Lee's Summit Economic Development Council
Lee's Summit Economic Development Council
Lee's Summit Economic Development Council
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Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> <strong>Economic</strong> development council<br />
Annual Report<br />
FY 2006–2007
When I began my term as Chairman of the Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> <strong>Economic</strong><br />
<strong>Development</strong> <strong>Council</strong> (LSEDC), I announced that my guiding principles<br />
would be balance and communication.<br />
I strongly believe that ours is a community that thrives and grows when these<br />
principles are followed, and I am pleased to announce that by following these<br />
principles your LSEDC enjoyed another successful year.<br />
As always, we focused our energies on our four strategic goals:<br />
1. Increase community competitiveness through product improvement.<br />
2. Retain and expand existing businesses.<br />
3. Attract targeted, higher paying industry.<br />
4. Generate a positive community image.<br />
Within each of these goals significant progress was made this year. Highlights include:<br />
Nancy Blackwell<br />
Chairman, 2006/2007<br />
• Assistance to new and expanding firms which have projected 302 new jobs in 296,500 sf with a<br />
projected investment of $43,000,000 in plant and equipment.<br />
• Collaboration with the Better Safer Roads Committee to help renew the half-cent transportation sales<br />
tax for new and improved roads and bicycle paths;<br />
• Completion of 64 interviews with local CEOs and publication of the 2006 Business Expansion and<br />
Retention Report, now on our website.<br />
• Collaboration with the City, the developer and the community on Legoland’s proposal to become a<br />
regional attraction.<br />
• Working with Senator Bond’s office to secure $6,000,000 in funding for a new local manufacturer,<br />
Kokam America.<br />
• Increasing the LSEDC investor base from 134 to 152.<br />
• Achieving our long-sought goal of funding LSEDC on a 50% city/50% other sources basis; a true<br />
public/private partnership.<br />
• Completion of our fourth direct mail postcard campaign to regional business leaders showcasing Lee’s<br />
<strong>Summit</strong> entrepreneurs. (You will see examples of the campaign throughout this annual report as we<br />
recognize these forward-thinking business people).<br />
• A successful retreat dealing with significant issues such as: growth and development, diversity,<br />
leadership development, business retention and expansion, and implementing the new community<br />
brand: “There’s More Here: Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>.”<br />
• A revamped, content rich website including:<br />
- a 27% increase in “visits” over last year<br />
- a new web tool bar for entrepreneurs, small and minority businesses<br />
- regular updates of available sites and buildings listings<br />
- new trade area demographics for retail site seekers
Throughout the 2006/2007 Fiscal Year the LSEDC also hosted programs, including several sold out<br />
Quarterly Investor Meetings, and we cultivated relationships with metro area media to secure positive<br />
coverage for our community’s business image.<br />
As I pass the baton to a new leadership team, I want to express my sincere appreciation to the investors,<br />
the board and advisory board, and staff of the LSEDC. Together, through balance and cooperation, we are<br />
all making Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> a stronger community for generations to come.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Nancy Blackwell<br />
Chairman, 2006/2007<br />
Our MissiON<br />
To attract and retain business by partnering with allies to create<br />
and market a high quality-of-life, pro-business community.
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Over the last decade, our research has shown<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>’s image has evolved from a sleepy,<br />
near-rural community on the outskirts of Kansas City to one of a vibrant, high-quality-of-life community<br />
with great amenities, a motivated workforce, excellent schools and more. Promoting and enhancing<br />
that image is a major focus for the LSEDC. But why? Before outlining some of our accomplishments<br />
in 2006–2007, it is instructive to read the words of nationally recognized Fortune 500 site selection<br />
consultant Bob Ady, who writes:<br />
“How exactly is community image measured? There is no simple answer. It is<br />
difficult to identify and even more difficult to quantify. Currently, it represents a mix<br />
of traditional factors and new factors. Among the traditional factors are quality of<br />
education, crime rates, and various lifestyle considerations. Newer evaluative yardsticks<br />
include the physical appearance of the community, after-hour activities, and ease of<br />
newcomer assimilation, especially foreign nationals.<br />
In addition, image is now being more closely evaluated at the corporate level. The<br />
image that a community projects is intrinsically linked to the image that the company<br />
projects. This also drives the increasing importance of image as a site location factor.<br />
Never discount the importance of ‘community image’ in the site selection process. It is<br />
increasingly the tie-breaker among finalist locations.”<br />
ENtrEprENEurs iN YOur MailBOx<br />
In March 2006 we launched the fourth direct mail campaign about Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>. The postcards are<br />
reproduced and featured throughout this annual report.<br />
Our newest campaign’s goal is to showcase Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> as a growing, vibrant and pro-business<br />
community that welcomes new ideas. We are featuring eight Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>-based entrepreneurial ventures.<br />
The 8-month direct mail campaign to 2,500 regional decision and opinion makers highlights some bright,<br />
successful business men and women who see Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> as a great place to build and run a company.<br />
The postcards feature pictures of the entrepreneurs in their places of business and a brief overview of their<br />
companies.
Those featured include:<br />
• Acceleration: Keith Koehler, Gary Schmitt and Robert Pendland<br />
• Adams-Gabbert & Associates: Jo Anne Gabbert<br />
• Bard’s Beer: Craig Belser<br />
• DVA Enterprises, Inc.: Diane Seif<br />
• Kokam America: Don Nissanka<br />
• R&D Tool & Engineering: Rex Luchtel, Rick Lantefield, Dean Rohr and David Wescoat<br />
• Ultrax: Brian and Chris Lincoln<br />
• ViraCor Laboratories: Phillip “Flip” Short, Patti Aspenleiter and John Martin<br />
The LSEDC is proud to showcase these and other entrepreneurs. In the realm of economic development,<br />
it is a generally accepted rule of thumb that existing companies create 80% of all jobs in a community.<br />
Therefore, it makes sense for LSEDC and its investors to do all within our power to encourage the<br />
establishment and growth of new companies in our community.<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Entrepreneurs<br />
Chief Executive Officer Keith Koehler, Chief Scientific Officer Gary Schmitt and Chief Information Officer Robert<br />
Pendland use the entrepreneurial philosophies of Ewing Kauffman to guide their drug testing company’s growth.<br />
PEOPLE COME FIRST AT<br />
ACCELERATION<br />
lsedc_postcards_2007.indd 1 2/16/07 10:47:37 AM<br />
Ewing Kauffman’s entrepreneurial spirit<br />
is alive and well at Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>-based<br />
drug-testing lab Acceleration.<br />
The renowned founder of Marion<br />
Laboratories helped his associates<br />
become millionaires because of his<br />
belief and policies that people come<br />
first, profits are shared and the company<br />
gives back to those in need, says CEO<br />
Keith Koehler. “It’s the right thing to do<br />
and it works.”<br />
Apparently so. In its 4 years of<br />
operation, the contract research and<br />
drug testing company has experienced<br />
zero turnover while its competitors<br />
normally lose a third of their workforce<br />
annually. This translates into stability,<br />
reliability and dependability for<br />
Acceleration clients, who are among the<br />
world’s largest pharmaceutical giants.<br />
For more information visit www.<br />
accelerationkc.com.<br />
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MOviN’ ON up<br />
National recognition is becoming par for the course in Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>. Two years ago CNN/Money Magazine<br />
added Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> to the country’s Top 100 communities by placing us at number 76.<br />
In 2006 we made the Top 100 again, moving<br />
further up the rankings to number 44.<br />
From median home prices to student test<br />
scores; from job growth to household income<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> ranks in the top ten nationally<br />
and regionally.<br />
These are the results of a “slicing and dicing”<br />
exercise your LSEDC completed using the<br />
statistics compiled by CNN/Money Magazine.<br />
We took their statistics a step further. We<br />
compared Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> to the magazine’s<br />
Top 10 communities. We also cross-tabbed<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> with ten leading communities<br />
in Greater Kansas City. In both cases, Lee’s<br />
<strong>Summit</strong> stacked up quite well. Check out the<br />
facts on our website in the Data Center tab’s<br />
studies subsection.<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Jumps from 70th to 44th<br />
on CNN/Money Magazine Survey<br />
of Best Places to Live in the U.S.<br />
The Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Development</strong> <strong>Council</strong><br />
Is Proud to Be a Partner in Our Community’s<br />
Growth & High Quality of Life<br />
Jim Devine, President and CEO<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Development</strong> <strong>Council</strong><br />
218 SE Main Street • Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>, MO 64063 • 816-525-6617<br />
jdevine@leessummit.org • www.leessummit.org
BusiNEss rEtENtiON EffOrts EarN lsEDC NatiONal awarD<br />
On October 6, 2006, in Chicago, the LSEDC was recognized for its efforts to retain and expand existing<br />
employers in the community. The LSEDC took top honors among over 450 economic development<br />
organizations in the U.S. and Canada participating in the Annual Synchronist Users’ Forum, hosted by<br />
Blane Canada Ltd. in Chicago.<br />
LSEDC Vice President Teresa Evans received the<br />
award on behalf of LSEDC.<br />
“Existing employers generate between 74<br />
percent and 86 percent of the new jobs and<br />
capital investment by businesses in their home<br />
communities,” said Eric P. Canada, Principal, Blane<br />
Canada, Ltd. “This award acknowledges the superior<br />
job the LSEDC is doing to retain and increase the<br />
number of jobs generated by employers in Lee’s<br />
<strong>Summit</strong>.”<br />
In announcing the award, Blane Canada said, “...<br />
global business pressures have never been greater.<br />
Without aggressive, proactive work to support your<br />
existing local businesses, jobs can easily be lost.<br />
The LSEDC’s proactive efforts on behalf of existing<br />
businesses show how communities must work to<br />
maximize their homegrown economic future.”<br />
Valued Industry Program (VIP)<br />
Business Retention & Expansion<br />
RepORt<br />
May 2007<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Development</strong> <strong>Council</strong><br />
218 S.E. Main Street • Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>, MO 64063<br />
www.leessummit.org<br />
The award showcased how LSEDC used its<br />
computerized Synchronist company database to<br />
mine for companies eligible for the newly announced incentive: The Missouri Quality Jobs Program.<br />
LSEDC’s proactive use of the database and excellent working relations with existing companies allowed<br />
LSEDC, under the direction of Teresa Evans, to file for Quality Jobs incentives. In all, LSEDC-assisted<br />
companies earned $4,425,403 in benefits and announced the creation of 556 new jobs. These awards—<br />
excluding Kansas City and St Louis—totaled 16% of all the state incentive awards for last year, 18% of all<br />
new jobs announced, and 17% all out state companies receiving the Quality Jobs Incentive from the state.<br />
We still are not done! There are at least three local companies in the pipeline who could together qualify<br />
for $4,000,000 in incentives for the creation of nearly 400 new jobs!<br />
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BaskiNg iN thE glOw<br />
It is exciting when LSEDC Investors make news themselves. 2006–2007 saw many of our local businesses<br />
receive well-deserved recognition from their peers, regional, state and national organizations. A few<br />
examples are highlighted here:<br />
Greater Kansas City Chamber Small Businesses of the Year<br />
Three Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> businesses received 2007 Top 10 Small Business of the Year honors from the Greater<br />
Kansas City Chamber of Commerce:<br />
• Bennett Packaging of K.C. Inc., Kathy L. Bennett, CEO & President.<br />
• First Community Bank, Jack T. Fields, President & CEO and Mary Carol Schriefer,<br />
Executive Vice President/Manager, Residential Real Estate Division.<br />
• ViraCor Laboratories, Phillip Short, Founder<br />
ViraCor Laboratories received the Greater Kansas City Chamber’s Outstanding Small Business of the Year<br />
and the accompanying “Mr.K” Award on May 24th at the Muehlebach Hotel in downtown Kansas City.<br />
Named after entrepreneur Ewing Kauffman, the Mr. K Award goes to the company which has strong<br />
growth, community service and outstanding employee relations. ViraCor performs diagnostic tests that<br />
help reduce infection in transplant patients.<br />
In 2006, Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> EDC Investor Hoefer Wysocki was named Small Business of the Year. Among the<br />
finalists that year were Bennett Packaging, First Community Bank and McCown Gordon.<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Entrepreneurs<br />
ViraCor Laboratories’ CEO and Founder Phillip “Flip” Short, CFO/Vice President John Martin,<br />
President Patti Aspenleiter and their company mascot, a reliable Lab.<br />
Saving Lives<br />
of the Most Vulnerable<br />
lsedc_postcards_2007.indd 9 2/16/07 10:48:43 AM<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>-based ViraCor serves<br />
a patient population that has been<br />
basically ignored by the large<br />
laboratories…patients with suppressed<br />
immune systems. These patients may be<br />
fighting cancer, have severe burns or in<br />
other ways are not healthy enough to<br />
fight off infections and viruses.<br />
That’s why every day, medical specimens<br />
from critically ill patients around the<br />
country arrive at ViraCor’s Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong><br />
laboratory. These patients don’t have 4<br />
or 5 days to wait for their test results.<br />
Their lives depends on the 24-hour turn<br />
around that ViraCor provides.<br />
ViraCor started in 2000 with one test,<br />
two client hospitals and averaged three<br />
diagnoses a day. Today they run 7,000<br />
tests a month for over 100 hospitals. “If<br />
you take care of the patient, everything<br />
else will come,” founder Flip Short says.<br />
Learn more at www.viracor.com.
NatiONal ChairMaN<br />
David R. Meyer, founding partner of The Meyer Companies and brother of LSEDC Executive Committee<br />
member Roger Meyer, was recently sworn in as 2007 National Chairman of the Associated Builders and<br />
Contractors Association at the group’s convention in Nashville, TN. The 24,000 member organization<br />
represents contractors nationwide.<br />
aDaMs-gaBBErt & assOCiatEs, iNC.: 2006 awarDs<br />
Each year, Adams-Gabbert & Associates regularly wins regional and statewide awards, partly because their<br />
core values position them for excellence. By serving its associates, clients, and community with integrity,<br />
respect, and compassion and by contributing time, talent, and treasure, the organization believes that its<br />
associates are able to improve the communities in which they live and work.<br />
Executives and staff serve on over nine governance boards and contribute to over 20 organizations. In<br />
2006, Adams-Gabbert & Associates, Inc. was recognized with the following awards.<br />
• Ingram’s Magazine, Top 100 Fastest Growing Company<br />
• United Way Circle of Caring Award<br />
• Top 25 Woman-owned Business in Missouri<br />
• Top Small Business in Missouri<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Entrepreneurs<br />
Jo Anne Gabbert of Adams-Gabbert & Associates takes consulting to a new level.<br />
At the Top of<br />
THEIR GAME<br />
lsedc_postcards_2007.indd 3 2/16/07 10:47:54 AM<br />
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Lessons learned in her youth help<br />
JoAnne Gabbert lead her skilled team of<br />
consultants. “Just like sports, business<br />
is about competition and team play.<br />
You need great team members, working<br />
together, to win,” JoAnne says.<br />
Adams-Gabbert provides resources<br />
and solutions that can help support any<br />
business’ goal to win. Since opening the<br />
Adams-Gabbert operations management<br />
consulting company in 1999, JoAnne<br />
and her team of project managers and<br />
business consultants have built a $5<br />
million company in Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>.<br />
Jo Anne believes her consultants bring<br />
real-life experience and innovative<br />
solutions to their clients. “We provide<br />
highly trained Project Managers and<br />
Business Analysts to support and<br />
enhance your operations. In short, we<br />
bring our clients Right Solutions and<br />
Right Talent and best of all We’re Right<br />
Here!”<br />
If you need help fixing your business’<br />
operations, visit www.adamsgabbert.<br />
com or give them a call at 816-347-0077.
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MissOuri ChaMBEr Of COMMErCE fast traCk awarD<br />
Kids aren’t the only ones playing on a fast track at Paradise Park. Congratulations go to Jon Ellis,<br />
President & CEO of Paradise Park and Vice Chairman of LSEDC for receiving the 2006 Fast Track Award<br />
from the Missouri Chamber of Commerce at its November 16 meeting in St. Louis. The award is given to<br />
some of the state’s fastest growing companies.<br />
KC Business Journal awarDs<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Businesses were well represented in three 2006 Award categories from the Kansas City<br />
Business Journal.<br />
The Capstone Award for architectural and design excellence honored Longview Elementary School,<br />
designed by the Hollis and Miller Group; New Longview developed by Gale Communities, Inc.; and the<br />
new McCown Gordon company headquarters<br />
Patti Aspenleiter, former Vice President of ViraCor Laboratories and Vicki Henderson, Senior Vice<br />
President of <strong>Summit</strong> Bank of Kansas City were among the Business Journal’s 2006 Twenty-Five Women<br />
Who Mean Business. Previous Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> recipients of the award are Kathy Bennett, CEO of Bennett<br />
Packaging; Diane Seif, President of DVA Enterprises, Inc.; and Jo Anne Gabbert of Adams-Gabbert &<br />
Associates.<br />
R&D Tool and Engineering, Inc., has broken into the Business Journal’s Top 25 Area Manufacturers. The<br />
ranking is based on number of employees, of which R&D has 225 locally and 300 worldwide. CEO Rex<br />
Luchtel’s firm manufactures tools and blow molds for the plastics-packaging industry.<br />
Associated General Contractors honored several projects managed by LSEDC investors Turner<br />
Construction, Co.; JE Dunn Construction; Walton Construction; A.L. Huber General Contractors, Fogel<br />
Anderson Construction Co. and Haren Laughlin Construction.<br />
Locally, The Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year award went to LSEDC’s Vice<br />
Chair Jon Ellis’ company Paradise Park. LSEDC investor Bank of Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> was one of the five finalists.<br />
Over 100 regional developers, brokers,<br />
community leaders and economic development<br />
allies teed off at Adams Dairy Farm Golf Club in<br />
September for another successful golf outing.<br />
Participants enjoyed the opportunity for relaxed,<br />
one-on-one time to enjoy the outdoors and<br />
discuss the emergence of Eastern Jackson<br />
County as a prime economic development<br />
region. LSEDC’s Jim Devine serves as chairman<br />
of the Eastern Jackson County Marketing<br />
Alliance which sponsors the annual golf<br />
invitational.
galE COMMuNitiEs ClaiMs MaNY awarDs<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> developer Gale Communities, Inc. is known throughout the Midwest for its superior<br />
ability to create and enhance great communities with lasting value. The company’s New Longview (www.<br />
newlongview.com) project has been particularly acclaimed in the past 4 years garnering a multitude of<br />
awards from local and national organizations.<br />
This project is a result of Gale Communities’ 2001 purchase of the remaining 260 acres of historic<br />
Longview Farm including 11 historic structures on the National Historic registry.<br />
Longview Farm Elementary plays a significant role in creating a sense of place within the neo-traditional<br />
community of New Longview, a walkable neighborhood designed to include over 1,100 homes and<br />
600,000 sf of office and retail space. The school occupies an adaptively reused indoor show horse arena<br />
built in 1914 as the home for lumber baron R. A. Long’s daughter’s world renowned horses.<br />
Significant among the awards are: 2007<br />
Missouri Preservation Honor Award -<br />
Longview Farm Elementary; 2007 Best New<br />
Home Community - Kansas City Homes<br />
and Gardens magazine; 2007 Excellence<br />
in <strong>Development</strong> Award – Urban Land<br />
Institute (ULI) Kansas City; 2007 Historic<br />
Preservation Award – Historic Kansas City<br />
Foundation; 2006 Kansas City Business<br />
Journal Capstone Award - First Place<br />
Community Impact; 2006 Kansas City<br />
Business Journal Capstone Award - First<br />
Place Master Planned Community; 2005<br />
Midwest Living magazine Idea Homes; 2005<br />
Merit Citation for Planning Excellence - Missouri Chapter of the American Planning Association; 2003<br />
Proactive Preservation Award - Historic Kansas City Foundation.<br />
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thErE MOrE hErE. lEE’s suMMit<br />
The LSEDC has been a proud partner in the research, development and roll out of the community’s<br />
new brand.<br />
“There More Here. Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>” is more than a tag line and logo. It’s meant to convey the abundance<br />
of high-quality-of-life amenities in our community such as:<br />
• Great schools<br />
• Quality housing<br />
• Skilled workers<br />
• Plentiful job opportunities<br />
• Outstanding businesses<br />
• Easy access<br />
• Abundant recreation and cultural activities<br />
• Historic charm, and more<br />
To support the community brand, you will see it on all LSEDC publications. Currently, it’s included<br />
in our successful direct mail postcard campaign, our most recent Business Retention Report and in<br />
this year’s Annual Report.<br />
Together with the City, Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>, the R-7 School district<br />
and others we hope to make the entire community aware that “There More Here. Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>.”
lsEDC aCtivElY sEEks CustOMEr fEEDBaCk<br />
In community site selection, reality is partly perception. During the fiscal year 2006-2007, LSEDC<br />
was mentioned 70 times (vs 56 times for FY 05-06) in articles whose column inches would have<br />
cost $82,651 (vs $27,090 for FY 05-06) had the articles been placed as advertising. Using the<br />
industry standard of 5-1 pass along ratio, these articles generated $413,258 in public relations value<br />
(vs. $135,457 for FY 05-06). LSEDC Board and Quarterly Meetings receive high ratings from an average<br />
attendance of over 130 investors and guests. Educational content, networking and keeping pace with<br />
trends and development are frequently mentioned as plusses for these events.<br />
LSEDC actively seeks to insure that it is meeting investor, ally and customer needs. The surveys below<br />
indicate that LSEDC maintains a high degree of customer satisfaction rating over 90% “good” or “excellent.”<br />
Overall LSEDC Investor Satisfaction<br />
% ‘00-01 ‘01-02 ‘02-03 ‘03-04 ‘04-05 ‘05-06 ‘06-07<br />
Excellent 28 30 67 61 60 59 50<br />
Good 57 60 24 33 40 35 43<br />
LSEDC Staff Rating<br />
% ‘00-01 ‘01-02 ‘02-03 ‘03-04 ‘04-05 ‘05-06 ‘06-07<br />
Excellent 69 62 78 74 67 65 73<br />
Good 28 33 13 22 32 31 18<br />
Another indication of satisfaction with LSEDC is its annual growth of investors. It has been increasing.<br />
According to a 2007 survey of 13 EDC’s in the metro area, with the exception of Platte Co with 175<br />
investors. LSEDC ranked second with 153 investors. Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> ranked highest in non-city funding at<br />
$201,000.<br />
CY 2000 CY 2001 CY 2002 CY 2003 CY 2004 CY 2005 CY 2006 CY 2007<br />
Investors 69 91 118 125 138 147 143 153<br />
CUSTOMER<br />
QUOTE<br />
“The best run, organized and presented<br />
suburban EDC in the metro area.”<br />
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New Business
New business<br />
New business attraction is as much art as it is<br />
science. Finding companies that are a good fit<br />
is essential in today’s era of “not in my backyard” attitudes. That’s why two opportunities now before<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> are so exciting. Certainly there may be a few detractors, but in large measure the business<br />
community views LEGOLAND as a quality operation that could bring significant benefit to our<br />
community. As of this writing, the city and the state were doing due diligence and return on investment<br />
analysis to insure LEGOLAND is a true win-win for all parties.<br />
Likewise, Kokam America’s plans for an ultra high-tech lithium battery manufacturing facility in Lee’s<br />
<strong>Summit</strong> presents us with the opportunity to be at the forefront of the burgeoning “green economy.”<br />
Moreover, Kokam’s operation can compete with lower cost offshore locations such as China. Kokam<br />
America will truly be a “made in America” success story.<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Entrepreneurs<br />
Don Nissanka is leading Kokam America’s emergence as a top U.S. manufacturer<br />
of highly efficient, rechargeable batteries.<br />
Charged for<br />
Growth<br />
lsedc_postcards_2007.indd 5 2/16/07 10:48:02 AM<br />
How far can you go on a third of a tank<br />
of gasoline? How about from Kansas<br />
City to Chicago. That’s what a plug-in<br />
hybrid car powered by a Kokam America<br />
superior lithium polymer battery the size<br />
of a notebook computer could do.<br />
As the U.S. President of the global South<br />
Korea-based company, Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>’s<br />
Don Nissanka may make Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong><br />
a major player in the global energy<br />
industry. Nissanka and his partners plan<br />
to open a clean-room manufacturing<br />
facility in the Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> area soon.<br />
The company could be generating $100<br />
million plus within 5 years.<br />
Senator Kit Bond is a big supporter. He<br />
has helped arrange a multi-million dollar<br />
federal grant while private investors are<br />
getting on board.<br />
Meanwhile, Nissanka has landed large<br />
federal and corporate contracts to place<br />
the lightweight batteries in fighter jets,<br />
helicopters and commercial airliners.<br />
Life-sustaining medical devices are<br />
another huge market.<br />
For more information visit<br />
www.Kokam America.com.
lEE’s suMMit ON thE fOrEfrONt Of ENErgY iNDEpENDENCE EffOrts<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> could well be a beach head on the war for energy independence with the opening of a major<br />
lithium battery manufacturing facility. Attracting the company, Kokam America, to Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> was a<br />
textbook case in opportunistic economic development.<br />
In January 2006, the Mayor’s Office received a call from a citizen lamenting the fact that a local<br />
entrepreneur was going to relocate to Indiana because of incentives. LSEDC was informed and met with<br />
Don Nissanka, President of Kokam America, and a Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> resident. Don is a former executive of a<br />
large battery manufacturer and a Central Missouri State University Alumnus of the Year.<br />
Don explained that Indiana was collaborating to give his lithium ion battery company millions of dollars,<br />
free space and other congressional support to help him jump start his business. Kokam America is the<br />
U.S. arm of a South Korean company that produces the next generation of lithium batteries that could<br />
literally help solve some of the energy crisis. The highly efficient, rechargeable batteries can power<br />
everything from miniature medical devices to fighter jets. A hybrid car operating with Kokam batteries the<br />
size of a notebook computer could go from Kansas City to Chicago on a third of a tank of gasoline.<br />
As the LSEDC learned more about this new technology, it became apparent that Kokam America could<br />
become an industry leader, and that Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> could be home to this great advancement. To help<br />
persuade Don and his company to remain in our area, LSEDC introduced him to local investors, as<br />
well as state and regional economic development leaders including the Kansas City Area <strong>Development</strong><br />
<strong>Council</strong>, the Missouri Department of <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Development</strong>, Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> bankers, and most<br />
importantly, Senator Kit Bond.<br />
After learning about the defense applications made possible by Kokam America’s technology, Dr. Bud<br />
Hertzog, former LSEDC Chair, offered to host a meeting with Senator Bond’s local liaison. This meeting<br />
led to Kokam America receiving a $6,000,000 federal grant for defense department related products.<br />
Through this collaborative, creative process it is exciting to know that Kokam will stay in Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong><br />
with plans to:<br />
• Employ 200 people<br />
• Invest $23,000,000 for new manufacturing equipment<br />
• Occupy 60,0000 sf in Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong><br />
• Pay an average wage of $40,000<br />
• Build a $100,000,000 company within 5 years and possibly much much more, depending on<br />
acceptance of its revolutionary battery technology.<br />
New Business
New business<br />
lsEDC 1st ENtrEprNEurs’ shOwCasE<br />
With three Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Businesses Scoring in the Greater Kansas City’s Top 10 Small Businesses of the<br />
Year, we again realize the existing businesses are the sparkplugs for job growth. Drilling down further into<br />
entrepreneurship assistance is a logical next step. Entrepreneurs’ needs require additional LSEDC staff skill<br />
sets: business plan reviews or development; filling in the business plan holes with introductions to the<br />
LSEDC network of bankers, “angel investors,” consultants, developers, and brokers; and most important,<br />
relationship management to gain trust to help understand the client’s perspectives on their business.<br />
In May 2007, we hosted three entrepreneurs in different stages of development: Bard’s Beer, Kokam<br />
America, and Revtek Corp. Their needs range from equity financing, to working capital to equipment<br />
financing. Since they all needed some sort of financing, we invited our LSEDC investor banks, local<br />
“angel investors,” and others with an extensive network of high net worth people looking for investment<br />
opportunities. We are pleased to announce that each of the start ups are having extended discussion with<br />
some of the attendees.<br />
Pictured exchanging business cards are<br />
Pat Case of <strong>Summit</strong> Bank of Kansas<br />
City, Don Nissanka, CEO of Kokam<br />
America and Jeff Kostos COO of<br />
Kokam America.<br />
Pictured seated are all 3 presenting<br />
entrepreneurs from left to right:<br />
Jeff Kostos and Don Nissanka of<br />
Kokam America; Nedra Barr, CEO<br />
of Revtek and Brian Kovalchuk,<br />
CEO of Bard’s Beer.
Business Retention
Business Retention<br />
0<br />
vOluNtEEr BrigaDE gaugEs grOwth & rEtENtiON plaNs iN lEE’s suMMit<br />
There is an 80-20 rule in economic development just like there is in so many industries. In the realm of<br />
economic development, our rule of thumb is that 80% of all new jobs created within a community will<br />
come from existing businesses.<br />
That’s right. Most new jobs are not created by a new mega-company moving into town. Most lasting,<br />
well-paid jobs - and the tax revenues they generate - come from the businesses that are already operating<br />
in Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>.<br />
That is why it is so important that the LSEDC takes the pulse of these businesses from time to time.<br />
We did so in 2005. With the help of “Synchronist” software, funded in part by Aquila, the LSEDC staff<br />
called on 61 Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> businesses. The software synthesizes interviews into a comprehensive executive<br />
summary report which provides a snapshot of companies’ perspectives on the local, national and<br />
international business climate. What we found was startling in the range of positive impacts they have on<br />
our community.<br />
2005 BusiNEss iNtErviEw fiNDiNgs<br />
• 512,957 sf of space was added between 2002 and 2005<br />
• 1,263 new jobs were forecast to be created in the next 3 years<br />
• 768,525 sf of new space was needed to meet demand<br />
In 2007, with the help of a brigade of volunteers from our Board, Advisory Board and investor banks, we<br />
completed 64 business interviews.<br />
LSEDC Vice President Teresa Evans spearheaded the effort. LSEDC investor companies participating in<br />
the interview process included: Bank Midwest, Bank of Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>, Bank of the West, Bank Liberty,<br />
Commerce Bank, First National Bank of Missouri, Saint Luke’s East - Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>, <strong>Summit</strong> Bank of<br />
Kansas City, Union Bank and Aquila.<br />
To help defray some costs, LSEDC received a $15,000 grant from the State of Missouri Department<br />
of <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Development</strong>. The 2005 and 2007 reports are online at www.leessummit.org under the<br />
Studies tab.
2007 BusiNEss iNtErviEw fiNDiNgs<br />
• 88% of local companies introduced new products in the last 5 years<br />
• 87% plan to introduce new products in the next 5 years<br />
• 77% had increasing sales<br />
• 71% had increasing market share<br />
• 70% were planning to expand in the next 3 years<br />
• 714 new jobs will be created<br />
• 989,472 additional sf will be needed<br />
• Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> business climate is good to excellent.<br />
• Community strengths include our quality of life, workforce location and<br />
community growth<br />
Business Retention<br />
• Community weaknesses include perceived high costs and taxes, transportation<br />
and infrastructure<br />
• Community services receiving highest marks were our Public Schools (K-12),<br />
Fire Protection, Community College, Police Protection and Health Care Services<br />
Volunteers from a wide range of area<br />
banks gathered the data. Pictured are:<br />
Row One - Keri Mathew, First National<br />
Bank of Missouri; Teresa Evans, LSEDC;<br />
Row Two - Klara Parrish, Bank of Lee’s<br />
<strong>Summit</strong>; Pat Case, <strong>Summit</strong> Bank of<br />
Kansas City; Todd Harris, Bank of the<br />
West; Row Three - Dan Kauffman, Bank<br />
of Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>; Mark Dawson, Aquila;<br />
Charlie Hill, Bank of Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>; Row<br />
Four- Jeff Blendick, Bank Midwest; Larry<br />
Hillier, Union Bank; Jess Adams, Union<br />
Bank; Tom Earley, Bank of Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>;<br />
Not Pictured - Cindy Stokes, Bank<br />
of Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>; Kathy Myers, Bank<br />
Liberty; Dina Canseco, Commerce Bank;<br />
Jim Devine, LSEDC; and Dr. George<br />
Pagels, Saint Lukes East Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>.
Business Retention<br />
rEtaiNiNg COMpaNiEs & JOBs iN EastErN JaCksON COuNtY<br />
Based on the success of the Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Business Retention efforts, the LSEDC received a $15,000 grant<br />
from the Missouri Department of <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Development</strong> and the Full Employment <strong>Council</strong> (FEC) to<br />
take business retention to the next level.<br />
LSEDC President & CEO Jim Devine and John Engelmann of Aquila have been elected Co-Chairmen of<br />
the Regional Business Retention <strong>Council</strong>. The council—comprised of ten area economic development<br />
professionals, Full Employment <strong>Council</strong> staff, utility professionals and other allies—meets monthly in a<br />
collaborative effort on a regional basis to identify existing businesses at risk for closing or relocating, and<br />
to leverage resources to avert layoffs and closings. The targeted region encompasses five counties (Jackson,<br />
Cass, Clay, Platte and Ray).<br />
The goal of this pilot program is to provide a collaborative, innovative yet systematic approach to working<br />
with existing employers that will help them survive and grow in the greater Kansas City area.<br />
Objectives include:<br />
• To detect early warning signs of issues that might cause employers to leave<br />
• To identify and address concerns and barriers facing existing businesses<br />
• To identify at-risk industries/employers and leverage resources to avert layoffs<br />
• To identify and facilitate opportunities for expansion<br />
wOrkfOrCE traiNiNg is priOritY Of EJC wOrkfOrCE CONsOrtiuM<br />
Since 2002, companies from Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> and other area communities have improved their workforces<br />
while saving considerable training dollars thanks to the Eastern Jackson County Workforce Consortium.<br />
Offering training in everything from welding to effective leadership, classes are held at the Metropolitan<br />
Community College Business Technology Campus. There, instructors meet with employees of Lee’s<br />
<strong>Summit</strong> companies Billy Goat Industries, Fabtech and Pavestone, as well as companies headquartered<br />
in Grandview, Greenwood, Independence and Grain Valley. By bundling these training programs, these<br />
employers—who provide jobs to over 3,000 people—save up to two-thirds on their average employee<br />
training costs. To date, nearly 600 employees have taken at least one class through the consortium.<br />
The State of Missouri helps fund the program with grants from the Division of Workforce <strong>Development</strong><br />
and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Member companies pay a one-time $500<br />
membership fee.<br />
The LSEDC developed the idea of the consortium, which was expanded to include other regional<br />
partners. It helps show local businesses how much we value their contributions to our communities and<br />
how important we feel training is to their ongoing success.
EastErN JaCksON COuNtY wagE aND BENfit survEY<br />
In 2007, LSEDC again was the staff project manager for the third round of the Eastern Jackson County<br />
Wage and Benefit Survey. This survey included 41 companies from Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>, Independence, Grain<br />
Valley, Grandview, Oak Grove, Blue Springs and Sugar Creek.<br />
The firms employed over 9,500 people and together had a net increase of 192 jobs in the last 12 month<br />
period. Twenty one firms project an employment increase of 200 in the next 12 month for a net increase<br />
among all firms of 185 new employees.<br />
The survey contains 70 job titles with low, average and high<br />
entry and average wage data. The study is on the LSEDC<br />
website: www.leessummit.org. This data is particularly useful<br />
because it is Eastern Jackson County-specific and supplies site<br />
seekers with an important recruitment tool.<br />
“As we continue to experience dramatic growth in Eastern<br />
Jackson County, it is critical that local corporate leaders utilize<br />
every tool available to attract and retain talented employees,”<br />
said Daren Fristoe, President, The Fristoe Group. “One of<br />
those tools is certainly the 2007 Eastern Jackson County<br />
Wage and Benefit Survey. The data taken from this survey<br />
allows hiring managers and human resource professionals<br />
to target their staffing practices, focus on ‘hiring smart,’ and<br />
remain competitive in the employment marketplace.”<br />
Daren fristoe<br />
Business Retention<br />
The LSEDC, along with the Eastern Jackson County<br />
<strong>Development</strong> Alliance, hosted several meetings and initiated quarterly meetings of the Eastern Jackson<br />
County Realtors Roundtable at Chapel Ridge Banquet Center. At one meeting, the group heard a<br />
presentation about LEGOLAND and visited with newly-elected Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders.
Business Retention<br />
sMall BusiNEss aND ENtrEprENEur assistaNCE<br />
The LSEDC stepped gingerly into introducing local entrepreneurs to potential investors this year. In our<br />
first Entrepreneur Showcase, we brought three local business people to the attention of local bankers<br />
and investors who may be seeking investment<br />
opportunities.<br />
Firms participating in the first showcase were:<br />
• Kokam America, discussed elsewhere in this<br />
annual report. CEO Don Nissanka is seeking<br />
$10 million in equity and working capital<br />
to finance his lithium ion battery company’s<br />
business plan, including production for the<br />
Department of Defense and commercial<br />
applications.<br />
• Bard’s Beer. Founder Craig Belser of Lee’s<br />
<strong>Summit</strong> has developed a gluten-free beer<br />
that appeals to those with certain allergies. Already distributed in 19 states, Craig was seeking $1.5<br />
million to help the company move its product into national distribution.<br />
• RevTek is a startup software company that has developed a product to speed the processing of<br />
insurance applications. It was seeking $3 million to develop and finance its proprietary software.<br />
LSEDC is mindful of its primary role as a facilitator and convenor. We strive to not be perceived as an<br />
advocate for any particular company’s business plan or financing requirements. While helping companies<br />
raise money is a sensitive area, LSEDC believes it is our responsibility to expose relatively seasoned<br />
entrepreneurs to our regional network of advisors, LSEDC investors and high net worth “angel investors.”<br />
Brewing<br />
Healthy Success<br />
Craig Belser with a glass of gluten free Bard’s Tale Beer.<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Entrepreneurs<br />
lsedc_postcards_2007.indd 13 2/16/07 10:49:18 AM<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>’s Craig Belser wasn’t about<br />
to let an allergy keep him from enjoying<br />
a good brew.<br />
When his celiac disease reappeared a<br />
few years ago, Belser’s allergic reaction<br />
to gluten put 80% of grocery store<br />
shelves off limits—including the beer<br />
cooler. Like Craig, one-percent of the<br />
American public can’t consume wheat,<br />
barley, rye or oats.<br />
Starting in his garage, Belser began<br />
testing different recipes eventually<br />
settling on sorghum as a substitute<br />
for the grains. Today, Bards Beer<br />
is manufactured in California and<br />
distributed in 19 states. It consistently<br />
wins head-to-head taste tests and is a<br />
featured product in major health food<br />
stores.<br />
Belser’s goal is to be in all 50 states<br />
and Canada within a few years, and<br />
to build a food company based on the<br />
same technology. Learn more at www.<br />
bardsbeer.com.
EsOurCEs fOr lOCal EMplOYErs<br />
Business retention and expansion is an art, not a science. Each company’s needs are unique, but<br />
fortunately, there are increasing resources in the KC Metro area to tap into.<br />
A few services that LSEDC has accessed to date include: Missouri Enterprise, Mid-America Trade<br />
Adjustment Center, KCSourcelink, and Kauffman Foundation’s FastTrac just to name a few.<br />
Business Retention<br />
We have had considerable success with Missouri Enterprise. Four Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> companies—American<br />
Foodservice, Creative Blow Mold Tooling, R & D Tool and Engineering Group and Venture Industrial—have<br />
initially qualified for a combined total of $29,200 of grant monies with the potential of more to come.<br />
Missouri Enterprise provides a variety of services to business/industry at either no cost or reduced costs<br />
through matching funds as a result of federal and state grants they have been awarded. Their management<br />
consulting and engineering assistance helps grow and retain companies that are being faced with a myriad<br />
of changes either internally or in their industry. Companies qualifying for this grant receive $7,300 of<br />
initial assessment services with benchmarking of their company against other companies in the same<br />
industry, an extensive “walk through” of their company and written feedback on potential areas for<br />
improvement.<br />
Using this information, Missouri Enterprise is then in position coordinate needed services, training and<br />
other potential grant monies to assist the companies in making the recommended improvements to set<br />
them more firmly on course for continued growth and success.<br />
For more information about these and other available resources, check out the newest addition to our<br />
website, Small Business Resources. (http://www.leessummit.org/sbr1ent.asp).<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Entrepreneurs<br />
U.S. military pilots rely on Chris & Brian Lincoln’s Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>-based Ultrax, Inc.<br />
to keep their helicopters and jets safe and flight ready.<br />
Keeping our troops<br />
in the air<br />
lsedc_postcards_2007.indd 7 2/16/07 10:48:18 AM<br />
Our troops defending us around the<br />
globe can thank two Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong><br />
entrepreneurs and their 22 employees<br />
for keeping their aircraft safe and flight<br />
worthy.<br />
Ultrax, Inc. manufactures aircraft<br />
component testing equipment for<br />
the U.S. military and our allies. Their<br />
UX Validator is a portable unit that<br />
checks auto flight control systems on<br />
Blackhawk and other helicopters in<br />
theater. Ultrax also tests F-15 Fighter<br />
Jet communications equipment in their<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> plant.<br />
The brothers combined their talents in<br />
electronics and software development to<br />
start the business in 1995. Today they’re<br />
proud to support our troops while<br />
providing quality jobs for their highly<br />
trained and skilled associates.<br />
Learn more at www.ultraxinc.com.
Community Product<br />
Improvement
Community Product Improvement<br />
This fiscal year saw the initiation of some projects,<br />
progress on some and completion of others, as well.<br />
All, however, have or will make a major impact on our community’s ability to compete for new businesses.<br />
BEttEr safEr rOaDs<br />
The LSEDC took an active role in efforts to<br />
renew the half-cent city sales tax for roads in<br />
April 2007. By assistance with fundraising,<br />
public education and passage of a unanimous<br />
resolution of endorsement, the LSEDC<br />
took seriously the importance of a quality<br />
transportation infrastructure in our community.<br />
In the approved resolution of support, the<br />
LSEDC said, “(we) recognize the importance<br />
of the city’s transportation infrastructure as an<br />
integral component in supporting and fostering<br />
a vibrant economy, ensuring the safety of its<br />
citizens and providing for an improved quality<br />
of life.”<br />
Former Assistant City Administrator Shelly<br />
Temple-Kneuvean and Allan S. Gray of LSEDC<br />
member firm Truman Medical Center- Lakewood<br />
served as co-chairs of the Better Safer Roads<br />
Campaign Committee. Many other LSEDC<br />
investors lent their name and contributions<br />
to the effort. The Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Chamber of<br />
Commerce and the newly-created and LSEDC<br />
staffed Southern Gateway Business Alliance<br />
joined in passing resolutions of their own.<br />
The Better, Safer Roads Committee<br />
Improve Chipman Road to View High<br />
Improve Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Road (in our city limits)<br />
Improve Ward Road (south of M-150 to Raintree Parkway)<br />
Better, safer roads protect you and your family, and they help our police, fire,<br />
ambulance and school bus drivers do their jobs. Vote Yes to extend the existing<br />
half cent sales tax for roads with NO TAX INCREASE. The tax is monitored by a<br />
Citizens Oversight Committee to ensure accountability and sunsets in 10 years.<br />
Help ensure Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>’s high quality of life. VOTE YES, ApRIl 3Rd!<br />
For more information about the road plan visit www.lees-summit.mo.us/<br />
Paid for by Better Safer Roads Committee, Gene Gamber, Treasurer
The sales tax extension passed by a 66% to 33%<br />
margin. It will help finance new or continuing<br />
improvements to Bailey, Chipman Road to View<br />
High, Hook, Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Road within the<br />
city limits, Ward Road from M-150 to Raintree<br />
Parkway, and Jefferson Street over the next<br />
10 years. Also included in these projects are<br />
sidewalks and multi-use bike paths.<br />
Prior to the election, the LSEDC was invited to<br />
join the citizen-based Thoroughfare Masterplan<br />
Committee and was successful in convincing<br />
the group to incorporate economic development<br />
as a new third factor in evaluating which roads<br />
should be included in the transportation sales<br />
tax extension. The other deciding factors had<br />
been safety and cost.<br />
sOuthErN gatEwaY BusiNEss alliaNCE<br />
Community Product Improvement<br />
The Better Safer Roads Committee launched its campaign<br />
at the intersection of Todd George Parkway and Scruggs<br />
Road, one of the projects completed during the first<br />
10-Year Road Plan.<br />
The LSEDC played an integral role in the founding of a new, informal group of business executives with<br />
operations south of 50 Highway.<br />
The mission of the group is to encourage, promote and initiate collaborative business and community<br />
improvements that enhance member businesses and the Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>’s business environment in general.<br />
Member companies employ over 1,000 people.<br />
The SGBA meets regularly to learn what is happening in the city and share issues and concerns in areas<br />
of workforce development and transportation. One of the group’s first sessions was a briefing by city staff<br />
on the projects proposed in the half-cent transportation sales tax continuation. Of special interest were<br />
the proposed improvements to Bailey Road, Jefferson Street and Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Road. The alliance passed a<br />
resolution supporting the half-cent sales tax continuation.<br />
Alliance members include: Plastics Enterprises Co., Inc; Toys R Us; Metcraft Industries; American Food<br />
Service; R&D Tool & Engineering; Billy Goat Industries; GE Energy; KC Moving; Issco; Beacon Press; JCI<br />
Industries; CK Enterprises; Hi Tech Industrial; Venture Industrial and Geiger Ready Mix.<br />
Plastic Enterprises President & CEO Chuck Koester serves as the informal chairman of the group.
Community Product Improvement<br />
0<br />
suMMit fair<br />
On the heels of its very successful <strong>Summit</strong>Woods Crossing Power Center, RED <strong>Development</strong> Co., received<br />
its necessary approvals in 2006-2007 and began work on its newest Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> project, <strong>Summit</strong> Fair.<br />
The 550,000 sf, open-air lifestyle center, will serve the growing, affluent southeast Jackson County area<br />
of the Kansas City metropolitan area. The new upscale center, anchored by a department store, will also<br />
include home furnishings stores, men’s and women’s fashion, fast-casual eateries, sit-down restaurants and<br />
specialty retailers.<br />
Conveniently located on the southeast corner of Interstate 470 & Highway 50, the new shopping center<br />
is just east of <strong>Summit</strong>Woods. The synergy of new shops and restaurants, combined with <strong>Summit</strong>Woods<br />
Crossing’s stores, SuperTarget, Best Buy, Borders, Kohl’s and Old Navy, will make this a shopping<br />
destination for southeast Jackson County.<br />
The design of <strong>Summit</strong> Fair will feature a Main Street shopping area with beautiful landscaping and<br />
pedestrian walkways.<br />
Exciting projects like <strong>Summit</strong> Fair make Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> quality of life better in more ways than simply<br />
having broader alternatives for shopping. The sales taxes generated by quality retail help moderate<br />
residential property taxes for homeowners; a goal of the city and the LSEDC for quite some time.<br />
lsEDC “BuD hErtZOg lEaDErship awarD” hONOrs r-7’s tOp tEaChErs<br />
As a unique and annual tribute to our past<br />
chairman, Dr. Bud Hertzog, the 12 Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong><br />
Chamber’s 2006 Excellence In Teaching Award<br />
winners will share a $3,000 grant from the LSEDC.<br />
The grants of $250 each are to supplement<br />
classroom supplies or other class-related purposes.<br />
The awards were presented at the May 2007<br />
Quarterly Investor Meeting as part of our salute<br />
to education. Bud’s heart and soul are with the<br />
schools as shown by his service on the R-7 School<br />
Board and in the many other ways he has helped<br />
the district over the years. Plus, the LSEDC<br />
appreciates the very direct connection between the quality of our schools and their impact on positive<br />
economic development in Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>.
prOgrEss arOuND EvErY COrNEr<br />
In addition to the projects already mentioned, Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> is growing and changing in every sector.<br />
$800,000,000 in commercial projects are in various stages of design, engineering or construction<br />
throughout the city. Below is a quick list of some of the projects.<br />
COMMErCial prOJECts<br />
Community Product Improvement<br />
• hartlEY’s BlOCk - Kurt Pycior and his partners are moving along on their $8 million project to<br />
renovate and add on to this downtown landmark. Eighteen new residential condos, 19,000 sf of retail/<br />
restaurant and 4,500 sf of office are planned on 1.3 acres.<br />
• CiviC plaZa - The Meyer Brothers and their partners have a $60 million, 250,000 sf office/retail<br />
project planned on 27 acres at the Southwest corner of Tudor and Douglas<br />
• ChapEl riDgE - Mike Atcheson continues the transformation of our northwestern edge. Adding<br />
to the existing 600,000 sf of retail and office will be another 435,000 sf of office, 99,558 sf of retail<br />
and 334 multi-family units, as well as a hotel. This phase, including improvements dedicated to the<br />
Strother Road interchange, will cost about $194 million.<br />
• i-470 BusiNEss & tEChNOlOgY CENtEr - 975,000 sf of office/warehouse and 125,000 sf of retail<br />
are planned on 125 acres south of Strother Rd and west of I-470 for this $71 million dollar project<br />
planned by Wilgate <strong>Development</strong>’s Jay Burchfield and Bob LeMone.<br />
• suMMit tEChNOlOgY CaMpus - Nearly 95% leased, (1,000,000 sf) with over 4,500 employees,<br />
the remaining 50 acres could accommodate another 1 million sf of mixed use development. Count on<br />
<strong>Summit</strong> Tech Campus to continue to attract site seekers and decision makers to explore Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>’s<br />
entire inventory.<br />
• highwaY 150 in south Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> has so many commercial projects completed or in the pipeline it<br />
is hard to keep track of them. Suffice it to say residential development in Cass County, Greenwood and<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> will make this location Main and Main for our southern gateway.
Community Product Improvement<br />
puBliC prOJECts<br />
• lEE’s suMMit sENiOr CENtEr - A voter-approved continuation of the parks tax is financing the<br />
$3,000,000 new senior center at the southwest corner of Independence and Second Street.<br />
• r-7 sChOOl DistriCt - At long last the district’s administrative offices—The Tony Stansberry<br />
Leadership Center—will move from the former school building on Mill Street to a new 30,000 sf<br />
facility on the Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> North High School Campus.<br />
• strOthEr rOaD - A $30 million project to widen I-470, add frontage roads and construct an<br />
interchange is scheduled to start in 2008.<br />
• i-470/prYOr rOaD/BluE parkwaY - This $40 million project is in the final stages of engineering.<br />
Plans call for a new exit off I-470 at Pryor and a later elevated ramp east to Blue Parkway. The project<br />
will greatly improve traffic flow around <strong>Summit</strong> Technology Campus and other nearby projects.<br />
• DOwNtOwN lEE’s suMMit - The extensive $20,000,000+ infrastructure, streetscape and city hall<br />
project is nearing completion. Plans call for the cones and detours to be nothing but a memory by the<br />
beginning of the holiday shopping season.<br />
R&D TOOL<br />
BREAKING THE MOLD<br />
Entrepreneurs<br />
<strong>Summit</strong><br />
R&D Tool’s leadership team gathers on the floor of its Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> manufacturing facility. From left,<br />
CEO Rex Luchtel, VP of Engineering David Wescoat, CFO Rick Lantefield and VP of Manufacturing Dean Rohr. Lee’s<br />
lsedc_postcards_2007.indd 11 2/16/07 10:48:54 AM<br />
Talk about being at the right place at<br />
the right time.<br />
Just as the soft drink industry was<br />
transitioning from glass to plastic bottles<br />
in the 1980s, R&D Tool was deploying<br />
some of the world’s most advanced<br />
mold manufacturing equipment in its<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> plant. Today, with 250 U.S.<br />
employees, plus 70 more in England,<br />
R&D Tool is among the top mold makers<br />
in North America.<br />
“Smart, motivated, well-trained<br />
employees working in this great<br />
community has been a real secret<br />
to our success,” says CEO Rex Luchtel.<br />
Getting young people interested in<br />
manufacturing so they will consider it<br />
as a profession is a new priority. Luchtel<br />
takes a personal hand by sponsoring<br />
high school robotics competitions. Last<br />
year’s Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> High School won<br />
honors as Top Rookie team in the U.S.<br />
For more information visit<br />
www.rdtool.com.
officers, investors &<br />
professional staff
Officers & Executive committee<br />
Nancy Blackwell, Chair<br />
Attorney, Chinnery Evans & Nail<br />
Nancy is an attorney practicing in the areas of Estate Planning, Business Law, and Real Estate<br />
with the law firm of Chinnery Evans & Nail, P.C. in Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>. She is a member of the<br />
Missouri Bar, Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Chamber of Commerce,<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Education Foundation Board, John Knox Village Board and Foundation Board<br />
and other organizations. Nancy is a lifetime resident of Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>, a graduate of Lee’s<br />
<strong>Summit</strong> High School and was once selected Outstanding Young Woman in Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>.<br />
Ted Murray, Immediate Past Chair<br />
CEO, Grubb & Ellis/The Winbury Group<br />
Ted became CEO of Grubb & Ellis/The Winbury Group in 2005 and has been president<br />
of its predecessor companies since their inception in 1984. He has been in the commercial<br />
real estate business in Kansas City since 1977, bringing a vast amount of experience in<br />
commercial real estate development, brokerage and consultation. Since 1984, Ted has<br />
developed over 1.2 million square fee of commercial property in the Kansas City area. Many<br />
of his projects have won prestigious awards including the Commitment to Kansas City Award<br />
for Twentieth Century Tower from the Kansas City Corporation for Industrial <strong>Development</strong><br />
and the Cornerstone Award for the Hewlett Packard Building from the Kansas City <strong>Economic</strong><br />
<strong>Development</strong> <strong>Council</strong>. Ted is a member of the International <strong>Council</strong> for Shopping Centers<br />
and the Urban Land Institute. He is a mentor with the Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring<br />
Program. Ted is a past president of the Main Street <strong>Development</strong> Corporation and has served<br />
on the Board of the UMKC Bloch School of Business Administration.<br />
Jon Ellis, Vice Chair<br />
PResident And CEO, paradise Park<br />
Jon has been President and CEO of Paradise Park, Inc., since 1991. He recently oversaw a<br />
38,000 sf expansion of the facility to include new attractions, activities and special event areas.<br />
The Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Chamber of Commerce voted Paradise Park its 1998 Small Business of the<br />
Year. Jon is active in numerous community organizations, having served as Chairman of the<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Chamber of Commerce, President of the Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Educational Foundation,<br />
Chairman of the Fundraising Committee of the International FarmHouse Foundation, and Co-<br />
Chair of the Powell Gardens Harvest Gardens Capital Campaign. He is also a Board Member<br />
of the Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Hospital Foundation and Jackson County Extension Service, and a<br />
member of the Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Noon Rotary Club and the Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Optimists Club.
Roger Meyer, Secretary<br />
President, Meyer Brothers Construction<br />
Officers & Executive committee<br />
Roger Meyer has been associated with the construction industry since 1973, the last<br />
28 years as President of Meyer Brothers Building Company. His areas of concentration<br />
are administration, and sales & marketing of commercial, institutional, and industrial<br />
construction projects. In 1971, he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business<br />
Administration from Central Missouri State University.<br />
Dr. George Pagels, Treasurer<br />
President & CEO, Saint Luke’s East - Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>;<br />
Senior VP and Chief Medical Officer, Saint Luke’s Health System<br />
George A. Pagels, M.D. joined Saint Luke’s Health System in 1998 bringing more than 20<br />
years of experience to his position. He serves as Chief Medical Officer for Saint Luke’s Health<br />
System and the Chief Executive Officer for Saint Luke’s East Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>. Dr. Pagels holds<br />
a bachelor of science and medical degree from the University of Illinois and a master’s in<br />
business administration from the University of Minnesota. He did his internship and residency<br />
at Case Western Reserve. Dr. Pagels is also a member of the American College of Physicians<br />
and the American College of Physician Executives.<br />
Karen Messerli<br />
Mayor, City of Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong><br />
Karen became the first woman Mayor of Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> on April 4, 1994. In her more than 13<br />
years as Mayor, and 5 years as a City <strong>Council</strong> member, Mayor Messerli has presided over one<br />
of the state’s most high-growth, quality communities. She was a founding member of the Tri<br />
City Mayors Coalition and the Eastern Jackson County Betterment <strong>Council</strong>, President of the<br />
Missouri Municipal League, and an active supporter of the Eastern Jackson County United<br />
Way and Hope House for Battered Women. She has been named Woman of the Year for the<br />
State of Missouri Business and Professional Women’s Organization in 1998. In 2002 she was<br />
one of 60 women featured in the book, “A Power of Her Own.” In 2004 she received the 2004<br />
Missouri Parks and Recreation Association Public Official Achievement Award. Mayor Messerli<br />
is employed as Director of Volunteers/Governmental Relations for Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Hospital.
Officers & Executive committee<br />
Steve Lewis<br />
City Administrator, City of Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong><br />
Steve was appointed City Administrator for the City of Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> in January 2004. Prior to<br />
joining the city, he was City Manager in Joplin, MO for nearly 10 years. Previously he served<br />
as a City Manager and Assistant City Manager in two other communities. Professionally Steve<br />
is a member of the International City/County Management Association and the Missouri City<br />
Management Association. He has completed the Senior Executive Institute program at the<br />
Cooper School of Public Service at the University of Virginia. Civically, Steve serves as an<br />
ex-officio Board member of the Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Chamber of Commerce.<br />
Dr. David McGehee<br />
Superintendent, Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> R-7 School District<br />
Dr. David McGehee began serving as R-7 School District superintendent in July 2006.<br />
He previously served as superintendent of the Raymore-Peculiar School District, as<br />
superintendent of the Sparta R-III School District, as high school principal in Sparta, as a<br />
middle-school science teacher and coach in Logan-Rogersville School District and as a science/<br />
physical-education teacher and coach in the Drexel R-IV School District. In 2000, he was<br />
named New Superintendent of the Year by the Missouri Association of School Administrators.<br />
He is currently serving as president of the Kansas City Missouri Association of School<br />
Administrators, was selected to serve on the Missouri Commissioner’s Task Force on High<br />
Schools and is a member of the Kansas City Area Superintendent’s Leadership Institute. Dr.<br />
McGehee has a total of 19 years in education and 11 years in public education administration.<br />
He earned his doctorate in education leadership from St. Louis University, his specialist’s<br />
degree in superintendent leadership from Missouri State University, his master’s degree in<br />
secondary administration from Missouri State University and his bachelor’s degree in physical<br />
education and science education from Missouri Valley College.
BOarD Of DirECtOrs<br />
Board Members<br />
NANCY BLACKwELL | Attorney, Chinnery, Evans & Nail, P.C.<br />
CAROLYN CALDwELL | President/CEO, Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Hospital<br />
ViCKY CUNDiFF | Vice President & Treasurer, Weed Man/Turf’s Up, Inc.<br />
JON ELLiS | President and CEO, Paradise Park<br />
TOM FiTzSiMMONS | CEO, First National Bank<br />
JiM HARPOOL | Principal, President, Harpool Morgan Haney<br />
TOM JACKSON | President/Business Aquisitions, First National Bank<br />
DAViD LAMMERS | General Manager Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Journal<br />
STEVE LEwiS | City Administrator, City of Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong><br />
REx LUCHTEL | CEO, R & D Tool & Engineering<br />
DAViD MCGEHEE | Superintendent, Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> R-7 School District<br />
KAREN MESSERLi | Mayor, City of Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong><br />
ROGER MEYER | President, Meyer Companies<br />
TED MURRAY | CEO, Grubb & Ellis/The Winbury Group<br />
GEORGE PAGELS | MD President & CEO, St. Luke’s East - Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>; Sr. VP & CMO, St. Luke’s Health System<br />
KURT PYCiOR | President, FPC<br />
DAN RExROTH | President/CEO, John Knox Village<br />
PHiLLiP SHORT | President, ViraCor Laboratories<br />
aDvisOrY BOarD<br />
MARCY ANDERSON | Business <strong>Development</strong> Manager, Walton Construction Company, Inc.<br />
JAMES ANDREwS | Business <strong>Development</strong> Manager, Miller-Stauch Construction Company<br />
MiKE ATCHESON | Managing Partner, CEAH Realtors/Chapel Ridge<br />
RiCHARD BAiER | Managing Director, CB Richard Ellis, Inc.<br />
PHiLLiP BARTOLOTTA | President & COO, Fogel-Anderson Construction Company<br />
KATHY BENNETT | CEO/President, Bennett Packaging<br />
JEFF BLENDiCK | Assistant Vice President/Commercial Loan Officer, Bank Midwest<br />
JOHN BRAKE | Vice President, J.E. Dunn Construction Company<br />
KiM BRiGHTwELL | Chief Financial Officer, Blue Springs R-4 School District<br />
DAN BROMLEY | President, ABI, Inc.<br />
JOHN BROwN | Vice President, Hollis & Miller Group<br />
FRED BUCKLEY | Director of Governmental Affairs - Missouri, Home Builders Assoc. of Greater Kansas City<br />
JAY BURCHFiELD | Managing Member/CEO, WilGate <strong>Development</strong>, LLC<br />
STAN CHRiSTOPHER | Chief Operating Officer & Principal, E.T. Archer Corporation<br />
DON COSENTiNO | Owner, Cosentino Enterprises<br />
MARK DAwSON | Manager <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Development</strong> - Missouri (south), Aquila<br />
EDwARD DESOiGNiE | Executive Director, Heavy Constructors Association of Greater KC<br />
KEiTH DORRiAN | Project Manager, A. L. Huber Construction, Inc.<br />
KATHiE EHRENREiCH | Chief Financial Officer, Gale Communities<br />
wAYNE FORGEY | President and CEO, Bank of Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong><br />
JO ANNE GABBERT | President and CEO, Adams-Gabbert & Associates<br />
GENE GAMBER | Individual Member<br />
FRED GROGAN | President, Metropolitan Community College - Longview
Board Members<br />
aDvisOrY BOarD continued<br />
BOB GUNTERT | Individual Member<br />
BRUCE HATTiG | Vice President, Bartlett & West Engineers, Inc.<br />
GARY HAwKiNS | President, HSMC<br />
MiKE HAYNES | Regional Director - External Affairs, AT&T - SBC<br />
HENRY HEiMSOTH | Vice President, Great Southern Bank<br />
BUD HERTzOG | Veterinarian, Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Animal Hospital<br />
MARTiN HOFFEY | Director of Business Acquistions, Weitz Company<br />
STEVE HULL | Market President, Solutions Bank<br />
BRiAN HUTCHiN | Community Bank President, UMB Bank<br />
DAViD iRELAND | Business Manager, Kansas City Cardiology Associates, Inc.<br />
TONY JUSTiN | President, Garden City Bank at Chapman Farms<br />
KEiTH KOEHLER | CEO, Acceleration<br />
PAM LEVETzOw | Director Public Affairs, Missouri Gas Energy<br />
AARON MARCH | Attorney, White Goss Bowers March Schulte & Weisenfels<br />
MARK MARTiN | President, Space Center Kansas City<br />
DANA MATHEwS | Relationship Manager Assistant, Bank of the West<br />
TAYLOR MiLLER | Senior Vice President, Enterprise Bank & Trust<br />
BRENT MiLLER | Publisher, Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Journal<br />
DONNA MOORE | Vice President, Resource <strong>Development</strong>, Bi-County United Way<br />
wiLLiAM (BiLL) MOORE | Director/Partner, King Hershey Attorneys At Law<br />
DOUG MORRiS | Realtor, Realty Executives<br />
RiCHARD MULLER | Assistant Vice President, Townsend Capital, LLC<br />
PAUL NEiDLEiN | Business <strong>Development</strong> Engineer, Turner Construction Company<br />
MiCHAEL NGUYEN | Vice President, Commerce Bank<br />
SHiRLEY OLSON | Vice President/Banking Center Manager, Bank of America<br />
DON OLSON | Senior Vice President, First Community Bank<br />
TiM PAULSON | General Manager, Emery Sapp & Sons<br />
LAURENCE PRESSLY | Broker, Individual Member<br />
BiLL REGAN | Financial Advisor, Individual Member, Lawing Financial<br />
ORA REYNOLDS | Vice President & General Manager, Hunt Midwest Real Estate <strong>Development</strong><br />
TOM SAUL | President, Titan Construction<br />
DiANE SEiF | President & CEO, DVA Enterprises, Inc.<br />
JiM SELzER | Practice Managing Partner - Business, Stinson, Morrison, Hecker<br />
BRYAN SiEBENECK | Senior Vice President, Union Bank<br />
HAROLD SiGLAR | CEO, Truman Medical Center Lakewood<br />
JACQUES SMiTH | Vice President/Commercial Lending, M & I Bank<br />
JEFFERY SMiTH | Senior Vice President, Hawthorn Bank<br />
JEFF SULLiVAN | Vice President and Banking Center Manager, Bank Midwest<br />
SPENCER THOMSON | Attorney, Blackwell Sanders Peper & Martin, LLP<br />
RiCK ViAR | President, <strong>Summit</strong> Bank of Kansas City<br />
RADD wAY | President, Weitz Company<br />
RiCK wEEDA | Vice President, Blue Ridge Bank and Trust Company<br />
JEFF wHiTE | Senior Estimator, McCown Gordon Construction<br />
KATY ziMMERMAN | Marketing Coordinator, RED <strong>Development</strong>
PACESETTER $7500+<br />
CEAH Realtors/Chapel Ridge<br />
City of Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong><br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> R-7 School District<br />
LEADERSHIP PARTNER $5,000 +<br />
Aquila<br />
Blue Springs R-4 School District<br />
CB Richard Ellis, Inc.<br />
First National Bank of Missouri<br />
Gale Communities<br />
Hawthorn Bank<br />
BENEFACTOR $2,500 - $4,999<br />
A T & T - SBC<br />
A. L. Huber Construction, Inc.<br />
Acceleration<br />
Adams-Gabbert & Associates<br />
Bank Midwest<br />
Bank of America<br />
Bank of Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong><br />
Bank of the West<br />
Bartlett & West Engineers, Inc.<br />
Bennett Packaging<br />
Blackwell Sanders Peper & Martin, LLP Blue<br />
Ridge Bank and Trust Co.<br />
Commerce Bank of Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong><br />
Cosentino’s Price Chopper<br />
DVA Enterprises, Inc.<br />
Emery Sapp & Sons<br />
Enterprise Bank & Trust<br />
First Community Bank<br />
Fogel-Anderson Construction Co.<br />
FPC<br />
Garden City Bank at Chapman Farms<br />
Great Southern Bank<br />
Harpool Morgan Haney<br />
PATRON $1,500 - $2,499<br />
Block & Company, Inc.<br />
Grubb & Ellis/The Winbury Group<br />
Hoefer Wysocki Architects<br />
HyVee East<br />
HyVee West<br />
Industrial <strong>Development</strong> Authority<br />
Pfizer Global Manufacturing<br />
ViraCor Laboratories<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Hospital<br />
Meyer Companies<br />
Saint Luke’s East - Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong><br />
Townsend Capital, LLC<br />
Truman Medical Center Lakewood<br />
Turner Construction Company<br />
Heavy Constructors Association of Greater KC<br />
HSMC<br />
Hunt Midwest Real Estate <strong>Development</strong><br />
J.E. Dunn Construction Company<br />
Kansas City Cardiology Associates, Inc.<br />
King Hershey Attorneys At Law<br />
Lakewood Business Center<br />
LeMone-Smith <strong>Development</strong> Company<br />
M & I Bank<br />
McCown Gordon Construction<br />
Miller-Stauch Construction Company<br />
Paradise Park<br />
Realty Executives<br />
RED <strong>Development</strong><br />
Solutions Bank<br />
Space Center Kansas City<br />
<strong>Summit</strong> Bank of Kansas City<br />
Titan Construction<br />
UMB Bank<br />
Union Bank<br />
Walton Construction Company, Inc.<br />
Weitz Company<br />
White Goss Bowers March Schulte & Weisenfels<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Journal<br />
Polytainers, Inc.<br />
ServiceMark Telecom<br />
Spaces, Inc. & evologic<br />
Stinson, Morrison, Hecker<br />
Superior Bowen Asphalt Company, LLC<br />
Investors
Investors<br />
0<br />
INVESTORS $750 - $1,499<br />
ACI/Boland, Inc.<br />
ADESA Kansas City<br />
Affinis<br />
American Food Service<br />
Ash Grove Materials<br />
Billy Goat Industries<br />
Bob Sight Ford<br />
Brotherhood Bank & Trust<br />
Chief Heating & Cooling, Inc.<br />
Cohen-Esrey Real Estate Services, Inc.<br />
Colliers Turley Martin Tucker<br />
Columbian Bank<br />
<strong>Development</strong> Initiatives<br />
Diodes - FabTech, Inc.<br />
DLR Group, Inc.<br />
E.T. Archer Corporation<br />
First American Title Insurance Company<br />
Fristoe Group, Inc.<br />
GEHA<br />
Geiger Ready-Mix Co., Inc.<br />
George Butler Associates, Inc.<br />
GLPM Architects, Inc.<br />
Grand Street Company, LLC<br />
Haren & Laughlin Construction Co., Inc.<br />
Heartland Tanning<br />
SPONSOR MEMBERS Up to $749<br />
360 Architecture<br />
ABI, Inc.<br />
Adams Auto Group<br />
AFC Heating & Cooling<br />
Atkinson Financial Services<br />
Bank Liberty<br />
Bi-County United Way<br />
Bill Regan<br />
Bob Guntert<br />
Cathie Bordner & Associates at Reece Nichols<br />
Chinnery Evans & Nail<br />
Construction Systems & Flooring, Inc.<br />
Don Kahan Chevrolet<br />
Gene Gamber<br />
John Graham, Jr.<br />
Hollis & Miller Group<br />
Home Builders Assoc. of Greater Kansas City<br />
John Knox Village<br />
L & K Realty Co.<br />
Labor Management Advisory Group<br />
Lakewood Business Park<br />
Land Source<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Animal Hospital<br />
Metcraft Industries<br />
Metropolitan Community College - Longview<br />
Missouri Gas Energy<br />
Musgrave Marketing & PR<br />
National Bank of Kansas City<br />
Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart<br />
Pfeifer-King Building Corp.<br />
PGAV Architects<br />
Plastic Enterprises Co., Inc.<br />
R & D Tool & Engineering<br />
Realty Trust Group<br />
Scott Rice Office Works<br />
State Farm Insurance - Berry Jennings<br />
Stoney Creek <strong>Development</strong><br />
Toys R’ Us<br />
Wachter Electric Company<br />
Lakewood Property Owners Association<br />
Laurence Pressly<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Chamber of Commerce<br />
Mock Building Company<br />
Plaas Associates<br />
Prime Commercial, LLC<br />
Savanna Ridge <strong>Development</strong>, LLC<br />
Scott DeVouton LLC<br />
Shafer, Kline & Warren, Inc.<br />
Spilker McKeone & Co., P. C.<br />
Taylor Kelly Construction<br />
Thompson Properties, LLC<br />
Weed Man/Turf’s Up, Inc.<br />
Zimmer Companies
Jim Devine<br />
President/CEO<br />
Teresa Evans<br />
Vice President<br />
Shannan Cunniffe<br />
Office Manager<br />
Professional Staff<br />
Jim Devine joined LSEDC in 1999. With over 30 years of experience as a consultant<br />
or chief executive, Jim has worked for cities, counties, states, chambers of commerce,<br />
management consulting and real estate firms in 22 states in the U.S.A. He has managed<br />
multimillion dollar marketing and public relations campaigns in the United States<br />
and Europe; industrial parks; labor force studies; foreign trade zones; enterprise<br />
zones; downtown and redevelopment programs, and strategic plans for communities<br />
throughout the west. He served as the chairman of Washington, DC based International<br />
<strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Development</strong> <strong>Council</strong> (IEDC), representing over 4,000 economic<br />
development professionals. Jim is a Ford Foundation Scholar, holds a Masters in Public<br />
Administration from Syracuse University and a BA cum laude from Wesleyan University<br />
in Middletown, Connecticut. He is a graduate of the Japan Business Institute, Tokyo,<br />
Japan; the <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Development</strong> Institute, Norman Oklahoma; and the Institute<br />
for Participatory Management and Planning, Monterey, California. Jim’s wife Elayne,<br />
graduated from Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> High School, is an ordained Unity minister, clinical<br />
psychological counselor and bronze sculptor.<br />
Teresa Evans joined the LSEDC staff in August 2002. Teresa came to LSEDC with 20<br />
years of experience in education. She was employed by the Metropolitan Community<br />
Colleges working in student services as an academic advisor, and more recently in<br />
employee development by coordinating and facilitating training needs for over 1,000<br />
employees. Teresa holds an Associate in Arts from Longview Community College and a<br />
Bachelor of Science in Social Psychology summa cum laude from Park University. Teresa<br />
completed the Heartland <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Development</strong> Course through the University of<br />
Northern Iowa in 2003, is a graduate of Leadership Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> 2004, and in the past<br />
2 years has completed variety of business-retention-based e-Synchronist courses, as well<br />
as training through the Missouri <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Development</strong> Academy. Teresa’s husband<br />
Bob works for Lathrop & Gage as IS Project Manager. Their daughter Cara (a 2001 Lee’s<br />
<strong>Summit</strong> High School graduate) lives in Kansas City and is employed by The Stowers<br />
Institute for Medical Research.<br />
Shannan Cunniffe joined LSEDC in November 2004 with over 13 years of experience in<br />
office administration and office management. She worked for 2 years in the non-profit<br />
sector and for over 11 years at two local engineering firms. In those roles, she helped<br />
prepare, edit and distribute proposals, reports and presentations; she has experience in<br />
meeting planning and preparation; and has designed and created invitations for various<br />
events. She has applied her previous experience in her role as Office Manager for the<br />
LSEDC. Shannan is a 2006 graduate of Leadership Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> and completed the<br />
Heartland <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Development</strong> Course in April 2006. She has a degree in English<br />
from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri. Shannan and her husband Tom<br />
live in Independence and like to travel.
Kansas City Business JOURNAL<br />
July 21–27, 2006
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> JOURNAL<br />
August 16, 2006
Kansas city business JOURNAL<br />
September 1–7, 2006
The Examiner<br />
November 14, 2006
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Journal<br />
December 1, 2006
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Post Tribune<br />
January 13, 2007
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Journal<br />
February 21, 2007
kansas City Star<br />
March 31, 2007
0<br />
KC Business Journal - Capstone Awards<br />
April 6, 2007
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong> Tribune<br />
May 5, 2007
Kansas City Business Journal<br />
June 15–21, 2007
Jim Devine<br />
President & Chief Executive Officer<br />
218 SE Main Street<br />
Lee’s <strong>Summit</strong>, Missouri 64063<br />
816-525-6617<br />
www.leessummit.org<br />
jdevine@leessummit.org