Ingrams September 2023

Madeleine McDonough CHAIR, SHOOK, HARDY & BACON

Bruce Miller MANAGING PARTNER, POPULOUS

How does the top executive at the region’s biggest law firm remain plugged in with news that could impact a team of more than 500 lawyers nation wide? Presumably, with speed-reading, skills: Madeleine McDonough’s morning-read/listen list includes “ The New York Times, Washington Post, National Law Journal’s “Morning Update,” Bloomberg News , the KCUR Early Bird,” and if I missed it the night before, I read a few folks on Substack, in cluding Heather Cox Richardson,” she says, serving her second term as chair.

Buffalo Bills fans may grit their teeth and think only of a heated ri valry when they hear “Kansas City,” but guess where the team turned when it needed the design for its new stadium? That’s right: Populous, led by Bruce Miller. It’s one of the world’s leading designers of fa cilities for large-audience venues: stadiums, areas, public gathering spaces and more. It broke ground this summer on the Buffalo project.

COLLEGE: B.S., UMKC School of Pharmacy, J.D., University of Kansas Law School, LLM, Global Health La, Georgetown University Law Center ACHIEVEMENTS: “Although it is difficult to single out just one accomplishment, I am most proud of the overall results that our attorneys and professional staff have achieved for our clients, including pro bono clients, this past year,” she says. “From trial wins to resolving significant disputes to helping our clients navigate complex legal and business issues, Shook has had a banner year of favorable results.” THE NEW KCI: “I have used KCI many times. I am a big fan. It has the features one would hope for in a major airport, including restaurants, cafes, shopping, and most importantly for me, accessible wi-fi and plenty of working charging stations.” LEADERSHIP “Ability to listen and, relatedly, and to build and lead collaborative teams—specifically, I am interested in whether candidates have a track record of people who join and follow them wherever they might go.”

2022 REVENUES: $223.78 million COLLEGE: B.A., Architecture, University of Cincinnati

RESPECT: A year after he was designated to succeed Earl Santee as managing partner, Miller was named a 2020 Power Player by Sports Business Journal . Closer to home, Miller sits as chairman of the board for the Kansas City Sports Commission & Foundation and sits on its executive committee. PORTFOLIO: Some of Miller’s most notable projects produced Target Field for the Minnesota Twins, pro soccer and baseball stadiums in Nashville, and a pair of MSL venues with Allianz Field in St. Paul and Exploria Stadium, home of Orlando Soccer Club.

Jonathan Mize PRESIDENT/CEO, BLISH-MIZE CO.

Todd Muenstermann PRESIDENT, DURVET

With more than a century-and-a-half of history under their belts, Jonathan Mize and his team at Blish-Mize can boast they still have customers that started with them more than a century ago. He has logged more than 30 years with the family business, which has gone from outfitting wagon trains in the 1800s to becoming a full-service hardware distributor providing more than 50,000 products to stores across 13 states today.

Focused on animal nutrition at home, on the farm and on the ranch, Blue Springs-based Durvet has grown to more than a quarter billion in annual sales since opening for business in 1970. Looking at all that success, and with a 150,000 square-foot production facility driving more of it, Todd Muenstermann says he’s impressed by “the way we serve our members/customers at such a high level day in and day out because that’s what ultimately produces the growth we’re experiencing.”

COLLEGE: University of Kansas A FAMILY STORY: Blish-Mize was founded by three brothers-in-law in 1871: David Blish, Edward Mize, and Jack Silliman. SCALED TO DELIVER: One of the biggest private enterprises in Atchison, Blish-Mize operates out of a 500,000 square-foot warehouse there. With a footprint that large, it uses radio frequency technol ogy to track, prepare, ship and deliver its orders. SUPPORT STRATEGY: Blish-Mize succeeds when its retailers succeeds, so it provides profit man agement and marketing tools for smaller-scale retailers competing in a world of big-box hardware centers. Those programs cover growth and profitability, product and assortment planning, pricing strategy, store design and presentation, advertising, computer technology for sales, and customer service.

2022 REVENUES: $273.3 million COLLEGE: B.S./B.A., Marketing/Management, University of Central Missouri RECESSION ODDS: “Likely.”

KC’S NEXT BIG THING: “Love it that the Animal Health Corridor and so many companies in our industry are here. Maybe something along those lines. Target other industries in a similar fashion?” ON THE NEW KCI: “It’s impressive. There are a few minor things that could’ve been done better, in my opinion, but overall, I think it makes a good impression.” MENTORS: “Many mentors … from my father to our former CEO, to our many board members over the years … and many important things. Do the work, treat people right, and operate with a servant’s heart.” BEST BUSINESS BOOK: “This is tough. There are so many great ones. Recently, I’ve been reading a lot of Seth Godin and Jocko Willink. So, Purple Cow and Extreme Ownership are two recent top picks.”

Allison Murdock MANAGING PARTNER, STINSON

Tim Murphy CEO, MURPHY-HOFFMAN CO.

Clients and attorneys alike are driving the train at Stinson. Accord ing to Allison Murdock, “2023 has been a year of growth for Stinson. Client demand drove us to open a Tampa office with 10 attorneys. Similarly, we expanded services in New York and relocated to a larger office in the city’s financial district. We have also been successful in bringing in a number of laterals this year, adding capacity in antitrust, corporate finance, litigation, FinTech, and other practices.”

Awards and achievements have gone hand-in-hand for Mur phy-Hoffman this year. Kenworth, the truck maker, named MHC its Premier Gold Dealer of the Year; it’s truck-leasing division was named PacLease’s North American Franchise of the Year; and it opened new facilities in Denver, Tulsa and El Paso. Those are just a few headlines generated by Tim Murphy’s crew—more than 3,700 employees at 125 locations in nearly 20 states.

KC’S NEXT BIG THING: “Many of us at Stinson are excited for the new KC Current Stadium to open at Berkley Riverfront Park. I love that Kansas City is building the first women’s professional sports stadium in the world. It’s an important addition to the greater Downtown area. And, like most Kansas Citians, I’m following the conversation about a new Royals stadium.” THE NEW KCI: “I have had many opportunities to use it, and it makes for a wonderful first impression when our clients and attorneys from other offices come to KC. It’s such a bright, welcoming space, and I love that so many local businesses are represented. The neighborhood-inspired stalls are an especially nice touch.” MENTORS: “I have had many invaluable mentors and sponsors throughout my career. Stinson did not have a formal mentoring program when I joined in 1988, but I looked to attorneys like our former man aging partners Mark Foster and Mark Hinderks, who provided me with opportunities to work on complex legal matters with direct client interaction. They included me in business development opportunities, guided me as I developed my client relationships, and taught me the business of law.

COLLEGE: B.A., Business, Spring Hill College SUPERIOR STATUS: Murphy-Hoffman is the largest privately owned heavy and medium-duty truck dealer in North America. Its network includes 70 truck dealerships selling new and used truck, a parts inventory that covers all makes, skilled technicians and, impressively, more than 1,850 service bays. EXPERIENCE: Murphy’s three decades in the trucking industry produced a deep background in orga nizational oversight, and he’s served on multiple supplier councils for the industry, as well as a pair of terms chairing the North American Kenworth Dealer Council. RESPECT: In 2021, Murphy was appointed to the Economic Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. He’s also on the board of directors at UMB Bank, and held a board role with his alma mater for a decade.

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September 2023

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