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OUR MISSION

Kansas City is our beat. As the city’s definitive magazine, we bring Kansas City to life with dynamic storytelling, unforgettable photography and design that pops. We’re the metro’s trusted, modern guide—celebrating what works, questioning what doesn’t, spotlighting innovation and curating the very best in culture, food, fashion and city life.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Dawnya Bartsch

GENERAL MANAGER, BUSINESS OPERATIONS

Alex Healey

ART DIRECTOR

Kevin Goodbar

FOOD EDITOR AND DINING CRITIC

Tyler Shane

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Nina Cherry

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

Alex Kerr

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Dominique Parsow

ADVERTISING SALES

Angie Henshaw and Bob Ulmer

COPY EDITOR

Kelsie Schrader

WEB COORDINATOR

Madison Russell

WRITERS

Nina Cherry, David Hodes, Nicole Kinning, John Martellaro, Alex Omoridion, Ryan Reed, Ian Ritter, Tyler Shane and Hampton Stevens

PHOTOGRAPHERS AND GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Zach Bauman, Amber Deery, Samantha Levi, Jenny McGill, Laura Morsman, Kelly Powell, Ian Simmons, Zach Smith, James Waynauskas and Jake Wickersham

SUBSCRIPTIONS

kansascitymag.com/subscribe or call (913) 469-6700 Scan here to subscribe to our newsletter and magazine.

Kansas City magazine is published monthly by KC Publishing, LLC. No part of this publication can be reprinted or reproduced without the publisher’s permission. Kansas City magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Kansas City magazine adheres to American Society of Magazine Editors guidelines, which requires a clear distinction between editorial content and paid advertising or marketing messages.

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JANUARY 02MARCH 15, 2026 Open to all ages! Read any 5 books in 2 months to earn a prize*.

more at mymcpl.org/WinterReading *Prizes available while supplies last.

Anniston Reed Stage actor, singer and dancer

The Henry W. Bloch School of Management proudly presents the

Regnier Venture Creation Challenge

April 24, 2026

An entrepreneurial pitch competition with over $170,000 in prizes!

Do you have a business, a side hustle, or even just an idea for a new business? The Regnier Venture Creation Challenge could be your opportunity to pitch your business, gain invaluable insights and win thousands of dollars!

This competition is open to ALL college students and established entrepreneurs from the Kansas City community.

Applications Due: March 15

After a stroke at

Michael Mackie leaned into curiosity, becoming an Emmy-winning interviewer

Woodyard

The

finds its roots again

this month on kansascity

Modern Romance, Kansas City Style

THIS TIME OF year, romance gets loud. It’s on menus, in ads and all over your feed. And as someone who’s been married for 20 years, let me just say: Watching modern dating from the sidelines looks … intense. Less casual, less relaxed and more of a group project with unclear instructions.

Full disclosure: My dating era predates apps, so I’m not exactly qualified to explain the difference between a swipe, a situationship and whatever new term popped up five minutes ago. I’ve never used an app to meet someone, unless ordering pizza counts. But I do know that if your friends are dating, you’ve heard the same dating app stories— conversations that fizzle, scary meet-ups and great matches that vanish mid-sentence.

That’s why this month’s story on Sova Dating caught my attention. Kansas City therapist Kieri Olmstead created what she calls the world’s first therapist-vetted dating app, built to make dating less performative and more emotionally honest. It’s slower, more intentional and includes a 50-question quiz that flags users green, yellow or red. (Red doesn’t get to date. Sova sends them to therapy first. Honestly? Wow.) In a dating culture that rewards swiping fast and feeling nothing, Sova is betting that people want something refreshingly different: being real.

And if Valentine’s Day has you wanting to do something special but not too special, there’s a new little tea house in town that fits the bill. If you’d rather skip the crowded prix fixe chaos, Tian Tea House is the place to be. The new spot from Saranya and Zach Hubbard opened in early January. With warm woods, peaceful jade tones and calming aromas permeating the space, it’s definitely a place inviting you to slow down on purpose. Whether date night, friend hang or solo recharge, it’s fit for any type of intentional meeting, but read our Savor story about it and you decide.

And finally, the biggest love story in this issue: Kansas City’s future.

Last year, we celebrated the city’s lifelong legends in a special issue coined Nine Over 90, Eight Over 80. This year, writer David Hodes looked the other direction toward 20 Kansas City kids already doing big things. Prodigy-level musicians, nationally ranked athletes and 15-year-old inventors—they are all young people just starting to make their mark.

So yes, enjoy the hearts and chocolates. But don’t miss the bigger theme here that Kansas City is full of people finding their thing and going for it.

Dawnya Bartsch, editor-in-chief dawnya@kansascitymag.com

Contributors

David Hodes

Writer and editor Writer, editor and

Kansas Citian

David Hodes’ work has appeared in both regional and national publications, including last year’s super-agers special edition, Nine Over 90, Eight Over 80, which he spearheaded. He curated this issue’s feature on superstar youth.

Jenny McGill Graphic designer

Jenny McGill, a Kansas Citybased creative specializing in design, art direction and photography, designed this issue’s stories profiling Rabbi Michael Zedek and Afghan refugee and trumpet player Ahmad Baset Azizi. When McGill’s not behind her laptop, you can find her digging through piles of clothes in a thrift store or baking a loaf of bread.

James Waynauskas Photographer Photographer James Waynauskas has been working on his craft for 20 years, focusing on portraits, events, and commercial interiors and exteriors. For this issue, he shot portraits of Rabbi Michael Zedek.

Mavericks Making Moves

A story about Kansas City’s hockey team, the Mavericks, having a winning season and advancing past the first round of the ECHL playoffs gained lots of attention, proving once again that KC is a sports town.

Not sure how high level ECHL hockey is, but whatever.

- Donald Fields

Why don’t they jump up to the NHL?

- Kevin Holmes

Kansas City knows nothing about hockey.

- Nick Koeller

So proud of this team.

- Kelsey Hill

Gotta be the coaching.

- Kurt Silverstein

“Being

goofy always works in my favor.”

- Michael Mackie,

celebrity

interviewer

and author

Numbers From This Issue

19

The number of houses on Janssen Place, KC’s first private street. Page 28

2022

The year Cameron Niederhauser launched his own denim collection. Page 25

12

The number of hours Vietnamese restaurant BB Bánh Mì simmers beef bones to make its savory beef broth. Page 78

Shout Out

A big thank you to our production coordinator and designer Dominique Parsow for stepping in at the last minute and doing all sorts of tasks when the flu hit a few of our fellow staffers. We couldn’t have pulled this issue off without her.

Behind the Scenes

Photographer Laura Morsman shooting a few of the metro’s youth superstars for this issue’s cover.

Current Landing Is Kansas City’s New “Front Porch”

Developers say the new riverfront project will be ready to welcome visitors just in time for the World Cup

By Katie Baldwin

(Continued on next page)

The KC Riverfront You’ve Been Waiting For

(Continued from previous page)

KANSAS CITY IS in the middle of a quiet but major transformation: The riverfront is becoming a destination, not just a place you drive past on the highway or a dumping ground.

At the moment, one of the most exciting pieces of that story is Current Landing, a new development taking shape on the Berkley Riverfront, anchored by CPKC Stadium, the city’s newest sports landmark and home of the Kansas City Current. However, it’s not meant to be just a stadium district; it’s supposed to feel like a waterfront “front porch” for the city, according to its website, with public gathering spaces that promise town square-style events along with direct access to riverfront trails and parkland.

And developers, most notably Palmer Square Real Estate Management and Marquee Development, who announced the development’s official name a few months ago, promise that many of the restaurants, apartments and open spaces will be up and running by early spring, just in time to greet World Cup visitors.

If you’ve been to a game at CPKC Stadium, you already know the energy is different. Described as the first privately financed stadium built exclusively for a professional women’s soccer team, it’s not just the river views and teal-colored seats that make it feel special.

The stadium was developed by the Kansas City Current ownership group, led by husband and wife

team Angie and Chris Long, who are also helping drive the riverfront’s new era through their investment in both the team and the surrounding area.

“This is the next 100 years of Kansas City,” Angie was quoted as saying in Chris’ hometown newspaper, the Standard-Speaker of Hazleton, Pennsylvania. “We’re creating an area of Kansas City that didn’t exist before, and hopefully it will be one of the reasons people want to come to Kansas City. I mean, we think it’s just such a special area . . . The river is the reason Kansas City is here.”

The stadium, which was designed by Generator Studio and constructed by J.E. Dunn, sits on land owned by Port KC, which has played a major role in shaping and enabling riverfront development, including the stadium site, over time via a long-term 50-year lease arrangement. Current Landing is not the first major development for that slice of river shore land. Already built and now sitting adjacent to Current Landing are two luxury apartment complexes, the beer garden Two Birds, One Stone, and a hotel with a restaurant called Show Pony and a bar named Moonstone.

Developers want you to think of the area as a new kind of walkable riverfront neighborhood, designed for living, gathering, celebrating and spending real time outside and along the river.

WHAT’S NEARBY: YOUR RIVERFRONT ITINERARY STARTS HERE

Berkley Riverfront Park (Right There)

If you’ve never spent real time along the Berkley Riverfront, this is the push you needed. The park offers big open space, river views and room to roam. It can be accessed via Current Landing.

The Riverfront Heritage Trail Current Landing also sits along the Riverfront Heritage Trail, a 15-mile walking/biking route that stretches through downtown’s riverfront areas and connects you to other parts of the city.

River Market (The Closest “Neighborhood Feel”)

A short hop away, River Market brings the best kind of Kansas City weekend energy, with local shops and food stops.

GETTING THERE: PARKING NOW, TRANSIT SOON If you’re headed to the area for a match, concert or a casual river day, logistics matter.

Parking

Parking around the stadium and riverfront is guided heavily by event planning, and the Kansas City Current provides official match-day parking resources and accessibility details.

Streetcar Connection (Coming) One of the most anticipated improvements is the KC Streetcar Riverfront Extension, planned as a 0.7-mile extension designed to connect the streetcar system down to the Berkley Riverfront area. It’s expected to be complete this spring, according to the KC Streetcar Authority.

The Anti-Swipe Valentine

A KC therapist’s dating app promises to filter for emotional readiness

By Dawnya Bartsch

BY THE TIME Valentine’s Day hits, romance is everywhere—on menus, in ads and clogging your social feed. But for many modern daters, the reality looks less like candlelight and more like confusion: promising matches who fade out mid-conversation or “fun” connections that turn into messy situationships.

For Kansas City-based marriage and family therapist Kieri Olmstead, those misconnections aren’t abstract but rather complaints she’s heard from her clients for years, so she decided to do something about it. Enter Sova Dating, Olmstead’s dating app brainchild. It’s designed to make dating less performative and more emotionally honest, she says.

It’s not about turning dating into therapy; it’s about reducing the amount of guessing modern daters have been forced to treat as normal.

Olmstead describes Sova as the world’s first therapist-vetted dating app, built to prioritize emotional readiness, not just chemistry. Whereas most dating platforms compete on volume—more matches, more swipes, more possibilities—Sova is centered on the idea that intention matters more than access, meaning fewer choices but better connections.

Unlike traditional apps that revolve around photos, clever prompts and split-second yes-or-no decisions, Sova’s approach is slower and more methodical. The app says it “gatekeeps based on emotional availability,” inviting users to begin with a Relational Readiness Quiz that maps “relational archetypes” and emotional capacity. It’s not about turning dating into therapy; it’s about reducing the amount of guessing modern daters have been forced to treat as normal. Most people aren’t struggling to find matches anymore. They’re struggling to find matches with people who have the same emotional goal and relationships that will last, Olmstead says.

The app officially launched last month. All users are vetted to make sure they are real people—not AI-generated—and not on a sex offender registry. Users are required to take a 50-question quiz that gauges their relationship readiness. Depending on the answers, users are flagged green, yellow or red. Those tagged red are not admitted into the dating pool but rather referred to a therapist within Sova’s network so they can grow, Olmstead says. In 90 days, a red-flagged user can retake the quiz again if they choose.

“It’s also just a great way for people to get feedback,” Olmstead says. “If you are a red flag, we don’t let you date, but you can still be on our app and be on the reflection board. I’ve heard from people that say ‘if I’m the red flag, I want to know.’”

Olmstead is also conducting a series of dating workshops with other industry professionals that she hopes will serve as a blueprint for future Sova-sponsored events across the country. Olmstead sees the events as places for users to meet and practice dating skills.

BE WELL KANSAS CITY Beyond Weight Loss and GLP-1s: The Wise Approach to Midlife Health

Physician Managed Health Plans For many adults, the journey toward better health has become more complicated in recent years. Busy schedules, increased stress, little time or energy for fitness, and easy access to unhealthy foods can quietly sabotage long-term health. Although the rise of GLP-1 medications initially offered hope for quick and effortless weight loss, many individuals have found themselves discouraged over time. Fatigue, weight regain, unpleasant side effects, prohibitive costs, and just not feeling well have left people searching for better answers. As a result, they are now enjoying health transformation from a personalized, physician-managed Optimum Health Plan that delivers meaningful weight loss and more.

Looking Beyond Medication-Only Weight

Loss At the Center for Nutrition & Preventive Medicine in Leawood and Topeka, Dr. Rick Tague, Dr. Caleb Tague, and their team have taken a different approach for more than 25 years. Rather than relying on medication as a “cure-all,” they work with patients toward true optimum health, using a science-based, comprehensive model designed for adults who want lasting results, improved energy, and a better quality of life. Grounded in the understanding that nutrition, metabolism, and hormonal balance play a central role in health, their care model includes comprehensive lab testing (including key nutrient levels and hormone status), metab-

olism evaluation, personalized nutrition planning, and intentional muscle preservation. These are areas often overlooked when weight loss is pursued through prescription medication alone.

A growing number of Kansas City residents are turning to this medical model after realizing that medication-only weight loss does not address the underlying causes of fatigue, cravings, weight regain, hormonal deficiencies, or age-related challenges such as memory changes and loss of vitality. Dr. Tague’s Healthy Aging framework evaluates seven key areas that influence long-term well-being: body composition, metabolism, hormones, energy levels, muscle and bone status, cognitive health, and overall vitality. By identifying imbalances across these areas, the team can tailor a plan that supports weight control while also improving mood, sleep, confidence, and long-term health and vitality.

For individuals who “don’t feel like themselves anymore,” this personalized approach offers hope and a clear path forward, including those whose experience with GLP-1 medications fell short. For those continuing to seek practical, science-based answers to the challenges of midlife, Dr. Tague’s Optimum Health approach offers hope and a guided path forward. To learn more or schedule a free, no-obligation consultation, visit TagueNutrition.com.

Take Two A tradition in the making, Kansas City PBS’ Reel Black Film Fest returns for its second year

By Nina Cherry

KANSAS CITY PBS ’ Reel Black Film Festival is back for its second year, and it’s bigger than before.

Last year’s inaugural festival included three feature-length films, all produced in-house by the local PBS affiliate. This year, the festival expanded to an open call, welcoming submissions from Black filmmakers across the Midwest. “[The first year] was more of a showcase,” says Tori Foushee, KC PBS’ manager of content and programming. “With the overall support the city showed us, we wanted to grow the festival and make it a yearly thing.”

In honor of Black History Month, the free festival will take place in the 18th and Vine Jazz District on February 20–21. The event is a partnership with popstar and KC-native Janelle Monáe’s nonprofit Fem the Future.

Presenting works by directors from Chicago, Milwaukee and more, the lineup includes over 10 short and feature-length films. “We wanted to cast a wider net

Photography by Josie Newman

creatively,” says Latavia Young, a filmmaker and Kansas City PBS’ communications and engagement manager.

The festival is set to kick off with a premiere screening of Aunt Sister: The Legacy of Sarah Rector, directed by Jacob Handy—the filmmaker behind last year’s Emmy-nominated Kansas City PBS production The Potato King. The docudrama recounts the life of the Oklahoma-born Rector, who ultimately became known as KC’s first Black woman millionaire. After receiving a federal land allotment, she became an oil magnate at just 11 years old, making headlines across the country.

In addition to screenings, the event will feature panel discussions from participating filmmakers and a marketplace of local Black-owned businesses. KC PBS members receive access to the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as entry to the VIP lounge.

↓ GO: February 20 & 21. Times vary.

The Gem Theater & American Jazz Museum. For more details, visit kansascitypbs.org/reelblack.

Above all, organizers say representation is at the program’s core. “This is a real honor to be able to help put on a festival reflective of my experience,” Foushee says.

feb

YOU WANT TO DO THIS MONTH BY NINA CHERRY

5

The New Edition Way Tour with Boyz II Men and Toni Braxton

On The New Edition Way Tour, R&B royalty converges. Led by Bobby Brown and heavily inspired by the Jackson 5, New Edition helped define the modern boy band throughout the ’80s with hits like “Candy Girl” and “Cool It Now.” A decade later, Boyz II Men carried on that legacy with smooth harmonies, meticulously coordinated outfits and chart-toppers like “On

Bended Knee.” Joined by singer and MTV icon Toni Braxton, expect an evening of throwbacks. February 5. 8 pm. T-Mobile Center.

5

On Stage with Leila Josefowicz

In 1994, acclaimed violinist Leila Josefowicz made her Carnegie Hall debut at 17 years old. She’s since gone on to perform alongside symphonies across the world, present countless recitals and earn a couple Grammy nominations along

the way. A part of the Kansas City Symphony’s On Stage series, Josefowicz’s upcoming KC performance is a special chance to witness the virtuoso up close. February 5. 8 pm. Helzberg Hall.

7

Trey Kennedy

Millennials will likely recognize comic Trey Kennedy from his popular videos on the now-defunct platform Vine. But Kennedy has moved beyond those six-second clips and into stand-up. He’s hitting the

road with brand new material on “The Relatable Tour,” following the release of last year’s Hulu comedy special, Grow Up. February 7. 7 pm. The Midland Theatre.

7

Jonathan Van Ness: Hot & Healed

Best known for his work as a hairstylist in the makeover television series Queer Eye, Jonathan Van Ness (also known as JVN) is no stranger to Kansas City. The show’s cast enjoyed the city so much that they opted to film two consecutive seasons in the metro area. Now, the internet personality returns to the Midwest for his latest comedy tour, Hot & Healed. February 7. 7:30 pm. Muriel Kauffman Theatre.

12

Galentine’s Day: A Bestie’s Night Out

15

She’s Got Soul

The Kansas City Symphony welcomes Broadway performer and powerhouse vocalist Capathia Jenkins to KC for this soulful pops concert. Performing the music of Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston, Adele and more, Jenkins and a trio of background singers will bring the Helzberg Hall house down. February 13–15. Times vary. Helzberg Hall.

Galentine’s Day may have begun as a fictional celebration of female friendship by Leslie Knope on television series Parks and Recreation, but it’s now a widely recognized pop-culture holiday. At this Strang Reserve event, tickets include a mini bouquet-making station, candy bar, photo-op stations, a live DJ and a pop-up market. February 12. 5 pm. Strang Reserve.

17

Mardi Gras Dawn Parade

Each year, a group of raucous and reliable revelers celebrate Fat Tuesday bright and early in KC’s Westside neighborhood. Musicians, dancers and more don their colorful attire, rain or shine, to march at dawn. While you won’t find an official parade route or website for these grassroots krewes, you’ll be sure to find (and hear) the festivities if you hang around Summit Street. February 17. Sunrise. Westside.

18

Matt Dinniman presents Operation Bounce House

Rainy Day Books brings Matt Dinniman—the number one New York Times bestselling author of Dungeon Crawler Carl—to KC to present

his latest release, Operation Bounce House. The action-packed sci-fi novel follows colonist and rancher Oliver Lewis. At risk of being evicted from planet Earth, Lewis and friends race to save themselves and their home planet, New Sonora. February 18. 7 pm. Unity Temple on the Plaza.

20

Eric Church

Over the past two decades, singer-songwriter Eric Church has been cranking out country hits like “Springsteen” and “How ‘Bout You.” In support of his latest and eighth studio album Evangeline vs. The Machine, Church’s Free The Machine Tour brings new favorites and tried-and-true picks to the T-Mobile Center stage. Appalachian soul band 49 Winchester opens. February 20. 7 pm. T-Mobile Center.

21

Kansas City Brew Fest

Featuring 120 beers from over 45 craft breweries primarily from the Midwest, Kansas City Brew Fest returns. Among the list of participating beerhouses are KC’s own Stockyards Brewing Company, St. Louis’ 4 Hands Brewing Company and Columbia’s Logboat Brewing Company. Sample away while enjoying local music, and be sure to grab a bite from one of the many food trucks—like Korean barbecue from Smoke ‘n’ Seoul or Indian food from Sri’s Kitchen—to sop up the brews. Plus, guests with early admission tickets are privy to sampling limited-release beers an hour before general admission doors open. February 21. 1 pm. Union Station.

22

Lunar New Year

Ring in the Year of the Fire Horse at Lenexa Public Market’s Lunar New Year celebration. A partnership with the Ethnic Enrichment Commission of Kansas City, the event includes rotating dance performances and workshops, as well as children’s art activities like paper cutting and origami. Plus, feast on specials from the merchants at the food hall, including mochi donuts from Mr. D’s Coffee and egg rolls from Saap Saap Noodles. February 22. 10 am. Lenexa Public Market.

18–

March 1

26

Tango After Dark

At Tango After Dark, celebrated tango dancer Germán Cornejo pays tribute to this popular Argentine art form and the music of composer Astor Piazzolla. Named the World Champion of Tango in 2005, Cornejo will be joined by a troupe of 10 dancers from his dance company, a robust band and two vocalists for a lively showcase. February 26. 7:30 pm. Yardley Hall.

27–Mar 1

Snow White

The Kansas City Ballet’s family

Hamilton

When Hamilton made its off-Broadway premiere just over a decade ago, the hip-hop musical quickly took the world by storm. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning masterwork tells the story of founding father Alexander Hamilton (and those in close proximity to him) with a modern twist. With catchy songs like “My Shot” and “Aaron Burr, Sir,” Miranda describes the musical as “America then, as told by America now.” We recommend getting your tickets sooner rather than later, as tickets are typically in high demand for this wildly popular production. February 18–March 1. Times vary. Kansas City Music Hall.

series reimagines this classic fairytale on pointe. A whimsical introduction to ballet for all ages, the production follows Snow White and her seven dwarves as they prance and pirouette across the Folly Theater stage. February 27–March 1. Times vary. Folly Theater.

28–Mar 8

Porgy and Bess

An adaptation of DuBose Heyward’s 1925 novel Porgy, George Gershwin’s folk opera Porgy and Bess features one of

the composer’s most enduring songs, jazz standard “Summertime.” Set in 1920s Charleston, South Carolina, this tale of love and turmoil centers on Bess, freshly abandoned by her violent lover, and Porgy—an impoverished, disabled street beggar— who offers her compassion and devotion. Blending opera with spirituals and jazz, this Lyric Opera of Kansas City production stars Grammy Award-winning baritone Eric Greene and acclaimed soprano Michelle Bradley. February 28–March 8. Times vary. Muriel Kauffman Theatre.

Beyond the Marquee

The destination that turns a 1990s movie theater into an immersive mystery is earning national acclaim

By Nicole Kinning

WHAT IF THINGS at a 1990s movie theater went wonderfully, mysteriously wrong?

That’s the premise behind Atlas9, the interactive art experience that’s catching attention nationwide, most recently landing the No. 2 spot for Best New Attraction in the United States in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

“It sounds corny, but there’s kind of something for everybody here,” says Randall Statler, executive creative director for Atlas9. “You’ll find infants who are wide-eyed and a 90-year-old will also be wide-eyed and bewildered by what they’re seeing, for very different reasons, but all unified through the splendor.”

At its core, Atlas9 is a walkthrough attraction where visitors explore themed environments (including a 1940s jazz club, retro arcade, speakeasy and pizza parlor), each representing scenes from fictional movies that once played at the theater. Guests can choose their level of engagement: treat it as a visual art installation to

wander through, or become an investigator piecing together what happened to the theater by examining clues and uncovering storylines.

To add another layer, live performers from Quixotic appear in structured shows and also weave through the attraction. “You may take a blind corner and all of a sudden you’re eye to eye with a woman performing in a science fiction costume,” Statler says.

Front-of-house staff play “agents” from FACADE (Field Agency for the Control of Aberrations and Divergent Energies), a fictional organization that helps guests navigate through the experience. “It’s performative hospitality,” Statler says. “Guests can really tell that the staff enjoy and love their jobs.”

The experience is the brainchild of Dimensional Innovations, an Overland Park-based company that Statler affectionately describes as “a Willy Wonka factory meets Home Depot.” For more than three decades, the firm has designed everything from sports stadium signage and museum exhibits to children’s hospital installations and corporate experience centers. Their portfolio includes work at SoFi and Mercedes-Benz stadiums and practically every major arena in the country.

But Atlas9 marks something different: a venture in creating an attraction for themselves. The project’s beginnings date back to the Covid pandemic, when the company reflected on its ability to make experiences in their own right.

“We had a long history of making things for other people,” Statler says. “We decided, could we do something ourselves, for ourselves?”

The venue also seats a 240-seat movie theater with 180-degree projection mapping and a stage for live performance, creating what Statler calls a “chassis” that can accommodate film festivals, fundraisers and community events. On February 21, Atlas9 will host Cinemorphia, a regional student-driven animated film festival that Statler sees as major for the venue’s potential. Limited tickets will be available to the public in early February at tickets.atlas9.com

As for the future, Atlas9 plans to continue evolving its narrative, borrowing from the playbook of cinema. “We want to have plot twists, story changes, character developments, sequels,” Statler says.

The USA Today recognition honors the countless individuals who have brought Atlas9 to life. “Whether you’re an engineer or an artist or an illustrator or a fabricator or installer or electrician—there are countless skill sets,” Statler says. “The validation and recognition means a lot to the people who put their lives into this place.”

Whether you want to commit to unraveling the mystery of Atlas9 or simply soak in the grandeur of it all, the attraction delivers something rare: a one-ofa-kind experience that proves KC can hold its own in the world of immersive entertainment. 1100 N. 98th St., KCK. atlas9.com.

Merry on the Plaza

IN DECEMBER, the Country Club Plaza kicked off its first-ever Holiday Market and Shopping Stroll. More than 20 vendors and local favorites—including BamBam Room, KC Needlepoint, Lucky Gal Co. and Topsy’s—were stationed inside the former Forever 21 storefront. Guests enjoyed seasonal touches like live music from a Christmas quartet, a holiday photo booth, and hot chocolate and festive cocktails. There were also plenty of family-friendly activities, from photos with Santa and face painting to balloon art and a live reindeer appearance. The debut event offered a glimpse of what may become a new holiday tradition on the Plaza.

We want to hear from you. Tell us about events happening in the community. –Dawnya Bartsch, editor-in-chief editor@kansascitymag.com.

Home Sweet Opera

Ahead of her Folly Theater performance, opera superstar Joyce DiDonato talks Emily Dickinson, her Kansas City roots and recent musical inspiration

By Nina Cherry

MEZZO SOPRANO Joyce DiDonato is an international opera superstar, and she’s originally from Prairie Village.

On February 14, the Grammy Award-winning artist will return to KC for the hometown premiere of her latest endeavor, song cycle Emily — No Prisoner Be. A collaboration between DiDonato, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Kevin Puts and string trio Time for Three, the genre-defying theatrical work sets two dozen Emily Dickinson poems to music. DiDonato’s Folly Theater performance follows a leading role with the Metropolitan Opera in Amahl and the Night Visitors and comes just days before the song cycle’s Carnegie Hall premiere.

Kansas City magazine spoke with the singer about her musical upbringing, her hometown favorites and Dickinson’s work.

I hear you come from a musical family. Your dad was the church choir director at St. Ann Catholic Church in Prairie Village, so it sounds like music has always been a fundamental part of your life. Tell me a bit about your artistic beginnings. I feel like music was my first language, and in a household with seven children, it might be where I learned to project. We had so many genres blasting through our house, from my sisters practicing Chopin and Gershwin on the piano to my dad’s Glenn Miller records and my older brother’s AC/DC and Pink Floyd albums blaring from the basement. For me, choir was home, and at Bishop Miege, I was really blessed with an incredible choral teacher, Karl Wolf, who was absolutely fundamental towards crafting my love of music and singing.

You’re gearing up to tour Emily — No Prisoner Be, a collaboration between you, Kevin Puts and Time for Three (Nicolas Kendall, Ranaan Meyer and Charles Yang). How did this song cycle come to be? I was singing Virginia Woolf in Kevin’s opera The Hours, and he approached me with the beautiful message that he wanted to write more music for me. He then asked if I knew Time for Three, and at that point I had only heard their name—I knew they had recently won a Grammy with Kevin’s concerto, but that was all I knew. Kevin said, “I just think you guys will really hit it off.” He must be a fortune-teller. The very next statement was: “And I’m thinking about Emily Dickinson. I just found this poem, ‘They shut me up in Prose’ and I can already hear the music.” Before I knew it, we were in a studio workshopping his music and our project was taking flight. Kevin has such a clear and inventive way of composing and at the same time is indescribably collaborative—so I didn’t even hesitate for one moment to say yes. I feel that he has reimagined what a song cycle can be for the 21st century. I cannot wait for Kansas City to experience it.

Tell me about the impact Dickinson’s work has had on you. As a senior at Wichita State University, I programmed Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson by Aaron Copland on my senior recital and chose the same pieces for my first solo recital album. She has always been a kind of first choice for me. Her words call out for music, which may explain why she is the poet who is most often set to music. I think nearly 3,000 songs have been inspired by her poetry. She is raw, bewildering, inspiring, human and true. It makes singing her words touch the real humanity in all of us.

Do you happen to have a favorite poem out of the two dozen in this song cycle? This is no exaggeration, but I live for every single word in this collection. As one ends and the next one starts, I literally think, “Oh, this one!” I also—like [Franz] Schubert’s Winterreise—can no longer imagine removing a single piece from this. It forms a perfect whole.

What’s it like to perform for your hometown? It is imperative for me to bring my projects home. I love returning here, bringing back home all the things I develop around the world and sharing the musicians I am lucky enough to partner with—many times giving them their KC debuts. I truly can’t imagine missing a single season without KC at the heart of my season.

What are some of your must-haves when you’re back in KC? Time with my loved ones, Minsky’s Pizza and a Royals game.

What’s an album that you’ve been inspired by lately? I think Rosalia’s latest album, [Lux], is something really inspired and daring. Of course, we in the classical world always sing in many languages and without autotune or looping, but for the pop world, to have a superstar make such a concerted effort to come back to the core of music has been sensational.

Photography by Chris Gonz

Durable Denim

KC menswear store Guevel focuses on classic fits

By Nina Cherry

WHEN CAMERON NIEDERHAUSER, owner of KC menswear store Guevel, first started selling denim, he quickly learned how fast trends shift.

“The question I got pretty regularly was ‘what’s the slimmest fit you have?,’” Niederhauser says. Before long, that question gave way to the next fad.

Today, Niederhauser is largely uninterested in chasing trends. Midwestern in nature, Guevel is built around the idea that well-made, practical staples never go out of style, and it primarily stocks American heritage and workwear items. Racks of wool sweaters, thick flannels and stacks of starched, raw denim jeans line the Westside shop.

Although Guevel opened nearly eight years ago, the business

launched its own in-house collection in 2022. Like the boutique at large, denim is the focus of the house brand. “It was born out of a desire to add our own creativity into our assortment and fill some gaps in the things we carried—things we wanted to see,” Niederhauser says.

Both featuring a medium rise and a comfortable thigh, Guevel’s denim line includes two fits. The Bodie is a slimmer cut, while the Richard—what Niederhauser wears the most—is a straight leg silhouette akin to Levi’s 501s. “It looked pretty classic in 1975, and it still looks pretty classic in 2026,” Niederhauser says of the 501-style fit.

Manufactured in Los Angeles, the jeans are crafted with Japanese selvedge denim and deadstock material from the American-made Cone Mills.

Looking ahead, Guevel has additional pieces for its in-house collection in the works, including a larger release planned for fall 2026. “We have beautiful brands from all across the world, but we’re excited to continue to amp up our own in-house line,” Niederhauser says.

Shop Guevel’s collection in person (919 W. 17 St., KCMO) or online at guevel.co.

Treasure Trove

From Westport to the West Bottoms, each of these vintage shops promises a different kind of hunt

By Nicole Kinning

WE ALMOST DIDN’T share this list—part of us wanted to keep all the best vintage finds to ourselves. But if you’re willing to hit the streets and hunt the racks for that white whale of a secondhand find, Kansas City’s vintage shops deliver. Each shop has its own personality, and these are places where one-of-a-kind really means just that.

WONDERLAND

What to shop for: jewelry and tchotchkes Wonderland has been a Westport staple for more than a decade, and its depth of inventory proves it. Co-owned by Andy Chambers and Alan Dunham, the shop has pieces dating back to the 1920s, and every item is cleaned and repaired before it makes its way onto the floor (a process that also spares you that vintage store smell—you know the one). Displays are creatively and thoughtfully arranged. and mannequins are styled in full ’fits, making browsing feel deliberate rather than overwhelming (307-309 Westport Road, KCMO).

GNARLY HUSSLE

What to shop for: vintage media

Gnarly Hussle is a thrift store, a dive bar and an arcade all under one roof. Founded by Pat Clifton and Alex Quinn, it began as a River Market pop-up in 2020 before putting down roots in Raytown the following year. The shop is brimming with vintage media (think Donkey Kong on an N64 cart or a well-loved VHS copy of Spice World). The experience doesn’t stop at the shelves, either. Catch events like drag bingo, trivia or art club, which have turned the space into a genuine neighborhood hangout (6317 Raytown Road, Raytown)

HULA HOOP

What to shop for: era-specific dresses

Hula Hoop sets up shop the first weekend of every month in a storefront just northeast of the Plaza, with a newly announced second location at Zona Rosa set to open this spring. The branding skews cutesy and colorful, but the inventory spans everything from vintage finds and modern pieces to kid’s clothes and menswear. Hula Hoop also runs an online shop with local pickup or shipping and regularly hosts cocktail-and-craft classes (4247 Walnut St., KCMO)

REX VINTAGE

What to shop for: everyday staples

Located above Good Ju Ju in the West Bottoms, Rex Vintage is your spot if you’re looking for basics like vintage tees, flannels and hoodies. The shop favors style, condition and wearability over sheer volume. The dim, lofty space suits the inventory: carefully chosen pieces that, although decades old, feel current (1420 W. 13th Terrace, Floor 2, KCMO)

DAISY LEE VINTAGE

What to shop for: ’90s and Y2K garb

Want to shop like Chappell Roan? She stopped by Daisy Lee Vintage last fall before one of her concerts at the WWI Museum, and it’s easy to see why. This Crossroads shop, which also has a location in Lawrence, matches her vibe with a focus on late ’90s and early 2000s styles. The selection is also carefully edited, so you won’t feel buried in the racks (122 W. 18th St., KCMO).

6 FOOT CLOSET

What to shop for: denim

Another stop on your West Bottoms vintage crawl, 6 Foot Closet makes finding what you’re looking for almost too easy by sorting its inventory by era, style and color. Come here if you’re a denim lover; the store has an entire section dedicated to vintage Levi’s. The space itself is neat, straightforward, inviting and practical (1101 Mulberry St., KCMO).

BOOMERANG

What to shop for: themed outfits

Boomerang has long been known as the spot to find an outfit tied to a specific occasion. The Westport shop spans styles from the 1940s through the 1980s, so you’ll be hard-pressed to leave without finding an outfit for your next themed occasion. Night out at Funkytown? Mad Men-themed cocktail party? Madonna Halloween costume? Boomerang will have what you’re looking for (3900 Pennsylvania Ave., No. 2940, KCMO).

Global Game, Local Lens

Inspired by the 2026 World Cup, Kemper Museum Chief Curator Jessica Hong created an exhibition exploring the artists, stories and city’s migration histories that reveal KC’s global roots

By Ryan Reed

MORE PEOPLE WATCH the FIFA World Cup championship than any other sporting event in the world. As Kansas City readies itself to host some of the 2026 matches, the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art is responding in kind. Jessica Hong began her role as the Kemper’s chief curator last year, bringing with her decades of experience from the Toledo Museum of Art, Dartmouth’s Hood Museum of Art and many other prestigious institutions. Her impressive resume focuses on highlighting under-recognized narratives, a skill set that seems particularly well suited to the development of the museum’s upcoming exhibit, “The World in Kansas City.”

Kansas City magazine spoke with Hong to learn more about the World Cup-inspired exhibit ahead of its March 6 opening.

How does one get into a career in museum curation? It was quite a circuitous path. When I went to college in New York City, I thought I would have a career in diplomacy. My first internship was actually at an organization with the United Nations. Art history class in college was this very stereotypical enlightenment experience where I realized that all of the things that fascinated me—the political, the social and the cultural—entwine. It’s the arts that really create space to kind of mind all of that and artists that really shape this dynamic place in which we can explore some critical issues. That’s where I found an opening and spent the last two decades maneuvering through and finding museums. Museums have been a vital space where community, artists and arts intersect.

Photography by Graham Carroll

How did the Kemper’s next exhibit, “The World in Kansas City,” come to be? I was doing studio visits and meeting artists that were living here from all around the world, which, frankly, as a newcomer, surprised me. That led me to dig into the complicated migration histories of how Kansas City came to be over the centuries. It also made me recognize that the city is, in fact, a global city. The constituencies continue to shift and evolve. I wanted to celebrate this complicated and incredibly rich global fabric that already exists within the context of the World Cup. The exhibit features artists with global backgrounds who have lived, worked or been inspired here. But most importantly, their works and practices explore interconnected systems, ideas and experiences, crossing boundaries and truly connecting us in multiple dimensions. This works to emphasize how we all belong to a shared, complicated and nuanced social and cultural fabric.

What are the museum’s hopes about getting outof-town visitors into the exhibit, and what are they doing to inspire that? We want everybody to come, not only the folks that are visiting. I think what I’m really excited about is that, while it is celebrating the global spirit, it simultaneously celebrates our local arts community. Most of the artists are still living here, and throughout the run of the show, we’re doing programming with them to enhance and expound upon the conversations that are happening in the galleries.

When you’re curating an exhibit like this, do you start with a goal, or do you start with pieces that inform the result? As a newcomer to not only the Kemper Museum but to Kansas City, it was important for me to get a sense of what conversations were happening in the collection in addition to the legacy and history of the museum. Thinking about the institutional vision, mission and values is always the starting point. From that, there’s often a kernel of an idea to explore. I don’t like being prescriptive. I think it’s important to lead with intuition but also not to project an idea. If you ensure that it grows organically, those shows have the most possibility for audiences to discover, be inspired, learn and appreciate.

Is it difficult to balance star pieces versus pieces that may better speak to each other? I think with group exhibitions such as this, where there is a broader theme, it’s important to highlight artists’ distinct practices. We include all of the artists’ voices in one way or another. There’s no hierarchy to the exhibition. I think what is wonderful are the conversations that happen amongst works. I like to think about how an exhibition lives after it opens. It’s the visitors that come in with their own experiences, their perspectives and who can see something in a work that I may not necessarily have seen before.

KANSAS CITY’S FIRST PRIVATE STREET

By Nicole Kinning Photography by Ian Simmons

IN THE HEART OF HYDE PARK,

19 mansions circle a leafy parkway. From stone facades to leaded glass and mahogany interiors, Janssen Place has been a showcase of wealth and craftsmanship for 128 years, and it remains largely unchanged.

From the start, Janssen Place was different. Platted in 1897 by railroad baron Arthur Stilwell, it was a private street that housed some of Kansas City’s elite. Stilwell commissioned local architect George A. Mathews to design the neighborhood’s layout, including entry features and the street’s arrangement. Homeowners maintained their own streets and sidewalks, creating a controlled, exclusive environment. “It was a very exclusive address,” says longtime resident Steve Mitchell, who has lived at 2 Janssen Place since 1985.

Mitchell and his wife raised their four children there, and over the years, he’s watched as younger families move in and the neighborhood evolves. “I think Janssen Place has greatly improved, particularly since the 2001 project,” he says, referring to what he calls the million-dollar makeover: streets, sidewalks, driveways and storm sewers all rebuilt. But to qualify for the financing, Janssen Place had to give up something it had guarded since 1897: It became a public street for the first time, though in practice, little changed.

The change was more paperwork than philosophy, according to Mitchell. The city took over maintenance, but the soul of the street remained intact. That preservation is partly thanks to its historic designations: Janssen Place has been a

National Register Historic District since 1976 and a local historic district since 1980, meaning the Kansas City Landmarks Commission must approve any exterior changes.

The original residents were a who’s who of Kansas City’s turn-of-the-century wealth. Seven of the 19 residents were in the lumber business, earning the street its nickname—Lumberman’s Row. William Pickering, whose company was the third-largest lumber business in the nation, built number 20. The Tschudys, who built Mitchell’s house, were hardwood lumber tycoons who helped found the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. Number six belonged to the Peet family of Colgate-Palmolive fame. And at number 80 lived Bertha Glasner, heiress to a distilling fortune. “She was probably the wealthiest person that ever lived on Janssen Place,” Mitchell says.

The original architecture that lines Janssen Place reflects its wealth: All but one of the houses are built of stone or brick, and many interiors are drenched in intricate mahogany woodwork. Home styles range from Colonial Revival to Italianate Renaissance.

Despite the wealth, the neighborhood didn’t remain untouched by broader economic shifts. In the mid century, particularly in the years around The Great Depression and World War II, maintaining and purchasing massive single-family homes became difficult. Many of these architectural gems were divided into multi-unit apartment buildings, and eventually deterioration set in.

THE ORIGINAL ARCHITECTURE THAT LINES JANSSEN PLACE REFLECTS ITS WEALTH: ALL BUT ONE OF THE HOUSES ARE BUILT OF STONE OR BRICK, AND MANY INTERIORS ARE DRENCHED IN INTRICATE MAHOGANY WOODWORK.

JANSSEN PLACE IS A LABOR OF LOVE IN ITS TRUEST SENSE. MITCHELL JUST WANTS TO PRESERVE THE ROLE THE STREET HAS PLAYED IN ITS HISTORY.

In research for his book, Janssen Place, which he co-authored with Bruce Matthews, Mitchell explored six boxes of archival material entrusted to him by longtime trustees Dick Hetzel and Joe Kostelac. “It was a treasure trove,” Mitchell says. Meeting minutes from 1911 through the 1930s revealed not just the logistics of running a private street but the human stories behind it. The aforementioned economic pressures came to a head in 1945, when residents attempted to renew single-family restrictions. Two owners opted out, temporarily converting many homes into duplexes. Mitchell’s own carriage house once held 11 separate apartments. Janssen Place is a labor of love in its truest sense. Neither Mitchell nor Matthews makes a dime from sales; all proceeds go to Mount Washington Cemetery and the Hyde Park Neighborhood Association. Mitchell just wants to preserve the role the street has played in its history, and preserved he has: The Mitchells have restored number two “basically the way it was when the Tschudys lived here.” Built in 1905, the home features woodwork from 11 different hardware companies and a first floor wallpapered in documents from the era. When the Mitchells bought it in 1985, the previous owners had started converting it back to a single-family residence after years as a boarding house, but they didn’t have the resources to finish. The property’s carriage house has since been converted into an Airbnb, giving visitors a unique way to experience Janssen Place firsthand. More than 11,500 people have toured the Mitchell home over the years. It’s been on the Hyde Park home tour twice, most recently in 2022, and remains open for curious neighbors. There’s only one home on Janssen Place that has seen that many eyes, Mitchell says. And it happens to be his.

AFUTURE IN MOTION 20 UNDER

Here’s a look at 20 of the metro’s most remarkable youth moving culture, community and innovation

forward

By David Hodes / Original Photography by Laura Morsman

A YEAR AGO, Kansas City magazine produced a special issue spotlighting 17 “super agers.” We dubbed this issue Nine Over 90, Eight Over 80, and it celebrated some of the city’s most remarkable citizens and the lasting contributions they’ve made to the metro over a lifetime. This year, we thought it would be just as fascinating to look in the other direction: toward the young up-and-comers already making their mark. In this feature, we take a look at 20 Kansas City grade schoolers and high schoolers who are proving to themselves and others that they not only have found their niche at a startlingly young age but are also pushing forward, facing challenges head-on and bringing their dreams to fruition.

There is a gifted musician who some call a prodigy, a nationally ranked boxer who started off as a ballerina, an inventor with an app to help the visually impaired, an urban youth who turned the tragedy of his brother’s murder into the triumph of a new crime prevention tool, a national dance champion at age four and so many more. Here are their stories. Let’s cheer them on.

The Performer

Anniston Reed Stage actor, singer and dancer

Age 8

EIGHT-YEAR-OLD actor, singer and dancer

Anniston Reed is a firecracker of talent and energy, one of those young performers who glows from the inside out. Ask her what an average day looks like and she rattles it off with a cheerful matter-of-factness. “I woke up this morning and I had to go to school, then I had to go to piano practice, and then I had to rehearse,” she says.

For most second graders, that schedule alone would be impressive. But Anniston isn’t just “rehearsing” in grade school plays and taking myriad lessons. She’s a professional.

This past holiday season, Anniston stepped into the role of Tiny Tim in Kansas City Repertory Theatre’s A Christmas Carol, treating the demanding part with calm confidence. “It’s really fun,” she says. “It takes a long time, but it’s worth it. Once we get to the show and start running through it, it gets easier and better each time.”

Anniston’s career began at three, when she first stepped into a dance class. She won a national dance competition in 2021. “The trophy was bigger than her,” says her mother Whitney Reed. Anniston’s early success quickly opened the door to theater roles.

Her dance repertoire is impressively wide for a young performer: contemporary lyrical, jazz, musical theater, hip-hop, tap and ballet. She’s already appeared in 15 musicals, played the pivotal role of “Ivonka” in KC Rep’s Once, performed with the Kansas City Ballet in The Nutcracker, worked in print and commercial TV projects, and earned national dance titles in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

All this talent runs in the family. Anniston’s parents, Whitney and Jeff Reed, run the Reed Performing Arts Center, where Jeff directs and stages multiple musicals each year and Whitney leads the competitive dance program. Still, neither expected their daughter to leap into the spotlight quite so young.

Jeff recalls the moment he realized something extraordinary was happening. “We were headed to rehearsal when Anniston—she was about four—came downstairs and said she’d be coming to the show that day,” he says. “I thought, ‘Yeah, right. You’re four.’ But at rehearsal she went through all of our choreography, stepped into formations and just did the show. It was Oliver! I had no idea.”

Jeff is very honest with Anniston when working with her at the studio, and she expects nothing less, he says. “We talk about energy, volume, facial expressions. Exit and enter the stage in character. And she does awesome with these roles.”

In her most recent endeavor, she was presented with the challenge of portraying the disabled Tiny Tim character. “The director put a cough drop on the ball of my foot during rehearsal so I wouldn’t put pressure on it,” she says of learning how to believably hobble across the stage. “I was supposed to kind of hop on it. We practiced at home so I’d remember the technique.”

Her dad beams with pride. “She stays focused and determined,” Jeff says. “She believes she can do whatever she sets her mind to, and we’ll be right there to support her.”

Anniston’s dreams stretch as big as her talent. She wants to be an adult actor, a mom and a dance teacher—and someday, she hopes, a Broadway star.

“It’s really fun. It takes a long time, but it’s worth it.”

Madeliene Pollard Award-winning farmer Age 19

Most of us don’t think much about where our food comes from and how it arrives on our neighborhood grocer’s shelves. But Mizzou freshman Madeliene Pollard does.

In 2025, Madeliene won the National Future Farmers of America Agriculture Proficiency Award for diversified crop production and entrepreneurship for two different types of crops—soybeans and corn. She was particularly noted for her knowledge in operating and caring for machinery, planting and harvesting crops, watching market trends and practicing efficient farming methods. “Being on stage for the award ceremony was very surreal,” she says. “And I think it reflected on all of the hard work that I had done throughout my whole FFA career, not just for this award.”

Madeliene grew up on a 2,000-acre family farm in Missouri, and in grade school, before she started FFA in high school, she participated in 4H. She and her family grew corn and soybeans. “I was actively involved in the farm with my dad and my grandpa (a retired agriculture teacher), so I really got to know agriculture,” she says. “It’s more than planting and harvesting. It’s about helping fix equipment, driving the grain carts and sweeping grain bins. It’s really turned into something that I’m very passionate about.”

Madeliene loves spreading her farming knowledge, especially to younger people, because she knows they’re the next generation of agriculturalists and the key to the country’s food future. “I want to not only leave an impact on them, but I also want to teach them as much as I can using my knowledge, what I did and what they can do to succeed in the way that they want to succeed.”

Reagan Kinney Ballerina Age 19

Most professional ballerinas start very early. The road to success can be physically and psychologically brutal.

Rising star ballerina Reagan Kinney knows the drill. Her ballet and dance career has been an exercise in total dedication, and now, at 19, a professional career is coming into sight.

Reagan began dancing at age three at Ballet Arizona in Phoenix. It wasn’t until she became a teen that she seriously thought she might make dance a career. “I don’t remember a time in my life where I wasn’t dancing,” she says. “Thirteen was when I first started [thinking about] pursuing a [ballet] career.”

Most of her training was done after school. “When I got to high school, I was doing half days at school and leaving early to go to dance in the afternoons.”

With the help of merit scholarships, Reagan attended Kansas City Ballet School’s Summer Intensive in both 2023 and 2024.

“I was dancing from 9 to 5 every day,” she says about the experience. “We got to do a bunch of different styles. It wasn’t just ballet. We would start in the morning with a ballet class, and then usually we’d follow that up with a pointe class, and then in the afternoons we would do other styles of dance.”

After completing the summer intensives, she made the leap and moved to Kansas City full-time, joining the ballet’s pre-professional daytime program as a trainee, dancing in The Nutcracker and Don Quixote at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.

Both experiences are seen as major stepping stones to becoming a professional dancer. “I know what it’s like to motivate yourself,” Reagan says. “Ballet is really demanding—sometimes it’s just getting your head in that space.”

Lindsay Rottinghaus Gymnast

Age 16

Lindsay Rottinghaus is a born gymnast. “She used to flip around the house and we couldn’t stop her,” says her mom, Dena Rottinghaus, who was also a gymnast in her youth. “She would try to climb the door jams. When she was in first grade, I took her to a recreational gym in Olathe and told the coach that I thought she had some talent. That’s what started it all.”

Lindsay started training seriously at Eagles Gymnastics in Martin City when she was in the seventh grade.

Now a sophomore at Olathe North, Lindsay continues to train at Eagles Gymnastics, where she works with coach Janet Nash and has been able to move up from a Level 7 gymnast to a Level 10 in three years—an almost unheard of ascension in the world of youth gymnastics. “She was able to get through each of the first three levels in one year by qualifying for state regionals,” her mom says. In 2024, she was a Level 9 qualifier, finishing fifth on vault. “She qualified for Level 10 in 2025, which is the nationals, but did not place. You compete against everybody in the nation.”

When warming up at the USA Gymnastics Level 10 National Championships in Salt Lake City, Utah, tragedy struck, but it revealed Lindsay’s true competitive spirit. “I was warming up and I actually broke my ankle,” Lindsay says. “But I ended up competing on it because at the time we didn’t know it was broken. I had to be out for four weeks to heal. Toward the end, I was always at the gym doing whatever I could to get back.”

Lindsay hopes to compete in a Division One college. “To do that,” her mom says, “you almost have to be perfect.”

Oskar Ryan-Garrard Guitarist, musician

Age 16

When he was just one year old, Oskar Ryan-Garrard’s dad Paul Ryan bought him a guitar. Paul was a punk rock guitarist who passed away a year later. Did he know his son would be a musical prodigy? He just might have.

Oskar started taking guitar and piano lessons when he was five years old. By the time he was in the eighth grade, he was the lead guitarist for the Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts. His music teacher at Paseo, Willie Thornton, told a KSHB reporter that Oskar was “exceptional” and had “absolute perfect pitch.” Thornton says that maybe one out of 10,000 people have perfect pitch and calls Oskar a prodigy and genius. “He’s going to be famous one day, there’s no doubt in my mind.”

When Oskar was in the seventh grade, he started playing in the high school jazz band, “which was insane,” Oskar says. “Normally it would be like juniors and seniors and the occasional sophomore and freshmen. Me, I was an anomaly.”

Oskar began his guitar journey listening to bands such as Green Day and Linkin Park. Who’s his favorite guitarist? “Honestly, it depends,” he says. “Kurt Cobain is one of the most influential guitar players of the ’90s. Jimi Hendrix is the most influential overall, in my opinion. For indie rock, it’s Stephen Malkmus (from indie band Pavement).”

Oskar started an indie rock band called East Bottling Company, but it broke up. “I shifted to plan B, which is Torn Pamphlet, which goes more into the emo (punk rock) subculture, post-hardcore,” he says. “What I’m doing for Mr. Thornton now is basically a mix of industrial grunge and shoegaze (a subgenre of indie and alternative rock).”

Oskar’s mom, Julia, says that he is really talented at jazz, “but he’s a 15-year-old punk rock kid.”

Once Oskar starts his professional career, he wants to have two music personalities. “I’m digging jazz music,” but also, “I’m in the underground scene.”

BBLUE VALLEY NORTH High School senior Matthew Chen isn’t waiting for adulthood to make an impact—he’s already carving out a name for himself as a young cancer researcher and national advocate. His mission is to improve treatment outcomes for cancer patients everywhere.

Matthew’s passion blends cutting-edge technology with human-centered care. Drawing on his self-taught AI skills and coding language abilities, he is developing predictive models designed to help doctors better understand patient outcomes, potential side effects and overall quality of life during cancer treatments.

One of his AI projects analyzes how a patient’s geographic location affects their ability to access and afford care—spotlighting the realworld inequities many families face. Another tracks lymphocytes, a key white blood cell, to help physicians tailor treatment plans throughout the course of care.

Matthew began his cancer research work in 2023, when he started volunteering with the University of Kansas Cancer Center, partnering with the American Cancer Society Cancer

“I heard their stories about navigating this terrible disease and its many side effects. I wanted to do more to help.”

Matthew Chen Medical researcher

Action Network. “Through that work, I experienced firsthand the importance of educating people about cancer screening and early detection,” he says. “I met cancer survivors and caregivers and I heard their stories about navigating this terrible disease and its many side effects. I wanted to do more to help.”

That desire led him to reach out to other researchers and ultimately merge his interest in programming with oncology. He was listed as one of six authors in a national oncology publication article in April 2024 about patient navigation in cancer treatment. “It allowed me to realize that my interest in artificial intelligence had real-world applications,” he says.

In June, Matthew traveled to Washington, D.C., where he advocated for cancer research funding during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing featuring U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, who represents Kansas. Afterward, he spoke with Moran one-on-one. “I asked him to help protect cancer funding for this generation and all future generations,” Matthew says. Inspired by their discussion, Matthew wrote about the experience in an op-ed published in the Kansas City Star upon his return.

At home, Matthew’s father, professor Ron Chen, the chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Kansas Medical Center, has had a front-row seat to his son’s growing talent. “Matthew clearly has always shown an interest and strength in science, technology, engineering and math areas,” Ron says. “When he got to high school, he really differentiated into being interested in computer science. He picked up programming languages very quickly. There was a lot of initiative on his part—finding online courses, learning Python (a high-level computer programming language) on his own and figuring out how to use it to build AI tools for cancer research.”

Matthew continues to volunteer with cancer advocacy organizations and is setting his sights on attending an Ivy League university to study chemistry and computer science. His long-term vision: becoming an oncologist dedicated to designing better treatments and mentoring the next generation of scientists. “I want to see what I can learn in those fields,” he says. “I want to make a difference in the world.”

The Scientist

Conrad Chase Competitive cyclist

Age 14

Conrad Chase embarked on his first 50-mile cycling challenge when he was just eight years old (his parents surprised him with a new bike at the halfway mark). “It was interesting,” Conrad says. “I was very single-minded at the time. My dad told me I could do it, so we just started.”

Now, in his teens Conrad works out with the local cycling club, Move Up Cycling. He has competed in 73 races since 2017, and in 2018, he won all six of the races he competed in, including the Missouri State Cyclocross Championships in Raytown.

Last year, Conrad placed in the top 10 in 11 of the 21 races he competed in, according to Cross Results, a cycling race history website.

Conrad’s dad, Jason Chase, a cycling endurance coach, says his son started riding when he was just three years old. “I took him out to a little trail around Longview Lake, gave him the old push and ran alongside of him and, and he was off,” Jason says. “Man, I was so impressed that he was able to do that, being just three years old.”

Conrad explains his race strategy: “If I have a teammate, the first thing I do is try to get in the breakaway, which is a group off the front, or help position for the sprint and do the best I can.” Conrad does men’s races as well, his dad says. “He’ll do his juniors race earlier in the morning, and then later on in the day, he’ll race in the men’s category three, which is in the middle between experts and beginners.”

Jason says that his son also joins in with adult group rides. “We ride anywhere from 20 miles to 75 or sometimes even 100 miles, and he’s right there with us

Kaiden Johnson Film actor

Age 15

Kaiden Johnson is a local film actor known for his supporting role as Ahmed, the son of Laura Cowan, in the Lifetime movie Girl in the Garage: The Laura Cowan Story, which was shot in Kansas City and premiered last year. According to Kaiden’s IMDB bio, he was also featured in a found-footage horror film about government mind control shot in 2025.

Kaiden says the role in the Lifetime movie was unexpected because he had tried out a month prior to learning he had landed the role and just assumed he hadn’t been picked. It was a surprise, he says. “I just didn’t know what to say at that point. It was a new experience. So I mostly just had to keep an open mind since it was something that I hadn’t done before.”

The film shot for three weeks in the summer and fall of 2024 in Overland Park, Raytown, the Crossroads and Smithville.

“I was very nervous that first day,” he says. “I had to cut my hair for the movie, and there was almost no hair on the back of my head. So that felt weird.”

Kaiden’s acting career began when he was just eight years old. He took acting classes from Next Paige Talent Agency. Kaiden’s mother, Ashley Johsnon, is friends with the owner, Elaina Paige Thomas. “When she said she had a vision of starting an agency here in Kansas City, I told her, you know, Kaiden would be great at that,” Ashley says. “He was maybe four or five years old at the time, super into Transformers toys. If you said, ‘Hey, Kaiden, transform’, he would literally stop everything and fold up like Bumblebee or something. That’s what he did for his audition.”

Kaiden trained for a few years, getting a voiceover gig in 2022, then a lot of rejections until he was cast in the Lifetime movie by Thomas, who was working as casting agent for the movie. “This acting gig is right up his alley,” Ashley says. “Because of his personality, he is super animated, he loves storytelling and reading books, and he’s always been the life of the party.”

Masai Long Nutrition business operator Age 13

Masai Long, with the help of his mother, created and operates his own nutrition business, Masai’s Fresh Garden Eats from Dirt to Dish.

“I do pickles, hot sauce, barbecue sauce, pickled beets,” he says. “I do a lot of things.”

His products are available online, at various local farmers’ markets and at his booth during First Fridays in the Crossroads. Masai made his first product, a tea, a few years ago using pomegranate and “a lot of different herbs. People ended up liking it,” he says.

His mom, Sunni Long, helps him make products to sell, such as a mixed greens salad. “It’s weird because he doesn’t like dressing,” says his mom, an educator and nutritionist. “When he was little, he liked to just go out in the garden and pick his own herbs. So now, literally, that’s all he’ll eat on the salad. We call that the Masai salad. Whenever we have a family gathering, we always bring that—just random greens with random herbs in there with no dressing.”

A career in nutrition and food is a natural fit for Masai. On his Facebook page, there are pictures of him in diapers on a chair, helping his mom cook. Later, he would imitate what his mom did but adding his own herb-heavy charm.

Masai started off with regular pickles. Now he makes and packages lemonade pickles, orange pickles, sour apple pickles, and sweet and spicy pickles. “He was making pickles with okra and that went over really well with people,” his mom says. “He just comes up with a lot of different things. At the beginning of the year, we sit down and do a whole brainstorm. And then we just execute that plan.”

Masai says that he wants kids to be able to eat holistically and eat well. “I want them to understand that even though they can have all the good things, that’s OK as long as it’s in a more nutritional way. Like with my products, where we use Stevia instead of sugar.”

Brijhana Epperson Boxer

Age 16

Brijhana Epperson grew up floating like a butterfly. Now she stings like a bee.

Brijhana was a talented ballerina who eventually found her way onto the squared circle stage, beating the daylights out of opponents instead of lifting audiences with a perfectly executed grand Plié. She’s known as the “The Boxing Ballerina.”

Since she was a toddler, Brijhana has been a star performer in whatever she wants to do. She attended the Pulse Ballet School when she was just four, then moved on to the Kansas City Ballet by the time she was seven. Her proud dad, Courtney Epperson, supported her dance interests, but also threw in a few self-defense lessons. “Once I started to get the hang of it, I started asking him if I could go out to the gyms and start sparring with other kids,” she says.

At nine, she was competing in her first boxing match along with practicing ballet. At 12, she transitioned to boxing full time. “As soon as I stepped into the ring, I felt this amazing calm,” she says. It really clicked for me that this was it. This was my thing.”

With her dad coaching her, Brijhana amassed 14 national titles by age 15, including wins at the USA Boxing National Championships and Junior Olympics. “I just go in there, do my thing and don’t let a whole lot of stuff rattle me,” she says. “The biggest thing about me is I don’t give my opponents reactions. That just makes them madder. But there’s been a couple of moments where I’m like, all right, know what? Let me go ahead and handle my business,” she says.

In September, she won her 19th junior boxing title at the 2025 USA Boxing National Open championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She currently has 38 wins and 12 losses in her boxing career.

While at the national championships, Brijhana has been keeping her eye on who could be her Olympic competitors; she hopes to represent Team USA at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

“She’s ready,” her dad says. “Yes, she’s ready.”

“I’m definitely going to keep pushing, keep going,” she says.

The Developer

Rafan Shah Medical app developer

Age 15

“SEEING IS BELIEVING” takes on a whole new meaning when talking to Rafan Shah, a 15-year-old innovator determined to make the world more accessible for people with visual impairments. His creation—an intuitive mobile application that helps users navigate their surroundings—began with one unexpected moment in his own life.

Rafan sprained his ankle and suddenly found himself unable to move freely without any assistance. That temporary loss of independence opened his eyes to what many visually impaired people experience daily.

Later, he saw a video of a blind woman expertly using her phone with a Braille keyboard, and it was an inspirational moment for him. “It blew my mind,” Rafan says. “I had never thought about how blind people actually use technology. It made me think about how people with impairments interact with the world more independently.”

From that realization came the Navigation and Orientation Visual Assistance mobile app, designed to act as a companion for visually impaired people. Using object detection and text-to-speech technology, NOVA scans a user’s surroundings through the phone’s camera and narrates what it sees, including text detection of a book title or other documents. It also responds to voice commands beginning with “Hey NOVA.”

Bringing his app to life was no small challenge. “At first, I was confused about how to even begin building it,” Rafan says. With the help of one of his cousins, Rafan learned to code and settled on Dart, an object-oriented programming language. The learning curve was steep. “It took me two or three weeks just to figure out how to use the camera properly,” he says. “There were so many things that didn’t work. But knowing I could help people kept me motivated.”

In December 2024, NOVA earned Rafan top honors in the Congressional App Challenge, a national competition held by the U.S. House of Representatives where members of Congress host contests in their districts for middle school and high school students. The goal is to encourage youth to learn to code and inspire them to pursue careers in computer science.

Rafan met one-on-one with U.S. Representative Sharice Davids to discuss accessible

medical technology. Rafan emphasized one key truth: Assistive medical tech is often prohibitively expensive. Rafan hopes to change that with his app. NOVA’s prototype is currently testing, and pricing hasn’t been determined yet, but that hasn’t stopped Rafan from planning its next evolution. He hopes to integrate ARCore, which is technology used in augmented reality apps, to give users distance cues through audio or vibration alerts.

Rafan is also digging into another project meant to help people with hearing impairments: transforming everyday earbuds into affordable hearing aids by enhancing specific frequencies.

For Rafan, technology and health care are part of his future. His dad, Shah Islam, a software engineer who works in the health-care industry, says that Rafan wants to be a physician. “He’s not actively working on a software engineering career or something similar,” Shah says. “I told him that you can go into any field. You could use the technology to develop any creative idea, to realize any of the thoughts that you have and create something new for society.”

“There were so many things that didn’t work. But knowing I could help people kept me motivated.”

Shane Gifford

National spokesperson for Big Brothers Big Sisters

Age 19

Shane Gifford got thrown a serious curve in life when he was just a kid—his father died from brain cancer. “As you can imagine, at nine years old, still young and with a long way to go in life, I was really struggling,” Shane says. “I was just lost. My mom saw that. She just did a bunch of research, looking for anything and everything that could help me, and found Big Brothers Big Sisters. She got me listed waiting for a match.”

Help came knocking on his door in the form of Chris Moore, a tech engineer for T-Mobile, who became Shane’s Big Brother in 2017. For his Georgia Tech fraternity newsletter, Moore recalled the moment he read about Shane through Big Brothers Big Sisters. “If you read this document that this supposedly 11-year-old kid put together, you would have thought that it was a 30-year-old adult that wrote this thing about what they want out of life and what their hopes and dreams are, and I said, ‘I have to meet this kid.’”

As a a Big Brother, Moore was ready to go everywhere and do everything his Little, Shane, wanted to do. They went to Kansas City Comicon, they went bowling, they watched the Super Bowl together. Beginning in April 2022, Shane became more involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters, acting as a spokesperson, giving speeches, doing fundraising and recruiting other Bigs.

In 2023, Shane and Moore were selected as two of the lucky fans to read the first-round draft pick for the Atlanta Falcons at the NFL draft hosted in Kansas City (NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is a Big Brother).

Shane and Moore won the 2024 National Big and Little Brother of the Year award and were featured on the “Today” show. Also in 2024, Shane was chosen to join Big Brothers Big Sisters of America’s first National Youth Council.

“I always like to tell people you don’t have to be perfect to be involved or to help someone,” Shane says. “You just have to be present in their lives. And that’s just a little bit of time.”

Zoei Gipson Missouri Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year

Age 17

One of the most energetic and motivated people you’d ever want to meet is Zoei Gipson, sophomore at University Academy in Kansas City and the 2025 Boys & Girls Club’s Missouri Youth of the Year award winner.

Zoei traveled to Jefferson City to compete for the award, where she had to give a speech. It was a confidence test. “When I would falter, I would try to keep myself confident,” she says. “I relied on all of my mentors who were with me on the trip. A lot of that was just trying to stay motivated.”

The award selection committee also had her write three essays for judging. One was about teen mental health. “It was about how I feel about teen mental health,” she says. “It is not taken as seriously as it could be, or there’s not as many resources being pushed regarding teen mental health to get people my age the help they need.”

Zoei had her own mental health challenges. In seventh and eighth grade, she struggled with depression and “all the things that come with that,” she says. “So I wrote about that.”

Before winning the award, she had the opportunity to advocate on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. for teen mental health, where she demonstrated her skills at public speaking and was given opportunities to meet with representatives on Capitol Hill.

“The club pushed me out of my shell when I was just little,” she says. She’s been a club member since she was five.

Zoei plans to go into pre-med and open up her own dermatology practice after she graduates from the Academy. But for now, she is keeping her options open. “I’ve been thinking about going into some field of psychology or sociology, but I’m not too sure,” she says. “I hope to still be using my voice to educate people in ways that I can, bringing awareness to situations. I hope to still be caring and to help people the way that I can.”

Jack McGovern Cross country champion

Age 16

It’s an understatement to say that Jack McGovern has uncommon grit. The guy ran 2,000 miles preparing for a key state cross country meet. Dude.

That’s Jack—a cross country standout from Rockhurst High School. He was the second fastest freshman in the 2024 Nike Cross Nationals, which is recognized as the premier national cross country event. He also ran the fourth fastest race by any Missouri high school runner ever in the Gans Creek Classic in Columbia, Missouri, last year. That time also made him the nation’s fifth fastest sophomore in 2025.

For the Gans Creek state race, Jack says that it was the first time he’d ever been in a state meet where he had a lot of big goals. “My coach and I talked about it the night before, how the idea was just for me to go out right at 2K, or right at 3K, and just build into it,” he says. “I knew I was fit enough going into it, and I just had to execute.”

Jack’s accolades are many. He also won the 2025 Missouri Class 5 Cross Country Championship, becoming just the fourth sophomore since 1975 to win the state meet. Hy-Vee and KMBC honored him as athlete of the week. And he was named a Nike All-American at the 2025 Nike Cross Nationals.

For his race strategy, Jack scouts out the pack at first, then just hammers the last part of the race. “I enjoy just being able to hunt people down.”

Michael Fang Symphony cello player

Age 17

When 17-year-old Michael Fang, the principal cellist for the Youth Symphony of Kansas City, talks about playing for an audience, he already sounds like a seasoned professional. “I just stop thinking about the opportunity for mistakes,” he says. “I’m going to walk on stage. The audience wants to hear me. So I think about the emotions I want them to feel. In the midst of it, when I get into it, I am more focused on the music itself.”

Fang also plays in the Northland Symphony Orchestra, where he won the young artist competition performing Dvorak’s cello concerto, a demanding technical song for the cello.

“It’s a big swing for a high school student,” Jim Murray, the conductor of the Northland Symphony, says in praise of Michael’s performance. “It’s a mountain-top piece for a cellist.”

Michael has been selected to perform in the Missouri All-State Orchestra each year for the last four years, a high honor for any high schooler. This year, he was selected as principal cellist for the orchestra.

His parents, Lan Guo and Eugene Fang, both engineers, started taking Michael and his two brothers, twin Matthew and older brother Jonathan, both musicians, to all the free concerts in the area, plus the Kansas City Symphony, when the boys were just around six years old.

The Liberty School District, where Michael attends school, lets students try out different instruments to see if they’re interested in band or orchestra. Michael picked cello and started playing when he was 10. “Michael really grasped the way he wants to put his emotion into music,” says his mom. “He’s got a really natural ability.”

Michael is taking college-level math classes at Liberty High School now and is a 2026 National Merit Scholarship semifinalist. “I’m pretty passionate about the academic side, and I’m interested in college about pursuing a double major with maybe math and music at the same time,” he says. “But I’m still a bit undecided about what the future holds in terms of my professional career.”

OON FEBRUARY 5, 2024, Kansas City leaders and health department officials came together at City Hall to launch an extraordinary new initiative called Y Chat—a 24-hour violence prevention support line for teens. What makes the project even more powerful is its creator: a thoughtful, determined teenager named Giulian Williams who turned a deeply personal loss into a force for healing.

In 2009, when Giulian was just one, his older brother, Toriano II, was killed in a shooting in St. Louis. Although he was too young to understand the tragedy, the ripple effects shaped Giulian’s family and eventually inspired a mission of his own.

His invention, Y Chat, is a hotline that gives young people a safe place to call or text when they witness crime, feel unsafe or need help navigating conflict. Instead of routing calls to police, the line connects teens directly with trained conflict resolution staff from Aim for

“I realized that I wanted to do something about gun violence happening where I live.”

Giulian Williams Community advocate Age 17

Peace, a health department program focused on reducing shootings and preventing retaliation.

Y Chat is a lifeline built on trust—something many young people say they don’t feel when turning to traditional authorities, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

“I was shielding Giulian from the tragedy of his brother’s murder because he was so young,” says his father, Toriano Porter. “As he grew older, I shared more. But you never really know how gun violence affects a child. When he came up with the idea for Y Chat, he said he hoped it could help another family and prevent someone else from going through what we did. I was so proud that he had the acumen at 15 to put this together.”

The idea took shape in 2022 through Giulian’s participation in a city-sponsored summer program run by MORE2, a faith-based community organization dedicated to racial and economic justice.

“Their assignment was to create something that would benefit the community,” Giulian says. “So I started brainstorming. I realized that I wanted to do something about gun violence happening where I live [Independence]. People should be able to speak up about what’s going on and still feel safe afterward.”

According to both police and health department officials, teens often know what’s happening in their neighborhoods long before adults do—especially as a result of social media. But distrust of law enforcement means many are hesitant to call 911, and they may not feel comfortable confiding in parents either.

Y Chat fills that gap, offering a confidential, youth-centered approach.

Porter says that he will likely never find closure for the loss of his son. But he hopes the experience has shaped his family into “better stewards of the community.”

“Giulian took that tremendous loss and didn’t turn bitter or angry,” Porter says. “He chose to do something about it. Watching him turn pain into purpose made me incredibly proud.”

With vision, empathy, and a desire to protect others, Giulian is proving that leadership can emerge at any age—and that one young voice can help change the course of a community.

The Activist

Quinton Smith 3D designer Age 15

Quinton Smith was just sort of messing around with a 3D printer when he made a simple Chiefs keychain. He decided to make a few and sold them for 25 cents to his fifth grade classmates. No big deal.

Nothing could have prepared him for what happened next.

That keychain, a 3D arrowhead with the four Chiefs Superbowl wins listed, found a ready market on the city’s streets during the 2024 Super Bowl parade. As Quinton was leaving the parade, he handed one to a Chiefs superfan, Weird Wolf. “Then, later that week, that superfan posted a picture of the keychain, saying that he wanted to get more,” Quinton says. “He asked ‘Where can I find this kid?’ And then everyone just kept reposting and stuff until I got word of it.”

By the end of February 2024, Quinton was getting five orders a day. He had to buy extra 3D printers to meet the growing demand for not only his Chiefs keychains but the Royals and KC Current keychains he created.

His mom, “chief mom officer” Julie Smith, realized that this was becoming a very real business. “Luckily, right when he went viral, we had a lot of our friends reach out and help us,” she says. “So as soon as we set up the full business, things just kept getting crazier and crazier.”

Julie had to quit her job for a couple months to get things organized and now works more than 40 hours a week on the business her son inspired. “Quinton just finished an order of 2,000 key chains. So it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh.’”

When the Chiefs keychain went viral, the Smiths decided to give the money back to the community, Julie says. “We just didn’t expect all that money to end up in his Venmo account. So we do a 50/50 giveback program, which is 50 percent back to the community.”

Quinton is doing other 3D projects, such as 3D fidgets, with aspirations to design and build his own custom 3D printer for bigger projects.

Livia Viall Home decor business owner and operator Age 16

There’s no telling when the entrepreneurial spirit will kick in for anyone who wants to chase a personal dream. Most often it happens in your teens. But for Livia Viall, it was a little earlier.

In 2015, when she was just five years old, she asked her dad to help her build a farmhouse using some of his woodworking skills. “I just fell in love with the whole aspect of producing and getting to build it and everything, and doing something with my dad,” she says. “We were just able to learn together, and we started making home decor for my mom. Then my dad’s friend came over and was like, ‘Hey, I’ll buy this from you.’ From then on, it just took off.”

With the help of her dad, Livia started up Crafty Girl Creations right then, a company that produces both modern and vintage-style home decor, along with KC-themed signage. She sells them via Etsy and at local arts and craft shows. She donates a third of her proceeds to Children’s Mercy Hospital to help raise money to buy craft kits for kids during their hospital stays.

Livia splits up her time building new decor in the summer and spring, getting materials and putting projects together. Fall is show season.

As Livia continues to forge ahead with her business, she’s getting noticed. She was the under-30 winner in the 2022 Kansas Department of Commerce Outstanding Entrepreneur program. And she is getting invites from other women entrepreneur organizations and becoming more involved in Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Building up and running her own business has caused some introspection. “I think the number one thing I have learned is that in order to make money, you have to spend money,” she says. “That was really hard for me as a young kid to grasp. But it’s been really cool to look back 10 years ago and imagine what I would tell my younger self about where I am today.”

Halley Vincent Bookstore owner Age 16

Bookstore owner and philanthropist Halley Vincent was an amazingly talented reader and painfully shy fifth grader who discovered a new outlet that changed her life. “I found an animal shelter that would let us come in on a day when they were normally closed,” Ali Vincent, Halley’s mom, says. “Halley would quietly come in and sit down and read to the dogs and cats, which increased her confidence because they’re not judging. And even back then, she was talking about being a philanthropist.”

Then, as it often does, an opportunity came from tragedy. In 2019, during Covid, Halley and her mom set up a free library in front of their house where people could drop by, take a book and leave a book. “People started to leave [books] at our little free library,” Halley says, and the library just kept growing.

Halley soon created a bookmobile. But this was not your ordinary bookmobile. “My first bookmobile was actually a riding lawnmower with a garden cart attached to it that we’d drive around my neighborhood,” she says. “Then one or two years later, we upgraded to a Cushman [golf cart].”

After around four years of running the bookmobile library, she decided to use a section of her mom’s art studio to try to sell new books, with proceeds going to a nonprofit she started, Paws UpKC, which supports local animal shelters. But that only worked for a while; the space was just 97 square feet. She is now the proprietor of a legitimate book shop called Seven Stories, located in a cute storefront just outside of downtown Shawnee (12115 Johnson Drive, Shawnee), where she features seven books each month, thus its name. “Everything has had a challenge with it that we had to work at,” Halley says. She makes money from selling new books and gift items and raises donations through her nonprofit.

Her unique skill is matching books with people, she says. “That is based on knowing people and having conversations about things they read or why they like to read.”

The Designer

Brooklyn Franklin Fashion Designer Age 13

AAT THE MARCH 2024 Kansas City Fashion Week, one of KC’s youngest designers stole the show. At just 11 years old, Brooklyn Franklin unveiled her floral fitness wear line at the Union Station event’s main catwalk.

Kansas City Fashion Week is one of only 12 regional fashion organizations recognized by the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and Brooklyn having the opportunity to present her ready-to-wear line is a real coup. Her Fashion Week debut was a playful departure from the casual designs she usually creates; she describes this collection as “anything girly with an extra edge of sass.”

Brooklyn is the owner and creative force behind her brand, BK Smartz-Designs. When describing how she preps for a show, she says, “I make my designs specifically for the fit of my models, and then they get to walk them down the runway,” already sounding like a seasoned designer.

Her love for fashion began at the age of four, inspired by watching her mother, Jovan Franklin, compete in modeling contests. “Seeing everything come alive—from art to fashion to style to music—she really took to it,” Jovan says.

A year later, Brooklyn’s grandmother gifted her sewing lessons at Zoelee’s Fabrics and Sewing School in Lee’s Summit. That’s where Brooklyn met owner Zoelee Donnell, who became a mentor of the young talent. “The first thing I told Zoelee was that I wanted to be a fashion designer,” Brooklyn says. “She said, ‘Oh honey, everyone says that coming in here.’ But I made it come to life. It happened because I had a dream and a goal—and my main goal was to be the youngest Kansas City Fashion Week designer.”

Last year, Brooklyn expanded her repertoire by adding a line of streetwear. “It’s still girly,” she says. “I’m adding bows and florals to my streetwear concept.”

Her ambitions go far beyond Kansas City. Last year, she traveled to Portland, Maine, to shadow designer Ashley Lauren at her head quarters. “She gave me a few tips,” Brooklyn says. “I learned a lot from her.”

Now 13, Franklin is charting a path to an exciting future. She dreams of moving to the East Coast to attend the Fashion Institute of

Technology in New York, an internationally known design school. She hopes to eventually showcase her work at Milan Fashion Week, a semi-annual show in Milan, Italy, featuring top designers such as Prada, Gucci and Versace. “I have a lot of visions for fashion design in my head and ideas that I get from social media,” she says. “My best friend on this fashion journey has been Pinterest. I feel like that’s one of my big inspirations.”

For now, she’s focused on refining her growing portfolio. Her fitness line includes leggings,

KANSAS CITY FIVE STAR AWARD WINNERS 2026

These days, it takes a village to manage your financial world. In fact, many consumers have a hard time figuring out where to even begin. Sometimes, a few simple questions can put you off on the right path. Asking a professional what makes working with them a unique experience can help you understand how they work and if their style meshes with your own.

This is a great place to start! Five Star Professional uses its own proprietary research methodology to name outstanding professionals, then works with publications such as Kansas City Magazine to spread the word about award winners. Each award candidate undergoes a thorough research process (detailed here) before being considered for the final list of award winners. For the complete list of winners, go to www.fivestarprofessional.com.

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER DETERMINATION OF AWARD WINNERS CRITERIA

In order to consider a broad population of high-quality wealth managers and investment professionals, award candidates are identified by one of three sources: firm nomination, peer nomination or prequalification based on industry standing. Self-nominations are not accepted. Kansas City-area award candidates were identified using internal and external research data. Candidates do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final lists of Five Star Wealth Managers or Five Star Investment Professionals.

• The Five Star award is not indicative of a professional’s future performance.

• Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their clients’ assets.

• The inclusion of a professional on the Five Star Wealth Manager list or the Five Star Investment Professional list should not be construed as an endorsement of the professional by Five Star Professional or Kansas City Magazine

• Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager, Five Star Investment Professional or any professional is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected professionals will be awarded this accomplishment by Five Star Professional in the future.

• Five Star Professional is not an advisory firm and the content of this article should not be considered financial advice. For more information on the Five Star Wealth Manager or Five Star Investment Professional award programs, research and selection criteria, go to www.fivestarprofessional.com/public/research.

Wealth Managers

Financial Planning

Jamie S. Botts

Wells Fargo Advisors Page 10

Jenna Lee Cairns

Beacon Wealth Advisory Page 10

Sheila K. Davis

Morgan Stanley Page 8

Mark A. Gash

Summit Pointe Financial Group

David J. Jackson Modern Horizons Wealth Advisors Page 11

Ryan York Poage Ryan Poage & Co.

Michael F. Richards Convergence Financial Page 11

Matt Starkey

Aspyre Wealth Partners Page 6

Brian L. Taylor Taylor’d Financial Services Page 7

Award candidates who satisfied 10 objective eligibility and evaluation criteria were named 2026 Five Star Wealth Managers. Eligibility Criteria – Required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser or a registered investment adviser representative. 2. Actively employed as a credentialed professional in the financial services industry for a minimum of five years. 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review. 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal firm standards. 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation Criteria – Considered: 6. One-year client retention rate. 7. Five-year client retention rate. 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered. 9. Number of client households served. 10. Education and professional designations. 2,198 award candidates in the Kansas City area were considered for the Five Star Wealth Manager award. 119 (approximately 5% of the award candidates) were named 2026 Five Star Wealth Managers.

FIVE STAR INVESTMENT PROFESSIONAL

DETERMINATION OF AWARD WINNERS CRITERIA

The investment professional award goes to estate planning attorneys, insurance agents and select others in the financial industry. Eligibility Criteria – Required: 1. Credentialed with appropriate state or industry licensures. 2. Actively employed as a credentialed professional in the financial services industry for a minimum of five years. 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review. 4. Accepting new clients. Evaluation Criteria – Considered: 5. One-year client retention rate. 6. Five-year client retention rate. 7. Number of client households served. 8. Recent personal production and performance (industry specific criteria). 9. Education and professional designations/industry and board certifications. 10. Pro Bono and community service work. This year, we honored 1 Kansas City-area investment professional with the Five Star Investment Professional award.

Stephen White Summit Pointe Financial Page 9

Investments

Rick Bain

Lighthouse Financial Strategies

Ethel J. Davis

VZD Capital Management, LLC Page 5

Joseph Patrick DeLargy Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Norman D. Grant Grant Capital Page 3

Greg Alan Harvey Integrated Wealth Solutions

Christopher Heckadon Summit Pointe Financial Page 4

James C. Knapp Knapp Family Wealth

Frank Mall FinanciaLife Outfitters, LLC Page 2

Tony Moeller MN Wealth Advisors

Richard Kevan Myers Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Craig Novorr Paragon Capital Management,LLC Page 7

Paula Porsch

Paula Porsch Wealth Management Page 9

Joe Pribula

Intellego Investment Partners Page 8

Teri L. Salach

Morgan Stanley Page 8

This award was issued on 01/01/2026 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 04/10/2025 through 10/01/2025. Fee paid for use of marketing materials. Selfwealth managers were considered for the award; 119 (5% of candidates) were named 2026 Five Star Wealth Managers. The following prior year statistics use this format: YEAR: 2023: 1,843, 138, 7%, 1/1/23, 4/18/22 - 10/21/22; 2022: 1,670, 128, 8%, 1/1/22, 4/20/21 - 10/15/21; 2021: 1,678, 118, 7%, 1/1/21, 4/20/20 - 10/23/20; 2020: 1,579, 3/26/16 - 11/28/16; 2016: 880, 216, 25%, 11/1/15, 5/20/15 - 10/15/15; 2015: 1,572, 201, 13%, 12/1/14, 5/20/14 - 10/15/14; 2014: 785, 176, 22%, 12/1/13, 5/20/13The award is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility Criteria – Required 1. Meets requirements to be an investment adviser representative (IAR) or a principal of a registered investment adviser (RIA). 2. Actively practicing as being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. manage their clients’ assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by FSP or this publication. Working with a Five Star www.fivestarprofessional.com. This year, we honored 1 Kansas City-area investment professionals with the Five Star Investment Professional award.

Frank Mall Financial Advisor

Live Richly. Journey Confidently.

Forty years ago this spring, Frank Mall began a financial services practice with a simple philosophy: provide financial guidance based on each client’s needs and, over time, consistently monitor and adjust the process. Four decades later, that core philosophy is still fully employed every day. Just as the firm is now owned by multiple generations, we enjoy and are privileged to serve multiple generations of clients.

Frank and Joy believe that a person equipped with a well-thought-out financial roadmap can make well-informed financial decisions. Our team works with each client to understand the values that matter most to them, what they hope to accomplish, when they want to achieve those goals and what resources are available.

Andrea Snyder completes our team, ensuring every client has a friendly, positive experience and feels individually valued and well cared for by the Outfitters team.

Helping outfit you:

• For value-based financial decisions throughout key steps in

• With thoughtful, objective tools and knowledge to help you along your financial path

• Throughout your journey with a long-term working relationship

completed questionnaire was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria. 2,198 Kansas City-area # Considered, # Winners, % of candidates, Issued Date, Research Period. 2025: 2,000, 121, 6%, 1/1/25, 4/10/24 - 10/31/24; 2024: 1,897, 136, 7%, 1/1/24, 4/10/23 - 10/31/23; 115, 7%, 1/1/20, 4/1/19 - 11/13/19; 2019: 1,574, 134, 9%, 1/1/19, 5/11/18 - 11/27/18; 2018: 1,387, 119, 9%, 1/1/18, 5/17/17 - 11/30/17; 2017: 952, 212, 22%, 12/1/16, 10/15/13; 2013: 766, 203, 27%, 12/1/12, 5/20/12 - 10/15/12; 2012: 676, 200, 30%, 11/1/11, 5/20/11 - 10/15/11.

an IAR or principal of an RIA for a minimum of five years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by FSP, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license authority or FSP’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through FSP’s consumer complaint terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria - considered: 6. One-year FSP does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by FSP in the future. Visit

Left to right: Andrea Snyder; Fourteen-year winner Frank Mall; Joy Mall

Grant Capital

2

YEAR WINNER

With more than 20 years of experience in wealth management, Norman Grant is the founder and managing director of Grant Capital. He leads the firm’s mission to provide sophisticated strategies and exceptional service to successful families nationwide.

Norm combines a deeply personal advisory approach with a proprietary quantitative investment strategy that he has spent more than three decades developing and refining. Under his leadership, Grant Capital aligns investment management with advanced planning that integrates tax, estate, lending, philanthropy and lifestyle considerations to help clients bring clarity and confidence to their financial lives.

His commitment to helping families pursue financial strength and long-term legacy has earned him industry recognition, including being named a 2025 Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisor and a Five Star Wealth Manager award winner. Norman also serves on the Commonwealth Financial Network® Advisory Council and is a member of its Chairman’s Club, a distinction reserved for the top 3% of advisors nationwide.

A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Norman served with distinction during Operation Joint Endeavor in Bosnia and achieved the rank of captain before transitioning into financial services. He brings the same level of discipline, rigor and service-minded leadership to his work with clients each day.

Norman lives in the Kansas City area with his wife and sons. Outside the office, he enjoys supporting his kids’ athletic pursuits, staying active, traveling and pursuing his passion for performance vehicles.

• 2025 Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisor*

• 2025 - 2026 Five-Star Wealth Manager Award Winner* Norman D. Grant

• Commonwealth Financial Network ® Advisory Council (2024) and Chairman’s Club (2024 and 2025)

7101 College Boulevard, Suite 880 • Overland Park, KS 66210 Phone: 913-361-8281 • norman@grantcapital.net www.grantcapital.net www.linkedin.com/in/norman-grant-managing-director-0458a63/

Securities and advisory services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network®, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser. Fixed insurance products and services are separate from and not offered through Commonwealth Financial Network. *2025 Forbes Best In State Wealth Advisors, created by SHOOK Research. Presented in April 2025 based on data gathered from June 2023 to June 2024. Not indicative of advisor’s future performance. Your experience may vary. For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/3cyp2d47. *2025 Five Star Wealth Manager Award, created by Five Star Professional. The award was presented in January 2025 based on data gathered within 12 months preceding the issue date. 2,000 advisors were considered; 121 advisors were recognized. Advisors pay a fee to hold out marketing materials. Not indicative of advisor’s future performance. Your experience may vary. For more information, please visit www.fivestarprofessional.com. Norman Grant obtained the Commonwealth Financial Network Advisory Council in 2024 and the Commonwealth Financial Network Chairman’s Club most recently for 2024 and 2025.

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER

This award was issued on 01/01/2026 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 04/10/2025 through 10/01/2025. Fee paid for use of marketing materials. Selfwealth managers were considered for the award; 119 (5% of candidates) were named 2026 Five Star Wealth Managers. The following prior year statistics use this format: YEAR: 2023: 1,843, 138, 7%, 1/1/23, 4/18/22 - 10/21/22; 2022: 1,670, 128, 8%, 1/1/22, 4/20/21 - 10/15/21; 2021: 1,678, 118, 7%, 1/1/21, 4/20/20 - 10/23/20; 2020: 1,579, 3/26/16 - 11/28/16; 2016: 880, 216, 25%, 11/1/15, 5/20/15 - 10/15/15; 2015: 1,572, 201, 13%, 12/1/14, 5/20/14 - 10/15/14; 2014: 785, 176, 22%, 12/1/13, 5/20/13 -

The award is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility Criteria – Required 1. Meets requirements to be an investment adviser representative (IAR) or a principal of a registered investment adviser (RIA). 2. Actively practicing as being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. manage their clients’ assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by FSP or this publication. Working with a Five Star www.fivestarprofessional.com. This year, we honored 1 Kansas City-area investment professionals with the Five Star Investment Professional award.

Left to right: Rebecca Carow; Lysa Garcia; Dereck Cochran; Two-year winner Norman D. Grant; Michael Jensen; Clint Livingston; Carolyn Delaney

Christopher Heckadon

Managing Partner

Planning for a Better Tomorrow

Chris is the founder and managing partner of Summit Pointe Financial Group. Whether on the front lines of working with business owners or advocating for those who have little or no voice in financial decisions, Chris prides himself on seeing the firm’s clients reach financial success. He feels his greatest asset is the team he’s built around him, who work together to create customized plans for his clients.

• Over 25 years of industry experience Securities offered through The O.N. Equity Sales Company. Member FINRA/SIPC. One Financial Way, Cincinnati, Ohio 45242. (877) 663-7267. Investment Advisory Services offered through O.N. Investment Management Company. 2641 NE McBaine Drive • Lee’s Summit, MO 64064 Office: 816-251-3333 • Cell: 816-645-3626 chrish@sptfg.com www.sptfg.com

completed questionnaire was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria. 2,198 Kansas City-area # Considered, # Winners, % of candidates, Issued Date, Research Period. 2025: 2,000, 121, 6%, 1/1/25, 4/10/24 - 10/31/24; 2024: 1,897, 136, 7%, 1/1/24, 4/10/23 - 10/31/23; 115, 7%, 1/1/20, 4/1/19 - 11/13/19; 2019: 1,574, 134, 9%, 1/1/19, 5/11/18 - 11/27/18; 2018: 1,387, 119, 9%, 1/1/18, 5/17/17 - 11/30/17; 2017: 952, 212, 22%, 12/1/16, 10/15/13; 2013: 766, 203, 27%, 12/1/12, 5/20/12 - 10/15/12; 2012: 676, 200, 30%, 11/1/11, 5/20/11 - 10/15/11.

an IAR or principal of an RIA for a minimum of five years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by FSP, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license authority or FSP’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through FSP’s consumer complaint terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria - considered: 6. One-year FSP does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by FSP in the future. Visit

Left to right: Alex Halsey; Benny Stewart, RICP®; Fourteen-year winner Christopher Heckadon, CLU®, RICP®; Tim Alvarado, RICP®; Aaron Hughes

Ethel J. Davis CEO, Chief Investment Officer

Big Things Often Come In Small Packages

VZD Capital Management, LLC is a boutique registered investment advisory firm based in Lenexa, Kansas. The firm provides personalized, fee-only discretionary investment management services, along with financial consulting and coaching for wealthy individuals, multigenerational families and trusts. As an independent, fiduciary-driven organization, our primary goal is to focus on each client’s financial health and wealth preservation rather than its own compensation.

Ethel J. Davis, founder and CEO, is a seasoned professional known for her expertise, dedication to personalized service and extensive experience in the Greater Kansas City area. She aims to serve a diverse range of clients because she believes everyone should feel valued and appreciated, regardless of their net worth. She also incorporates behavioral coaching to help clients overcome obstacles that may hinder their progress toward wealth and legacy building.

Ethel prefers a smaller firm that can provide a more personal, customized experience compared with larger advisory firms. The firm takes pride in offering more direct relationships with clients, which helps it better understand each client’s unique situation. It can also quickly adapt services and strategies to changing needs and market conditions. By accepting fewer engagements and keeping the client-to-portfolio-manager ratio low, VZD Capital gives each client greater attention.

With fewer clients and a narrower focus, VZD Capital maintains a strong reputation through deliberate caution and transparency. Through selective engagements, disciplined boundaries and careful alignment, Ethel is proud of her family-oriented firm that offers advantages that may not be immediately obvious but become clear over time, resulting in outcomes that stand the test of time.

8953 Mill Creek Road • Lenexa, KS 66219 Phone: 816-726-7066 • info@vzdcap.com www.vzdcap.com

VZD Capital Management, LLC is an independent Registered Investment Advisory firm and not affiliated with any other firm. The firm uses Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. as its custodian for its assets under management. VZD Capital Management, LLC is a Registered Investment Officer in Lenexa, Kansas. Ethel J. Davis is an independent advisor who complies with the current filing requirements imposed upon Registered Investment Advisers by the states where the Advisor maintains clients. Advisor may only transact business in those states in which it is registered or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from registration requirements. Advisor’s web site is limited to the dissemination of general infrormation pertaining to its advisory services, together with access to additional investment-related information, publication and links. Accordingly, the publication of Advisor’s web site on the internet should not be construed by any consumer and/or prospective client as Advisor’s solicitation to effect, or attempt to effect transactions in securities, or the rendering of personalized investment advice for compensation, over the internet. A copy of Advisor’s current written disclosure statement discussing Advisor’s business operations, services, and fees is available from Advisor upon written request.

This award was issued on 01/01/2026 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 04/10/2025 through 10/01/2025. Fee paid for use of marketing materials. Selfwealth managers were considered for the award; 119 (5% of candidates) were named 2026 Five Star Wealth Managers. The following prior year statistics use this format: YEAR: 2023: 1,843, 138, 7%, 1/1/23, 4/18/22 - 10/21/22; 2022: 1,670, 128, 8%, 1/1/22, 4/20/21 - 10/15/21; 2021: 1,678, 118, 7%, 1/1/21, 4/20/20 - 10/23/20; 2020: 1,579, 3/26/16 - 11/28/16; 2016: 880, 216, 25%, 11/1/15, 5/20/15 - 10/15/15; 2015: 1,572, 201, 13%, 12/1/14, 5/20/14 - 10/15/14; 2014: 785, 176, 22%, 12/1/13, 5/20/13 -

The award is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility Criteria – Required 1. Meets requirements to be an investment adviser representative (IAR) or a principal of a registered investment adviser (RIA). 2. Actively practicing as being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. manage their clients’ assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by FSP or this publication. Working with a Five Star www.fivestarprofessional.com. This year, we honored 1 Kansas City-area investment professionals with the Five Star Investment Professional award.

Left to right: Twelve-year winner Ethel J. Davis, CEO, Chief Investment Officer; Nikisha L. Johnson

Aspyre Wealth Partners ®

Making Life Count! ®

As an executive, are you:

• in the midst of a major life transition?

• maximizing your executive compensation?

• confident your resources align with your goals?

• too busy?

At Aspyre Wealth, we focus on you and your aspirations by taking a holistic approach to everything that impacts your finances.

Financial planning, investment management and career guidance are interconnected, helping you achieve more than a number.

We help you live well today, while planning for your future.

10000 College Boulevard, Suite 260 • Overland Park, KS 66210 Phone: 913-345-1881

Matt: mstarkey@aspyrewealth.com

Jessi: jchadd@aspyrewealth.com www.aspyrewealth.com

completed questionnaire was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria. 2,198 Kansas City-area # Considered, # Winners, % of candidates, Issued Date, Research Period. 2025: 2,000, 121, 6%, 1/1/25, 4/10/24 - 10/31/24; 2024: 1,897, 136, 7%, 1/1/24, 4/10/23 - 10/31/23; 115, 7%, 1/1/20, 4/1/19 - 11/13/19; 2019: 1,574, 134, 9%, 1/1/19, 5/11/18 - 11/27/18; 2018: 1,387, 119, 9%, 1/1/18, 5/17/17 - 11/30/17; 2017: 952, 212, 22%, 12/1/16, 10/15/13; 2013: 766, 203, 27%, 12/1/12, 5/20/12 - 10/15/12; 2012: 676, 200, 30%, 11/1/11, 5/20/11 - 10/15/11.

an IAR or principal of an RIA for a minimum of five years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by FSP, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license authority or FSP’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through FSP’s consumer complaint terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria - considered: 6. One-year FSP does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by FSP in the future. Visit

Left to right: 2023 – 2025 winner Jessi Chadd, CFP®; 2012 – 2013, 2015 – 2019, 2021 – 2026 winner Matt Starkey, CFP®; Lucas Bucl, CFP®

brian@taylordfs.com www.taylordfinancialservices.com

9200 Indian Creek Parkway, Suite 600 Overland Park, KS 66210 Phone: 913-451-6330 • Phone: 913-451-2254 cnovorr@paragoncap.com • www.paragoncap.com www.youtube.com/@paragoncap

• Family-owned

• One-on-one partnership

• Individually customized financial plans

No two individuals are alike. Their financial plans shouldn’t be either. Whether you’re envisioning your retirement or already enjoying life after work, we meet you where you are and work to position you to achieve your unique goals. We work diligently to provide individuals and families with expert service and support in the framework of a family-owned business focused on lasting relationships. Clients choose us to create personalized wealth management plans that better position them to experience financial security as they define it.

Craig Novorr President, Chief Investment Officer

• Traditional and private investments including private credit and private equity

• Separate account management for registered investment advisors

• Custom investments providing downside protection from market losses

• Alternative fixed income solutions providing income not tied to interest rates

Most financial advisors focus on financial planning and use simple asset allocation strategies to provide diversified investment portfolios. Paragon Capital Management focuses on asset management and goes above and beyond simple ETF or mutual fund strategies. Paragon creates custom portfolios to help clients achieve their goals, utilizing a variety of strategies, from individual securities, structured products, private credit, private equity and private real estate. Contact us for a unique investment experience.

This award was issued on 01/01/2026 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 04/10/2025 through 10/01/2025. Fee paid for use of marketing materials. Selfwealth managers were considered for the award; 119 (5% of candidates) were named 2026 Five Star Wealth Managers. The following prior year statistics use this format: YEAR: 2023: 1,843, 138, 7%, 1/1/23, 4/18/22 - 10/21/22; 2022: 1,670, 128, 8%, 1/1/22, 4/20/21 - 10/15/21; 2021: 1,678, 118, 7%, 1/1/21, 4/20/20 - 10/23/20; 2020: 1,579, 3/26/16 - 11/28/16; 2016: 880, 216, 25%, 11/1/15, 5/20/15 - 10/15/15; 2015: 1,572, 201, 13%, 12/1/14, 5/20/14 - 10/15/14; 2014: 785, 176, 22%, 12/1/13, 5/20/13 -

The award is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility Criteria – Required 1. Meets requirements to be an investment adviser representative (IAR) or a principal of a registered investment adviser (RIA). 2. Actively practicing as being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. manage their clients’ assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by FSP or this publication. Working with a Five Star www.fivestarprofessional.com. This year, we honored 1 Kansas City-area investment professionals with the Five Star Investment Professional award.

Katrina Crites; Five-year winner Brian Taylor

Fourteen-year winner Craig Novorr, President, Chief Investment Officer

WEALTH MANAGERS

The Plaza Group at Morgan Stanley

We Listen Like a Friend and Provide Guidance to You Like Family

• Working through daily issues and life transitions, sharing all that life throws at you

• Helping you spend less time thinking about your finances and more time living your life

Teri, Sheila, Jen and Dave are The Plaza Group at Morgan Stanley, bringing together knowledge, insights and substantial experience. They combine their talents with the resources of Morgan Stanley to create a wealth management experience that is customized for you, where you will feel listened to and understood, which is always the most important part of their relationship. As a family team, we understand the value of families and the complexities of building and transitioning wealth. 11161 Overbrook Road, Suite 225 • Leawood, KS 66211

Teri: 913-402-5281 • teri.salach@morganstanley.com

Sheila: 913-402-5204 • sheila.davis@morganstanley.com www.advisor.morganstanley.com/theplazagroupkc

CFP Board owns the marks CFP®, Certified finanCial Planner®, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the U.S. ©2026 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. CRC 4873320 10/25.

Financial Advisor,Managing Director – Investments

4000 W 114 th Street, Suite 180 Leawood, KS 66211

Direct: 913-800-2802 • Fax: 913-800-2809

joe@iipkc.com www.iipkc.com

Joe Pribula

CFP®, Managing Partner, Financial Advisor

• Planning for millennials, generation X and baby boomers Helping Clients Make Intelligent Decisions

• Serving business owners, professionals, preretirees and retirees

Through a long-term investment approach, Joe and his team work with clients to implement strategies for building and preserving wealth. His mission is to provide objective and timely financial advice to assist his clients in realizing their goals. Joe is involved in several civic and community organizations, including Cornerstones of Care and St. Michael the Archangel Church. He also enjoys coaching his sons’ baseball and football teams, gardening, house renovation projects and woodworking.

CFP Board owns the marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the U.S. Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (WFAFN), Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. WFAFN uses the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors. Any other referenced entity is a separate entity from WFAFN.

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER

completed questionnaire was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria. 2,198 Kansas City-area # Considered, # Winners, % of candidates, Issued Date, Research Period. 2025: 2,000, 121, 6%, 1/1/25, 4/10/24 - 10/31/24; 2024: 1,897, 136, 7%, 1/1/24, 4/10/23 - 10/31/23; 115, 7%, 1/1/20, 4/1/19 - 11/13/19; 2019: 1,574, 134, 9%, 1/1/19, 5/11/18 - 11/27/18; 2018: 1,387, 119, 9%, 1/1/18, 5/17/17 - 11/30/17; 2017: 952, 212, 22%, 12/1/16, 10/15/13; 2013: 766, 203, 27%, 12/1/12, 5/20/12 - 10/15/12; 2012: 676, 200, 30%, 11/1/11, 5/20/11 - 10/15/11.

an IAR or principal of an RIA for a minimum of five years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by FSP, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license authority or FSP’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through FSP’s consumer complaint terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria - considered: 6. One-year FSP does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by FSP in the future. Visit

Left to right: David M. Salach, Financial Advisor; 2021 – 2026 winner Teri L. Salach, CIMA®, Wealth Advisor; 2017 – 2026 winner Sheila K. Davis, CFP®, Financial Advisor; Jen L. Denning, CFP®, Financial Advisor

Left to right: 2016 – 2022 and 2024 – 2026 winner Joe Pribula, CFP®, Managing Partner, Financial Advisor; Leslie Darrington, Financial Advisor; Kim Pieper, Senior Registered Client Service Associate; Charlie Schorgl,

4717 Grand Avenue, Suite 240 Kansas City, MO 64112

Phone: 816-221-1606 • pporsch@paulaporsch.com www.paulaporsch.com

Together Through Life Paula D. Porsch

With more than 36 years of financial, tax, accounting and real estate experience, Paula is dedicated to providing clients with the finest individually tailored approach to wealth management. Drawing on her experience and national resources, Paula develops personalized, strategic plans to address the complex needs of individuals and families with substantial wealth. In 2009, Paula founded Paula Porsch Wealth Management, a Kansas City-based independent financial advisory practice to assist wealthy individuals and families manage, grow, protect and distribute their wealth. Now in its 16th year, the firm has developed a reputation of working closely with its clients to establish customized wealth management strategies that are designed to meet client expectations, long-term goals, diversification of risk, and quality delivery.

*Investment Adviser Representative offering advisory services and securities through Cetera Advisors LLC, a Broker-Dealer and Registered Investment Advisor, member FINRA/SIPC. Paula Porsch Wealth Management is an independent company separate from Cetera.

What Is Important to You and How Can I Help You Stephen White

Helping good folks like you preserve and protect your assets, values, lifestyle, faith and the people you care about is my highest priority. I strive to help you discover and implement actions that will make your intentions a reality. Utilizing a planning process designed to educate, organize and prepare clients for the inevitable financial challenges of life means I invest the time required to understand and value each client’s personal and financial goals, turning their desires into a concrete plan of action.

www.sptfg.com

This award was issued on 01/01/2026 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 04/10/2025 through 10/01/2025. Fee paid for use of marketing materials. Selfwealth managers were considered for the award; 119 (5% of candidates) were named 2026 Five Star Wealth Managers. The following prior year statistics use this format: YEAR: 2023: 1,843, 138, 7%, 1/1/23, 4/18/22 - 10/21/22; 2022: 1,670, 128, 8%, 1/1/22, 4/20/21 - 10/15/21; 2021: 1,678, 118, 7%, 1/1/21, 4/20/20 - 10/23/20; 2020: 1,579, 3/26/16 - 11/28/16; 2016: 880, 216, 25%, 11/1/15, 5/20/15 - 10/15/15; 2015: 1,572, 201, 13%, 12/1/14, 5/20/14 - 10/15/14; 2014: 785, 176, 22%, 12/1/13, 5/20/13 -

The award is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility Criteria – Required 1. Meets requirements to be an investment adviser representative (IAR) or a principal of a registered investment adviser (RIA). 2. Actively practicing as being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. manage their clients’ assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by FSP or this publication. Working with a Five Star www.fivestarprofessional.com. This year, we honored 1 Kansas City-area investment professionals with the Five Star Investment Professional award.

Left to right: Linda McCaffrey, Client Relationship Manager; Georgia Brantley, Administrative Assistant/Marketing; Two-year winner winner Paula D. Porsch*, CPA, CRPC®, CDFA®

Two-year winner Stephen White, Finanical Advisor, RICP®

Jamie S. Botts

• Comprehensive wealth planning

• Retirement and legacy strategies

• Tax-efficient investment solutions Your Family. Your Future. Our Focus.

We are proud to be a family advisor team dedicated to helping families grow, preserve and transfer their wealth. Our unique structure allows us to work seamlessly with multiple generations, ensuring that your values and financial goals endure. By combining personalized planning with deep expertise, we help simplify complex decisions and create strategies that support your family’s long-term success. Jamie is a 2014, 2021 – 2022 and 2026 Five Star Wealth Manager. 7400 W 130 th

913-402-5163 jamie.botts@wellsfargoadvisors.com

Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. PM-05202027-8620082.1.1. • Multigenerational wealth transfer

Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo

Jenna Lee Cairns

• The firm’s offerings include:

• Retirement income plans

• Personalized and customized investment advice

• Enhanced legacy planning strategies to help beneficiaries avoid probate and maximize inheritances

• Partnerships with CPAs for Roth conversions

Our founder, Jenna Cairns, is dedicated to helping clients protect their nest eggs. After watching her grandmother battle Alzheimer’s, she saw how quickly the cost of long-term care can deplete a family’s savings. Her goal is to help her clients avoid facing that same challenge.

We take a holistic approach by offering investment advice, Medicare*, retirement income planning and longterm care (LTC) solutions.*

10965 Granada Drive, Suite 104 Overland Park, KS 66211

Phone: 800-994-8993

jenna@beaconwealthadvisory.com www.beaconwealthadvisory.com

completed questionnaire was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria. 2,198 Kansas City-area # Considered, # Winners, % of candidates, Issued Date, Research Period. 2025: 2,000, 121, 6%, 1/1/25, 4/10/24 - 10/31/24; 2024: 1,897, 136, 7%, 1/1/24, 4/10/23 - 10/31/23; 115, 7%, 1/1/20, 4/1/19 - 11/13/19; 2019: 1,574, 134, 9%, 1/1/19, 5/11/18 - 11/27/18; 2018: 1,387, 119, 9%, 1/1/18, 5/17/17 - 11/30/17; 2017: 952, 212, 22%, 12/1/16, 10/15/13; 2013: 766, 203, 27%, 12/1/12, 5/20/12 - 10/15/12; 2012: 676, 200, 30%, 11/1/11, 5/20/11 - 10/15/11.

an IAR or principal of an RIA for a minimum of five years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by FSP, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license authority or FSP’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through FSP’s consumer complaint terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria - considered: 6. One-year FSP does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by FSP in the future. Visit

Left to right: Brandon J. Botts, Vice President – Investment Officer; Four-year winner Jamie S. Botts, Senior Vice President – Investment Officer

2026 winner Jenna Lee Cairns, Founder, Fiduciary

Michael F. Richards

• Client-Focused Approach

• Comprehensive Planning

APMA®, CDFA® 10975 Benson Drive, Suite 250 Overland Park, KS 66210

Phone: 913-399-6908

michael.richards@convergence-financial.com convergence-co.com/michael-richards

2026 Five Star Wealth Manager

• Trusted Wealth Advisor

• Strategic Financial Care

Michael Richards joined Convergence Financial in 2024 as an independent financial advisor.

A Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® and Accredited Portfolio Management Advisor SM, he takes a comprehensive, client-focused approach to wealth management. Michael builds lasting relationships to understand each client’s goals, using advanced tools in risk analysis, retirement planning and tax efficiency.

Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA & SIPC. Investment advice offered through Convergence Financial, a registered investment advisor. Convergence Financial is a separate entity from LPL Financial.

David J. Jackson

LPL Financial Advisor, CFP®, CMFC®

1900 W 47 th Place, Suite 320 Westwood, KS 66205

Phone: 816-548-4155

djjackson@mhwealthkc.com mhwealthkc.com

Financial Services, Tailored to You

® and financial advisor at Modern Horizons

Wealth Advisors with more than 30 years of industry experience. My focus is advancing financial literacy, and I have been featured in national and local media outlets, including Black Enterprise magazine, Michelle Singletary’s “The Color of Money” column and InvestmentNews. I have also been a regular guest on local television and radio programs, where I provide financial guidance and timely insights.

I serve a diverse range of clients, including families, small-business owners and nonprofit organizations, with a commitment to fostering generational wealth.

CFP Board owns the marks CFP®, C ertified f inanCial

and CFP® (with plaque design) in the U.S. Securities and Advisory services offered through LPL Financial. A registered investment advisor.

& SIPC.

This award was issued on 01/01/2026 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 04/10/2025 through 10/01/2025. Fee paid for use of marketing materials. Selfwealth managers were considered for the award; 119 (5% of candidates) were named 2026 Five Star Wealth Managers. The following prior year statistics use this format: YEAR: 2023: 1,843, 138, 7%, 1/1/23, 4/18/22 - 10/21/22; 2022: 1,670, 128, 8%, 1/1/22, 4/20/21 - 10/15/21; 2021: 1,678, 118, 7%, 1/1/21, 4/20/20 - 10/23/20; 2020: 1,579, 3/26/16 - 11/28/16; 2016: 880, 216, 25%, 11/1/15, 5/20/15 - 10/15/15; 2015: 1,572, 201, 13%, 12/1/14, 5/20/14 - 10/15/14; 2014: 785, 176, 22%, 12/1/13, 5/20/13 -

The award is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility Criteria – Required 1. Meets requirements to be an investment adviser representative (IAR) or a principal of a registered investment adviser (RIA). 2. Actively practicing as being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. manage their clients’ assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by FSP or this publication. Working with a Five Star www.fivestarprofessional.com. This year, we honored 1 Kansas City-area investment professionals with the Five Star Investment Professional award.

WEALTH MANAGERS — INVESTMENT PROFESSIONALS

Wealth Managers

Vestana Von Achen Ahlen Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Kelly Stiefel Arias Alegria Wealth

Patrick J. Aubry Morgan Stanley

Andrew William Beil Strongbox Wealth

Michael Victor Berlau Royal Fund Management

James Bradley Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Idonna Lucile Bragg Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Ryan Wayne Brooke Searcy Financial Services, Inc.

Michael Eugene Brun Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Chris Allen Cassaday RBC Wealth Management

Brent A. Caswell

Normandy Investment Advisors

Sandra Lynn Chism Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.

John Paul Chladek Chladek Wealth Management

Scott Patrick Connors V Wealth Management

Charles Sherwood Cooper Strongbox Wealth

Steven Thomas Cox Jr. Providence Financial Advisors

Steven Thomas Cox Sr. Providence Financial Advisors

Jessica Ann Culpepper Creative Planning

Christian Daniel Dunker Financial Partners Group

Carter Dye Prosperity Advisors

William Easley Prosperity Advisors

John Christopher Fales Searcy Financial Services, Inc.

Evan Federman Principal Financial

James Scott Fitzgerald Merrill Lynch

Brett Michael Flood Raymond James Financial Services Advisors

Jaime Gaona LFS Wealth Advisors

Jon Grant Garlow Strongbox Wealth

David Max Garrison Cambridge Investment Research

Nicholas John Gertsema Gertsema Wealth Advisors

Ken Arthur Gilpin Sound Investments

Bruce Glenn Rally Wealth and Benefits

Trevor Sean Graham Elevation Wealth Management

James A. Guyot LFS Wealth Advisors

Brian Lee Heithoff Mariner Wealth

Matthew Alan Hekman Waterfront Asset Management

Len Henry Hempen Planners For Financial Success

Aaron Steven Herwig Gen4 Wealth Advisors

Adam Gregory Hoopes Creative Planning

James Clay Horlacher First Affirmative Financial Network

Joel Kevin Huet

White Sand Wealth Management, LLC

Kyle Richard Hummer

Morgan Stanley

Brigid Anne Jones-Mook

Creative Planning

Sam Irby Jordan Synergy Wealth Solutions

Taylor Kangethe Morgan Stanley

Brian Nelson Kaufman Prairie Capital Management Group, LLC

Wendall Alan Kennedy ON Investment Management Co.

Troy Lee Kuhn Creative Planning

Dirk Jason Lebar Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

John Tempel Ludwig Morgan Stanley

Christine M. Malmgren

Morgan Stanley

Erica Droste Massman Index Wealth Advisors

David Wayne Mattern Mattern Wealth Management

Michael Richard McCaw Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Scott A. McMillen Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Ryan W. McQueary Morgan Stanley

R. Brook Menees Instrumental Advisors, Inc.

Susanne R. Meyer Nicholson Meyer Capital Management

John Michael Nauman Osaic Institutions, Inc.

David James Neihart Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Jennifer Dawson Nicholson Nicholson Meyer Capital Management

Michael George O’Neill Mariner Wealth

David Gregory Pacer Infinitas

Vince Ian Pastorino Buttonwood Financial Group, LLC

Jerry Leon Perfect Infinitas

Brian Eugene Perott Midwest Advisors

Alex Michael Petrovic III Caliber Wealth Management

James Anthony Powers Cambridge Investment Research

Mark David Rabin LPL Financial

Randall Paul Rhyner Smith Moore

Thomas C. Riordan Morgan Stanley

Domenic Rizzi Reliant Financial Services

Mark Ronald Roberts Affinity Asset Management

Angela Diane Robinson Robinson Wealth Advisors

Michael Richard Rowe Edward Jones

Christopher Michael Ruspi Applied Financial Wisdom

Matthew Scott Sayers Wells Fargo Advisors/FCS Private Wealth Management

Andrew D. Scianna Core Concepts

Samuel Robert Scott Creative Planning

Jessica Ann Searcy Kmetty Searcy Financial Services, Inc.

Marc Clinton Shaffer Searcy Financial Services, Inc.

John Alan Shepley Kornitzer Capital Management

Bryson C. Slater Caliber Wealth Management

Carra Denece Sprague Morgan Stanley

Brandon Alan Turner Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Park Ulrich Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Joseph Ward Umscheid Equitable Advisors/Reflection Financial Strategies

Timothy James Walla Walla Street Wealth Management, Inc.

Kaylynn Delaney Watts Creative Planning

Amy Renae White Prairie Ridge Asset Management, LLC

Andrew David Widman Principal Financial

Ryan Gregory Widrig Morgan Stanley

Richard Edgar Witherspoon Reliant Financial Services

Tom Clark Wood LPL Financial

Blake Workman Commonwealth Investment Professional

Tyler Jessup

Align CPAs, LLC

completed questionnaire was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria. 2,198 Kansas City-area # Considered, # Winners, % of candidates, Issued Date, Research Period. 2025: 2,000, 121, 6%, 1/1/25, 4/10/24 - 10/31/24; 2024: 1,897, 136, 7%, 1/1/24, 4/10/23 - 10/31/23; 115, 7%, 1/1/20, 4/1/19 - 11/13/19; 2019: 1,574, 134, 9%, 1/1/19, 5/11/18 - 11/27/18; 2018: 1,387, 119, 9%, 1/1/18, 5/17/17 - 11/30/17; 2017: 952, 212, 22%, 12/1/16, 10/15/13; 2013: 766, 203, 27%, 12/1/12, 5/20/12 - 10/15/12; 2012: 676, 200, 30%, 11/1/11, 5/20/11 - 10/15/11.

an IAR or principal of an RIA for a minimum of five years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by FSP, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license authority or FSP’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through FSP’s consumer complaint terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria - considered: 6. One-year FSP does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by FSP in the future. Visit

Small Stories, Big Lessons

Rabbi Michael Zedek’s New Children’s Book Shares Timeless Lessons in Kindness

By Hampton Stevens

Photography by James Waynauskas

JEWISH CULTURE IS BUILT ON BOOKS —writing them, reading them and talking to others about them. No one exemplifies the Jewish love of learning more than Michael Zedek. He’s the Rabbi Emeritus of both Congregation B’nai Jehudah in Overland Park and Emanuel Congregation in Chicago and is currently the Rabbi-in-Residence at St. Paul’s School of Theology in Leawood. Zedek has written a pair of books; his latest is a tome for children, People Are Like …: Stories for Young Readers and Readers Who Wish to Stay Young

We meet to talk about the book in his airy Leawood home. The winter afternoon is crisp and bright. Sun pours through tall windows into a living room filled with plants and white furniture. Big rugs cover glossy hardwood floors, and a small collection of ancient Levantine artifacts adorns a set of built-in shelves along a far wall.

We sit with tea. Zedek, trim, bald, in a gray quarter-zip, is gregarious and loquacious. He is a charismatic presence with a deep need to share, connect, think and laugh. Before discussing the book, we kibbitz for a while. We talk, for instance, about his very popular class at St, Paul’s, Genesis as a Rabbi Sees It, which he describes as “an introduction to the 3,000year encounter that Judaism has with these sacred texts” and “how they impact who and what we are.”

We talk about the Sabbath, and he mentions Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s notion that the weekly day of rest can be “a cathedral in time.” The Sabbath, Zedek says, is meant to be a sacred experience in time, the way that churches, mosques and synagogues create a sacred experience in space.

We talk about Kansas City, where Zedek has lived on and off for the better part of 50 years.

“Having grown up in New York,” Zedek says, “one gets used to the notion that there are certain things we just can’t fix, no matter what. We’re just going to have to learn to live with

them. One of the great qualities of the Jewish community here and the larger community of Kansas City is that there’s no problem that we don’t think we can fix, even if we’re wrong. Which I think is a wonderful way to be wrong!”

Finally, likely to the rabbi’s great relief, we talk about his book, People Are Like …

He starts by pointedly noting that the book’s proceeds will go toward scholarships for needy kids. Then, hilariously and with purpose, he lists all the local, brick-and-mortar shops where the book is available (including Rainy Day Books, The Learning Tree, Turn the Page, Revocup Coffee Shop, Made in Kansas City and the B’nai Jehudah gift shop) before finally, almost reluctantly conceding that his book can also be found on Amazon.

The genesis of the People Are Like … is murky, even to Zedek himself. “No one knows all the reasons we do anything,” he laughs. “But I’ve been encouraged by so many of my students to put the stories that I use to convey values into a written form.”

To illustrate those values, he tells a tale that’s not in the book—a story of Rabbi Nathan, who lived around the second or third century.

“A group of rabbis were debating whether it’s permissible to attend the gladiatorial combats of Rome,” he starts. Most of them thought people should avoid such ferocity because “it brutalizes all, including the spectator.”

But one, Rabbi Nathan, said that we have to attend—because, quite simply, someone has to stand up for kindness. “When the crowd shouts for the blood of the defeated gladiator and goes thumbs down,” Zedek says, “our job is to shout thumbs up.”

All the book’s stories have that idea as a common thread. Whether they are about porcupines looking for warmth, a hippo teased for his size or a grove of Redwoods with interwoven roots, the overarching theme of the book is finding ways to connect, care and lift each other up.

Namely, the stories convey concern about empathy and compassion.

That need for kindness is not just the main theme of People are Like … either. It’s the essence of Zedek’s life’s work. Our job as human beings, he believes, is to find the divine in ourselves and others by leading more empathetic and compassionate lives. He illustrates, of course, by telling another story.

Back when he was still at the seminary, one of his fellow students asked a teacher how they could possibly come up with a topic for a sermon every single week. The teacher said that’s not the problem. You really have maybe one or two sermons—one or two themes that really matter to you. The critical thing is to find out what they are.

“After 51 years of at least one sermon a week, he was right,” Zedek says. “My sermon is that there’s holiness all around us. There’s a sacred dimension in us. Now get to work.”

I’ve been encouraged by so many of my students to put the stories that I use to convey values into a written form.

Ahmad “Baset” Azizi

Humanitarian Discusses Gratitude

By Ian Ritter

TRUMPET PLAYER Ahmad “Baset” Azizi is used to being in the media spotlight. It started 10 years ago when, as a young Afghan refugee, Azizi made it to America on his musical talent. But it’s his determination to leave the world a better place than he found it that has kept him there.

Most recently, the Johnson County, Kansas, resident received national attention for playing “Taps” in remembrance of Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, a national guardswoman who was murdered last Thanksgiving in Washington, D.C. An Afghan national has been arrested for her murder.

Azizi, who now helps relocated foreign refugees and immigrants adjust to life in the United States, hadn’t picked up a trumpet for three years when Beckstrom was shot. He reached out to her family and practiced constantly for two weeks until her memorial service. In the end, her family decided on a private funeral, so Azizi took his performance to social media with the help of a

professional videographer in a Lawrence performance space. It went viral.

“I felt compelled to offer a moment of unity and healing,” says the bespectacled and lightly bearded Azizi, whose voice exudes an accommodating patience when speaking of the past. His father spent three decades in Afghanistan’s army helping the U.S. military, which occupied the country after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

For Azizi, the trumpet provided an opportunity to come to the United States and attend a Michigan arts high school. He landed a scholarship in 2016, only a couple years after a suicide bomb targeted a concert at his school in Kabul, the Afghan capital, killing two and injuring several. Another scholarship brought Azizi to the University of Kansas, where he graduated in 2022 with degrees in music, political science and international relations.

Azizi was already adjusted to life in the United States, interning in Washington, D.C., when in 2021 the religious-extremist

Taliban took over Kabul and the Afghan government. The Taliban installed its Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, dramatically curtailing Afghan citizens’ freedoms and rights. Azizi was able to help his family flee Afghanistan and successfully relocate them to the metro, a feat that gained national attention.

Home is here now for Azizi and his mother, father and three sisters. They’re away from Central Asian Afghanistan and its towering mountain ranges and rich history, including the early development of Mahayana Buddhism dating to 3000 B.C.

Now that the Taliban are in control of the country, good news seldom comes out of Afghanistan. Women are banned from higher education as well as the workforce (the country was recently dubbed the “worst” for women by a Georgetown University group). Music is also banned, Azizi says. Not a good place for a trumpet-trained humanitarian like Azizi.

But he remained upbeat in conversation at the downtown Olathe Library not long after Beckstrom’s funeral. He spoke on tightening immigration policies for Afghan nationals, even those who worked with the U.S. military for decades in efforts against terrorism.

The Taliban’s brutal treatment of women and intolerance for the arts and other aspects of life is well documented. How do you see this affecting the average Afghan?

Afghans are not asking for much. They want safety, stability and the freedom to live normal lives. The Taliban says no. You must live their way. Afghans reject anyone who arrives with guns and dictates how they must live, whether Taliban or foreign invaders

Education provides a clear example. Girls’ schools beyond seventh grade are now closed, and womens’ opportunities to work are severely restricted. Yet if we walk the streets and talk to people, we will hear that they want their daughters to study, pursue careers and contribute to society.

Similarly, the arts face harsh restrictions. Music has always been central to Afghan life, yet under the current rule, musicians are threatened or silenced. Many artists have fled the country simply to survive and continue their craft.

These restrictions directly contradict the values and way of life that Afghans know and value.

After the shooting, and especially Beckstrom’s death (allegedly by gunman Rahmanullah Lakanwal), why was making a public tribute to her important for you?

This tragic incident does not reflect the entire [Afghan] community, but when politicized, it can spread fear widely. I have spoken with Afghans across the country and witnessed both grief and anxiety. Families who are building lives, running businesses and contributing to their communities now face uncertainty and fear, especially given changes in immigration policies and the fragile circumstances under which many live.

When I learned about the service member who lost her life, I wanted to honor her in the most meaningful way I know. Growing up, I developed a deep appreciation for service members, perhaps because my father served in the army. This experience taught me to respect and recognize the sacrifices made by specific groups. For me, the military has always held a special place in my heart.

That is why I picked up my trumpet after years and spent two full weeks getting back into shape so I could sound “Taps.” When I played the first section, my thoughts were with the fallen service

member. During the second section, I reflected on the bombings and tragedies in Afghanistan. By the final section, I focused on resilience and the shared struggles of human beings. We struggle every day, yet we continue forward.

Why had you stopped playing the trumpet?

My path took several turns along the way. While at KU, I expanded my academic focus, which led me to work on Capitol Hill and on a political campaign, and I was later supposed to join a presidential campaign, which would have required me to move. However, I chose to stay in Kansas City because of my family. Having volunteered in refugee and immigrant communities for years, that work eventually led me to become a program manager for several programs. I later joined multiple federal projects, including one that required extensive travel across the country.

Over time, more and more people began reaching out to me for help, especially after thousands fled Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal in 2021. I would receive calls from people I had never met, often given my phone number by someone I did not even know. But when someone asks for help, you help. Circumstances pushed me to focus on service, advocacy and community. My trumpet had to wait until I could return to it.

What are the main misconceptions people here have about Afghanistan?

Afghans are often incorrectly called “Afghani,” which is actually the currency. It’s like calling someone “dollar.” Another common misconception is grouping Afghanistan into the Middle East when it is actually located in Central Asia.

The most significant misconception is about Afghan people themselves.

I’ve traveled to nearly 30 states, and especially when I was younger, I would talk with people in airports and on planes. At some point in the conversation, I’d mention that I was born in Afghanistan, and often people simply wouldn’t believe me. They would say things like: “No, look at you. You’re educated, well-dressed, well-spoken.” What they were reacting to wasn’t me; it was the narrow image of Afghanistan shaped by news of war over the past 20 years.

In reality, Afghans are diverse, educated, creative and deeply rooted in traditions of hospitality, music, poetry and learning. The problem is that these parts of Afghan life rarely make headlines.

People often told me I looked Italian, so much so that I eventually took a DNA test out of curiosity. The results confirmed what I already knew: I’m from Afghanistan.

I felt compelled to offer a moment of unity and healing.

WINTER WARM-UP

EMBARK ON AN ENDLESS JOURNEY WITH MID-CONTINENT PUBLIC LIBRARY'S 2026 WINTER READING CHALLENGE

Trade your frozen commute for uncharted trails as books become the passports to breathtaking new worlds. Whether navigating the dizzying heights of a fantasy realm, trekking through the historical landscapes of a bygone era, or setting sail for the distant shores, your exploration begins as you turn the page. The Winter Reading Challenge allows adults (ages 18+) to celebrate leisure reading and earn the limited-edition 2026 commemorative mug* by reading any five books in two months. Kids and teens aged 17 and under can read any five books to earn an MCPL book light* to keep the reading going throughout the seasons. mymcpl.org/WinterReading *Prizes available while supplies last.

THE ACTING COMPANY DELIVERS LOVE AND LAUGHTER FOR VALENTINE’S DAY WEEKEND

With a chill in the air, it’s time to think about ways to escape it with some of Kansas City’s indoor activities. For both kids and adults, there’s plenty to do while we wait for the warmer temperatures to arrive.

GREAT E XPECTATIONS

Charles Dickens’ “Great Expectations” is reinvigorated with an effervescent stage adaptation brimming with unexpected hilarity and romantic heart. It’s filled with escaped prisoners, wealthy and terrifying eccentrics, decaying mansions, and a stunning, young heiress of ruthless intelligence. This surprisingly relatable story about a young man’s harrowing journey from working-class orphan to a life of privilege and power is a must-see for the entire family.

7:30 p.m. Saturday, February 14, 2026 | Midwest Trust Center

Tickets start at $25

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

A rapturous, fresh take on one of William Shakespeare’s most popular and widely performed plays, The Acting Company’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is a captivating, coming-of-age story that will surprise and delight! In this fast-paced, crowd-pleasing comedy, a mischievous fairy creates chaos for four young lovers and a troupe of amateur actors in an enchanted forest at night. Bursting with mirth, music, magic, and mayhem, this uplifting tale of illusion, love, and transformation comes to life with an electric cast of New York-based artists.

2 p.m. Sunday, February 15, 2026 | Midwest Trust Center

Tickets start at $25 jccc.edu/MTC (Photo Credit Lore Photography)

SUNLIGHTEN DAY SPA

Warm-up this winter with Sunlighten Day Spa. Step into your own peaceful wellness sanctuary and experience therapeutic heat that leaves you feeling physically restored and mentally refreshed. With six preset programs, you can choose a setting that matches your health goal. From relaxation, detoxification and cardio to anti-aging, pain relief, or weight loss, you’ll receive optimal dosages of far, mid, and near-infrared, integrated with red light. The warmth you feel is delivering what you need for a healthy result. sunlightendayspa.com

CELEBRATE AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY!

As the nation begins celebrating a commemorative year, Johnson County Museum brings you their newest exhibit Everyday Democracy: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness in Johnson County. The exhibit explores how ordinary people shape democracy through their choices, voices, and communities – and asks what role each of us will play in its future. Visit Everyday Democracy and see how the ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness take shape in everyday life. Entry to the special exhibit is included with museum admission. $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $4 for children.

jcprd.com/museum

February 7, 2026 - January 9, 2027

GET READY TO LAUGH!

The ultimate family showdown is on in this new comedy at Kansas City Repertory Theatre (KCRep). An instant audience favorite, this play has been called "genuinely funny, topical, and heartfelt" by Entertainment Weekly. Find out what happens when the "perfect" Latina daughter brings her boyfriend home to meet the parents, and meet your new favorite family in this hilarious story from Gloria Calderón Kellett, the co-creator and showrunner of Netflix's One Day at a Time. kcrep.org February 17 - March 8, 2026.

A NORTHLAND NEIGHBORHOOD HANGOUT

Escape the chill outside and head indoors to The Commons, now open at Cinder Block Brewery. It’s a neighborhood hangout attached to the brewery featuring free billiards, yard games and arcades. While you enjoy the indoor escape, you can imbibe hand-crafted cocktails, yard beers, and other favorite local libations, along with Bay Boy Sandwiches. Before 3 pm, children accompanied by a parent are welcome. Adults only after 3pm. cinderblockbrewery.com

Open Thurs 11am-10pm, Fri/Sat 11am-1am and Sun 11am-10pm.

Looking ahead to spring?

Daylight saving time begins on March 8, and the first day of spring is March 20.

NOMINATE YOUR FAVORITES!

Choose the city’s finest, from food to shopping, health, beauty and more. The initial ballot determines who will be nominated as finalists in each category, so make your voice heard! The top five in each category will advance to the final voting round. Nominations close on March 1st.

POLLS

OPEN FEBRUARY 9 th

There’s a New Deli in Town

By Tyler Shane

IT’S EASY TO overlook sandwiches in terms of good dining. A sandwich, though almost always satisfying, is, well, ordinary—a working man’s meal, a post-swimming snack, something we grab on the run. La Fetta Delicatessen, the Overland Park deli that opened in October, however, reminds us that a hefty layered sandwich can be just as impeccable as any slice of foie gras or golden seared scallop (14363 Metcalf Ave. Overland Park).

La Fetta serves more than 20 sandwiches, all named after rock and roll legends and served on soft ciabatta bread made by Farm to Market. They’re Italian-style,

Photography by Kelly Powell

meaning they come stacked with ingredients like mozzarella, balsamic glaze, marinated onions, salamis and finocchiona. The Red Hot Chili Pepper sandwich stuffed with turkey, hot soppressata, sharp white cheddar, fresh basil, pepperoncini, piquillo peppers and more was juicy with a fresh bite. I even found myself devouring the vegetarian Madonna sandwich, despite being a proud carnivore.

There’s also charcuterie, a selection of Boar’s Head cured meats and imported cheeses and imported pantry staples at La Fetta. I recommend washing your sandwich down with an A’Siciliana sparkling soda. They’re a splurge, sure, but also the ideal way to finish your meal.

Fast Food,

Crispy fried rice

Slow-Simmered

BB Bánh Mì

Brings Vietnamese Comfort to the Northland, Served Window-side

By Tyler Shane Photography by Zach Bauman

WHEN IT COMES to the two great Vietnamese restaurants in KC— Vietnam Cafe and Pho Lan—I prefer the latter, if only for its bun bo hue strewn with pigs’ feet. Still, they’re similar. Both sit in Columbus Park, their dining rooms lined with booth seating, and both offer analogous menus of pho, bun bowls, vermicelli noodles stir-fried with various meats and vegetables, and the like. Recently, however, Vietnam’s culinary influence has been spreading across the metro with the opening of coffee houses (like Origin Coi Nguon off North Oak Trafficway) and other more convenient restaurant models, like BB Bánh Mì .

It should be noted immediately that BB Bánh Mì has a drive-thru, which initially caught my attention when it opened last summer north of the river near Vivion and Antioch roads. The option to grab pho on the run sounds like a dream come true (I mostly abhor third-party food delivery services and their painstaking compromise of quality, so the idea of a drive-thru beyond the usual fast food chains should be celebrated). At BB, you can get star anise-sweetened pho, fresh spring rolls, banh mi sandwiches on housemade bread and fried eggtopped broken rice, all handed to you through your driver-side window. BB’s convenience wasn’t necessarily intentional. Owners and husband-and-wife duo John Nguyen and Makie Thao Vo, who both moved to KC from Saigon six years ago, opened their restaurant in a former Wendy’s and, due to some food operation laws, had to make use of the drive-thru. They’ve made the best of it, and most everything on the menu is served to-go, even if you’re dining in.

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Beef pho

Take the bánh mì, for example. Its pickled carrots, jalapenos and cilantro are packaged separately for you to build yourself. Traditionally, bánh mìs are enclosed in a French baguette (a culinary crossbreed born of Vietnam’s colonization by France in the 19th century), but at BB, you get Nguyen’s freshly baked “Vietnamese bread” instead. Every bite still feels like a feral rip, which is half the pleasure of eating a bánh mì in the first place. Most everything else is served to-go. BB is hardly ever full, even on weekends. If customers aren’t pulling up to the intercom to order, they’ve likely placed their order ahead of time and are only walking inside to pick it up.

You don’t have to dine in. There’s no table service, after all, and the space still looks much like a former Wendy’s, especially the fixed salad bar sitting in the middle, now holding silverware, pho fixins and sometimes a vase of flowers to give life to the otherwise bare fixture. But to enjoy the best of BB’s pho and crispy chicken, I recommend saddling up, relaxing and taking a seat.

BB’s whopping bowls of pho, made by simmering beef bones for more than 12 hours, are more savory than others around town. You hardly need to reach for hoisin sauce to round out the sweetness—it’s already just right. On the other hand, the dry pho is uniquely delicious, though if you’re a corn-fed Midwesterner like myself, the menu item might give you pause. Think of all the components of pho, but instead of broth, the noodles are tossed in a brown hoisin-soy sauce mixture and topped with green onions and fried shallots. The broth is served on the side, simply for sipping or for dipping your beef slices, if you choose. Thao Vo, whose son Minh translated for us during our interview, said that while the dish is popular in Vietnam, BB’s version is a more Americanized take they’re proud of.

At BB, the menu is smaller than at its Vietnamese counterparts, but it’s intentional. Crispy whole chicken legs appear throughout, whether deep-fried, roasted or tossed in a sticky, sweet, garlicky sauce. When you order chicken fried rice, you won’t get a Chinese restaurant variation. Instead, you’ll receive one of those hefty chicken legs alongside seasoned rice, cucumbers, carrots and a brown garlic sauce from Thao Vo’s own recipe. You can’t go wrong with any of the chicken dishes. Nguyen and Thao Vo’s niece worked the front register and floor tirelessly during each of my visits. On a return trip, she told me she remembered me because I’d ordered the oxtail hot pot—a large take-home feast with lotus radishes, vermicelli noodles, garlic chicken and a wonderful broth infused with goji berries, among other offerings.

“It’s mostly our Vietnamese customers who order that,” she said. (On every visit to BB, Vietnamese diners were common. A good sign, I thought—though I didn’t need one.)

Nguyen used to sell these hot pot packages before opening BB, and they were a hit. However, you don’t need to order one of the do-it-yourself hot pots; it’s a serious undertaking unless you happen to have a Cuisinart fondue set, given to you by your aunt Connie as a wedding gift, lying around. If you do, this might be the excuse to finally bust it out.

On Wednesdays, you can snag one hell of a bánh mì for six dollars. There are also a couple of salted coffee drinks topped with cold foam. Thao Vo says Nguyen used to be a bartender at a hotel back in Vietnam, where the two met, and she’d like to expand BB’s drink program. A liquor license feels like too much of an undertaking at the moment, so instead she hopes to expand the coffee menu and eventually add made-from-scratch teas.

BB may not be the city’s definitive Vietnamese restaurant, but it’s certainly the most convenient. The delicate balance of preparing meals to be handed out a window has its drawbacks—as seen in the dry pork chop that accompanied an otherwise satisfying broken rice. Thao Vo doesn’t shy away from calling her restaurant fast food. She knows they’re chasing immediacy. And when the timing is right, when the food is eaten hot and without delay, it hits exactly where it should.

Grilled pork bánh mì sandwich

BB’s salt foam coffee

Tian Tea House Brews Us Back

to the Present

By Alex Omorodion

IN CHINESE CULTURE, six is a lucky number. Translated as liù in Mandarin, resembling the Chinese word for flow, six is elevated to represent smoothness, good fortune and events unfolding with ease. This is why Saranya and Zach Hubbard chose January 6th as the grand opening for their newest endeavor Tian Tea House (911 E. Fifth St., KCMO).

“I want people to come in, sit down, relax and then go. This is a calm and cozy environment.”

Think of the tea house as a pressure-release valve for the hustle and bustle of life. “I want people to come in, sit down, relax and then go,” Saranya says. “This is a calm and cozy environment.”

Saranya, who has been a presence around the metro with Moon Bar, her Japanese-inspired pop-up bar, achieves Tian’s serene setting through a curated collection of Chinese decor. Hues of Jade and warm woods are seen throughout, and the calming aromas of the shop’s teas are sure to calm your nerves.

Featuring Thai and Chinese teas, Tian’s menu is a mirror of Saranya’s upbringing. “I am a third generation Thai Chinese,” she says. “My grandparents on both sides moved to Thailand from China. I also grew up in Chinatown in Bangkok, so it’s easy for me to work with the tea farmers in China myself.”

On the food side, there’s an assortment of small bites like tea jelly, black sesame cookies and a newly introduced Cantonese milk pudding. Saranya has been collaborating with local chefs to create unique dishes, too. A recent menu addition is a spiced pork chop sandwich created by chef James Chang.

The Thai tea with condensed milk and black sesame cream is a nutty semi-sweet house blend. Tian’s tea jelly pairs well with pretty much everything, as it has a fresh, herbal taste and a stiff consistency best described as “if jello lifted weights.”

The Hubbards have big plans for the future. They plan to use the space in various ways, eventually offering tea classes and tableside tea service and turning the venue into a bar at night.

At Tian Tea House, everything moves with intention, from the pour of the tea to the pace of the room. Consider it a lucky pause in the middle of a busy day.

Michael Mackie Is the Host With the Most

By Tyler Shane

MICHAEL MACKIE HAS the gift of gab. The Des Moines native has spent more than three decades as a celebrity interviewer, and even as I interview him for this article, it’s obvious he’s the expert.

“This might be an annoying question, but… ” I begin, trying to change subjects mid-interview. Mackie cuts me off.

“Don’t ever negate a question before you ask it,” he says. “And don’t add a transition. That already gives me pause. An interview should be a conversation.”

I’m inclined to listen to the man. I’ve been interviewing chefs and other people of influence in Kansas City for about five years; Mackie has been interviewing some of the world’s most recognizable faces— Jennifer Lopez, Samuel L. Jackson, Cameron Diaz and John Travolta, to name a few—for over 30. He reflects on those experiences in his recently released book, You Have Four Minutes: My Life as an Unlikely Celebrity Interviewer.

The book humorously recalls Mackie’s early days working at a TV station that primarily covered crime and politics. With no interview experience and no one else interested in speaking with the celebrity scheduled that day, Mackie found himself face-to-face with music and comedy legend Jo Anne Worley. The result, he says, was an interview so bad it “still gives me PTSD.” Still, it opened the door and put his disarmingly chatty nature to use.

“Since birth, I’ve been able to talk to anybody about anything for any length of time,” Mackie says with a shrug. “I just like to talk. I like to hear people’s stories. I like to tell peoples’ stories.”

You could say Mackie has lived a serendipitous life, a theme that runs throughout You Have Four Minutes. He’s won eight Emmys, hosted a short-lived PBS travel show called Get Lost (which lasted just one episode), and, improbably, turned that experience into a book deal. He had a stroke at 40, an event that led him to start saying “yes” to everything post-recovery in an effort to be grateful for being alive. He spent several years as a yoga teacher and, as if that weren’t enough, Mackie, a lifelong superfan of the B-52s, eventually formed a genuine friendship with frontwoman Cindy Wilson, who went on to write the foreword for his book. Yes, really.

MICHAEL MACKIE’S PERFECT DAY IN KC

Morning Fuel

You can usually find me getting caffeinated at one of the Filling Stations in the metro. I’m ordering the seasonal drink of the moment.

Along with book signings, hosting cruises in the Greek Isles and serving as a keynote speaker, Mackie is currently the host of KC Studio’s podcast Artful Connections Along the Streetcar. On the show, he speaks with notable Kansas Citians, like Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art CEO and President Julián Zugazagoitia, about how the streetcar and the upcoming World Cup are reshaping the city’s cultural landscape.

The Intermission The perfect day involves multiple naps and no plans.

The Grand Finale For dinner, I’m going to Jasper’s. I’m ordering the left side of the menu, then the right. There’s a chapter in my book about Jasper’s, and my favorite dish is something that’s not on the menu called Shrimp de Jonghe. Jasper’s is one of only a handful of places in the country that serves it, and you can only order it if Jasper himself is there. It’s my favorite dish in Kansas City. I even included the recipe in my book.

Maybe he’s blessed by the universe, or maybe he just has an insatiable curiosity (Mackie agrees with both). Whether he’s having the worst interview of his life with Chris Kattan or Tommy Lee Jones (“I think he said maybe 12 words total in four minutes,” Mackie says of the latter. “Maybe 13 if you count ‘uh-huh’ as two words”) or discussing art history with Zugazagoitia, Mackie says his humor can always elicit a good story.

“Being goofy always works in my favor,” he says.

If you can believe it, Mackie still has a few dreams left on his bucket list, like interviewing Dolly Parton and Madonna. Preferably Dolly first, he says.

Right now, You Have Four Minutes is available at Made in KC stores, Rainy Day Books, the airport and on Amazon.

Good News: Woodyard Still Gets Grease on Your Wrist

By John Martellaro

I WILL CONFESS up front that Woodyard Bar-B-Que is a longtime favorite of mine. They’ve been through some changes over the years, essentially morphing to be less of a “joint” and more of a “restaurant.” When they announced a return to their roots late last year (“under old management”), I knew I had to check it out.

So I lifted the Triple P sandwich to my mouth. My gentle grip produced a thin stream of greasy juices down my thumb and wrist and onto my forearm. “Good,” I thought. “Same as it ever was.” The first bite confirmed the good news: Woodyard is what Woodyard always was. As the hand-painted sign out front proudly proclaims, “can a beer $2” is still the drink of choice.

Woodyard has kept a bit of the polish, but it is still essentially a throwback to the roots of Kansas City barbecue. Woodsmoke, meat and spice dominate the flavor

Their original sauce has a pronounced kick, with chilies and gritty spices forward, vinegar behind them and sweetness even further back.

spectrum. The menu includes all the classics: brisket, pork, turkey, ham, sausage and baby back pork ribs. The baby backs are leaner and meatier than spare ribs; a four-bone serving on the rib plate meal is a hefty serving of meaty goodness. Except for the burnt ends, meats are served unsauced and lightly seasoned. Sliced meats are lean and moist. Smoked chicken wings and chili topped with burnt ends are also available daily. A creamy-crisp slaw and lightly seasoned shoestring fries are excellent sides.

There’s a nod to more-upscale modern tastes with daily specials (chicken and salmon on a recent visit) and specialty sandwiches, including the Carolina (pulled pork with slaw), a turkey club and the aforementioned Triple P. The latter is about as fancy as Woodyard food gets. It’s a hefty sandwich combining pulled pork, ham and bacon with provolone cheese on a bun. I added a drizzle of their hot barbecue sauce, and the sandwich approached the sublime.

Note: If you can’t handle spice, plan to skip the sauce. Their original sauce has a pronounced kick, with chilies and gritty spices forward, vinegar behind them and sweetness even further back. That sauce dominates both their pit beans and their burnt ends, which are fall-apart tender. The hot version of the sauce is the same base with an extra shot of peppery spice.

You order at the counter, and food is brought to your table. The two-tiered dining area is comfortable and clean, true to the joint’s rough-hewn roots, with wood and sheet metal walls and ceiling. Even the background music is a delightful throwback: classic rock with a smattering of disco.

General manager Oscar Scott, grandson of founder Frank Schloegel III, says the primary move back to their roots was restoring and using the patio smokers in front of the restaurant and restoring their original dry rub recipe. They are also brewing a house beer, Woodyard Ale, and offering live music every Wednesday and occasional Saturdays (3001 Merriam Lane, KCK).

Enjoy Vibrant Senior Living

surreal estate

Plastered in Pink

How a trip to the 1915 World’s Fair inspired Mary Rockwell Hook to create one of Kansas City’s most distinctive homes

Nicole Kinning

LONG BEFORE “bringing the outdoors in” was a design trend and sustainability was a household concept, early-1900s Kansas City architect Mary Rockwell Hook was putting both into practice—starting with one of her most famous works, the Pink House.

Perched on a Sunset Hills cul-de-sac near Loose Park, Hook designed and built the Pink House soon after returning from the 1915 World’s Fair in San Francisco, where she fell in love with the pink plaster used on the fair’s pavilions. That rosy hue went on to define one of the city’s most distinctive homes.

The Pink House perfectly reflects Hook’s design philosophy: dramatic integration with the surrounding landscape, a Mediterranean-Italianate look and a playful, almost theatrical touch. “She borrowed heavily from the places she visited around the world, particularly European architecture styles and Filipino influences,” says Sarah Biegelsen, special collections librarian and archivist at the Kansas City Public Library.

Built directly into the hillside, the home features multiple entrances on different levels and expansive windows that flood the space with natural light. It also leans hard into outdoor living, with porches, balconies and open terraces that blur the line between inside and out. Hook incorporated native limestone into the structure while sourcing other materials from unlikely places. She used stonework from dismantled streetcar lines, discarded railroad materials and even lanterns from Italy. “She used a lot of salvaged materials, long before a lot of people did,” Biegelsen says. “If something was being thrown in the trash, she wanted it and she was gonna use it.”

The Pink House perfectly reflects Hook’s design philosophy: dramatic integration with the surrounding landscape, a MediterraneanItalianate look and a playful, almost theatrical touch.

Hook’s vision thrived despite some institutional resistance. She was one of only five female architects practicing in Kansas City between 1910 and 1931, and the American Institute of Architects denied her membership twice because she was a woman. “The limitations of her gender is the factor that likely held her back the most,” Biegelsen says. Still, Hook’s background worked in her favor. Raised as one of five daughters whose parents encouraged professional independence, she found similar support in Inghram D. Hook, the Kansas City lawyer she married in her 40s.

Beyond the Pink House, Hook pioneered several architectural “firsts” in Kansas City, including the first attached garage (a feature so unusual at the time that it required a special permit) and some of the area’s earliest poured concrete foundations. Nine of her residential designs in the area were eventually listed together on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, including the Pink House. Seven out of those nine homes sit in Sunset Hills alone.

Hook’s career stretched into her 70s, with projects across the country and even a renovation in Italy. In 1977, when Hook was 99, the American Institute of Architects—the organization that had twice rejected her—hosted a multi-home tour of her Sunset Hills projects as tribute. “She was still alive at the time,” Biegelsen says. “It was a way to honor her and honor her architectural career and also showcase her legacy in the houses in Sunset Hills.”