Kat Cunningham: Finds a way to break ‘glass ceiling’

PROFILE - Mid Missouri Business Journal, June 4-17, 2001

Mid –Missouri woman helps businesses with employee management
By Pamela Marquis

Like many women, Kat Cunningham found herself hitting the glass ceiling at her job, at J.H. Ware Company, a trucking company in Fulton.  But instead of struggling to smash through it, she decided to avoid it by starting her own company, Moresource, Inc.

Moresource helps companies handle their day-to-day business.  It enters into a co-employment arrangement with another business providing payroll, human resource services, benefits, and worker’s compensation and work-risk management.

Seven years ago, Cunningham employed five people; today she has a staff of 28, works with 300 companies in 17 states and leases more than 3,000 employees.  All of her new business comes from referrals.

“I haven’t had to cold call in years,” Cunningham said.  “I love it! I remember what that was like.”

Cunningham prides herself in offering her employees flexibility in a family-friendly environment.   She is responsive to the needs of her employees’ families.  One room in her 7,500-square-foot office building is devoted to children.  It is stocked with cots, pillows, videos, crayons, games, and books for kids too sick to bring to school, but not too sick to bring to work.

“I don’t want my employees to call in sick because their kids are sick,” Cunningham said.   “I tell my employees, ‘Just bring them in with you.’”

Cunningham’s office is full of sunshine, family mementos and photos, awards and sports memorabilia. A large Paul Jackson print of a golden tiger with burning eyes dominates the space behind her desk. On the desk, lounging atop manila folders, legal pads and memos, his tail switching passively through air, is Momo, the office cat. He seems content to share his space with his down-home companion, Cunningham.

Cunningham knows she has a reputation for being relaxed, fun loving and easy going, but she is clear that what drives her is a strong work ethic.

“I take my job and my business seriously,” said Cunningham. “My family often complains that I work 24-7. The other day, my son Ryan, looked over at me and said ‘You’re thinking about your business, aren’t you?’ and he had me –I was.”

The Cunningham family lives on 10 acres in Rocheport, where Kat says her husband, Kent, is a serious “mow-aholic.” The couple has been married for 15 years and has two sons, Brian, 13 and Ryan, 12. A good day for Kat Cunningham is when she can snuggle in on the couch with her family and watch football. And now that Brian, a 6-foot-2 center for Smithton Junior High, has started his basketball career, Cunningham has become an instant fan.

“I am starting to get the lingo down,” Cunningham has always been a big football fan, as is evidenced by the Kansas City Chiefs emblem tattooed on her left ankle. In fact, in the past, much of her advertising campaign was built around the company’s spokesman, former MU football coach, Larry Smith. Recently, with MU’s transition to a new coach, Cunningham’s advertising also made a transition.  The new campaign, created by Woodruff & Co, a local advertising agency, features a fun loving cast of characters discussing those jobs you hate to do.

“Kat is bright and bold, and understands her business,” said Mark Farnen, creative director on the Moresource account. “She gave us complete creative license and a good sense of direction.  She is so enthusiastic and open to new ideas.”

Cunningham spent her first 11 years as an army brat traveling from place to place, but when her father began a tour of duty in Vietnam, her family settled into Fulton.  Tragically, that tour would be her father’s last, as he died in Vietnam in 1971.  Cunningham displays the medals in her office and has several years sponsored a plane in the Memorial Day Air Show o honor her father.

Civic duty is important to Cunningham; she said it is important to give back to the community that has been so good to her.  She has been a member of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce almost from day one of her business.  She has served on the chamber’s board and currently sits on the executive committee.

“The chamber is a great network and a terrific place to meet people,” Cunningham said.   “It has given me great visibility and enormous experience.  Being with the chamber, I have learned how to communicate with a wide variety of people.  It has enabled me to see the big picture more clearly.”

Cunningham said she believes in personal growth and is always looking for new experiences.

“We deal with a lot of different businesses,” Cunningham said. “I need to have a diverse knowledge. It is important to me to be able to talk to anyone about anything.”

Cunningham also is interested in growing her company, but she never wants to lose her balance and grow so big that she can’t offer her employees a nurturing environment.

“So many businesses today are into (merger) and acquisition,” Cunningham said. “I am happy with where the company is at and I certainly love what I do.”

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