Ingram's October 2022

20 in their Twenties

to expect,” he said. “What I found was a growing city with a welcoming business community that took pride in everything from their history and accomplishments to their barbecue and sports teams. The combination of affordable living, centralized location, and potential for continued growth convinced me to build a career here, but the people are what truly has made this place home.” Upgrading Kansas City What would make this region more livable and more attractive to young talent? For Hannah Morrey Brown, there’s work still to be done on the equity front. “Kansas City remains one of the most segregated cities, something that came up frequently in D.C. when I listed it as my hometown,” she said. “While there is no single solution, finding a way to resolve some of the issues—food deserts, public transportation, walkability—that drive many affluent residents across the border into Kansas suburbs would help balance and create a more integrated city.” Those in the urban core continue to deal with rising crime, bad streets, and poor schools, she noted. How to address that? “I believe capping property tax increases to maintain home ownership as well as increasing the frequency and access to public transportation are two steps the city could take to drastically improve our urban core and create a more integrated city,” Morrey Brown said. Alli Moran would focus on continuously improving the city to make it a destination people want to live in by “reducing crime, creating sufficient green spaces, and maintaining existing infrastructure.” All, she said, “are important factors that allow businesses toattract and retain thebest talent.” “I would develop healthy communities where everyone has access to their everyday essentials within walking distance,” said Sarina Shanks. “I’d also increase access to health care, create diversity in culture, and balance some of the societal and economic factors that prevent communities from future growth.” This places a high value on the health of individuals, mentally and physically. “It is important I improve this

for myself in order to bring great work to the table and have an impact in the efforts I assist with,” she says. Jason Chase applauds the strides this region has made to promote diverse businesses overall but says that “at least in the construction space, it is quite difficult navigating and finding these businesses. I would definitely work towards creating an easy-to-use system that connects businesses and promotes diverse businesses where all parties can be successful.” Henry Weiler has found the industrial real estate market here vibrant enough to start a brokerage career within a corporate structure, then venture out on his own with Fischer Weiler Industrial. “The amount of industrial development in KC is staggering. Kansas City has some of the greatest rail infrastructures in the country, which allows us to really be a hub for large distribution centers and intermodal users. I see the potential for this city to continue to grow into a major industrial hub in the U.S. and definitely see myself here for years to come.” Construction gives Kody Simmons a front-row seat to the way the built space in this region is changing for the better and improving the overall quality of life. “With the growth, which has no end in sight, there will always be opportunities to the building and developer world here. So, yes, opportunities are endless, and as they say, one can achieve whatever they put their mind to.” The region must continue to focus on attracting and retaining young talent, especially those with diverse backgrounds, said Kaitlyn DeYoung. The pull of a Denver, Dallas, or Chicago has created talent gaps within the young-worker cohort at area companies, she said. “Also, those who stay in KC in those age ranges tend not to have diverse backgrounds,” DeYoung said. “This suppresses innovation, unique conversation, and creates staleness in companies. My friends who have decided to move to other cities have done so because of the increase in compensation, the amenities and fun atmospheres that those cities have.” If Will Thomas had his way, “I would make sure every student in high school

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1. Jake Durham defended the work ethic of much of Generation Z and the Millennials, saying concerns about the way they value employment have been exaggerated. | 2. Finding companies with diverse ownership is challenging in this market, says Jason Chase, who would like to see more tools to help make those connections. 3 . Rachel Kilmer says making rental options known to more people could help address con cerns about housing equity.

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