Chair: Efi Kamara
Efi is retired after over 30 years in IT, mainly managing projects in telecom (Amdocs). He is an entrepreneur at heart, engaged in various Jewish community activities, and is a retired Lt. Colonel in the IDF.
How we began
In the summer of 2017 a group of friends worked together to build an Israeli Innovation Pavilion for Kansas City’s Jewish Culture Fest. A bustling stream of visitors crowded the Pavilion all day, all amazed by the breadth and depth of Israeli innovation. We were onto something: Midwesterners know little about the amazing things coming out of Israel, and Israelis have little idea of the Midwest’s untapped business potential.
Thus was born KCLINK, to build and strengthen the powerful connections between Israel and our part of the Midwest—and share our visions.
Our Team
We are Israelis and Americans, advocates for Israel, who have found the Kansas City area to be a great place to build a successful business, a career, a life.
Principal and co-founder: Yoav Snir
Yoav is a strategic alliance guru, an entrepreneur at heart and an aspiring musician / producer. With 20+ years of Fortune 500 international leadership in technology sales, product engineering, and global strategy, Yoav Snir has been reliably crafting dynamic solutions and delivering multimillion-dollar results at every turn. Having led entrepreneurial “start-up like” endeavors within the larger organization, his high-energy approach and creative agility lead to new innovative solutions, strategies and market approaches.
Ace Allen
Ace is a semi-retired medical oncologist. He published a telemedicine trade magazine, and founded a health search engine. Immediate past Board Chair of the Jewish Community Center of Greater KC.
Asher Bittan
Asher is a mechanical engineer with over 30 years in IT/telecom in Israel and in the U.S. He specializes in the design and implementation of manufacturing automation solutions.
Adam E. Haviv
Adam is a customer success & business development Director for a Israeli high-tech company, relocated to KC 2 years ago. His expertise are in problem solving and project management in the Telecommunication and Omni Channel transformation.
Ken Sonnenschein
Ken is a practicing psychiatrist with a strong track record in building and growing nonprofits, including Bike for the Brain, All In for Skin, and Mitvah Garden KC.
Efi Gershom
Efi is an entrepreneur, businessman, and innovator. He developed multiple successful online companies, featuring peer-to-peer technologies and exchange software for the automotive industry. He focuses online solutions for brick-and-mortar companies. Efi holds a Masters Degree in Computer Science, specializing in software engineering and networking.
Peter Loftspring
Peter is Senior VP, Assistant General Counsel and Corporate Compliance Manager at Black & Veatch Corp., an international engineering and construction firm. He provides legal support for special projects, and manages the daily operations of the B&V’s global compliance organization.
Barry Kaseff
Barry is an MBA and businessman, and owner of Metro Title Services. He concentrates on developing efficiencies in business by combining talent and technology. He has experience in a variety of business investments, and spends his free time playing basketball and working with non-profits.