Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council’s
ANNUAL REPORT FY 2017 - 2018
Year in Review Keith Asel, Board Chairman It has been an honor and privilege to serve as chairman of the Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council in 2017-18, a year in which the Lee’s Summit community enjoyed continued prosperity, investment and development activity. Highlights include the opening of the Missouri Innovation Campus, the new Missouri 291/Highway 50 diverge-about interchange, construction of a new taxiway and runway for Lee’s Summit Airport, and most recently the opening of EXL’s new customer support center and plans to add 250 employees. In 2017, LSEDC emerged from three years of intensive organizational overhaul to see those efforts rewarded. The Missouri Economic Development Council awarded LSEDC with its top Business Retention and Expansion Award in June, validating staff efforts to build the most responsive and effective BR/E program in the state. As LSEDC Chairman, it was my intention to allow our President to lead the organization based on the priorities established by the board. The role of a civic board is to establish overall direction of the organization, hire capable management, and support management in achieving established goals. The LSEDC staff is well led and highly capable and we, as a board, were able to watch the pieces fall into place for the organization in 2018. As I wind down my tenure, I want to thank LSEDC staff and the Lee’s Summit community for your support and contributions to economic development in our community. Yours Truly, Keith Asel
The Lee’s Summit EDC has undergone a strategic overhaul over the past three years. In 2016, the LSEDC staff reimagined the organization from the inside out with new structures, programs and initiatives. In 2017, we focused efforts on creating a successful business retention and expansion platform. And now in 2018 and looking ahead to 2019, LSEDC’s mission comes full circle with a commitment to business attraction. Rick McDowell, President LSEDC kicked off its fiscal year with the announcement that IT service management company EXL will hire up to 250 employees at its new 20,000-square-foot inbound customer support hub at the Summit Technology Campus. Leaders with the property and casualty insurance service firm cited Lee’s Summit’s ready and available workforce and access to higher educational institutions as a key reason for their expansion. EXL’s choice of Lee’s Summit over dozens of other locations signals our community is ripe for additional corporate expansions. Over the next year, commercial project activity will most certainly gain momentum as more industrial properties such as the recently vacated 725,000-square foot Toys R Us distribution facility comes online. More available sites greatly enhance our chances to win at the economic development attraction game. As I begin my fifth year leading the LSEDC, I want to thank the Lee’s Summit business community, the City of Lee’s Summit government, City Hall, the LSEDC Board and LSEDC Investors for your support and commitment to growing Lee’s Summit’s business community. Yours Truly, Rick McDowell 2 • Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council
Quarterly Highlights 1st Quarter • • • • •
Completion of the LS Airport Runway Expansion LSEDC hosts Developers Showcase Companion Animal Health Announcement St. Michael Catholic High School opens New Missouri Innovation Campus opens
2nd Quarter • Speaker Series with Greg Graves, Past CEO of Burns & McDonnell • Redevelopment of Pine Tree Plaza • Lee’s Summit submits bid for Amazon • LSEDC Hosts 1st CEO Luncheon • LSEDC attends the National Business Aviation Association Tradeshow • STA, UCM & National Guard partner on new Cybersecurity Program • National Manufacturing Day - Local Event 3rd Quarter • B&B New Longview Grand Opening • Closing of Toys R Us Announced • Rock Island Trail Groundbreaking • LSEDC hosts State of the Summit • “What is STEM” Luncheon – Dr. Cynthia Moss 4th Quarter • LS Medical Center Maternity Expansion opens • Speaker Series with Dr. Andrea Hendricks, Federal Reserve - Multigenerational workforce • Lee’s Summit hosts Heartland Economic Development students in downtown • 50/291 Interchange Grand Opening • MIC wins “Community Impact” Capstone Award • Lee’s Summit welcomes EXL Service with 250 new jobs • LSEDC wins MEDC Statewide BR/E Award • LSEDC publishes Labor Shed Study • LSEDC teams up with education partners and local businesses to launch new workforce video
Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council • 3
Business Retention & Expansion
17
BR/E Visits with Major Employers
Nearly
200
Business Assists
600 $111.6M
Over NEW Jobs Created
in Capital Investment
Business visits help us to identify expansion needs, growth opportunities, barriers for growth in the community and workforce needs. All information collected is kept strictly confidential and reported only in aggregated form. LSEDC focuses on businesses with an average of 50 or more employees who have potential for growth in the following targeted areas: advanced manufacturing, warehouse/distribution, healthcare, data centers, IT, finance, insurance, real estate and headquarters. **The above numbers were provided by our existing business community as part of our BR/E program and do not reflect an overall snapshot of investment in Lee’s Summit.
FASTEST GROWING INDUSTRIES, LEE’S SUMMIT (2012-2017)
Source: Emsi Dataset 2018.1
CEO LUNCHEON: Community Conversations Around the Table
LSEDC hosted two separate luncheons with major employers, city management and education partners to discuss “doing business in Lee’s Summit.” Topics included public transportation, workforce solutions, housing supply and expansion opportunities.
4 • Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council
Workforce & Education LSEDC focused heavily on connecting education to industry this year with 44 assists. Human Resource professionals from the Lee’s Summit community were encouraged to participate in quarterly meetings with their peers to share ‘best practices’. The HR Roundtable also featured guest speakers and presentations around topics such as talent recruitment, veteran sourcing and multigenerational workforce issues.
81%
Compared with
67%
LS high school students go on to complete higher of students statewide education
NATIONAL MANUFACTURING DAY
This year LSEDC partnered with Summit Technology Academy and hosted a tour for National Manufacturing Day with three local companies: ULTRAX Aerospace, Automated Motion and Creative Blow Mold Tooling. Students observed manufacturing processes in real-time while engaging with engineers, programmers, machinists and tool makers to learn about career paths in the advanced manufacturing field.
2018 AWARD
Business Retention & Expansion
The Missouri Economic Development Council (MEDC), the state’s leading economic development agency, recently awarded LSEDC for its Business Retention & Expansion program. This award recognizes the contribution of economic development organizations who are effectively producing programs to retain and grow existing businesses in their community. In 2017, LSEDC hired Jessica Hamilton with the specific goal of focusing on the existing business community and becoming a resource for retention and workforce issues.
Congratulations, Jessica! Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council • 5
Marketing & Communications Marketing and communications is a big part of the LSEDC’s mission. Not only is it important to market the City of Lee’s Summit as a great place to live, work and play - LSEDC must also cater its message to site selectors, commercial brokers and local real estate professionals looking to bring new business to our community. In addition, it’s important that private investors gain project knowledge and access to c-suite leaders through our organization as an added benefit to their membership. Bringing a high-level of networking opportunities and a multi-channel approach to communications allows LSEDC to provide a collaborative message as well as show those considering a Lee’s Summit location that THIS is the place to be!
Press Releases
LSEDC distributed
generating headlines and coverage from
Development Download
Quarterly Newsletter
32 news items this year,
23 media outlets
1,886
Subscribers in our email list and growing!
90%
Above industry standards with
29% open rate and a 16% click through rate a
of investors surveyed rate this as their #1 form of communication
6 • Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council
January 2018 received
1,264 impressions with 500 reads
Social Engagement
231 Posts 1,292 Fans UP +11%
173 Tweets 551 Followers UP +47%
1,380 Attendees 23 Events UP +20%
TOP POST “Live, Work & Play” video 102,763 reached
The LSEDC hosted many events this year that enabled prospects, investors and community partners to network. Monthly luncheons included a Speaker Series, Developer Showcase and State of the Summit. LSEDC featured a handful of Investor Spotlights where investors learned a little bit about local companies in Lee’s Summit, and Hump Day Happy Hour each third Wednesday of the month continues to be a huge success.
On the itinerary:
SPONSORED CONTENT
LEE’S SUMMIT, MISSOURI Located just 20 minutes from Downtown Kansas City, Lee’s Summit is one of Missouri’s fastest growing communities and offers all the attributes of a big-city suburb along with the comfort and sense of belonging that comes with living in a small town. The city’s 96,000 residents enjoy award-winning schools, safe neighborhoods, coveted community amenities, and a thriving local economy, all just minutes away from regional attractions such as Kauffman Stadium, home of the World Series winning Kansas City Royals, and Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs football team. Young families, empty nesters and Millennials quickly become attached and attuned to the daily rhythms of this friendly Midwestern community anchored by the nationally acclaimed Historic Downtown Lee’s Summit shopping district. This quaint, pedestrianfriendly downtown is home to dozens of restaurants and locally owned shops and each year draws thousands from all over the Midwest to numerous festivals and events. Outdoor lifestyle amenities include the Longview Lake recreational area, Powell Gardens botanical attraction, Missouri Town 1855, and expansive park system with more than 27 public parks and hundreds of miles of trails. Lee’s Summit’s just-right combination of top-flight schools, family-friendly lifestyle, and thriving local economy are among the reasons Money magazine has voted the city one of the “100 Best Places to Live” five times and that USA Today has ranked Lee’s Summit at No. 5 on its list of “America’s 50 Best Cities to Live.” In addition, Zippia has ranked Lee’s Summit No. 1 among “Happiest Mid-Sized Cities in America,” and BusinessWeek listed Lee’s Summit among its “Best Places in America to Raise Kids.” Lee’s Summit emerged from the ashes of the Civil War, with its forefathers dedicated to creating a prosperous community for future generations and offering settlers the promise of a better life. It’s a legacy that those early leaders would be proud to behold today as the city enjoys record growth in a variety of industries including aerospace, advanced manufacturing, technology, and medical services. Lee’s Summit’s population has doubled over the past 25 years, and over the past three years, the community has seen a combined $2 billion in public and private investment. The city’s forefathers were hard-working and humble, and that’s the community culture you find in Lee’s Summit. We would never claim to be a community that has arrived, but we do take pride in the journey. We welcome you to come for a visit and see for yourself if Lee’s Summit is the right destination for you.
Yours Truly,
LEE’S SUMMIT, MISSOURI
BY THE NUMBERS
LIVE 96,000
Lee’s Summit residents
$387,000
Average home value
$79,311
Median household income
81%
Residents attending college
WORK 4,000
Successful businesses
45,000
Estimated jobs added in next 15 years
69%
Businesses planning to expand in 3 years
74%
White collar employment
PLAY 100
Community and cultural events
25
Restaurants in Historic Downtown
27 Lee’s Summit parks
500
Brews served in downtown festivals
Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council • 7
Private Investment & Membership
+54%
increase over last year
21 NEW investors this year for a total of $41,750!!
Special thanks to our Investors who INCREASED investment this year!
8 • Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council
Thank You to All Our Investors! Grand Champion City of Lee’s Summit Lee’s Summit R-7 School District
pace setter Lee’s Summit Medical Center Saint Luke’s East Hospital
leadership partner Blue Springs R-4 School District Central Bank of the Midwest Equity Bank GEHA HSMC Orizon LLC KCP&L
Langsford Development Polytainers, Inc. Summit Homes Tingle Flooring Truman Medical Center Lakewood
benefactor A. L. Huber Construction, Inc. ACI/Boland, Inc. Aircraft Electronics Association Allstate Consultants Alpha Omega Geotech Arvest Bank Bennett Packaging Billy Goat Industries Block & Company, Inc. Bushyhead, LLC CBRE CEAH Realtors Cerner Corporation Commerce Bank Community America Credit Union Country Club Bank Diffactory Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street Emery Sapp & Sons Fogel-Anderson Construction Co. GBA GFI Digital, Inc. Gilmore & Bell, P.C. Hawthorn Bank HDR Engineering Heavy Constructors Association of Greater KC HFR Design IBC, Inc. Industrial Development Authority IPL-Plastics Inc J.E. Dunn Construction Company
Jackson County Economic Development JCI Industries, Inc. John Knox Village Julia E. Hampton, CPA, PC Kelly Construction Group, Inc. Lead Bank Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce LegacyTouch Lovell Sagebrush Insurance Group MC Power McCownGordon Construction Metropolitan Community College Newmark Grubb Zimmer NextGen Wealth Olsson Associates Real Law RED Development Riffe Communities Security Bank of Kansas City SilverTree Companies Simmons Bank Spectrum Strategies Spire Summit Bank of Kansas City Summit Christian Academy Superior Bowen Asphalt Company, LLC Terracon Todd Haynes/RBC Wealth Management United Excel University of Central Missouri White Goss, a Professional Corporation Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council • 9
patron Colliers International Collins & Webb Architecture Great Southern Bank HyVee
Kaw Valley Companies, Inc. ServiceMark Telecom Unity World Headquarters
investor ABI, Inc. Affinis B & B Theatres B. Dean Construction BHC Rhodes Bob Sight Ford Chief Heating & Cooling, Inc. Chinnery Evans & Nail Cobbs Allen Cooper Wealth Management Group Crane Insurance Agents and Brokers Curry Investment Company Dave Cross Motors DLR Group, Inc. Gale Communities Geiger Ready-Mix Co., Inc. Grand Street Company, LLC
individual investor Doug Bates Jody Carroll Kay Ford Don Kahan
Mark Reid Randy Rhoads David Spellerberg
10 • Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council
Haynes Benefits PC Heartland Business Capital HG Consult Hunt Midwest Integrity Realty Group KCB Bank Lee’s Summit Animal Hospital Lee’s Summit Parks & Recreation Lee’s Summit Symphony Meyer Companies Mid Continent Public Library NAI Heartland Parrot Properties Richard Mather Builders, Inc. Spilker McKeone & Nelson PC Turner Construction Tratos III Real Estate Services ViraCor - IBT Laboratories Weed Man/Turf’s Up, Inc.
Board of Directors Keith Asel Hawthorn Bank Machelle Riffe Riffe Communities Chip Moxley Tingle Flooring Gary Hawkins HSMC Orizon Christine Bushyhead Bushyhead Law, LLC Mayor Randall Rhoads City of Lee’s Summit Steve Arbo City of Lee’s Summit Dr. Dennis Carpenter LSR-7 School District Ron Baker Saint Luke’s East Hospital Will Coates Billy Goat Industries
Executive Committee Keith Asel Chairman Machelle Riffe Vice Chair Chip Moxley Secretary Gary Hawkins Treasurer Christine Bushyhead Past Chair Randall Rhoads Mayor, City of Lee’s Summit Steve Arbo Manager, City of Lee’s Summit Dr. Dennis Carpenter Superintendent, LSR-7 Schools
Eric Mann RED Development Dr. Kirk Nooks MCC - Longview Larry Hillier Equity Bank Todd Haynes RBC Wealth Management Tim Paulson Emery Sapp & Sons Linda Harrelson Summit Christian Academy Mike Lally Olsson Associates
Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council • 11
218 SE Main Street • Lee’s Summit, MO • (816) 525-6617 www.leessummit.org