the country. Along th…

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Whitey Kuhn // Kuhn & Wittenborn 1:05:56

1+ y ago1:05:56

1:05:56

Hallmark is not just one of Kansas City’s most revered companies, but it has also contributed to the overall growth of the creative community in the city. One of the best examples of that is the partnership that developed between Whitey Kuhn and the late Dale Wittenborn. The two met while working at Hallmark and then one day they started talking ab…

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Bob Bernstein // Bernstein-Rein 1:00:50

1+ y ago1:00:50

1:00:50

Listeners to the Marketing Legends of Kansas City may find it hard to believe that there was a time when a handshake was all that was needed to create a decades long partnership between a global retailer and an ad agency in Kansas City. But that’s one story that our guest today can tell. Bob Bernstein started his agency in 1964. The handshake he ha…

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Welcome to Kansas City Marketing Legends 29:20

1+ y ago29:20

29:20

Kansas City has a rich and colorful history when it comes to our Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations community. We talked for a while about how to start capturing the stories. We quickly decided we did not want to write a book, so we landed on an even better idea – let’s start a podcast! Our idea is simple. Let’s reach out to all the people…