Ingram's October 2023

TOP DOCTORS | 20 IN THEIR TWENTIES | FALL RECOGNITION CELEBRATIONS

Ingrams.com | October 2023

The Medical Edition

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KANSAS CITY & VICINITY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD THE FULL EMPLOYMENT COUNCIL, INC.

Funded by a $2.7 million grant from the Missouri Department of Higher Education / Office of Workforce Development, the program will support at least 250 new CDA apprentices, increasing the availability of affordable, quality childcare slots in the Kansas City and St. Louis regions. Interstate Partnership Announced

Thanks to our Partners

Kansas City / St. Louis Childcare Challenges More than 60% of Missouri parents reported missing work in the last 3 months due to childcare issues. 1 in 10 Missourians left jobs completely. Kansas City and St. Louis have a childcare slot shortage of more than 20% per region. US Chamber of Commerce estimates MO loses over $1.3 billion per year due to childcare-related barriers.

To learn more about the program, scan for the full press release: Go In-Depth

KANSAS CITY PARTNERS

Greater KC Chamber of Commerce Early StART Emanuel Child Development Center

ST. LOUIS PARTNERS

St Louis Urban League YWCA Metro St. Louis

STATE OF MISSOURI PARTNERS

Missouri Department of Higher Education / Office of Workforce Development Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education / Office of Early Learning

The Full Employment Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment via the Missouri Relay Service at 711.

Photo credits: Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Inc.

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OCTOBER 2023 • VOLUME 49, NO. 10

Talk of the Town 7 In the News/Correspondent Business News and Legislative Updates Perspectives 4 Editor’s Note The annual 20 in Their Twenties fea ture is both reassurance that the rising cohort of executives is well-suited to the task, and a cautionary tale to civic leaders about keeping talent home. by Joe Sweeney Not everyone is delighted with the new terminal at KCI. For some, the calcu lus on convenience vs. amenities still favors what we’ve given up. by Jack Cashill As Jackson County continues to strug gle with getting property appraisals correct, it seems one sure-fire strategy will apply: Get your own. by Dennis Boone 9 Between the Lines 11 Reflections

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Features

Special Reports 22 20 in Their Twenties

14 Cause for Celebration

Ingram’s annual gathering of Corporate Report 100 and Best of Business Kansas City winners at the Fall Glory.

In addition to naming another score of talented young achievers from

12 In a Nutshell

area businesses, we gather this year’s 20 in Their Twenties honorees for an assembly to discuss issues of greatest concern to them. Year 16 brings to 320 the number of people recognized since the program debuted in 2008. 43 Special Medical Edition For a 27th year, Ingram’s recognizes some of the physicians that help deliver world-class health care for residents of this region and beyond. We also explore the way the regional hospital marketplace has changed over the past decade in terms of costs, employment and treatment types.

A world in chaos is no friend to anyone seeking stability in the investment markets. by Ken Herman

16 Q&A: Renee Gartelos

The director of human resources for Burns & McDonnell assesses a hiring spree that has brought thousands of new employe owners into the fold.

Business & Commerce 19 Wealth Management

22 20 in Their Twenties

There are unusual reasons keeping an expected recession from showing up, but history tells us that this time really isn’t different. by William Greiner

From workplace challenges in a post-pan demic world to home ownership, AI, data and more, young executives have a lot on their minds. Read about what they have to say and meet our 16th installment rec ognizing high-achieving business owners and executives under the age of 30.

20 Financial Adviser

Thanks to some new regulatory action, your business may now qualify as a financial institution, whether you

43 Health-Care Metrics

Diving into the data shows how the Kansas City region’s hospital systems have evolved over the past decade. by Dennis Boone

think it is or not. by Shelli Clarkston 21 Small Business Adviser

Generation Z is entering the workplace in large numbers on its way to domi nating the U.S. work force within a decade. Is your business ready for the changes that are coming? by Roses Ammon

45 Top Doctors of 2023

Meet 18 physicians whose work helps make health care in Kansas City a key quality-of-life determinant. by Dennis Boone

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Front cover photo: Matt Kocourek Photography

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Creative Planning proudly supports the healthcare workers protecting the health and wellness of our great city.

866-CREATIVE | CREATIVEPLANNING.COM

EDITOR’S NOTE

by Joe Sweeney

Building and Retaining the Young Work Force

Business as usual has gone out of favor. Each year Ingram’s selects a score of 20 in Their Twenties and features them in our October edition. And each year it feels like the overall quality of candidates may be stronger than the year preceding. This year is no different. We had a very solid lineup of candidates and we hope you’ll agree this year’s honorees are quite impressive. The challenge we’ve encountered in prior years is that, between the time we host the reception to the time we publish the issue, an honoree might not only have moved to another company but pos sibly changed careers entirely—it has happened. Employers know that 20-somethings are oftentimes jumpers. This is nothing new. But you’re not likely to find jumpers in this year’s class. What you will find is a cohort of very focused and accomplished young executives and entrepreneurs who are punching well above their weight, considering they’re just getting started in their careers. In this issue on Page 20 is an interesting column by Staffing Kansas City’s Roses Ammon on Gen-Z and their employment prefer ences. We may be in for a shaky and unstable ride as Gen Z populates employment ranks.

the product coming out of Kansas City is high-quality.” Kendal Schmidt, of Spring Venture group, had this to say: “Kansas City is desirable not only for career growth but for starting a family. The lower living costs, top-ranked school districts, con tinuous growth, and vibrant community make it an amazing place for families to thrive. The city’s growth has created excitement for our community like the NFL Draft, Super Bowl parades, KC Current soccer stadium, performances by headlining artists, and new creative dining experiences.” Complementing those quality-of-life considerations are the business condi tions here as noted by Richard Chaves of Parking Company of America: “I think the biggest strength for start-ups is the number of opportunities that the region offers,” he said. “The amount of commercial real estate and residential deals that are still being made in Kansas City, despite the nationwide market con ditions, and the continued population growth are proof that Kansas City is a strong market.” Do those observations mean that we need to stop reaching for improvements? Not by a long shot. Lakyn Boltz, of Sporting Kansas City, offered this: “I would love for Kansas City to have a Downtown area park where you will always find outdoor activities, fitness activities, events, etc., happening. There are more and more people our age diving into a healthier and even “sober” life style, and I don’t believe there are enough things around the city for people our age to engage in without feeling pressured to drink. I also believe there is a shortage of networking events for young profession als that’s accessible for anyone to attend.” Discerning employers will parse her observations closely, for within her con cerns are opportunities to modify benefits packages, engagement opportunities and processes that can change your company cultures to draw in young, high-achievers. This is where the business community can make a difference, and not wait for the public sector to act.

If you listen closely to young achievers, you’ll discover that your own business can help improve the broader quality of life in this region.

When we think about attracting and retaining talent like this as a community, there’s a tech aspect to the discussion. Federal, state and regional officials continue to focus on and invest to bring high speed broadband internet throughout rural communities. It’s no surprise that young adults leave their home communities and move to the larger cities. Rural inter net helps, but opportunity and lifestyle are key factors that drive young adults to the cities. So what are larger cities in Missouri and Kansas doing to attract workers and stimulate investment? As important, what is being done to retain those who are here and mitigate the

migration to Chicago, Dallas, Austin and other markets?

Building on Our Strengths

As part of the 20 in Their Twenties program, we try each year to assemble the new class for both introductions to one another, and to sound them out on topics of concern. What we’ve learned in doing this over the past decade is that what’s top of mind for the civic leadership here doesn’t always mesh with what young people want to see in their cities. Still, there’s plenty to be encouraged about if your job depends on being able to attract talent to operations in this region. Consider what 2023 honoree Jenna TeKolste of Commerce Bank had to say about this region’s strengths: “All eyes are on Kansas City. Sports teams and events, successful companies and the kind hearted Kansas City folk have put the Heartland on the map as a noteworthy and respectable place to develop as a young adult. I think of it like a life-resume. Kansas City is the geographical equiva lent of a Fortune 500 company. Because of the diverse industries and stability of our region, future employers can have faith that

Joe Sweeney Editor-In-Chief and Publisher E | JSweeney @ Ingrams.com

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Coming in January 2024

Special Edition 50

th Anniversary

The 5 Draft of Ingram’s January 2024 Table of Contents Claim your Position! Contact JSweeney@Ingrams.com to learn about advertising and sponsorship opportunities.

JANUARY 2024 • VOLUME 50, NO. 1

Features 12 Ingram’s Celebrates

151 Perspectives from Business Icons

Serious and funny stories from The Players

50 Years of Commitment to Commerce

167 Ingram’s General Assembly & Report The History of Kansas City Business 177 Ingram’s Awards and Their Value Proposition Why Ingram’s competitions and recognition programs matter 181 Kansas City 2074 A focus on the future from KC’s young er but mighty business executives. 187 Milestones Firms Celebrating Anniversaries in 2024 203 Corporate Profiles 50 Year and Older Firms Share your story on Ingram’s biggest stage 222 Corporate Profiles 1 and 2 page corporate profiles 241 Ingram’s Media Kit and 2024 Editorial & Planning Calendar

20 Legends

Since Ingram’s 25th Anniversary Edition in 1999, we’ve honored 90 of the KC area’s greatest business and community leaders. Get to know Ingram’s latest Legends. 43 Then & Now: 1974-2024 A photo essay of KC’s skyline and how it has changed over half a century. 48 Lost Landmarks and Enduring Icons What we’ve lost in half a century is irre placeable, but what we have architecturally will define KC for many decades to come. 55 Headlines and Big Stories Through the Years Year-by-year biggest stories and a time line every Kansas Citian should remember. 70 Charging Into the 50th Year Ingram’s is honored to serve as the steward of busi ness in KC and throughout Missouri and Kansas 75 50 Years of Front Covers The biggest business stories and issues in the Kansas City region since 1974 82 Business Climate Transformation Key industry sectors—then and now. 86 The Nexus of North American Trade 96 A Rich Entrepreneurial History (Psychological Makeup) Growth trends then and now 99 The 50 Biggest Business Deals of the past 50 years 107 The 50 Most Impactful Companies of the past 50 years 133 50 Biggest Players Of the past 50 years KC is uniquely positioned to be to precisely at the logistics crossroads of the nation. 92 Chiefs Dynasty The hottest franchise in professional sports.

Perspectives 4 Editor’s Note

Here’s to the First Fifty by Joe Sweeney 10 Readers’ Letters

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Readership Rivaling ALL Regional Business Journals— Combined! Ingram’s delivers a larger number of executive readers. By far. In fact, Ingram’s has 38.1% more readers than all the business journals in both Missouri and Kansas — Combined! … And Ingram’s readers have significantly higher demographics.

Editor-in-Chief & Publisher Joe Sweeney | JSweeney @ Ingrams.com Editorial Director Dennis Boone | DBoone @ Ingrams.com Senior Editor Jack Cashill | Editorial @ Ingrams.com Columnists Roses Ammon Shelli Clarkston Bill Greiner Ken Herman Director of Sales Michelle Sweeney | MSweeney @ Ingrams.com Art Director Traci Faulk | Production @ Ingrams.com Contributing Photographer Matt Kocourek | Production @ Ingrams.com Copy Editor Nancie Boland | Editorial @ Ingrams.com Digital Editor Will Crow | WCrow @ Ingrams.com Researcher John Ward | JWard @ Ingrams.com

Ingram’s Magazine

All Others Business Journals Combined

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➋ St. Louis Business Journal ➌ Kansas City Business Journal ➍ Wichita Business Journal ➎ Springfield Business Journal

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DID YOU KNOW? Ingram’s is Missouri’s and Kansas’ only audited business magazine and has been the leading business publication in both states since 1975.

Title of Publication: Ingram’s Publication Number: 402-990 Filing Date: October 19, 2023 Frequency: Monthly Number of Issues Published Annually: 12* Annual Subscription Price: $44.95 Mailing Address and Business Headquarters:

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President Joe Sweeney | JSweeney @ Ingrams.com Senior Vice President Michelle H. Sweeney | MSweeney @ Ingrams.com

Ingram’s Magazine 2049 Wyandotte Kansas City, MO 64108 816.842.9994 Owner: Show-Me Publishing, Inc. 2049 Wyandotte Kansas City, MO 64108 Publisher & Editor-in-Chief: Joe Sweeney Managing Editor: Dennis Boone

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Actual # of Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date

Average # of Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months

Ingrams.com MISSOURI’S AND KANSAS’ DIGITAL BUSINESS MEDIA The entire contents of this publication are copyrighted © 2023 by Show-Me Publishing, Inc. with all rights reserved. Reproduction or use in any manner of editorial or graphic content without permission is prohibited. The magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts. Ingram’s reserves the right of unrestricted editing of articles. Submissions must be in writing to be considered. Ingram’s (ISSN #1046 9958) is published monthly by Show-Me Publishing, Inc. at 2049 Wyandotte, Kansas City, Missouri, 64108. Price: $44.95 for one-year, $69.95 for 2 years and $99.95 for 3 years. Back issues are $5 each. Periodical postage paid at Kansas City, Missouri, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please email address changes to JRyan @ Ingrams.com, fax to 816.474.1111 or mail changes to Ingram’s Magazine at 2049 Wyandotte Kansas City, Missouri, 64108.

Total # of Copies

16,000

16,500

Paid and/or Requested Circulation: — Paid and/or Requested Circulation:

14,608

15,484

— Paid Single Copy Sales

37

101

Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation:

14,645

15,585

Free Distribution Outside the Mail:

1,255

815

Total Distribution:

15,900

16,400

Copies Not Distributed/Office Use:

100

100

Total:

16,000

16,500

Percent Paid and /or Requested Circulation:

92.11%

95.03%

I certify that these statements are correct and complete

* Includes the Monthly Issues of Ingram’s Magazine Exclusively

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IN THE NEWS

Tidbits of Business News from Around the Region

MISSOURI BUCHANAN COUNTY Sport Complex Study

Office Struggles Continue As the nation’s office vacancy rate crept up to within a hair of its 1991 record high during the third quarter, the Kansas City market proved no excep tion. According to Moody’s Analytics, the rate here increased 1.3 percentage points in Q3. It hit 26.5 percent in the greater Downtown area and 35.1 percent for all Class A properties, according to Cushman & Wakefield. Nationally, office vacancies came in at 19.2 percent, just below the record 19.3 percent from 32 years ago. Plaza Sale in Offing The owners of a luxury shopping district in Dallas have signed an agree ment to acquire The Country Club Plaza

JACKSON COUNTY Major Mixed-Use Downtown The prospect of a public park lid over the south loop of Interstate 70 has inspired one of the biggest apartment building efforts since the onset of Downtown’s revival 20 years ago. Copa- ken Brooks plans for just north of the T-Mobile Center include a $300 mil- lion mixed-use project featuring 700 apartments, plus 20,000 square feet of retail at 12th and McGee. In addition, it envisions 85,000 square feet of office and smaller retail space on the adjacent block in a separate project valued at $35 million.

City leaders have received results on the feasibility of building a multi purpose sports facility in St. Joseph, a project that could cost as much as $120 million. The proposed 70-acre site would include venues for basketball and volley ball, soccer, baseball, and softball. At the upper price range, it would include a pool, but without one, the projected cost falls to $90 million. A major consideration is financing; the $60 million tax for parks approved by voters in 2021 is largely dedi cated to the upkeep and improvement of current park properties. As its population approaches 25,000, the bedroom suburb of Belton rolled out two initiatives in September, both aimed at setting a civic agenda. The first was the creation of a Community Development Department, which will oversee city planning, building inspections, zoning, and code enforcement, as well as a rental registration and inspection program scheduled to start in July 2024. The other is the production of a comprehensive plan for the community, with scheduled hearings for residents and opportunities to help produce growth strategies for the city. The newest addition to a growing industrial-client roster in Liberty is an automotive parts maker and distributor that will move into a 167,000-square-foot space at Heartland Meadows Industrial Park. U.S. Motor Works, which has six locations nationwide, says it will invest more than $19 million to prepare the facility for operations starting in Janu ary. City officials say the expected lease to-own agreement may set the stage for the company as a long-term tenant. CASS COUNTY Belton Setting Agenda CLAY COUNTY Liberty Snags Distributor

Correspondent News Updates from the Capital cities

Washington | Missouri’s Smith Wants Business Break Saved Rep. Jason Smith, who represents the far-southeast 8th congressional district and chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, has submitted a bill that would extend the small-business deduction of 20 percent carved out during federal tax reform in 2017. Nine out of 10 small businesses, according to the National Federation of Independent Businesses, have benefitted from that break since its introduction in 2018, but the measure was designed to sunset in 2025. It applied to pass-through entities—sole proprietorships, S-Corporations, partnerships, or LLCs—and allowed Gov. Mike Parson headed to Japan earlier this month on an international trade mission with one of Missouri’s biggest export partners, which imported products valued at more than $455 million last year. Stops on the trip include Tokyo and Missouri’s sister state, Nagano Prefecture. The agenda includes meetings with the prefecture’s governor, Shuichi Abe, and the mayor of the sister city to St. Louis, Suwa. He was also scheduled to meet with various government officials, diplomats, and business leaders to promote Missouri as a prime destina tion for business investment and expansion. Last year’s exports, his office said, reflected the importance of international trade to the state’s economic success, chief among them processed foods, chemicals, and electronic products. Topeka | Kobach: Edgerton Annexation Illegal Attorney General Kris Kobach claims in a new lawsuit that Edgerton illegally annexed land in 2020 to expand around Logistics Park Kansas City, where neighbors have opposed increasing the footprint of the region’s premier logistics center for years. The Edgerton City Council annexed nearly 700 acres in 2020, rezoned it, and fought off a legal challenge from nearby residents. Kobach’s lawsuit, filed in Johnson County District Court, says the city violated annexation law by carving out a narrow corridor adjacent to non-contiguous properties it wanted for the logistics park. a deduction of up to 20 percent of qualified business income. Jefferson City | Parson Heads to Far East

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IN THE NEWS

Tidbits of Business News from Around the Region

for an undisclosed sum. Word of the sale emerged after a joint partnership of firms based in California and Michigan defaulted on a $295 million loan earlier this year. Among the prospective new owners is HP Village Partners, which owns Highland Park Village in Dallas, and an investor who is married to a descendant of H.L. Hunt, father of Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt, and grandfather of the team’s current ownership siblings. KANSAS DOUGLAS COUNTY Housing Market Projection A Wichita State economist projects that the tight home sales market in Douglas County will likely remain that way before eventually loosening up late next year. By then, said Stan Longhofer of WSU’s Center for Real Estate, prospec tive buyers will have resigned themselves to higher interest rates, which he thinks could recede a bit to 6 percent by then.

Addressing Lawrence real estate agents recently, he said he anticipates home sales in Lawrence and other large cities in the state to be flat for another year. JOHNSON COUNTY Panasonic Hiring Ramps Up Panasonic Energy’s plans to employ 4,000 people at the battery-production plant under construction in De Soto are gathering momentum. The company says it has identified a senior leadership team, and its corporate site lists more than 200 jobs it needs to fill by next spring, including production managers, BIM designers, and controls engineers. Nearly 1,000 are slated to be on staff by next fall, and the $4 billion plant is scheduled to open in 2025.

or trail—and within 50 feet of a city sidewalk—in response to growing numbers of homeless encampments. The measure, which is set to take effect in December, would provide an excep tion for those campers authorized by the city or property owner, but for no more than 10 days within a six-month period. Two local development companies are among the firms that have emerged as candidates to remake the site of the former Indian Springs Mall at 47th and State Avenue in Kansas City, Kan. Block & Co., Realtors, in partnership with Christie Development Associates, plus Copaken Brooks and Oak Impact Group of California were chosen to submit plans for the site, which was razed in 2016. It sat vacant for 15 years after the last anchor tenant retailer left the mall in 2001. WYANDOTTE COUNTY Mall Site Competition Set

SHAWNEE COUNTY Homelessness Response

The City Council has voted to ban camping within 500 feet of any levy

Coming in January:

th Anniversary Special Edition

A special commemorative issue that will look back on how Kansas City’s business infrastructure has evolved since the first publication of Corporate Report (forerunner of Ingram’s), was published in 1974. We’ll cover the people and companies that built this region over the years, take note of the biggest stories in our publication’s history, and look ahead to what the next half century might bring.

Claim Your Position: 816.842.9994 • JSweeney@Ingrams.com

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BETWEEN THE LINES

Pointed Perspectives & Penetrating Punditry | by Jack Cashill

The New KCI: A Review

Sure, it has its selling points as Kansas City’s front door to the world. But not everyone believes this was a slam-dunk improvement. “For years, the naysayers put up a big fight against a new airport terminal in Kansas City, Missouri,” TPG’s Zach Griff gushes in his guide to the new KCI. “They liked the conve nience of the original facility, which offered the ability to park and practically walk onto the plane.” Yeah, Zach, they kind of did like that convenience. Why wouldn’t they? “The opposition was strong,” Zach continues, “but Justin Meyer, the city’s deputy director of aviation, kept his head held high.” Not to bring Justin low, but he needs to know that when Kansas City travelers arrive at KCI, their first instinct is to gripe. The opposition has not abated.

In mid-October, I arrived in the sparkling new KCI on a direct flight from Tampa at gate 68, the farthest gate from the front door. As I rounded the corner into the long straightaway, I noticed that the moving walkway was out of service. Curiously, the previous time I flew into KCI, the walkway was also out of service. Was this a bug, I asked myself, or an art installation I couldn’t quite understand? On both of my last two arrivals, I fell in with a cluster of people, bonding in our self-pity. The de- funct walkway having set us off, we bitched all way to the curb. Napol- eon’s troops, I suspect, griped less in their long slog back from Moscow

Unlike visitors, we see the airport through taxpayers’ eyes. We knew what we had. To the degree possible, we wanted to preserve that special sauce at some reasonable cost. But what “we” wanted and what “they” wanted never meshed. Zach tells us we will be “mesmerized by the 28 unique art installations,” but “bamboozled,” I think, is a little closer to the mark. The fact that KCI represents the “largest-ever public art program in Kansas City’s history” just twists the knife. I can imagine many better ways to spend that $15 million or so taxpayer dollars. Where to Begin?

in the snow. Yes, we were spoiled. The old KCI had spoiled us. “The new Kansas City ter- minal was also designed with accessibility in mind,” Zach tells us. “If you’re drop- ped off at the departures level, you won’t need to

The sad disconnect is that the designers did not build the new airport for people who live here. They built it for people who don’t.

take any stairs or elevators to get to your gate. There’s just one small sloping ramp that leads to each con- course, but it’s a very mild grade.” A mild grade maybe, but it’s a very long walk. A friend visiting Kansas City last month found herself in a pickle. With a broken foot, the walk from her gate to the curb exhausted her. On the trip out, she felt obliged to request a wheelchair. It was em barrassing. She had never done that before. She was not alone. Others have made the same decision. On my last trip, a veritable convoy of wheel chairs descended on my gate. Watching these people board before me, I found myself thinking, “Hmmm … maybe,

For starters, maybe with a couple of extra TSA booths. My last two flights left KCI early in the morning, one at 6, one at 7. What they had in common was the length of the queue. Each lasted a full half-hour. In the future, I will always have to slice that much time out of my sleep. In the old KCI, “each small subset of gates had its own security checkpoint,” Zach tells us, “which often experienced bottlenecks.” Those were some tiny bottles. I don’t recall ever waiting in line more than five or 10 minutes, and I fly a lot. To distract us from the meandering queue and frequent time checks, we are invited to look up at Nick Cave’s million dollar art installation, “The Air Up There”—in Zach’s words, “a plethora of colorful metal spinners that welcome you into the new space.” Color me a Philistine, Zach, but when I’m hustling to catch a flight, I wouldn’t care if the Mona Lisa were spinning from the roof.

Jack Cashill Ingram’s Senior Editor P | 816.842.9994 E | Editorial @ Ingrams.com

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BETWEEN THE LINES

I need to get in on this.” Among the features the airport brass are proudest of are the “all-gen der” bathrooms. They are so proud, in fact, that they placed one at the inter section of the straightaway and the B concourse. With the “gender specific” bathrooms located towards the end of the B concourse, the all-gender loo gets more natural traffic. My wife tried it. She disliked everything about it, beginning with the ideology that inspired such an expensive fix. For whatever reason, the stalls take up much more space than in a ladies’ room, and, for priva cy’s sake, the doors extend to the floor. Then, too, there were the pee-stained seats. Historically, I am told, that has not been the norm in ladies’ rooms. The (Limited) Bright Side ... Yes, of course, there are improve ments. Towards the end, the old

for the losses in time and convenience, and I have not even addressed the dif ficulty of picking someone up. Unless my plane is delayed, I cannot see myself ever eating at one of the many new restaurants or shopping at the new shops. Having paid for them, I hope someone will. The sad disconnect is that the designers did not build the new airport for the people who live here. They built it for people who don’t. Insecure about our own identity, we wanted to show visitors we could have an airport just as glitzy and inconvenient as theirs. One major puzzle, though: Given the need to impress, given all the atten tion to art and inclusivity, how is it that we ended up with an airport that looks like a parking garage? Riddle me that, Batman! The views expressed in this column, which is also published online in the Heartlander, are the writer’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those of Ingram’s Magazine. Jack Cashill , Senior Editor, Editorial @ Ingrams.com

The question that more than a few will ask: Do the amenities offered at the new airport truly compensate for the overall loss of conve nience at the old one?

terminal had all the musty charm of a backwater Greyhound station. The seats are better at the new KCI, the outlets more plentiful, the snack choices more abundant, the waiting areas brighter and more spacious, and, for my purposes, the Park Air Express bus arrives at one designated, covered spot. Yet these gains do not compensate

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Ingrams.com A Supplement to Ingram’s 816.842.9994 ■ w ww.Ingrams.com

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REFLECTIONS

by Dennis Boone

At the Intersection of Business and Life

Time for an Agonizing Reappraisal of Our Appraisal

Come up with a plan, a program to provide relief to the people who have been harmed. Or, failing that, grow a conscience. Then resign your leadership position. Today. The date was circled in red on the calendar. The valise was brimming with real-estate comps and downloads of the tax assessments for neighboring properties. I’d rehearsed, at least a dozen times, my best closing arguments, a la Otter at the char ter-revocation board hearing for the Delta house. Yep, it was finally time to meet the appeals officer to chal lenge the 48 percent property-tax increase Jackson County was seeking on my Baja Brookside home of the past 23 years. Three years ago, county officials gave us the song and dance about huge appraisal increases at that time. They were needed, don’t you know, to correct decades-old structural flaws in the assess ment processes. It was a matter of fairness, we were told. So I ate the 15 percent increase that year and chalked it up to doing my part. Taking one for the team. Turns out, the “correction” of 2020 was just an opening act—and a lame one. Worse than Prince opening for the Rolling Stones. But! It also turns out, I had in hand a brand-new 2023 appraisal conducted in the spring by a real-live, bona fide licensed property-valuation pro who actually knew what he was doing. And unlike the county people, he actually parked his car and got out of it to make a long, careful examination. According to his math, the county had made a simple miscalculation—it had overshot the true valuation by a mere $80,000. That’s not a whole lot less than I paid for that house in 2000. So, yeah, I figured, I have these guys dead to rights on this appeal. I’m going to go through them like Perry Mason pantsing the real killer, the one whose story is unraveling right there on the stand as buckets of sweat pour over his lying forehead. I get to the appeals offices on Quality Hill half an hour early, sign in, take my seat, and begin reviewing the document-prep presentation order. Fifteen minutes past my assigned hearing time, I hear my name called out. I make a beeline for the table. The polite young lady on the other side opens the discussion with: “You had an appraisal done this year?” “Yes, and …” “And is this the figure on it?” “Yes, which is why …” “Then that’s your new figure. Sign here.” “You mean … that’s it?” “Yes.” “But I have all these documents. I did so much homework.” “No need for them now. We’re all finished.” The looks on the faces of others who bore witness to this conversation induced a level of guilt that, in a just world, wouldn’t be mine to bear. It wasn’t my fault that I had come prepared.

“You’re done?” one groused as I

scooted out.

“Yeah … that appraisal I had was

the best $500 I ever spent.”

For a moment, I considered taking the energy I’d harnessed for my presen tation, finding someone living on the streets near the convention center, and subjecting them to my pitch. Through a sense of self-preservation and Christian compassion for my fellow man, mercy prevailed. On the way out of Downtown, though, a thought came to me: “What about those other people back there? The ones who got the same drive-by appraisals and ridiculous assessments untethered to housing-market realities? Why am I the only one feeling good about this process leaving that office today?” Those are questions that should be addressed on a higher plane. As in the Jackson County legislative chambers. What’s going on out there isn’t just a public-policy travesty, it’s almost crimi nal. In all likelihood, inflated appraisals are going to force some people out of their homes. It might not be a violation of state statutes, but it’s deeply … immoral. Way past time for people in charge to fix this. If you folks in the legisla ture can’t address the phenomenon of phantom property valuations, the least you can do is to very publicly commit to maintaining overall property-tax receipts at their 2023 levels by lowering the tax levies a corresponding amount. Yeah, I get it: There’s no time to review everyone’s case. The problem is too big; it defies remedy. Tens of thou sands of appeals have been filed, and we’ll be into another tax year before they can all be heard. So come up with a plan, a program to provide relief to the people who have been harmed here. I don’t care how: Lowered long-term assessments to achieve balance, direct cash payments— something . Or, failing that, grow a conscience. Then resign your leadership position. Today.

Dennis Boone is the edito rial director at Ingram’s. E | DBoone @ Ingrams.com P | 816.268.6402

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IN A NUTSHELL

by Ken Herman

Escalating Tensions—Globally and on Wall Street

As stocks stumble, bond markets inflict their own measure of punishment, leaving investors with few places to turn.

While oil fundamentals have not yet changed since these attacks, it does not mean they won’t. If Iranian involvement in the attack is affirmed, the U.S. could step up sanctions on Iran’s crude exports. If Israel were to strike any Iranian infrastructure, crude oil prices would spike immed iately. The Biden administration had hoped to broker a Saudi-Israel deal in the next six months, but the escalating situation in Israel has likely dashed hopes for normalized relations bet ween the countries. Saudi Arabia is not expected to slow

After the deadly attacks over the Yom Kippur holiday, Israel’s goal regarding Hamas has shifted from containment to eradication. Gaza is now sealed off. Hamas and the Israeli Defense Forces are exchanging rocket fire. But Israel is also mobilizing troops in preparation for a large-scale ground assault. The two greatest risks for regional escalation now are with Egypt, which shares a border with Gaza, and with Hezbollah, to Israel’s north. The Egyptian border is sealed, but Gaza civilians are eager to cross it to escape the esca lating conflict, suggesting it could be sucked into the hum anitarian response. Meanwhile, on the Lebanese border, Israel has excha nged rocket fire with Hezbollah, which, like Hamas, acts like an Iranian-funded terrorist organization. Hezbollah

is well-funded and well-armed and is the most likely to be pulled into the conflict if anyone is, according to reports from The Wall Street Journal . The massive surprise attack on Israel by Hamas adds to an already fluid set of potentially destabilizing scenarios around the globe that only make investing in U.S.- based assets that much more attractive. This was an unprecedented attack that will result in a major military escalation with regional implications, beginning with how nations will view the long reach of Iran as a sponsor of terror in that part of the world. One thing is certain: the long-running Arab/Israeli conflict just got hotter. Gita Gopinathm, first deputy managing

oil production, al though there is a risk of the Saudis’ unwinding their additional volun tary supply. The recent surprise attack also leaves Israel unlikely to make any conces sions to the Pale stinians that the Saudi government might have sought. In general, bond markets tend to punish countries

Large budget deficits and weak leadership will awaken the bond-market bear. In a time of rising conflict, both conditions are sending chickens home to roost for U.S. investors.

director for the International Monetary Fund, told Bloom berg News that oil prices were the most likely way the broader world would feel any economic impact from the conflict. It is still very early, she said, but if oil prices rise $10, it is likely to increase global inflation by 0.4 percent age points. Crude oil and gold futures quickly bumped higher in response to the unprovoked Hamas attack on Israel. Wall Street analysts generally expected a “knee-jerk surge” in crude prices but limited gains thereafter. That is, provided the conflict does not expand into a regional war—which is far from certain since the fighting is on the doorstep of an important oil-producing and exporting region.

with large budget deficits and weak leadership. Alas, that is where we also stand now in the U.S. (as profiled in a recent Wall Street Journal article entitled, “Rising Interest Rates Mean Deficits Finally Matter.”) The article makes the point that it is very odd for Treasury bond yields to rise when inflation is cooling, and the U.S. economy is growing. The likely culprit? Rising deficits that must be financed by our government.

Ken Herman served as the Managing Director of Bank of America Global Capital Markets and was the Mayor of and served on the City Council in

Glendora, Calif. E | Editorial@

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Join us at Our Premier Benefit Event Featuring Emcee Kevin Holmes of KSHB-TV 41 Honorary Co-Chairs Carol Marinovich and Jim Carr Saturday, Nov. 4, 2024 • 6:00 pm At Children’s Mercy Park Celebrate the good work of the Police Athletic Leagues on Nov. 4! Join us at our signature event to benefit the Police

Athletic Leagues of KCK and KCMO. Emcee Kevin Holmes of KSHB-TV 41 joins honorary co-chairs Carol Marinovich and Jim Carr to celebrate the important work of the PAL organizations in our community. At the event, you’ll enjoy: • dinner, drinks. auction and entertainment • socializing with civic, municipal and business leaders • behind-the-scenes police experiences Proceeds benefit the important programs of the KCMO and KCK Police Athletic Leagues, where officers and adult mentors develop positive relationships with at-risk kids in programs like Drivers’ Ed, fitness, art, gun safety, archery, sports, gardening and academic tutoring.

There’s still time to be an event sponsor and receive exclusive TV and print media opportunities and extensive brand recognition before, during and after event, plus VIP seating! Visit PALGalaKC.org for sponsorships & table reservations.

Collaborative Fundraising to Support the Children of Our Community

Advertising support courtesy of Ingram’s and KSHB-TV

THANKS TO OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS! Thanks to our generous event sponsors who support the outstanding work of the PAL charities:

HIGHLIGHT | 2023 BEST OF BUSINESS / CORPORATE REPORT 100 AWARDS CELEBRATION

A Toast to Business Success More proof that the Powers That Be smile on business: The 2023 Fall Celebration at Ingram’s , honoring our annual Corporate Report 100 winners and Best of Business readers choice winners, unfolded under sparkling blue skies and ideal temperatures on Oct. 17 in the Crossroads. Bringing together executives from the region’s 100 fastest growing companies, along with their peers from organizations that Ingram’s readers have identified as the best of the best in their area of operations, the 2023 gathering was a rare oppor tunity for cross-sector networking, reconnecting with long time business acquaintances, making new ones, and pausing, for a little while, to celebrate the successes that earned each of them their high-profile status.

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1. With perfect weather beckoning, the crowd begins to form outside Ingram’s Crossroads offices. | 2. Jeff Simon , managing partner of Husch Blackwell’s Kansas City office and a perennial pick for the annual Ingram’s 250. | 3. Ethan Whitehill , left, and Ryan LeCluyse of Crux KC, the marketing-services provider and CR100 honoree. | 4. Tech consultant Burton Kelso caught up with Karen Crnkovich of DMC Service, a Corporate Report 100 honoree. | 5. Josh Houtz of First Citizens Bank and Liz Jones of First Interstate Bank gave it their best shot on the cornhole game array. | 6. Also taking up the challenge on the gameboards were Pamela Fields and Gopal Aedma of CR100-winning Global Soft Solutions. 7. Amber Lutz-Sherman and Mike Sherman perused the July issue of Ingram’s , which included Lutz Plumbing of Shawnee among its CR100 winners. 8. Teresa Youngs, Kevin Brandes and Kyle Goulston show off their hardware from CargoQuotes’ No. 1 finish in the 2023 Corporate Report 100. 9. Brian DeFrain of D&L Transport, with his wife, Christie . | 10. McCownGordon Construction COO Steve Levy chatted with Ingram’s publisher Joe Sweeney . | 11. Vest Professional Services, with multiple appearances in the CR100, sent a cohort that included, from left, Karolina Olivares, Elizabeth Aguilera, Vicki Vest, Marla Maxwell and Buffie Reed . | 12. Julie and Nick Gadwood of CR100 winner Gadwood Realty Group.

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Thought Leader Insights: Hiring at Scale

Q&A ... W ith R enee G artelos The director of human resources for Burns & McDonnell recalls the years-long, unprecedented wave of hiring that made it the region’s biggest firm in engineering, design and construction services.

Q: Update us on the pace of hiring over the past few years: Has it leveled off, or are you all still on after-burners? A: We’ve planned for 13 percent growth in 2023, so we’re still working toward bringing on that talent and making it happen. With the specific job disciplines and locations we have, it’s still going strong. I’m impressed with the year and the success we’ve had in finding the talent. A: That growth has been really driven by market expansion across all the busi ness lines we serve, across all markets and all regions, domestically and internation ally as well. Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, plus India, Canada, the UK and Mexico— the growth has been everywhere. Q: Have you set new hiring targets for 2024? A: Not yet, but that’s in the works. Q: Walk us, if you would, through any of the strategic planning processes that might have been adjusted before the big push began a few years ago. A: We’ve had significant growth over the course of my career here at Burns and McDonnell, so this wasn’t necessarily a new thing. In the last few years, as we’ve continued to grow, we’ve become pretty aggressive with our hiring targets. We all understood that from the beginning—the board of directors, the leadership, the hiring team—everyone coming together to approach that. We said there would be no growth for the sake of growth, but all were aligned and stayed true to integrity of our hiring process and selection process. We were committed to making sure we were getting the right people into the orga nization who could create long-term value with meaningful careers. Q: Tell us about the driving forces for that hiring.

Q: So it was more a matter of scal ing rather than creating new processes? A: Right. When we think about putting all of that into action, aligning all the executive leaders and market leaders on their growth plans, what it really takes is that ongoing collabora tion. It was not necessarily new to us, but we continued to get better at it and create that alignment. We attribute our hiring success to being aligned with common goals, and that comes from the top down. Our employee-owned busi ness model and drive for our people to provide great solutions to our clients set the foundation for everyone in the organization prioritizing, identifying and recruiting the right people. Having that involvement and commitment from the leadership helps to really create that interest and engagement by everyone involved. It helped that we had very well-established recruitment strategies in place, but we did have to make adjust ments to scale and find new ways to reach candidates. Q: Are those adjustments closely held practices, or can you offer details? A: Some of it is in-house, but the granular isn’t secretive. For a long time, we’ve had a strong early-careers recruit ment program. We’ve invested in building a pipeline through our internship program and creating meaningful experiences for college students to come in and see what our company is like, what the industry is like, what a career at Burns & McDonnell would look like. Being able to have that program lead to converting those individu als to full-time employees down the road. So it’s very important to our success that we establish those relationships across college campuses, interacting and engag ing with student to identify candidates early in the process.

Q: What about bringing on more experienced talent? A: When we talk about casting a wider net, we activate our employee owners to serve as recruiters themselves and refer great talent to our organization. As our employees speak to their industry peers or make great connections, those relationships are key drivers in demon strating to others what kind of career they could build at Burns & McDonnell. We also capitalize on strong involvement in profes sional society and industry organizations. Plus, from a digital marketing perspective, we promote open job opportunities and share about our culture, benefits, and the innovation we’re delivering to the indus try. Those tactics from a tech standpoint or engaging in more virtual events with candidates have been some of the ways we’ve adjusted our previous approach. Q: As a top-tier employer in that space, you most likely had your pick of the litter with applicants, but even then, not every applicant is a one-to-one fit. How do you address alignment? A: Our focus is on making sure we are not lowering our standards and quality of candidates. Future employee-owners are important to us. Sometimes that takes a lot of patience on the part of hiring man agers and the recruitment team to find the talent and basic qualifications of the job: Is this person going to be the right one to join Burns & McDonnell in that specific role? When it comes to talent, people tra ditionally have talked about finding the “culture fit.” But really, our goal should be to hire a “culture add.” Q: Can you expand on that notion of changing the communication? A: To shift the conversation to what this person is going to bring to this group with their unique perspective and experience, with that specific skill and

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