Ingram’s January 2023

a commi tment from Panasonic Energy to bui ld a $4 bi l l ion manufacturing plant near De Soto in Johnson County. The plant, being bui l t wi th more than $1 billion in state incent ives, will produce bat teries for electric vehicles, with Tesla as the likely destination.

The acquisition playbook for the rest of 2022 shook out like this: Emerson Wealth of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., came on board in May with $612 million in AUM. June produced a twofer: Taylor Wealth Management Partners of Boston to start the month with $347.3 million additional in AUM, and within two weeks of that deal, Corbenic Partners of Bethlehem, Pa., and $1 billion in AUM. It boated another marlin in August with Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-based Heber Fuger Wendin Investment Advisors and its $8.6 billion in AUM. September brought in Pittsburgh-based Executive Wealth Counselors, adding $256 million. On Dec. 7, it announced the addition of Hayes Financial in San Jose, Calif, with $325 million in AUM, and less than two weeks later, Mariner wrapped up the year by snapping up McGervey Wealth Management of Canton, Ohio, with $105 million in AUM. Grand total: nine deals, $37.77 billion in assets. That’s more than the Securities and Exchange Commission’s database showed for Mariner SEC just a year earlier.

Executives from con- struction companies, dev- elopers, and workforce development organizations say the 4,000 people to be employed there will only be a start: At least twice that number of jobs are expected to blossom on the 9,000-acre site of the former Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant , which can accommodate massive growth from Panasonic suppliers and from distribution and warehousing enterprises. “There is absolutely no doubt this project will be transformative for De Soto, the region, and the entire state of Kansas,” Kelly said. “This facility doesn’t just represent 8,000 high-paying jobs for Kansans— it also represents my administra- tion’s success in creating a pro business climate that attracts young talent, supports innovation, and drives a more prosperous future. I’m glad we were able to success- fully work with leaders of both par ties to bring Panasonic home to Kansas.” Allan Swan, president of Panasonic Energy of North America, references the key development attributes often cited as attractions for manufacturers with its location, cost structures, and quality workforce. On top of that, he laid praise at the feet of Kelly, Toland, and the statehouse. “Kansas,” he said, “is full of people who work together for the common good. There’s not many places—remember, we looked at over a dozen states—there’s not many places where there’s a non-partisan approach that you all have done for this project.”

Cancer Advance | Not your typical business dealmaker, per se, but Roy Jensen comes through with one of the biggest developments in regional health care as The University of Kansas Cancer Center earns “Comprehensive” cancer center designation from the National Cancer Institute. It’s the highest level of recognition awarded by the NCI. The center has gener ated an estimated economic impact of $2.5 billion since 2007, and now has nearly 350 researchers and 150 disease-specific oncolo gists on staff. Logistical Leviathan | Hunt Midwest, under the leadership of Ora Reynolds, secures rezoning for KCI 29 Logistics Park, a project billed as the nation’s largest logistics site. It would sprawl across 2,136 acres near Kansas City International Airport, boasting 20 million square feet of warehouse and commercial office space divided into 28 industrial lots and four com mercial lots, and would be constructed in four phases running through 2042. Health-Care Heavyweight | Bob Page, CEO of The University of Kansas Health System, and Olathe Health CEO Stan Holm announced that they had signed a letter of intent to create the region’s largest employer—more than 17,000 physicians, nurses and support staff. The two health systems combined for more than $11 billion in patient revenues in 2021, and accounted for more than 54,000 hospital admissions.

Laura Kelly and David Toland, State of Kansas It’s pretty rare to find a public sector executive listed among the biggest deal-makers of any year, but there’s no denying that Gov. Laura Kelly and her lieutenant governor/ Secretary of Commerce, David Toland, orchestrated a historic business deal for this region. In July, they formally announced that the legislative incentives ap- proved in the spring had secured Sunflower Power | Governor Laura Kelly and Lt. GovernorDavid Toland, flanking Panasonic Energy CEO Kazuo Tadanobu at the ground breaking in November.

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Kansas City’s Business Media

January 2023