Ingram’s September 2022

Dan Duffy CEO, UNITED REAL ESTATE GROUP

Peggy Dunn MAYOR, LEAWOOD, KS

The company Dan Duffy leads was established in 1925, but make no mistake: This is not the United of old. A visionary who understands the power of tech to transform the centuries-old act of selling property, Duffy has built United into one of the fastest-growing companies in the Kansas City region and is now expanding his reach not just across the nation but overseas. Duffy’s empire consists of United Real Estate, United Country.

Leawood has added thousands of new residents since Peggy Dunn became mayor in 1997, and she leads the continuing growth in one of the region’s elite suburbs. Among the recent achievements she can cite: “After brief pandemic delays, we’ve undertaken three capital building projects. We’ve had a renovation/addition to our Leawood Aquatic Center, and begun a new Fire Station in northern Leawood, as well as a new Parks Maintenance Facility.”

COLLEGE: B.B.A., Indiana University; MBA, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University DOWNTURN? WHAT DOWNTURN?: When most businesses were was contracting sharply during Year One of the pandemic, Duffy and his team capitalized on demand for the safety of home. Franchise Times ranked United No. 1 among companies in real estate services with 127% growth in 2020. STRATEGIC ADDITIONS: United has had steady growth organically and with strategic additions, and this past year was no different. He aligned with a fast-growth company, residential specialist Plat inum Realty, a 10-time winner on Ingram’s Corporate Report 100 list of fastest-growing companies. NEVER FORGET: Duffy’s brush with national fame in another venue came with a 2016 episode of Undercover Boss. It’s still up online, and we’re still baffled that people working for him couldn’t figure out who that guy was. Many people talk with their hands. Dan Duffy speaks in metaphors like this one to explain his real estate brokerage’s 127% sales growth in 2020, the best in real estate services.

COLLEGE: B.A., University of Missouri-Kansas City NEXT BIG THING FOR KC: “The continued addition of Kansas City streetcar lines in all directions throughout our broad community would be welcomed by many.” CHALLENGE AHEAD: “We will continue to strive to make Leawood a desirable and safe location in which to both live and work. In the end, I believe we will sustain our outstanding reputation.” TALENT RETENTION: “We are currently reviewing employee wages to remain competitive as well as possible flexibility in our work hours.” COVID EFFECTS: “We had to install plexiglass separators in a number of locations within our public buildings; and we’re also allowing for hybrid meetings when requested. The majority of our public meetings are also now available on YouTube and will remain so making us far more transparent than in the past.”

Terry Dunn CHAIRMAN, KC COMMON GOOD

Tim Dunn CHAIRMAN, JE DUNN CONSTRUCTION CO.

He’s well-known for an exceptional construction career, but Terry Dunn isn’t one to rest on his laurels. His builder’s heart is thoroughly invest- ed in the social infrastructure of the KC region, where he focuses a great deal of attention. Over the past year, Dunn is most proud of his role as board chair and founding director of KC Common Good, an organization dedicated to eliminating violence in KC—the latest in a long list of community-focused initiatives to which he’s dedicated.

Insurance, not construction, was the first pathway Tim Dunn ex plored after college, a path that took him to North Carolina, Texas, and California while working for big brands like KPMG, Chubb, and The Hartford. But the pull of a family business running into a fourth generation was strong. He came home in 2006, moving up through the financial side of the region’s biggest general contractor. In 2019, he succeeded his father, Steve, as chairman.

COLLEGE: B.S, Business Administration, Rockhurst University; MBA, UMKC CURRENT BUSINESS FOCUS: “My work as founding investor and director of Tesseract, very high-ceiling technology venture started 3½ years ago in KC. I will also be working as a director and investor to assist in addressing all emerging risks in a number of my investments. Planning and looking ahead will be my focus across the board.” NEXT BIG THING FOR KC?: “Branding our region to attract businesses and talent. Through KC Com mon Good’s leadership, KC 360 has begun a process for greater community and police engagement to work together to reduce crime and improve the quality of life in our central city.” CHIEFS 2022 PREDICTION: “Barring major injuries, the Chiefs are stronger and deeper at every position. 17-4 record. Super Bowl win.”

COLLEGE: B.S.B.A, Accounting, University of Richmond; M.A., Entrepreneurial Real Estate, UMKC NATIONAL REACH: With more than two dozen locations nationwide, JE Dunn employs more than 3,400 overall, with roughly 1,500 of them at the mother ship in Kansas City. Sales volume of $4.33 billion last year earned it distinction as the region’s seventh-largest private company. FAMILY ELEMENT: Even after adopting the employee-ownership model in 2010, the company con tinues to reflect generations of Dunn family influence, particularly with its civic and philanthropic engagement. DATA DISTINCTION: Dunn’s commitment to elevating the company’s digital footprint is reflected in his role as a board member for North Carolina-based Prescient, a construction-software company. ROYAL LOYAL: Dunn crunched the numbers behind the family’s commitment to getting in on ownership of the Royals when the Glass family sold it to the organized partnership in 2019 for a reported $1 billion.

Rachel Dwiggins MANAGING PARTNER, FORVIS

Steve Edwards CHAIRMAN/PRESIDENT/CEO, BLACK & VEATCH

It’s been a year of expansion and rebranding for Rachel Dwiggins and her colleagues. “FORVIS is now a Top 10 professional-services firm thanks to the merger of equals between BKD CPAs & Advisors and Dixon Hughes Goodman,” she says. “Our Kansas City team and our commitment to client service haven’t changed, but our new colleagues across the firm are providing services and experience that expand on what we provide our clients.”

Steve Edwards is running the final leg of the race before retirement beckons at Black & Veatch, where he’s been in the key leader ship role for nearly a decade. He’s been with the Overland Park engineering giant since leaving the University of Missouri and has overseen multiple global projects and business lines. He joined the board of directors at the employee-owned firm in 2012, became COO in 2013 soon afterward advanced to the top job.

COLLEGE: B.S., Accounting, Missouri State University ON ACQUISITION & RETENTION: “We have a multi-pronged strategy for talent acquisition and retention. It certainly hasn’t hurt that we were named one of the best places to work by Glassdoor. Recently, we’ve launched a generous referral bonus program to incentivize our team to recruit friends and past colleagues.” COVID PERSPECTIVE: “The pandemic forced us to innovate so that we could provide services re motely, and many of those changes continue to be valuable. However, I think we have also learned the importance of relationships and connectivity both internally and with our clients. Connection main tains and strengthens our culture as well as provides the highest level of professional development.” NEXT BIG THING FOR KC: “Downtown baseball?” CHIEFS PREDICTION: “13-4 in the regular season and then undefeated.”

COLLEGE: B.S, Electrical Engineering, University of Missouri ESOP CHAMPION: On Edwards’ watch, Black & Veatch completed its transition to 100 percent employee ownership in 2015.

WHY EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP?: “Growth and long-term value greatly depend on being able to re cruit and retain top talent, and employee ownership gives us a competitive edge,” Edwards said when the transition was finalized. “With a global workforce topping 10,000, being able to offer employ ee-ownership benefits to our professionals outside the U.S. by adapting the benefits to country-spe cific laws and regulations is also critical to our long-term success.” POWER PLAYER: Among all U.S. firms, Black & Veatch enjoyed Top 10 rankings this year from Engineering News-Record in its power division (No. 2 for six years running), Telecom (also No. 2), water (No. 7), and Sewer/Waste (No. 8).

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I n g r a m ’ s

Kansas City’s Business Media

September 2022