Maria Jenks

As vice president of supply chain for Evergy, Maria Jenks has management responsibility for all supply chain functions including procurement, materials management, supplier diversity, and contract administration.

Ms. Jenks served as vice president of supply chain for Kansas City Power & Light, where she successfully led the organization through multiple change initiatives, including a new, center-led supply chain function, a multi-year strategic supply chain transformation project and most recently a significant merger integration project. Before being named vice president, Ms. Jenks served in various other roles such as chief internal auditor, director of audit services and manager of corporate accounting for KCP&L.

From 1996 to 2003, Ms. Jenks served as Western Region vice president and controller with Trigen Energy Corporation, a subsidiary of Suez (now Engie). She began her career at Continental Illinois National Bank and then spent several years in the retail sector with Payless Cashways, Inc. where she held several leadership roles in the accounting function.

Ms. Jenks completed the Executive Development Program at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accountancy from Miami University in Ohio and Executive MBA from Rockhurst University - Helzberg School of Management.

Ms. Jenks’ leadership extends to other company and community organizations. She serves on the Boards of United Way of Greater Kansas City, Mountain Plains Minority Supplier Development Council, Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, the Business Advisory Council of the Kansas City Symphony and the Kansas City Procurement Roundtable. She is founding member of the company’s Employee Relief Fund (REACH), and a founder and past president of the company’s Women Inspired to Learn & Lead employee resource group. Recently, Ms. Jenks was honored as a Kansas City Woman Who Means Business and as one of Ingram’s Most Influential Businesswomen in Kansas City.