Meet the 2023 Award Recipients

Lifetime Achiever Award

Southern born and Midwest raised, Ms. Veronica J. Ford is an Industrial Engineer by degree and currently a Deputy Program Manager at the Department of Energy’s Kansas City National Security Campus, managed by Honeywell FM&T.  She received her B.S. in Industrial and Systems Engineering with a Minor in Operations Management from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio in 2007.

Upon graduation Ms. Ford was recruited and relocated to the Kansas City Metro with Hallmark Cards, Inc. gaining experience in engineering and LEAN manufacturing.  In 2010, she began her career at Honeywell where she flourished, grew professionally and increased her technical knowledge.  She was recognized as a 2013 Honeywell Outstanding Engineer and is a certified Six Sigma Green Belt, Missouri Quality Award Examiner, and holds a Lean Six Sigma certification from the American Society for Quality.  Also in 2013, Ms. Ford was inducted into the Black Achievers Society of Greater Kansas City and 5 years later received the Achiever of the Year award from the organization.  In May of 2015, she obtained her Master’s degree in Engineering Management from the University of Kansas.

Veronica is an active member in her community and various organizations such as her church, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the National Society of Black Engineers, Honeywell Black Employee Network, Black Achievers Society of Greater Kansas City, the Society of Women in Engineering, KC Tech Council, Prep-KC, Junior Achievement, Harvesters Food Bank, Big Brothers Big Sisters KC and various other service organizations.  Currently, Ms. Ford sits on the boards of the Black Achiever Society and Big Brothers Big Sisters KC and previously served as a board member of the Metropolitan Leadership Institute.

In her spare time Ms. Ford enjoys baking, volunteering, traveling and spending time with her family and friends.

Achiever of the Year

Heather Rollins currently serves as the Individual Consumer Sales Manager for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska where she oversees and manages the individual sales division which initiates and develops sales strategies to grow and expand the individual consumer membership across the state of Nebraska.

Heather holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Missouri – Columbia.  She attained a Master of Business Administration from Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri.  Heather has received licenses in both the states of Missouri and Kansas in Health and Life – FFM and AHP Certifications.

Within the Black Achievers Society of Greater Kansas City, Heather servers as the Treasurer and co-chair of the Youth Leadership Development Workshop Committee.  Heather’s dedication to youth development engages local high school students to act in servant leadership through participating on the Youth Advisory Board.  Here, students have an opportunity to inspire and encourage leadership competencies while also helping to develop and implement our annual Youth Leadership Development Workshop.

Heather is a committed and passionate member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and active as a board member of Soroptimist International of Kansas City, an organization whose mission and goal is to improve the lives of girls and women in our local communities.  She is currently serving as the Immediate Past President and will soon be appointed as the new Secretary for 2023-2024.

Heather is happily married to her husband of 18 years, Taurean Rollins, and has 3 wonderful children: Chris Tiyani, and Aydin and one grand-puppy Cash.