KC Options | 2015-2016

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REAL ESTATE

BUYING

SELLING

RELOCATION SERVICES

COMMUNITY VIRTUAL TOURS

CONTENTS

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Inside...

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CONTRIBUTORS

8 WELCOME TO THE

CREATIVE CROSSROADS A different kind of tech hub

10 ON THE COVER

Meet one of Kansas City’s top chefs, Celina Tio

20 TIDBITS

People and places in Kansas City gaining recognition the world over

39 WORKING

Professionals from around the world come to Kansas City to live their dream

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62 LIVING

The Kansas City metro is a network of lively, unique neighborhoods

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From music and museums to sports and food, Kansas City has plenty to keep you busy

117 FACES OF AMERICA’S

CREATIVE CROSSROADS Up close with some Kansas City creatives

128 LAST WORD

The intersection of artistry and technology

LSmeansbusiness.com LSmeansbusiness.com

Collaboration...

Collaboration...

Our system and skilled work force maymay have something Ourrobust robusteducation education system and skilled work force have something totododo with the fact that more than 5,000 successful businesses are proud to to with the fact that more than 5,000 successful businesses are proud call Lee’s Summit home. Or maybe it’s because we’re conveniently located call Lee’s Summit home. Or maybe it’s because we’re conveniently located to all surrounding metropolitan areas. Or it could be that our resourceful, to all surrounding metropolitan areas. Or it could be that our resourceful, responsive and collaborative community business environment fosters the responsive and collaborative community business environment fosters the belief that when businesses succeed, we all prosper. No matter how you belief that when businesses succeed, we all prosper. No matter how you look at it, Lee’s Summit is a quality place to live, work and invest. look at it, Lee’s Summit is a quality place to live, work and invest.

Yours YoursTruly, Truly, LSmeaNSbuSiNeSS.cOm | 816.525.6617 LSmeaNSbuSiNeSS.cOm | 816.525.6617

CONTRIBUTORS tenth annual

Writers BETH BAHNER Beth Bahner is a public relations professional. Her specialties include developing communications strategies. She has worked with companies small and large to generate publicity for over 25 years.

2015/2016 Edition

Editor-in-Chief, KC Options KCADC Managing Director, TeamKC Jessica Nelson KCADC Vice President, Design & Creative Jonathan Knecht KCADC Vice President, Communications Ashlie Hand KCADC Manager, Creative Services & Digital Content Joey Privitera

JUDY HARPER GOPPERT An avid outdoors girl, and enjoy all seasons especially summer.

She draws on the extraordinary stories of the many intriguing lives and nuances in Kansas City. Her work has appeared in numerous publications.

SUSAN FOTOVICH MCCABE Fotovich McCabe has contributed to KC business, KC magazine, Flourish and Leawood Lifestyle. Her expertise spans a wide array of industries that include agribusiness, aviation, animal health, consumer products, commercial development, biosciences, architecture and children with special needs.

Photographers KIM GOLDING Golding is a KC-based freelance photographer. Prior to working at Hallmark Cards, she had a studio in Los Angeles and shot photos for a variety of publications and personalities. She was educated at Plymouth College of Art in England.

CAMERON GEE

KCADC Specialist, Digital Communications Angela Orr PUBLISHER, ROBIN ATKINS contributing WRITERS BETH BAHNER, JUDY HARPER GOPPERT, SUSAN FOTOVICH MCCABE contributing Photographers Paul Andrews, Cameron Gee, kim golding, Aaron Lindberg, Todd Zimmer

Thanks to our teamkc advisory board for guiding us on editorial: AMC Entertainment, Jennifer Schnack Black & Veatch, Kyri Gorges Burns & McDonnell, Jennifer Parker Cerner Corporation, Erin Dill Garmin International, Michelle Cormack Hallmark Cards, Inc., Erin Roebuck Lexmark, Leslie Shea Sedgwick LLP, Cherie Zeier State Street, Steven Green Sungevity, Derrick Miller UMB Bank, Sarah Neuman University of Kansas Edwards Campus Monica Delaorra VML, Abigail Ventrillo

Based in the Crossroads Arts District in KC, Gee explores his craft through both commercial and personal work. Holding his images to a minimal aesthetic in an attempt to slow people down in our fastpaced, digital world, he offers a glimpse of a genuine version of his subjects, as opposed to a constructed persona.

KATE SWEETEN Focusing primarily on images from in and around the Kansas City region, as well as through her travels, Sweeten captures life moments through digital storytelling. In addition to family portraits, and KC lifestyle imagery, she’s a contributor to Yelp.

Additional photography courtesy of KC Streetcar Authority and Techweek.

SHOWCASE PUBLISHING, INC. CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE PRESIDENT DAVE LEATHERS GRAPHIC DESIGNER LOUISE SCOPELITIS CONTROLLER/BILLING MARCIA MYERS

PROUD MEMBER OF KCADC Showcase Publishing, Inc. ©2015. All rights reserved. Any reproduction in any form is strictly prohibited without written consent of the magazine publisher.

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

KC RESOURCES liveworkKC.com Facebook America’s Creative Crossroads Twitter @IthinkKC Instagram ithinkKC Vimeo KCADC

We’re a highly collaborative and hardworking community, but just because we’re “nice,” doesn’t mean we’re not competitive, innovative and passionate.

You‘ve probably heard rumblings of Kansas City in the press these days.

Our Major League Baseball team, the Kansas City Royals, went from zero to hero becoming America’s sweethearts. And, who knew Lorde’s hit song “Royals” was based on a photo of one of our team’s baseball legends, George Brett?

Comedians and actors like Jason Sudeikis and Paul Rudd rock KC-branded hats and T-shirts in movies and on late night TV shows, and the Huffington Post and BuzzFeed both have called KC the No. 1 place to live.

Kansas City isn’t Dorothy and Toto, farm fields or flyover town. Kansas City is a hub for technology, a destination hotspot and place to call home.

Often referenced as “humble and nice,” Kansas City is one of the friendliest cities you’ll ever live in. We’re a highly collaborative and hardworking community, but just because we’re “nice,” doesn’t mean we’re not competitive, innovative and passionate.

If you were to ask a Kansas Citian to describe our city in one word, it would be authentic. The inherent pride we have for our region translates into all aspects of business, arts and culture, and lifestyle.

Throughout the pages of KC Options you’ll see this authenticity, learning about Kansas City’s dynamic tech scene and the companies developing revolutionary products and services from our community. You’ll get the scoop on Google Fiber and KC’s designation to become the nation’s most comprehensive “Cisco Smart City.”

In addition we’ll explore Kansas City’s artistic culture, featuring fashion designers, musicians, authors and entrepreneurs. You’ll also meet some of our community’s most creative people and check out the area’s iconic lifestyle assets.

We even offer the authentic truth on the “art of the tailgate” in KC, what to expect from our four seasons of weather, and how we stack up against other cities.

Once you’ve flipped through the pages of KC Options, we hope you’re as excited and passionate about Kansas City as we are, and we hope you’ll join us in calling KC home.

Jessica Nelson Editor-in-Chief, KC Options nelson@thinkKC.com 6

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One question. Countless answers.

How will you Create Amazing?

At Burns & McDonnell, we want to help you answer this question in your own way. Whether it’s engineering or architecture, marketing or finance, there is potential for amazing around every corner. And with offices in Kansas City and all over the world, there are lots of corners waiting to be turned. So, how will you Create Amazing? We can’t wait to find out. Start your amazing at burnsmcd.com/careerskc.

EOE | Minorities | Females | Disabled | Veterans

WELCOME

A Different Kind of

Tech Hub

We’re collaborative in a way you don’t often see in other, ultra-competitive tech towns.

The other day, I had coffee with an entrepreneur who just launched his second company in Kansas City. Along the way, he had cold-called six different people asking if they’d let him pick their brains. He was surprised, he told me. “They all said yes.”

At KCnext – the Technology Council of Greater Kansas City, we’re often asked, “Why Kansas City?” Why did Google choose KC as the pilot market for its ultra high-speed Google Fiber Internet? Why does KC keep popping up in publications like Wired and PC Magazine as a top city for tech?

That entrepreneur’s statement – “They all said yes” – begins to answer that question. There’s something special about creating in Kansas City. We’re collaborative in a way you don’t often see in other, ultra-competitive tech towns. Creativity is in our DNA thanks to the innovative companies and pioneering artists who have called KC home for decades. We’re welcoming and accessible, supportive and hardworking, and the work we do sets the industry standard in sectors like education tech, telecommunications, financial technology, digital media, healthcare IT and security.

There’s also a new energy bubbling up here as big industry names like Google, Cisco and Techstars join Kansas City mainstays like Garmin, Sprint and Cerner. Not to mention the grassroots startup community that settled the Kansas City Startup Village and gathers every Wednesday morning to celebrate innovation at 1 Million Cups, inside the walls of one of the world’s largest entrepreneurship organizations, the Kauffman Foundation.

The best part: In Kansas City, all these things are within reach. If you want to experience something, you can. The answer is yes. We hear these stories all the time, and in the following pages, you will, too. Whether you’re a software developer, a UX designer or a big data geek, there’s no shortage of opportunities for you in Kansas City.

Kaitlin Motley Marketing Manager KCnext – The Technology Council of Greater Kansas City 8

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A B O U T T H E COV E R

Celina Tio

Chef Celina Tio has proudly called Kansas City her home since joining the renowned American Restaurant in 2001. Since then, she has been collecting

accolades

and

making

waves for Kansas City throughout the national culinary scene, most recently featured in Saveur magazine and The Today Show designating KC as one of the nation’s top culinary destinations for high-end dining.

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She is a James Beard Award winner, and has made national television appearances on Food Network’s Next Iron Chef, Iron Chef America, Bravo’s Top Chef Masters, and on Spike TV’s Bar Rescue as their food expert. She was featured in the 2015 class of Women Who Mean Business in the Kansas City Business Journal.

“Kansas City has the convenience and culture of a much, much larger city, but the people are nicer,” said Celina. “Coming to the American Restaurant was meant to be because I sent my resume in after having read the ad a month prior. I was told later that they had already chosen their candidate and were going to send in the offer on Monday and they got my resume on Friday!”

Following her stint at The American restaurant, she opened the delightful Julian in Brookside in 2009. The tag line is, “Feel Good Food.”

“Feel good is cassoulet in France, paella in Spain, pierogis in Poland, whatever! It’s all just chef driven, and we use as many local products as we can and sustainably farmed proteins,” she said.

Chef Tio is now featuring more culinary creations at her most recent ventures, The Collection and The Belfry, located in the Crossroads Arts District, near downtown Kansas City.

“The Collection is an event space for corporate events and celebrations, wedding, large happy hours and The Belfry features craft beer and cocktails, lots of bourbon and chef driven bar food. Both were to pay homage to my high school, Westtown School, in Pennsylvania in the Crossroads,” she said. “Building relationships with my guests is as much a passion for me as food and cooking. None of that would matter without all my great guests.” n

C R E AT I V E C R O S S R O A D S

10 Unforgettable Moments

THAT CAN HAPPEN ONLY IN KC

By JUDY GOPPERT

My move to Kansas City was inspired by a career changing job offer at one of the most prestigious advertising agencies in the area. A new college grad, I relished the idea of living in a city filled with creativity and diversity. After 20 plus years here, I have taken advantage of all the offerings and watched my city explode with newness. Here are some of my most unforgettable moments through the years: (I hope they inspire you to find your Kansas City moments!)

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THE FULL MOON SHINING ITS BEAMS OVER STARLIGHT THEATER, as my young daughter starred in the Broadway show, Annie, on the outdoor stage. There is no locale better for an outdoor play or concert than this storied place. Since the 1950s, such shows as The Sound of Music, Miss Saigon, West Side Story and Cinderella have entertained fans in high fashion. As one of only three such outdoor venues in the U.S., it is not to be missed.

SITTING ON THE 50-YARD-LINE AT ARROWHEAD STADIUM IN 1990 as then Kansas City Chief Derrick Thomas set a record for sacks, with seven sacks against the Oakland Raiders. Just across the parking lot at Kauffman Stadium in 1991, then Kansas City Royal Bret Saberhagen pitched a no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox!

VISITING THE DIME STORE IN BROOKSIDE AND FINDING SWEET TREASURES. I lived in this artistic neighborhood for many years, and learned why the city is so beloved. Waldo, Westport, downtown, the Crossroads, Parkville, Johnson County…whatever you yearn to find in your back yard and across the street, it’s available in our metro.

TASTING A CHI VANILLA LATTE AT THOU MAYEST. You haven’t lived until you do this. The plethora of coffee shops situated across the city brings community, charm and caffeine in every form!

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PLUGGING INTO THE HIGHEST SPEED INTERNET ON THE PLANET, GOOGLE FIBER, FOR THE FIRST TIME. We are lucky to be a technological mecca, with idea factories and the most advanced minds putting us on the map.

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THE PLAZA LIGHTS. When you see them for the first time, your unforgettable moment will be etched too!

MAMA RAY SINGING “WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN” as she crooned in Westport. Kansas City’s music offerings are limitless, and you truly haven’t lived until you’ve visited one of the hundreds of venues in the city, from 18th and Vine to the Plaza to Westport to the Crossroads and beyond.

THE FIRST TIME I BIT INTO A GATES BARBECUE SANDWICH. Oh my. I discovered that food is a good reason to live in Kansas City! With food trucks, James Beard award winners and the ethnic diversity of offerings, your mouth can have a party.

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ART IN KANSAS CITY IS A LOVE OF MINE, with the Nelson Atkins, First Fridays in the Crossroads Arts District, Plaza Art Fair, Brookside Art Fair and so many more. We may be in the center of the country, but our star shines brightest with our creativity.

SAILING ON LAKE LOTAWANA DURING LOTAWANA DAYS. There are many lakes, both public and private, surrounding Kansas City, and a few-minute drive takes you to paradise. Pick one and go. n

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C R E AT I V E C R O S S R O A D S

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TIDBITS

The Lowdown on

Our Town

Kansas City has the range of personalities and landscapes to quell any imagination or desire, and it’s because of the options at the ready, always ready. Covering roughly 9,193 square miles, the Kansas City region is about the same size as New Jersey. The 2.5 million residents live and work in 18 counties in Kansas and Missouri, encompassing Downtown, North Kansas City, East Kansas City, South

Kansas

City

Kansas City.

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and

West

Here’s a Quick Glance With an entire metro population of 2.5 million, and an average age of 36, the annual per household income is $71,141. The median home price in the metropolis is a manageable $131,300. Also, 90.4 percent of KC residents have a high school education, with 32.8 percent having earned a college degree.

We’re a Giving, Creative Group In the U.S., non-profit arts organizations generate over $166 billion in economic activity annually. In Missouri, non-profit arts and culture organizations generate $1.1 billion each year, and in Kansas the non-profit arts and cultural sector is a $153.5 million industry, supporting more than 37,000 jobs in the creative arts industry. And the metropolitan region actually produces $279 million through arts and culture organizations.

There is a strong KC pride movement in each community. In particular, young professionals in this region have a strong sense of city pride, which entails telling their region’s story via social media, wearing KC-branded t-shirts and accessories, etc. There has also been a lifestyle boom in this region with pockets

By JUDY GOPPERT

of urban experiences throughout, including Prairiefire and City Center.

There are Plenty of Goodies Here Google Fiber, for one, is sweeping through the city, bringing internet speed to a level like nothing else.

And the caliber of job opportunities is unmatched, especially in the tech scene, animal health and bio tech sectors. Digital designers have found a wellspring of jobs as well. And those wanting a richly, filled lifestyle will find it in the food scene, arts and culture.

Upcoming…

Smart and Connected Communities is the Cisco smart city solution, or intelligent networking, that provides real-time information and services for city leaders to create more livable cities. The proposed smart city platform will be organized around the 2.2 mile streetcar starter line and the adjacent districts of the River Market, Power & Light and Crossroads, taking advantage of the construction already underway. This initiative, coupled with Kansas City Power & Light’s Clean Charge Network, puts us on the cusp of the technological future. n

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A BRIGHT FUTURE

OVERLAND PARK

Chance doesn’t create business growth. Choices do. Choose to locate or expand your business in Overland Park, and you’ll find energy and innovation fueled by an engaged community. Support for business and giving back are in our DNA. Choose a bright future. Choose Overland Park.

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Tenth Annual 2015 | 2016

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TIDBITS

Weather

By GARY LEZAK, CHIEF METEOROLOGIST, KSHB CHANNEL 41 NEWS

Kansas City Weather is a Welcome Feature of our City The Kansas City region is the most centrally located metropolitan community in the U.S., and due to our location, we experience the beauty of all four seasons.

The weather is often quite spectacular with many days having high temperatures in the 70s with an average of 215 sunny days per year.

The four seasons are well defined with autumn, perhaps, being the most beautiful season due to the dramatic shift in the region’s foliage. The leaves begin changing color in early to mid-October with vibrant reds and yellows blanketing the city for weeks.

Winter can be rather cold with some frigid outbreaks usually lasting around a week at a time.

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While there are days where the wind is blowing and it stings your face to be outside, winter in this area can also include beautiful sunny days that make the cold bearable.

Kansas City averages just less than 20 inches of snow per year, and we’ve experienced snow as early as October and as late as early May. Even though there is the occasional harsh winter, it isn’t as cold in Kansas City as it is to the north of us in the upper Midwest.

By March, spring arrives and the weather can be the best of the entire year. April has been known to produce weather that rivals cities like Los Angeles and San Diego.

For those worried about severe weather in spring months, Kansas City is located outside of Tornado Alley. There are people who have lived in Kansas City their entire lives and have never seen

a tornado. The Gulf of Mexico is due south of KC and is the moisture source for thunderstorms and summer humidity. On average, Kansas City will have 39 inches of rainfall which account for 50 days of thunderstorm activity.

Summers can be quite hot with the hottest temperature ever recorded of 113 degrees on August 14, 1936. There is an average of around five days that reach 100 degrees, with the hottest time of the year taking place the last week of July into the first week of August. Most summers provide many days for people to enjoy local outdoor pools and lakes, and while humidity can be factor in the area, those periods don’t last too long.

Life in Kansas City is definitely enhanced by the weather variety. n

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TIDBITS

Culture

By JUDY GOPPERT

Art and Cultural Opportunities are Alive and Thriving in KC Kansas City is home to a wide array of artistic, cultural and entertainment destinations. Whether for history, fun, or to feed the creative mind, these locales are just around the corner.

In 1921, more than 100,000 people gathered for the dedication of the Liberty Memorial site.

Construction on the classical Egyptian Revivalstyle monument was completed in 1926 and the Liberty Memorial was dedicated by President Calvin. In 2004, the Museum was designated

by Congress as the nation’s official World War I Museum.

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The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts brings an impressive array of talent to the Midwest, and is home to the Kansas City Ballet, Lyric Opera, Kansas City Symphony and other innovative programming. This state-of-the-art center embraces a variety of audiences with different tastes, interests and passions.

The 100-year-old Union Station, serves as a hub of culture, education and entertainment. It brings traveling national exhibits, features 3D movies on the Extreme Screen, and an experiential learning center, Science City.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is a place where the power of art engages the spirit of community. This encyclopedic art museum provides free admission to all, and delivers

unparalleled opportunities to enjoy, appreciate and understand the finest visual arts and the varied cultures they represent, on its campus, online and throughout the Kansas City region.

The Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art is one of the largest contemporary art museums in the Midwest and hosts 16 traveling exhibits each year, featuring art from international, national and regional artists.

Founded in 1990, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is a privately funded, nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the rich history of African Americans in baseball. Visitors can explore hundreds of photographs and artifacts dating from the late 1800s through the 1960s.

This museum shares space with the American Jazz Museum, the only museum in the world solely focused on the preservation, exhibition and advancement of jazz music.

The Museum at Prairiefire brings some of Natural History and Science’s greatest mysteries, featuring world class exhibitions from the American Museum of Natural History. Located in Overland Park, Kansas, the locale is truly a young person’s mecca of imagination.

The Truman Library and Museum in downtown Independence evokes lore of the many triumphs and trials dealt to this native Missourian. Truman’s presidency was marked throughout by important foreign policy initiatives, making every visit a true adventure in history. n

TIDBITS

Healthcare

By SUSAN FOTOVICH MCCABE

Kansas City’s Cutting-Edge Medical Research Medical research benefits the whole spectrum of society, and nowhere is that more evident than in Kansas City’s physician and scientific community.

Success goes well beyond the boundaries of the city, yet much is rooted right here in the Midwest. Take, for example, the work being done at Children’s Mercy with GOLDILOKs (Geneticand Ontogeny-Linked Dose Individualization and cLinical Optimization for KidS), an initiative to establish the knowledge base essential for implementing precision medicine in children.

GOLDILOKs brings together the resources and expertise of the Center for Pediatric Genomic Medicine and the Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Innovation at Children’s Mercy.

“We’re pioneers, because 80 percent of drugs on the market today have never been tested

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on children,” says Children’s Mercy Senior Vice President, Strategy & Innovation, David Westbrook. “As a society, we’re very cautious in subjecting our kids to clinical trials, and usually only when there is a grave diagnosis and all other options have been exhausted.”

The research will rationalize standardization of treatment with patient-specific information required to implement individualized care.

GOLDILOKs will also partner with patients and their families to provide real-time feedback on outcomes, ensuring that the medication and dose is “just right” for their child.

Likewise, the University of Kansas Medical Center is pioneering new translational research, including a project that will establish a network of nine medical centers in seven states to build a data set from electronic medical records. The records will be used to contribute to new research in the fields of breast cancer, obesity and ALS (or Lou Gehrig’s disease). In addition, the project will

offer a clinical trial that will evaluate four different drugs for the treatment of pain associated with neuropathy, as well as a trial that will examine the effectiveness of long-term nicotine replacement therapy for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

“These specific studies are important not only because they affect patients’ lives, but because they show how KU has catapulted to the forefront of the research enterprise. We now have comparable programs to Mayo, Johns Hopkins and Harvard, and in some cases we have research programs that they do not,” says Richard Barohn, M.D., vice chancellor for research and University Distinguished Professor and chairman of the Department of Neurology at the University of Kansas Medical Center. “The whole research landscape has changed in the last decade. We have become a national leader in clinical and translational research.” n

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TIDBITS

Sports

By SUSAN FOTOVICH MCCABE

THE BALL’s IN OUR COURT All eyes are on the Kansas City Royals since becoming America’s darling starting in 2014 after a 29-year dry spell in World Series appearances.

The excitement of the time represents just how much Kansas Citians love all their teams, from baseball to NASCAR. “There is nothing quite like what a professional sports team can do for a fan base, a city, a region. And we like to think baseball is special in that, because of the pace of the game and the length of the season, the ballpark becomes a home away from home for so many,” says Toby Cook, Royals vice president of community affairs and publicity.

Baseball may be America’s pastime, but when you venture out to Kauffman Stadium to catch

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a game, you get more than just Major League Baseball action. With renovations and the best food around, it’s a great place to bring the entire family. At the neighboring complex, Arrowhead Stadium, fans are equally enthusiastic about the Kansas City Chiefs, where generations of fans continue to make Chiefs Kingdom the best football market in the National Football League.

Kansas City has a long, rich history of soccer that was given new life when Sporting KC rebranded itself in 2010. The club plays in state-ofthe-art Sporting Park, the first professional sports stadium in town to be fully equipped with WiFi. Sporting KC remains a fan-first organization. The Women’s National Soccer League, FC Kansas City plays at Swope Soccer Village, and the team won its league’s national championship in 2015.

NASCAR fans don’t have to go far to rally racers.

The Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas is a 1.5-mile tri-oval track suitable for all types of racing. Likewise, devoted hockey enthusiasts follow the Missouri Mavericks to the Independence Events Center to catch all the action on the ice.

Kansas City fans are also drawn to a host of other hometown teams, including the T-Bones Northern League baseball team and Kansas City Roller Warriors women’s roller derby team.

Of course, Kansas Citians are fiercely loyal to their favorite college teams. It’s no surprise that The University of Kansas draws fans to the thrill of Big XII basketball, while Kansas State University and The University of Missouri-Columbia represent football at its best offering both Big XII and SEC action. n

TIDBITS

Festivals

By JUDY GOPPERT

One thing is for certain, Kansas Citians like to celebrate, and these top festivals are prime examples: Kansas City Irish Fest occurs every Labor Day weekend, where it takes over Crown Center, a hub of shopping, hotels, restaurants, theater and art, as well as the location of Hallmark Cards’ world headquarters. Named a “Best Ethnic Festival” in Kansas City year-over-year, the event is dedicated to promoting the culture, music, character and history of Ireland, and the Irish people who call Kansas City home.

Ready for a country within a country? Then you’re up for Boulevardia, a unique beer, food and music festival that happens every summer near the 12th Street Bridge Historic District in the West Bottoms. Sponsored by Boulevard Brewery, the Midwest’s largest specialty brewer, it’s a multiday event not to be missed, offering dozens of craft brews for tasting.

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Kick off your summer with the largest free Memorial Day weekend event in the Midwest, Celebration at the Station. The Kansas City Symphony performs patriotic favorites against the backdrop of Kansas City’s historic Union Station each year capped off by an impressive fireworks display over the Liberty Memorial, the nationally designated World War I monument.

During the Depression when many other companies failed, the Country Club Plaza looked for new ways to attract customers. The first Plaza Art Fair was held in 1932 as a promotion to draw shoppers to the area and lift their spirits. Today the 85-year-old fair encompasses nine city blocks and welcomes crowds of more than 250,000. The Plaza Art Fair has impressively become a top-ranked, national art event and is the official welcome to fall in the city.

Designed by award-winning artist Barnaby Evans, WaterFire Kansas City is a unique, multisensory experience of music, fire and water. Now in

its eighth year, the moving art installation features beautiful floating bonfires on Brush Creek each October.

Anyone who has ever been enamored with film, technology or music should attend the Middle of the Map Fest in Kansas City’s Westport entertainment district. The fifth annual Map Fest was held last spring, with more than 120 local, national, international and emerging artists, including Iron & Wine, Ok Go and Lord Huron.

The event celebrates the convergence of creativity and innovation.

The Kansas City FilmFest, held in venues across the city including Cinemark Palace on Nichols Road, Unity Temple on the Plaza and Screenland in the Crossroads, has grown steadily, spanning seven days over a two weekend period. Since its humble beginnings in 1997, the FilmFest has received thousands of entries from all over the world. More than $200,000 in cash and prizes have been awarded in the juried competition. n

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TIDBITS

Fashion

By JUDY GOPPERT

Kansas City has long been a mecca for high fashion and creative endeavors showcased by inherently original designers at many events and venues throughout the year.

In a collaborative effort, designers, models, stylists and artists come together to make Kansas City Fashion Week an event on par with big city runways. Designers from around the world show off their creations to the thousands who flock to the 18th Street Fashion Show, an outdoor urban runway in the city’s Crossroads Art+Design District.

The Garment District in downtown Kansas City was once a major hub known for well-made products using quality fabrics, second in size only to New York. Today, the tradition continues as designers and boutiques populate the city, bringing a new age of fashion into the heart of the Midwest.

Jennifer Janesko, Kansas City-born creator of Janesko Jewelry, enjoyed a 20-year career in

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fine art before launching her jewelry collection in 2012. Her background allows her to apply the fundamentals of art to each design, focusing on balance, composition, color and texture. Her innovative jewelry is available locally at Hall’s, fine boutiques in Kansas City, and nationally at select Bloomingdale’s department stores.

Peregrine Honig is another bright shining star in the art world of Kansas City. This San Francisco-born talent moved to Kansas City at age 17 to attend the Kansas City Art Institute.

Honig now owns an intimate apparel apothecary and swimwear boutique, Birdies, located in the Crossroads Arts District. This beautiful 500-sq.ft., boutique features garments which are hand selected and carefully displayed. A relaxing environment, this eclectic locale is the sweetest place to reward yourself or someone you love to an elegant piece of clothing.

By way of Colorado and Huntington Beach, California, Matt Baldwin, founder and designer of Baldwin Denim, moved to Kansas City in 2003.

He began as denim shop owner, buyer and seller, and in 2009, realized that an American-made denim brand applying modern design aesthetics to ultra-premium Japanese and American selvage denim was rare. Baldwin Denim’s flagship store is on the Country Club Plaza.

Niall designer timepieces are truly timeless pieces in every sense of the word. Founder Mike Wilson drew his inspiration from his ancestor, who believed in standing for honor and good. With a focus on American manufacturing, these veritable works of art are featured at Tivol, a local fine jeweler.

The storied Paolini Garment Company continues to showcase its tailor custom-made clothing. With roots stemming from the 1930s, Tom Paolini is focused on building a clothing brand that emulates quality and customer service. The official clothier of Sporting KC, Kansas City’s Major League Soccer team, the company brings enjoyment to the experience of fine-tailored clothing. n

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TIDBITS

Music

By SUSAN FOTOVICH MCCABE

Musically Inclined: Local Artists Topping the Charts Don’t be surprised if several hometown Kansas City musicians are on your playlist. From Janelle Monáe to Hermon Mehari, there’s plenty of talent hailing from Kansas and Missouri.

Janelle Monáe was born in Kansas City, Kansas where she spent her early years before launching a career as a singer, songwriter and composer.

Monáe’s music has garnered her six Grammy Award nominations.

Kansas City jazz trumpeter Hermon Mehari and his band, Diverse, are capturing national and international attention, as well. Born in Texas to Eritrean immigrants and raised in Jefferson City, Missouri, Mehari accepted a scholarship offered

by Bobby Watson at the University of MissouriKansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance.

Recently, Mehari was one of 13 semifinalists

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in the 2014 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Trumpet Competition, which is restricted to persons younger than 30, with a focus on a different instrument each year. And it all began in Kansas City.

“Kansas City has been a great place to develop my musical craft and share it with a loving community,” Mehari says. “It allows me to support myself doing solely what I love – creating and performing music. I am always happy to represent Kansas City when I travel and play around the world.”

Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear took the spotlight on the CBS Morning Show, as well as the Late Show with David Letterman. The motherand-son duo, Ruth and Madisen Ward are the hottest thing out of Independence, Missouri, a place Madisen calls, “A beautiful city full of pride, support and an artistic integrity that keeps you on your toes.” The two just finished their first

European tour, and their first CD, “Skeleton Crew.”

Of course, good music spans many genres, such as the Prohibition-era jazz sounds of Kansas City-based Victor and Penny. Jeff Freling is on the guitar, while Erin McGrane plays the ukulele.

“We both got our start as performers in Kansas City, and Kansas City’s rich musical heritage informs the music we make today,” says McGrane. “As a nationally touring act, we spend a good part of our lives on the road. We base our business in Kansas City because of the abundant support and resources available to us from arts organizations, the city administration and from our engaged community.

KC is experiencing an artistic surge and it’s an exciting time to be involved and creating here.”

Three brothers from St. Joseph, Missouri make up the band, Radkey. The group’s debut full-length album, “Dark Black Makeup” debuted in August, 2015, and the band recently played at SXSW, touring nationally and in the UK. n

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TIDBITS

Art

By JUDY GOPPERT

Acclaimed, award-winning filmmaker Sharon Liese produces documentary-style television programming and films that air on major television networks. Liese created the unprecedented WEtv documentary series, High School Confidential, that followed a group of local suburban Kansas Blue Valley Northwest High School students throughout their entire four-year high school experience. The premiere of this documentary featuring BVNW students broke nearly every ratings record for WEtv. Donald Ross, known as Scribe, is a 37-year-old graphic artist hero to adults and children alike in Kansas City. Currently art director at Children’s Mercy Hospital, he does graphic design and paints murals throughout all four of the hospital’s locations and around the KC community. He

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recently airbrushed the hospital-owned Lifeflight helicopter. His animated, public murals are readily recognizable in Midtown Kansas City and through the U.S., Canada and Mexico. He published a children’s book called There’s an Octopus Under my Bed, which is sold in Barnes & Nobles and other stores across the country.

Shane W. Evans is the prolific illustrator of more than 30 picture books for children, including The Way a Door Closes by Hope Anita Smith, a Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award winner, and the author and illustrator of Olu’s Dream. He also collaborated with Taye Diggs to illustrate Chocolate Me, a children’s book based on experiences of feeling different and trying to fit in. Diggs is an established New Jersey actor who has starred in such pronounced productions as

the Broadway Musical Rent, and the film, How Stella Got Her Groove Back. Additionally, Evans has exhibited art in West Africa, Paris, Chicago, New York, and other major U.S. cities. He lives in Kansas City, Missouri, where he runs Dream Studio, a community art space.

Asheer Akram is an emerging artist based out of Kansas City. He completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts in sculpture at the Kansas City Art Institute in 2007, and has moved beyond commentary of his own cultural background in attempts to address issues of global culture in a wider context. After visiting his father’s homeland city of Lahore, Pakistan, he created the Pakistani Cargo Truck Initiative, to enhance awareness of his cultural heritage. The initiative has been showcased at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art and other locales. n

TIDBITS

Kids

By SUSAN FOTOVICH MCCABE

Be a Kid Again Thanks to a diverse array of Kansas City activities for kids and families, it’s easier than ever for parents and children to take a break from screen time and enjoy the world around you, both indoors and out.

Fun and sun come in many packages throughout Kansas City. In Overland Park, Kansas, The Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead offers kids a look at a Kansas family farm in the early 1900s.

The 16-acre site features a petting zoo and pioneer town, which includes a candy store, a bank, ice cream shop, a one-room school house, a Native American Indian encampment, a fishing pond, wagon rides and more. For animals of the more exotic variety, the 200-acre Kansas City Zoo draws kids to favorites like the polar bear attraction, Helzberg Penguin Plaza and the zoo’s Kid Zone, which gives families an up-close and personal experience with animals of all species.

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Prefer the thrill of coasters and waterslides?

Kids will enjoy Kansas City’s iconic Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun, connected to create one exciting experience. The area’s newest water park, Schlitterbahn in Kansas City, Kansas, features the tallest waterslide in the world – Verrückt. Indoor water parks include Great Wolf Lodge in Kansas City, Kansas, and CoCo Key Water Resort in Kansas City, Missouri.

Fall in Kansas City is not only gorgeous to look at, it’s a great time to experience apple and pumpkin farms around the area. Alldrdedge Orchards in Platte City, Missouri, gives visitors a chance to pick their own apples, while Louisburg Cider Mill in Louisburg, Kansas, lets visitors watch as the apples are crushed into a sweet cider.

Carolyn’s Country Cousins in Liberty, Missouri, remains a family favorite, with a pumpkin patch, hayrides, a petting zoo and more.

Winter is just as fun, with open air ice skating rinks at Kansas City’s Crown Center Ice Terrace

and Park Place in Leawood, Kansas. Even more thrilling is a trip to Weston, Missouri, for skiing at Snow Creek or sledding down Suicide Hill in Kansas City’s Brookside Park.

There are plenty of indoor choices for those blazing hot summer days or blustery winter nights.

Pinstripes Bowling | Bocce | Bistro in Overland Park, Kansas, combines 16 bowling lanes and 10 indoor and outdoor bocce courts with Italian and American cuisine for family fun. During Pinstripes’ Moms and Tots events, youngsters can bowl for $5. The Legoland Discovery Center, Sea Life Aquarium and Kaleidoscope, all at Crown Center are popular. Other favorite indoor attractions include professional children’s theater productions at the Coterie Theater in Crown Center and amateur productions featuring casts of local children age 8-18 in CYT Kansas City’s nine Broadway-style musicals each year..

Children’s museums are crowd pleasers, like The Museum at Prairiefire, a new Overland Park, Kansas, natural history museum that has partnered with the American Museum of Natural History in New York. It features an engaging, hands-on Discovery Room for children and caregivers, as well as two special exhibitions each year.

It’s “back to basics” fun at Paradise Park in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, which features a children’s edutainment center, foam factory, rock climbing wall, bumper cars, a debit-card-operated game room, miniature golf, go karts, an outdoor laser tag maze, batting cages and plenty of food. n

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KANSAS CITY TAKES ITS PLACE AS A TECHNOLOGY HUB

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MODERN FAMILY

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NEW RESIDENTS FIND KANSAS CITY A HIDDEN GEM

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PET DIABETES TAKING SHAPE WITH KANSAS CITY FIRM

58 PASSIONATE ABOUT DOWNTOWN, HOK PLANNER RETURNS TO HER ROOTS 60

blooom SEEDS ITS INNOVATIVE WEB APP IN KANSAS CITY

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10th Edition 2015

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KANSAS CITY

Takes Its Place

AS A

Technology Hub When partners work together for the greater good, amazing things can happen.

Such is the case in Kansas City, where companies are collaborating to turn the spotlight on this Midwest tech hub.

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By SUSAN FOTOVICH MCCABE

One of the biggest technology stories to come out of Kansas City recently is the Cisco Smart City Program. An agreement between the City of Kansas City, Missouri, and Cisco Systems, Smart City partners with area technology companies Sprint Corporation, Black & Veatch and tech incubator ThinkBig Partners to deploy Wi-Fi across 110 city blocks. The program produces an ecosystem for applications like smart lighting, interactive kiosks, a development data portal, and smart water innovation development.

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“Cisco is excited to work with Kansas City, as the next Smart+Connected City. We at Cisco consider Kansas City to be in the ‘Goldilocks Zone.’ The city is just the right size so that an implementation plan can be scaled up or down for deploying a smart city applications framework in collaboration with our many technology partners,” said Cliff Thomas, managing director, S+CC, Cisco.

Cisco, a multinational technology company, designs, manufactures and sells networking equipment. Sprint Corporation, headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, will deploy Cisco hardware to construct and manage an intelligent Wi-Fi network that will serve as the backbone of the connectivity platform. Sprint is the first service provider to play an important connectivity role in the development of a U.S.-based Cisco Smart+Connected Communities™ (S+CC) ecosystem.

Sprint has played a role in this ground-breaking initiative, as well. According to Sprint officials, delivering Wi-Fi connectivity is a great fit for the telecommunications company, and enables its customers to more easily use both cellular and Wi-Fi for a better mobile experience.

Overland Park, Kansas-based Black & Veatch, a global engineering and construction company, will oversee the smart water innovation development.

According to Black & Veatch’s 2015 Strategic Directions: Smart Utility report, the data created

by smart city programs is being used to improve operations in multiple areas.

“The close collaboration between the city and private companies is vital in completing the step-bystep phases leading to a Smart City framework in Kansas City,” said Fred Ellermeier, chief operating officer of Black & Veatch’s Smart Integrated Infrastructure Group. “This initiative has many parts, and there is a need for other players with technical expertise to apply their talents to fully reach the community’s goals. Kansas City will serve as a model for others; the Smart City solutions being created here are transferable to other cities around the globe.”

ThinkBig Partners will manage a “Living Lab” development data portal. Additionally, the Smart City deployment along the downtown Kansas City streetcar path and surrounding areas will also include an Enterprise Mobility Services Platform to enhance the resident and visitor experience over a mobile app, smart lighting and video as sensors in collaboration with Sensity, and new technology for next-generation police cruisers. Beyond implementations, entrepreneurs may find value from the technology to further advance job opportunities. One example is that entrepreneurs and startups will be able to utilize the development data portal to create and test new apps.

It’s no surprise that Kansas City has become a hub for technology. The Mid-America Regional Continued

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Council, a nonprofit association of city and county governments and the metropolitan planning organization for the two state KC region, reports that Kansas City has more than 3,500 technology employers and at least 38,000 technology employees.

According to the nonprofit Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, among the largest metropolitan areas Kansas City has the third highest increase overall in high-tech startup density between 1990 and 2010 in the U.S. Other significant technology growth in Kansas City includes Google Fiber’s investment in the area. Since selecting Kansas City as the first city for the rollout of its 1 Gigabit Fiber service in 2012 (an estimated half billion dollar investment), Google has continued to invest in the region. The company is now rolling out its Fiber for Small 44 liveworkKC.com

Business product. Successful tech entrepreneurs are capitalizing on Google Fiber’s energy to generate attention and raise capital, including search engine LeapIt, biometric ID firm EyeVerify, IT support company Stackify, and app developer Rarewire.

Google’s presence also opened the door to KC Startup Village, home to more than 25 startup companies. The KC Startup Village has attracted local and national companies that want to capitalize on Google Fiber technology. Brad Feld, an early-stage investor from Boulder, Colorado purchased a “FiberHouse” there and is offering free rent to budding entrepreneurs.

Not surprisingly, Garmin’s success has been integral in bringing top technology talent to Kansas City. The KC-based technology firm is doing exciting things, including making bike radar systems that alert cyclists to vehicles approaching

K A N S A S C I T Y TA K E S I T S P L A C E A S A T E C H N O L O G Y H U B

from behind and a GPS smart watch preloaded with sports and activity-tracking apps.

“Talented tech specialists are flocking to Garmin because they want to make things. Here, you can take an idea and turn it into a product that brings health, safety, or enjoyment to millions of people,” said Ted Gartner, Garmin’s director of corporate communications.

Likewise, Black & Veatch has found its work with the Smart Cities initiative through Cisco’s Smart+Connected Communities program to be a key-recruiting draw.

“The smart cities work in Kansas City is very attractive for technical professionals because they want to be part of the smart infrastructure effort to begin interconnecting water, energy and public transportation,” said Kyri Gorges, college relations manager for Black & Veatch. “Young technical people are especially drawn here because they can grow their careers by working with cutting-edge technology that benefits the community.”

At the Kansas City health information technology giant Cerner Corporation, exciting work is taking place with the “Internet of Things” movement.

The term refers to the emergence of more devices and applications that have some level of Internet connectivity.

Cerner also announced a relationship with Livongo, offering integration to improve outcomes for diabetics. These new relationships will increase the ability for Cerner clients to track their patients remotely, whether to manage chronic conditions through a prescribed device or kit, or through an ecosystem of apps enabling patients to manage their day-to-day health.

Cerner keeps its focus on its employees, too.

Serious about the health and well-being of its employees, Cerner’s personal health record system sends workers personalized lifestyle recommendations, alerts and health education materials. Preventive care activities earn employees points toward health premium reductions, and its MyBrainSolutions program helps workers improve concentration, focus and memory, while better managing stress and optimizing overall brain function.

“It is an exciting time to be working at the intersection of health and technology,” said Brian Carter, Cerner’s senior director and general manager, personal health. “Cerner is committed to working with our clients and employees to create a future where the health care system works to improve the well-being of individuals and communities.”

Continued

Tenth Annual 2015 | 2016

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Similarly, the Applied Analytics Group at Kansas City, Missouri-based DST Systems recently unveiled new technology designed for the health care industry, turning big data into action for health insurance carriers. Its Business Performance Optimization analytics tool improves performance across all health care business functions and addresses a broad range of challenges faced by health insurance companies.

“Optimization is the new frontier for health care,” said Teri Mullaney, president and CEO of DST Health Solutions. “Our new optimization technology will allow health insurance companies to benefit from massive volumes of data in an innovative way, by identifying the best-possible business decisions and their consequences before they implement them.”

DST credits its employee culture for challenging the status quo to “find real-world solutions to realworld problems.” DST’s respect for its employees can be felt in its commitment to diversity, too.

Seeking to maintain a workforce that includes

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employees from a variety of ethnic, racial, cultural, economic and personal backgrounds, DST says the diversity of its community and its workforce “is a great resource for our business.” In fact, DST believes differences in backgrounds, perspectives and life experiences help the company meet today’s challenges while planning for tomorrow. Its diversity policies apply to all employment decisions, from hiring to promotions and all other terms, conditions or privileges of employment.

Global technology leader Lexmark International, Inc., continues to expand since acquiring the former Lenexa, Kansas-based Perceptive Software, which operates as Lexmark’s enterprise software division.

Recent acquisitions include software company Kofax, which will nearly double the size of Lexmark’s enterprise software business to an approximately $700 million business competing in the expanding $10 billion content and process management software market.

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“Information is the lifeblood of any business enterprise, whether in health care, banking and insurance, higher education, retail or manufacturing. Lexmark’s primary focus is to provide our customers the solutions that they need to bridge the gap between their enterprise applications and processes and information they don’t manage, giving them the visibility and control they need, at the moment they need it, to improve financial performance, reduce risk and ensure future flexibility,” said Brian Anderson, Lexmark chief technology officer.

Lexmark is equally committed to the communities in which it works. In Kansas City, for example, a team of employees volunteered at The Children’s Place, an organization aimed at helping young survivors of child abuse, neglect and trauma to function and thrive in their communities, with building, grounds and playground maintenance. Team members 48

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also participated in a planting activity in its greenhouse.

Likewise, employees volunteered their time with other youth organizations, sorting donations for the Children’s TLC Holiday Store and wrapping gifts for the Crittenton Children’s Center.

Employees packaged more than 10,000 diapers for the Happy Bottoms organization.

As a leading technology hub, Cisco calls Kansas City an exciting place to drive innovation that enables cities to connect people, process, data and things, and bring the Internet of Everything to life.

“Kansas City is empowering its citizens, helping them become more efficient and more productive, and the city is poised to create significant new economic value. We’re pleased to be part of the team that will deploy a Smart+Connected City framework,” said Wim Elfrink, executive vice president, industry solutions group, and chief globalisation officer for Cisco. n

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Modern

Family

By BETH BAHNER

Vanessa Urias and her partner Tashia Kline, both Kansas City natives, say what they like best about living here is the diversity of culture and the mix of urban and suburban neighborhoods.

They also love the fact that there is an abundance of great art, music and food.

“There is really something for everyone in Kansas City,” said Vanessa. “We love that Kansas City is very family friendly, which is important to us. Our family is very diverse and we feel welcome here.”

The two met in 2005 and were close friends for several years before falling in love. They and their two-year-old son, Sawyer, live in South Kansas City.

As new parents, Vanessa and Tashia are always in search of fun places to take their son. Among their favorites, is the Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead in Overland Park, Kansas. A 1900s turnof-the-century farm, the petting zoo has more than 50

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200 animals and birds, a nature trail, vegetable and flower gardens, a fishing pond and pony rides.

“Since we live in the city, we appreciate that there is a place nearby where Sawyer can interact with different types of animals, go on wagon rides, fish in the pond, and learn about nature,” said Vanessa.

Like most children, Sawyer loves playing outside.

But when the weather does not cooperate, Vanessa and Tashia take Sawyer to Little Monkey Bizness, an indoor children’s amusement park in Shawnee, Kansas, where he can burn off a lot of energy. The Sea Life Aquarium at Crown Center is another Continued

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favorite hangout for the family where they can see up close and personal some 5,000 sea creatures.

What is Sawyer’s favorite restaurant? Fritz’s Railroad Restaurant at Crown Center, where you order your food by telephone and it’s brought to your table by an overhead train.

When they want some adult fun, Vanessa and Tashia enjoy the arcade games at Up-Down in Kansas City’s Crossroads Arts District. The arcade bar features more than 50 games from the ‘80s and ‘90s. “Sometimes it is really nice to go somewhere where you can be with other adults, relax, play arcade games and have fun,” said Tashia.

If they are in the mood for a dinner date, they claim that Ra Sushi located in Town Center in Leawood, Kansas, and Q39, a barbeque and wood-fire grill restaurant located in the 39th Street neighborhood, top their list of favorite dining experiences.

The couple also tries to catch the Plantain District Cuban food truck that travels around Kansas City serving authentic gourmet Cuban food. “There are many great food trucks in Kansas City,” said Tashia. “But, we really like Plantain District and the fact that they use food grown by local farmers and fresh ingredients.”

Vanessa and Tashia like that Kansas City is close to other cities for a quick weekend get-away.

They’ve made trips to Omaha, Nebraska, and are planning a trip to Branson, a town near the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri’s Ozark Mountains.

Both Vanessa and Tashia earned their undergraduate degrees in business administration

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from Baker University. Prior to that, Vanessa attended the University of Missouri–Kansas City Conservatory of Music for two years and sang with the Kansas City Women’s Chorus until she had Sawyer. Today she focuses on work and family. She joined Hallmark about a year ago as an IT business analyst where she works on OmniChannel initiatives for the Hallmark.com website and e-commerce platform.

Tashia graduated from St. Teresa’s Academy, a Catholic high school for women in Kansas City.

Prior to joining the Veteran’s Administration this year where she credentials new medical professionals joining the VA, Tashia completed Kansas Law Enforcement Training in 2005 and was a deputy with the Johnson County Sheriff’s office. An Army veteran, Tashia was 33 when she started basic training and served in Iraq in 2007 and 2008 as a radiology technician.

Tashia’s favorite job was being a stay-at-home mom with Sawyer for nearly two years before returning to work. “I absolutely loved being home with him. He’s definitely my baby,” she said.

Vanessa and Tashia are pleased to see Kansas City companies embracing diversity and inclusion.

They noted that there are several organizations that serve the LGBT community, including the MidAmerican Alternative Family Alliance (MAAFA) that brings families together for social occasions.

MAAFA recently hosted a free legal seminar that featured estate planning attorneys, retirement consultants, human resource consultants, and adoption attorneys. “There are legal and workplace issues that are unique to lesbians and gays, so this was a great investment in our community,” said Vanessa.

Tashia noted that the VA launched a LGBTQ committee and participates in Gay Pride Month in June.

Vanessa applauds Hallmark for its commitment to diversity and inclusion. “When you walk into Hallmark, you see diversity all around,” she said.

“Employees are encouraged to come as they are.

You will see alternative styles, jeans, suits and everything in between.”

She noted that Hallmark has taken great strides during the past two years to understand why it is important for it to develop products that reflect her and her family.

“I feel fortunate to work for a company that is proud of who I am and that is committed to serving people of all diverse backgrounds,” said Vanessa. “It is wonderful living in a city where Tashia and I can raise our son in a safe and welcoming environment. Kansas City truly embraces everyone.” n

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NEW RESIDENTS FIND

Kansas City

A Hidden Gem

By BETH BAHNER

With Buzzfeed naming Kansas City the No. 1 place for young professionals, it’s no surprise that millennials Kevin and Rosalee Greene recently moved to Kansas City from Walnut Creek, California, just outside Oakland. Both have traveled all over the world and claim they know a good city when they see one. And, for them, Kansas City is “a hidden gem!”

The newlyweds met in 2011 while working for Sungevity, a global provider of residential solar services, at the company’s Oakland office. They had an opportunity to transfer to Sungevity’s Kansas City office within weeks of their May 2015 wedding.

“May was a whirlwind for us,” said Kevin. “We married May 2, went on a two-week honeymoon, returned to Walnut Creek, drove to Kansas City May 26 and moved into our Overland Park home on May 29. We started working at Sungevity’s Kansas City office June 1.” Rosalee works in sales operations and Kevin is a sales consultant and trainer.

The move to a new city and office did not dampen the couple’s high energy and enthusiasm, and their

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excitement about living in Kansas City is contagious.

“Living in Kansas City is a big adventure for us,” said Rosalee. “We have fun every day.”

The 29-year-olds cite many reasons for why they enjoy living and working in Kansas City. Among them is the affordability. They wanted to live in the Bay Area, but could not afford a home. They moved from a 900-sq.-ft., two-bedroom apartment in Walnut Creek to a 2,900-sq.-ft., four-bedroom home in Overland Park. “Our home here would have cost at least threeto-four times more in California,” noted Kevin.

They also like the fact that Kansas City is centralized.

Having friends all over the country, they can easily and affordably travel to visit friends and family on both

coasts, something they could not easily do living in California.

A native of Boston, Kevin is a huge sports fan and is excited to be living in another big sports city.

Another plus to living in Kansas City is how easy it is to get around despite that it is a large city with a densely populated downtown. “We were pleasantly surprised to discover how quickly we can drive from one area in the city to another,” said Kevin. “We can drive from our home in Overland Park to work in downtown Kansas City in about 12 minutes. That’s unheard of in California.”

The couple considers themselves to be big “foodies” and were pleasantly surprised to discover that Kansas City restaurants are as good as they are in San Francisco. Their favorite restaurants so

far are Le Fou Frog, a French bistro, and Rye, a restaurant that specializes in Midwestern cooking and traditions. Kevin and Rosalee are also big barbeque fans – they served barbeque at their wedding – and are excited to try out Kansas City’s world-renowned barbeque restaurants.

Their advice for anyone considering a move to Kansas City? “Just come visit!” said Rosalee. “It is obvious once you get here how wonderful Kansas City is. We’ve traveled all over the world and Kansas City is different than any other city we’ve visited.”

Kevin and Rosalee’s enthusiasm mirrors that of Sungevity. Upon walking into the company’s Kansas City office, you immediately feel the energy among employees and their passion for what they do.

With orange walls and large green leaf umbrellas hanging over several of the cubicles, the office space is bright, open and welcoming. HR Site Specialist Derrick Miller explained the idea for the leaf umbrellas originated from the Oakland office where they are used to prevent cold air from the air conditioner blowing on employees. The umbrellas were a huge hit, so they were incorporated in the Kansas City office simply because employees like how they complement the company’s personality.

When a customer “goes solar” – or signs up for Sungevity services – employees rattle orange maracas as a way of celebrating the new sale. The sound of maracas throughout the day adds to the fun, creative buzz surrounding the office. New customers receive a gift box containing sunglasses and a T-shirt, both in the company’s signature orange, of course.

Sungevity’s CEO Andrew Birch, who is affectionately called “Birchy,” is often heard wishing people a “cold beer and warm shower.”

The phrase caught on among employees and is boldly written in large white letters on an orange wall, complete with a drawing of a frosty beer mug and a shower head. And, yes, the company has cold beer and showers on hand for employees who want to clean up after riding their bikes or walking to work. The company promotes healthy lifestyles and stocks its kitchen with snacks and beverages for employees to enjoy.

Sungevity selected Kansas City for its new sales and service center because of the centralized location, making it easier for the company to serve its growing base of customers across several time zones. Sungevity also liked the fact that the Kansas City area has a large pool of college graduates and professional talent.

Sungevity expects to have more than 200 employees in its Kansas City office by the end of 2015. The employees are a diverse group comprised primarily of young professionals from Kansas City and those, like Kevin and Rosalee, who are from other states. Many have sales backgrounds and must keep up with the ever-changing regulations and tax credits that impact the solar industry.

Sungevity uses proprietary remote solar design technology to deliver a quote instantly to the customer without a home visit. Design engineers create the solar panels online so customers can readily see what the solar panels will look like on their roofs.

The company currently serves customers in 12 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, The Netherlands and Germany, and has a joint venture with Australia. Sungevity has an exclusive residential solar partnership with Lowe’s in the United States, and was recognized by B Corp as one of the “Best in the World” companies for using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. n Tenth Annual 2015 | 2016

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Pet Diabetes Treatment

Taking Shape WITH KANSAS CITY FIRM

When Karthik Ramachandran and Lisa Stehno-Bittel

moved

from

the

lab

at

The University of Kansas to the role of entrepreneurs with the launch of the biotech startup, Likarda, LLC, they never considered moving to the coast.

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The Midwest – particularly Kansas City – provided Ramachandran, who serves as the company’s vice president, with what he needed to keep his living expenses low, especially since Likarda’s early funding relied completely on investments from family. Today, Kansas City is where Likarda is making great strides toward developing a pet diabetes treatment – a treatment that may one day apply to humans with diabetes.

“Dogs are a really good model for diabetes research and treatments,” Ramachandran said.

“There’s quite a bit of literature on it and plenty of dogs have been cured of diabetes. Kansas City is the Animal Health Corridor, so we knew this was great place for a biotech startup.”

Specifically, Likarda is bringing new technology to the market that improves healthcare outcomes and lower costs for pets and people alike. The company is utilizing its proprietary cell culture system to create three-dimensional islet cell clusters or Kanslets – small, organotypically engineered islets, which can be efficiently produced on a large scale. Likarda’s innovations have applications in markets from drug discovery and development to cell-based transplantation and regenerative medicine. For example, pharmaceutical companies can test new drug compounds on Likarda’s human

By SUSAN FOTOVICH MCCABE

3D cell clusters, providing a better prediction of how the drugs will work in the body.

One in 160 dogs or cats in the U.S. is diabetic.

Currently, there are around 195,000 dogs and 216,000 cats in the U.S., with diabetes. Likarda estimates these numbers to be much larger and is continuing to increase as more diagnostics become available and the disease can be identified.

According to Ramachandran, the standard of care for most diabetic pets is two injections a day with insulin, just like humans. This process is inconvenient, time-consuming and stressful because it is difficult to match the insulin level to the animal’s blood glucose levels.

Likarda’s discoveries will allow veterinarians to offer a minimally invasive, cost-effective answer to pet owners battling the burden of diabetes in dogs and cats.

“We are close to starting clinical trials in dogs and in cats as well,” Ramachandran said. “We’ve only been around for three years and, thanks to our services division, LikardaBio, we reached profitability after the first year. Kansas City certainly contributed to that, with its professional resources and support from mentors and other bioscience/tech startups.” n

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Passionate about Downtown,

HOK Planner

RETURNS TO HER ROOTS

By SUSAN FOTOVICH MCCABE

With deep Kansas City roots, Lynn Carlton’s time on the East Coast was beneficial. But she was happy to return to the Midwest, where she is regional director of planning for HOK, a global design, architecture, engineering and planning firm.

Carlton is part of Kansas City’s longtime Katz family, which owned and operated the Katz Drugstore chain across five states for 57 years beginning in 1914. For the Katz family, it all began in downtown Kansas City. For Carlton, whose experience is in urban planning, history is an important part of her work.

“The buildings in downtown Kansas City, for example, have a unique history. As an urban planner, you need to respect history,” said Carlton, who was appointed as the first female district council chair of the Urban Land Institute, Kansas City in 2014– a century after the launch of the family business. The organization is the local branch of the ULI, a global nonprofit research and education institute dedicated to responsible land use.

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Carlton’s experience covers planning, design and urban landscape projects related to downtown corridors, urban districts, waterfront locations, urban campuses, and regional sustainability planning. She works with stakeholders to develop common ground, resolve barriers to implementation, and inspire concerted action toward a shared vision. HOK has played a vital role in revitalizing downtown Kansas City and it was important to her to find a firm that respected the history of downtown and was integral to its renaissance.

Carlton, who is married and has two sons, graduated cum laude from Colgate University, earning her master’s in Urban Planning from the University of Pennsylvania. When not exploring the city with her family – making stops at Union Station, the Folly Theater, museums and favorite restaurants, like SPIN! Neapolitan Pizza –Carlton is active in a number of professional community improvement organizations, including ULI’s Board of Trustees, and co-chair/founder of its NEXT Leadership Initiative, as well as the incoming chair of the Downtown Council’s Greenspace Committee and participation on its executive committee.

Passionate about promoting the vitality of Kansas City’s urban core, she is on the board of directors for the Mattie Rhodes Center.. She sits on various committees for the Greater Downtown Area Plan, ArtsKC, the Kansas City Art Institute, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, and her favorite – Lead-to-Read at Wendell Phillips Elementary School in Kansas City.

“Part of my goal in leaving Boston and returning to Kansas City was to be more involved in my community,” Carlton said. “My family was always passionate about understanding the city from the downtown out, and that’s how I live today.” n

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blooom SEEDS ITS

Innovative

Web App

IN KANSAS CITY

By SUSAN FOTOVICH MCCABE

Every new business strives to make its mark. For blooom, a registered investment advisement firm in Overland Park, Kansas, it began much earlier than the founding partners had anticipated – selecting a company name that characterized the feeling the firm wanted to convey to its clients.

60 liveworkKC.com

According to blooom CEO and Co-founder Chris Costello, CFP®, the company name had to reflect the firm’s competitive distinction in helping the average individual grow his or her retirement account. But spelling was a trademark challenge.

The solution – add a third “o” to bloom.

“We spent six months on the name,” Costello said. “It’s like naming your children – it’s has to feel right.” blooom’s name is one of many things Costello and his founding partners, Kevin Conard, COO and Randy AufDerHeide, CTO did right. Since the company began almost three years ago, the Wall Street Journal named blooom “One of the best online tools for retirement planning” in January 2015, and Fast Company magazine honored the company with a “The World’s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies of 2015” nod. blooom’s appeal is its proprietary web app that provides users with a less than five-minute assessment of the health of their retirement plan. It was designed exclusively for managing individual participant accounts at an employer-sponsored retirement plan, such as a 401k, 403b or TSP. More importantly, it was designed to aid the roughly 80 million Americans who don’t have large enough accounts to attract the help of a traditional face-

to-face advisor or don’t have the time and desire to manage the account properly on their own.

“It’s not like our parents’ and grandparents’ generation, where you got a pension check each month and the company managed it all,” Costello said. “Today, it’s much more complex, and after 2009, not a lot of people trust Wall Street. As a result, there’s a good chance most people are managing their 401k incorrectly.” blooom does not require clients to move their account or open a new one. There are no requirements on where you are employed, where the 401k is held or the size of the account. Anyone can analyze their 401k account for free with the blooom app. For those who want guidance, however, clients can outsource the ongoing management of their retirement account to blooom’s advisors.

Costello is a lifelong Kansan, graduating from The University of Kansas with a degree in Business.

Having worked for several large Wall Street brokerage firms, Costello eventually co-founded The Retirement Planning Group in 2004, an SEC registered investment advisory firm which he continues to operate today. According to Costello, Kansas City was the perfect place to seed his growing company. n

LIVE

64 COST OF LIVING COMPARISON 68 GOOGLE FIBER CONSIDERS KANSAS CITY A “SPECIAL FIRST” 72 GET TO KNOW YOUR MISSOURI 78 THRIVING KANSAS COMMUNITIES MAKE GREAT HOMES

FOR FAMILIES AND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS 84 QUALITY AND UNIQUE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES SPAN BOTH SIDES OF THE STATE LINE 88 GETTING FROM POINT A TO B IN KC

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Live

Assess Your Skills Budget Your Lifestyle Find Your Future

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Access | Lifestyle | Technology | Education

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It’s not about the things you make. It’s about the things you make possible.

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Cost of Living

Comparison

KANSAS CITY DINNER FOR 2

LOS ANGELES

NEW YORK

AUSTIN

$46

$60

$56

$75

$50

GASOLINE

$2.55

$3.25

$3.56

$3.20

$2.41

MOVIE

$10

$11

$13

$14.25

$10

$716.67

$1,604.72

$1,623.87

$2,970.83

$1,487.82

$198.57

$124.48

$113.99

$129.99

$153.11

$4

$3.84

$3.73

$4.72

$4.29

$32.20

$53.69

$40.89

$77.25

$40.11

1 MILE

$2

$1.81

$2.69

$2.50

$2

INTERNET

$48

$40.18

$40.40

$60.27

$37.75

MID-RANGE RESTAURANT

1 GALLON

1 SEAT

RENT

MONTHLY APARTMENT 1 BEDROOM

UTILITIES

915 SQ FT APARTMENT

MILK

1 GALLON

FITNESS CLUB MONTHLY FEE

TAXI

66

CHICAGO

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Tenth Annual 2015 | 2016

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Google Fiber

CONSIDERS KANSAS CITY A

“Special First”

By SUSAN FOTOVICH MCCABE

When Google Fiber selected Kansas City as the starting point for the launch of its ultra high-speed Internet network in 2012, it transformed communication and commerce in the area. Nearly three years later, Kansas City remains a legitimate Midwest tech hub, nationally recognized for the launch of numerous successful area tech startups and the relocation of many existing U.S. companies that want to access Google Fiber’s record-breaking Internet speed.

Google Fiber selected Kansas City over 1,100 other cities, saying it couldn’t imagine a better place to start than the KC region. With or without Google Fiber, the company believes Kansas City is a hub for technology, innovation and entrepreneurship, with a diverse population that represents the rest of the country. Most recently, Google Fiber introduced its Early Access Program for small business in select areas of central Kansas City. It was designed to help small business in a wide variety of ways, including connecting to the cloud, getting closer to customers and bringing more transactions online.

“Google Fiber has had such an amazing impact on Kansas City since we first announced,” said Google Fiber Community Impact Manager, Rachel Merlo. “We’ve been able to expand fiber to new municipalities, introduce a small business offering 68

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and seed community wide efforts regarding the importance of digital inclusion. Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri will always hold a special designation as the first for Google Fiber.”

One of the reasons Google Fiber’s pilot launch in Kansas City was successful, Merlo said, was because Google and Kansas City leaders worked in tandem to explore this ground-breaking opportunity. As a team, Google Fiber and area leaders worked to address the city’s infrastructure - roads, underground utility paths and even permitting capabilities, to assure it was ready to design and build a brand new network.

Following the Kansas City launch, Google Fiber expanded to Provo, Utah and Austin, Texas, and has plans to add service to Salt Lake City, Nashville, Atlanta, Charlotte and RaleighDurham, North Carolina. n

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/hiphire Tenth Annual 2015 | 2016

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Get to Know

Your Missouri

By JUDY GOPPERT

All roads lead to Kansas City! Depending on your taste, lifestyle, interests and desires, there are plenty of “cities� in this city. Wherever you travel, whether downtown, to the North, or South, there is no end to the dining, excitement, entertainment and living possibilities.

The Downtown core, which encompasses Crown Center through the Crossroads Arts District and River Market, the West Side and 18th and Vine area, is a growing, vibrant, urban, mecca.

Downtown has emerged as a thriving center of arts and creativity, and has undergone both an arts and technology renaissance in the last ten years, including a $7 billion investment to improve and reestablish downtown as the center of life and activity in KC. This has become the hotspot for Kansas Citians to live, work and start businesses.

The Crossroads Arts District is putting KC on the map as one of the finest destinations in the country for studios, galleries and tech startups.

Both creatives and techies are living and working within this community, creating a dynamic, flourishing ecosystem. A brand new 2-mile long streetcar system will begin operating in Spring 72

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2016, offering new conveniences for downtown residents, employees and visitors.

“The Downtown KC Streetcar is truly a game changer for Kansas City. It’s more than a mode of transit but a cultural shift for how we move, live and work in downtown Kansas City. With 16 streetcar stops along Main Street, residents, workers and visitors will be able to connect to a variety of Kansas City destinations,” says Donna Mandelbaum, KC Streetcar Constructors.

Westport, one of Kansas City’s most historic entertainment districts, boasts a rich history as the oldest established community in Kansas City. A fusion of local eateries, fashionable boutiques and vast nightlife options compounded with remnants of the neighborhood’s historic past make it a top destination to explore and play. Harpo’s is the sports fan’s mecca, ÇaVa Champagne Bar boasts Continued

Tenth Annual 2015 | 2016

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32 champagnes, Broadway Roasting Company brings exotic tastes to your coffee cup, and Char Bar, a smoked meats and amusements concept restaurant and bar featuring a variety of yard games on its large turf patio. Port Fonda is a cool, trendy Mexican concept that grew from its popularity as a food truck. Mike Kelly’s Westsider offers a solid schedule of the best local and national bands. The list goes on and there’s something for everyone day or night.

“We can share amazing food while playing croquet and bocce ball at Char Bar, and we love all the coffee shops, like Thou Mayest and Oddly Correct in Kansas City,” noted Ellen Longley, Westport resident, certified nursing assistant, Children’s Mercy Hospital and University of Missouri-Kansas City student.

Parkville provides a singularity many communities look to emulate with a proud tradition

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of entrepreneurship, whether it’s the boutique shops with unique collections, independentlyowned restaurants, coffee houses and fine dining or the tremendously successful and evergrowing eShipping Logistics and Transportation Management Company. Add those characteristics with the many local events, such as River Jam, MicroBrew Fest and Parkville Days and you’ve got a cherished community.

The City of Riverside pays for a community center membership for its residents and has a wellspring of jobs awaiting young urbanites. It also holds the popular annual Tour dePlatte, a bike route winding along the city’s trail system. Platte County has the Burlington Creek area which hosts retail, office and apartments. This thriving complex includes a wine bar, restaurants, Sprouts Grocery Store, and sand volleyball. This same group is codeveloper of The Retreat at Tiffany Woods, which is within walking distance of Zona Rosa, a major shopping area, and includes a salt water pool.

“Weston, with a population of about 1,650, is just far enough outside the city to be considered rural; however, with a distillery, three wineries, a brewery, a cigar shop, a 26-room restored hotel, six bed and breakfasts, a historic downtown full of

G E T TO K N OW YO U R M I S S O U R I

shops, a very well-funded school district, five parks with trails and various options for broadband communications, it is a great place not only to visit, but also a great place to have a business and raise a family,” says Jeff Elsea, Bank of Weston.

St. Joseph’s historic downtown is experiencing a renaissance with new boutiques, bars, restaurants and lofts catering to successful, ambitious individuals. Live music is heard at countless outdoor festivals, including First Saturdays, and

indoors at many venues. There is a plethora of entertainment and nightlife options, including Belt Bowl with video games, pool tables and an awesome volleyball pit. Café Acoustic is an original Absinthe bar with a creative musical atmosphere.

Plus, Missouri Western State University is the summer home of the Kansas City Chiefs during their training camp. With more than 48 parks to explore, this is no cookie cutter city.

Continued

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Conveniently located just 24 miles east of downtown Kansas City on Interstate-70, Grain Valley provides residents with easy access to shopping, dining and entertainment, yet, maintains the charm and friendliness of a smaller community. Over the last fifteen years, Grain Valley has been one of the metropolitan area’s fastest growing communities. Great schools, parks and neighborhoods, along with low crime, new infrastructure, and a wide variety of housing choices are just a few of the reasons behind the growth. The city is currently in the process of implementing more than $30 million in capital improvements in and around the downtown area. Recent improvements to the parks system have yielded athletic fields, an aquatic center, a community center, and the Grain Valley Pavilion; a one-of-a-kind facility in the Kansas City area.

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According to Emily Crawford, CEO of OA Creative, Independence is great for young professionals and millennials because the heart of the city, historic downtown Independence, offers economical living and walkability to shopping, dining and cultural diversity. The Main Street Coffee shop has regular live music and the Church of the 4 Corners embraces social media and is popular with young urbanites, all within minutes of a major metropolitan area. There is always the Independence Events Center, with an increasingly diverse array of concerts and events, including the Missouri Mavericks. Kauffman Stadium is home to the 2014 American League Champion Kansas City Royals, and sells out with “Forever Royal� fans during games. Fall brings the tailgate celebrations and record-breaking roar of the crowd cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, just across the parking lot. n

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Kansas

COMMUNITIES

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Thriving Kansas Communities

Make Great Homes

FOR FAMILIES AND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

By SUSAN FOTOVICH MCCABE

The many Kansas municipalities contributing to the strength of the Kansas City region are doing so with a zest and vigor for economic health. And that’s paying big dividends in lifestyle amenities for residents of the communities on the Kansas side of the two-state region.

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In Olathe, Kansas, it feels very much like California wine country at Stone Pillar Vineyard.

Johnson County’s original farm winery, is located 20 minutes southwest of Kansas City and is owned and operated by the Hoff family. They have farmed the land since before the Civil War. George and Brandi Hoff were inspired to begin a vineyard and winery of their own while on vacation in 2004. The luscious grain fields that surrounded the beautiful family-owned vineyards and wineries that they saw while on a winery tour at Niagara on the Lake reminded them of the family farm in

Kansas and the seed was planted. The first vines were sown in 2007 and the winery opened for sales in May of 2010. The family works closely with their own vines and local growers to ensure a high quality, handpicked Kansas wine.

“We are committed to preserving our family farm, embracing our community and enhancing our local culture for generations to come,” the family said.

Olathe has prospered over its 150-year history and is one of the most dominant business and cultural centers in the Midwest. Also one of the fastest-growing communities in Kansas, it has one of the best-educated workforces in the nation. Olathe has become an exciting location for businesses and families. In fact, it’s populated with young, well-educated, high income and highly motivated families.

Buddy Rogers, a popular actor from the 1920s once called Olathe home. Today, Olathe – the county seat of Johnson County – continues to draw residents to the community. They appreciate old traditions like the Old Settler’s Day annual festival and modern amenities like the new Olathe

Community Center, which offers residents access to aquatics, fitness, event space and more.

Olathe Medical Center is planning a multiyear expansion that will be the largest in the hospital’s history. The expansion will make Olathe Medical Center the seventh-largest acute care hospital in Kansas City by revenue, admitting more than 11,000 people in 2013.

It’s an exciting time in Wyandotte County, Kansas. While the area around Interstates 70 and 435 is renowned for turning thousands of undeveloped acres into a prime anchor for sports, restaurants, retail and hotels, it’s a destination experience that could take days to fully enjoy.

All from one location, the excitement heats up with high-energy entertainment at the Kansas Speedway, Sporting Kansas City Major League Soccer, the Kansas City T-Bones, an American Association of Independent Professional Baseball teams, and shopping at The Legends, Cabela’s and Nebraska Furniture Mart. There’s also water park fun at the indoor Great Wolf Lodge and at the newest outdoor water park, Schlitterbahn.

Continued

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Older sections of Wyandotte County, like Strawberry Hill and its focus on the Slavic culture continue to draw people to the area. The Strawberry Hill Museum and Cultural Center, which sits atop the bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers, gives visitors a glimpse of the past and present that make this nook a charming part of the county. Locals also enjoy Cup on the Hill in Kansas City, Kansas, a youth employment program that brews the coffee for the residents living between Kansas City, Missouri and The Legends, and Dot Pop Shop, a downtown Kansas City, Kansas, shop that features the work of Kansas City artists.

In nearby Shawnee, Kansas, a sense of community supports veteran restaurants and retailers, longtime festivals, like Old Shawnee Days, and a variety of churches. It’s not unusual to meet multiple generations of the same family in Shawnee. This charming community gives

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way to plenty of activities for families, like the Wonderscope Children’s Museum, a hands-on site for youngsters to explore with water, science and pretend play, Shawnee Town 1929, a replica of a 1920s farm community of Shawnee, Kansas, and the Johnson County Museum, which features a historical look at Johnson County through the ages via exhibitions and collections.

Shawnee Mission Beach Volleyball calls Shawnee home. It is the premier sand volleyball complex in the Midwest, offering league play six nights a week with options available for every player from novice to advanced. After a match, teams bond over great food and drinks at The Beach, the onsite restaurant.

Two neighboring Kansas communities – Leawood and Overland Park – have proven track records for bringing thriving restaurant and retail to their cities. Leawood’s compact size (approximately 15 square miles) is perfect for the sophisticated character of its built environment, with a well-maintained network of streets, boulevards, parks and public art. Visitors and more than 33,500 residents have access to all essential parts of the community in less than 10 minutes and find themselves within 30 minutes of any point in the Greater Kansas City region. Some of the best shopping in the Kansas City region is located in Leawood, from high-end, national retailers to boutique shops. Leawood is also home to more than 50 restaurants, outdoor concerts, and one of the area’s premier movieplexes with AMC Town Center Theatre. Many residents enjoy the city’s parks, including LeaWoof Park, a popular off-leash dog park.

Continued

OLATHE K

Contact the Olathe Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Department (913) 764-1050

www.olathe.org

A N S A S

With its great mix of professional opportunities, economic growth and entertainment options, find out why

Olathe is a great place to LIVE, WORK and PLAY.

18001 W. 106 St. Suite 160, Olathe, KS 66061

Tenth Annual 2015 | 2016

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“Leawood is a community where quality and attention to detail are some of the key ingredients to our success,” said Leawood Chamber President and CEO, Kevin Jeffries.

Leawood’s location along the Kansas-Missouri state border provides a scenic link to the Country Club Plaza, the Power & Light District and downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

Meanwhile, Overland Park’s progressive approach to growth and development means plenty of entertainment and lifestyle amenities for its residents.

Downtown Overland Park brings charm and tradition, while newer parts of the city offer modern features.

Peek inside Prairiebrooke Arts Gallery in downtown Overland Park, where not only the eye is served by an array of colorful works, but your sense of smell is heightened by the gallery’s daily, made onsite chocolate chip cookies.

“Prairiebrooke has a strong commitment to exhibiting artwork which elevates one’s senses and promotes beauty and enjoyment of life through color and imagery. We hope that the experience within our 82

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gallery exhibits faithfulness to our aspirations and commitments, and we will continue to do all that we can to make each visit an enjoyable experience,” said Prairiebrooke Co-founder, Brooke Morehead.

Another popular attraction in downtown Overland Park is The Culinary Center of Kansas City, which offers more than 600 cooking classes each year, along with interactive cooking parties, private events, off-site catering, a weekly open-to-the-public Tuesday lunch, Dinners on Demand freezers of chef-made dishes, and the Kitchen Shop full of interesting and useful kitchen gadgets and goodies.

“We love hangin’ with our foodie friends and we love teaching people how to cook. We are thrilled to see the look in their eyes when they realize they can actually make amazing dishes at home. The cornerstone of this business is a celebration of what happens around our tables. It’s where important decisions and memories are made,” said the center’s Director of Marketing and Retail, Marti Palmer.

In the newer parts of Overland Park, exciting new retail, restaurant and entertainment venues are a great

THRIVING KANSAS COMMUNITIES

place for young, single professionals or families to gather. At Prairiefire there are options like Cinetopia – a great spot to catch a flick and a meal from a comfy theater setting – to bowling, bocce and great food at Pinstripes.

Despite a slightly longer commute, both the cities of Lawrence and Topeka are thriving Kansas communities. In Lawrence, home to The University of Kansas, look no further than the university itself for diverse activities and entertainment options. From a Saturday football game in a sea of “Crimson and Blue,” to holiday vespers at the university’s performing arts showcase, the Lied Center, you don’t have to be a student or alumnae to enjoy all it has to offer.

Outside the university setting, the Warehouse Arts District in East Lawrence is a new effort fueling a love of the arts. Located in a renovated historic building, the Cider Gallery showcases beautiful pieces and operates as both an event space and co-working space for entrepreneurs.

The Kansas capitol of Topeka is thriving, thanks to community investments from local companies like Mars Chocolate North America, Hill’s Pet Nutrition and Payless ShoeSource. It’s also a great place for youngsters to learn more about state government, with opportunities to spend the day as a legislative page or tour the recently renovated Capitol building, where visitors can climb to the top and step outside for a bird’s-eye view.

For outdoor enthusiasts, Topeka has a lot to offer families and individuals. Gage Park, for example, features the Topeka Zoo, a carousel, a mini-train and the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center. It’s also a popular spot for runners and photographers.

Ward-Meade Park is an award-winning historical park. MacLennan Park is a popular destination by the Kansas River that draws walkers and mountain bikers interested in exploring its myriad trails. n

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QUALITY AND UNIQUE

Educational

Opportunities

SPAN BOTH SIDES OF THE STATE LINE

A quality, public education is accessible throughout the Kansas City region, as well as a number of other schools that stand out for innovative K-12 and post-secondary programs.

The Blue Valley School District’s Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) in Kansas and Northland CAPS, which serves several Missouri school districts, are both changing the way high school students learn. The programs allow pupils to explore professional areas of interest through an industry-based, experiential-learning method, driven by changing workforce needs.

“CAPS is very intentional about fast-forwarding students by giving them real-world, professional work as their curriculum. Students quickly adapt and develop critical professional skill sets – or “soft skills” – that propel them with confidence to discover their passions and reach for their dreams,” said Blue Valley CAPS Executive Director, Corey E. Mohn.

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Northland CAPS Regional Executive Director, Donna Deeds, said, “Students leap frog their peers into a professional career and local employers get a chance to expose students to their industry, hopefully retaining top talent in the Kansas City region.”

The Lean Lab, another K-12 effort, is a nonprofit education incubator for educators to develop new school models, services or products that improve learning for Kansas City, Missouri students.

The Pembroke School in Kansas City, Missouri, is an independent college preparatory school serving students age 2 through 12th grade, while Crossroads Academy in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, is a tuition-free charter school that offers an academically rigorous K-8 education with a focus on civic, artistic and cultural amenities.

Preparing Kansas City’s urban students for college and careers is the focus of PREP-KC. Working with five bi-state, urban school districts and two charter schools serving mostly low-income students, PREPKC supports a more rigorous math curriculum, provides the opportunity to earn college credit in high school and offers career-readiness experiences.

By SUSAN FOTOVICH MCCABE

The Olathe School District’s 21st Century High School Program was the first in the region to offer an innovative approach to learning. From aerospace engineering to sports medicine, the program provides experiential learning through its four-year customized cirriculum.

The Missouri Innovation Campus (MIC) has designed a bridge from high school to college.

This partnership between the Lee’s Summit, Missouri R-7 School District, University of Central Missouri, Metropolitan Community College and numerous business partners enables high school juniors attending Summit Technology Academy to earn an associate degree at approximately the same time they graduate from high school.

The University of Kansas’ Degree in 3 program helps students reach the workforce faster. Available at its Edwards campus in Overland Park, Kansas, the program gives high school students an early start to a degree, ultimately earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas in three years. Students like the access to internships the program provides and fast-tracking into a job they enjoy. n

I want more.

I want to grow and keep climbing. I want financial security for my family and a competitive edge at work. I want a degree from an elite school.

That’s why I chose KU in Overland Park.

Darius Lane, KU Edwards Campus Alumnus

Choose from 30 degree programs that address workforce needs in Kansas City.

New degrees in applied statistics and analytics, biotechnology and numerous certificate options.

Get started now: anything.ku.edu

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Getting from

Point A to B

IN KC

By SUSAN FOTOVICH MCCABE

Grab a bus, call Uber or hop on your bike. Kansas City offers many alternative transportation-friendly options for work, life and play.

Uber is one of the newest modes of transportation to hit Kansas City streets. The transportation network allows users to book trip requests with a smart phone app. Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Sly James called Uber an important part of the city’s “transportation ecosystem.” Uber’s average ETA in KC is under four minutes.

Central to Kansas City’s public transit system is the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA), which operates The Metro bus service, the Metro Area Express (MAX) Bus Rapid Transit 88

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Continued

YOU BELONG AT HENDERSON.

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service, MetroFlex demand-response routes, Share-A-Fare paratransit service for the elderly and persons with disabilities, and vanpool service.

First-time Metro riders can easily access helpful tips on the ins and outs of riding The Metro or plan their trip by watching its “How-To-Ride�

Video series at kcata.org. The website also has important information about passes, its Parkand-Ride program, safety, visiting KC by bus, and more.

Equally useful is BikeWalkKC, a memberbased nonprofit that works to make Kansas City a safer and more accessible place to walk, bicycle, live, work and play. Its advocacy programs help local cities improve policies and build sidewalks, trails, crosswalks, bike lanes, and more, while its education programs give people the knowledge and skills to walk and bike safely and confidently for transportation, recreation and fitness.

Recent BikeWalkKC efforts include: expanding the Kansas City B-cycle bike share system to four new neighborhoods in 2015, reaching more than 5,000 local kids with bike safety education, helping the Kansas communities of Overland Park

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and Leawood develop new bicycle and pedestrian master plans, working with small businesses to provide bike parking for their customers, and taking a leading role in the Greater Kansas City Chamber’s Healthy KC Initiative to make the health of the community a competitive advantage.

Still to come is the KC Streetcar, slated to begin passenger service by Spring 2016. The Downtown Council of Kansas City calls the new addition a game changer and catalyst for growth, particularly for entrepreneurs and small business owners looking to build their businesses and fulfill their dreams in a livable, walkable and transit-connected urban area. To date, the streetcar has sparked $1.31 billion in new commercial and residential developments along the streetcar route. n

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REACHHIGHER 15-25333_KCADC_Recruitment_Ad.indd 1 ©2015 STATE STREET CORPORATION. 15-25333-0715

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KANSAS CITY IS A FOODIE’S FANTASY COME TRUE

100 CREATIVE CULTURE & BUSINESS THRIVES IN THE CROSSROADS 106

MADE IN KC

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12 HOURS IN LEE’S SUMMIT

110 THE ART OF THE TAILGATE 112 ALTERNATIVE SPORTS

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KANSAS CITY IS A

Foodie’s Fantasy

Come True Whether your tastes lean towards meat and potatoes, or sushi, or International fare, Kansas City’s restaurants fill the bill in spades. Some of the most successful chefs are spread across the metro, and it is possible to find a new locale to try every day of the year.

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By JUDY GOPPERT

Two of the most forward thinking chefs in the area, James Westphal and Mark Kelpe, are up to the task. As the owners and innovative minds behind four popular food destinations for young urban professionals in Westport, their menus are unique to each individual concept. Char Bar Smoked Meats and Amusements is more than a decadent meat mecca it is also home to many vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free masterpieces. Beer Kitchen is a wildly popular American gastro pub, and McCoy’s is a brew pub that produces its own beer. The Foundry is a late night urban beer palace that attracts a diverse crowd.

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COME MINGLE WITH A DELICIOUS DISH. Food on the money. Drinks on the rocks.

Join us for a quick lunch, an intimate dinner or just a drink at the bar. Better yet, invite your friends and family for a private dining event. At Sullivan’s, the stage is always set for an experience full of flavor.

©2015 Sullivan’s Steakhouse

4501 W. 119th St. | Leawood, KS 913.345.0800 | SullivansSteakhouse.com

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Port Fonda, also in Westport, was recently named the best new-age Mexican restaurant in the country by the New York Times. Over the course of his 20-year career as a chef, Patrick Ryan has focused on simple, ingredient-driven food influenced by the flavors of rustic, Mexican cantina cooking. Instrumental in the farm-dinners of Green Dirt Farms, Patrick brings that focus on authentic ingredients to Port Fonda where he was nominated for Food & Wine People’s Best New Chef Midwest 2013 and 2014 and most recently nominated for James Beard Awards’ Best New Chef-Midwest 2015.

Food trucks have taken the foodie scene by storm, and Kansas City boasts a wide variety.

Parked at events and locales throughout the city, Wilma’s Real Good Food brings comfort food with a twist, while the Taco Republic truck serves up sensational street tacos. Schimeca’s Italian Sausage takes fennel-flecked Italian sausage to the masses, and The Moose Truck is stocked with everything from corn dogs to Philly cheesesteaks to barbecue burnt ends.

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K A N S A S C I T Y I S A F O O D I E ’ S F A N TA S Y C O M E T R U E

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K A N S A S C I T Y I S A F O O D I E ’ S F A N TA S Y C O M E T R U E

Aixois is a classic French bistro in Kansas City’s Brookside neighbourhood, offering one of the best outdoor patios and an intimate, relaxed dining room. Emmanuel Langalde, a native of Aix-enProvence, opened Aixois with his wife, Megan, in 1001. Inspired by the techniques and recipes of his native France, he offers a distinct menu focused on fresh, organic, seasonal ingredients.

He also works with area farmers, butchers and bakers to bring local flavour to his classic French cuisine.

Authentic Indian cuisine is served up at Taj Mahal in Waldo and Korma Sutra, with locations in Overland Park, Kansas, and Westport.

Room 39, on 39th street in Midtown, and also in Mission Farms, focuses on culinary creativity

through daily menu changes from farm to table, like artichoke toast, goat cheese gnocchi and wild salmon. This James Beard Award Winning chef uses seasonal ingredients from many local farms, including Green Dirt Farm in Weston and Windhaven Farm in Kansas City.

Colby and Megan Garrelts are chef-owners of the wildly popular Rye Restaurant in Mission Farms, and Bluestem in Westport. They both have had careers working in top restaurants in New York City, Chicago, Los Vegas and Los Angeles.

Chef Colby is a 2013 James Beard Foundation Best Chef: Midwest award winner and 2005 Food & Wine Top 10 Best New Chef. Chef Megan is a James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best Pastry Chef. n

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Creative Culture & Business

Thrives

IN THE CROSSROADS

By JUDY GOPPERT

The Crossroads Arts District is emerging as one of the most popular places to live, work and play in Kansas City. Art and technology mesh here, with creative individuals and inventive industries gravitating to flexible spaces intermingled with galleries, shops and restaurants. From Google Fiber and Cisco, to architecture and advertising, the Crossroads is becoming the region’s innovation hub. mySidewalk, powered by MindMixer, is a technology icon in the Crossroads. The company works to build better communication, making it easier for people to be involved in the conversations shaping their communities. Now, online virtual conversations take place constantly, with 1,300 communities engaging with more than 2.5 million individuals. The new mySidewalk strings all of the conversations related to a selected area, like a city,

county or state, together into one continuous feed.

Now anyone can easily share and explore ideas and issues shaping their community.

The Sprint Accelerator is an exciting entrepreneurial community center located in the district. The accelerator, powered by Techstars, is open to all mobile technology startups. A threemonth, immersive, mentorship-driven startup accelerator, the program helps startups build the future of mobile technology. The Sprint Accelerator is home to a free community space, making it a fitting place to meet with high-tech co-workers or just to connect with free Wi-Fi. ThinkBig Partners is another innovative idea factory, dedicated to entrepreneurship. Through the organization’s hybrid combination of a technology focused accelerator, innovation center and co-working space, a community thrives.

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Early-stage businesses are equipped with all the necessary elements to launch, grow and succeed.

Hint is a creative digital company that produces dynamic stories and transformative experiences to build brands and attract audiences. The company’s prolific list of clients includes Crayola, LG, Hallmark Cards, Wal-Mart and Gatorade.

Sporting Innovations transforms how sports teams utilize technology to enhance the fan experience and grow revenues. These sports veterans understand the limitations of existing software solutions for the industry, with a goal of creating new dynamic solutions designed specifically for their peers. For example, Fan360 Core places a direct line of mobile communication in the hands of fans. You can automatically detect fan sentiment and preference over time. This helps understand what they want and thus, garnishes support.

This exemplifies that although these thriving Crossroads businesses are powered by technology, there is so much more.

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More meetings of the minds can be found in coffee shops such as Mildred’s Coffeehouse and Thou Mayest Coffee Roasters. They keep the district well caffeinated. Thou Mayest began its journey a couple years ago when founders Bo Nelson and Bill Holzhueter met the owner of their 110-year-old building through the Kauffman Entrepreneurial Program, 1Million Cups. If you look, you will find the inspiration and fortitude to succeed in our city.

Restaurants, like our coffee houses, put the Crossroads on the map. Snow & Company, a number one frozen cocktail bar, and Café Gratitude, one of a collection of 100 percent

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organic restaurants specializing in gourmet, plantbased cuisines sourced from local farms, both call the Crossroads Arts District home.

Christopher Elbow’s Artisan Chocolates has been featured on Food Network’s Road Tasted with the Neelys, with delectables including one-ofa-kind Bananas Foster Truffle, made with bananas and caramel flambee’d with rum. Cellar Rat Wine Merchants stocks more than 800 wines plus a number of premium spirits and handcrafted brews.

Extra Virgin is an incredible tapas restaurant, the brainchild of James Beard award-winning chef, Michael Smith. n

CrossFirst Bank is dedicated to meeting the financial needs of businesses, professionals and their families. Recognized as one of the strongest banks in Kansas City, CrossFirst Bank is proud to serve some of the area’s most notable clients. Here you will find all of the banking services to meet your business and private banking needs, and enjoy an extraordinary level of personal service.

Extraordinary is a level of service not achieved by accident. We had extraordinary in mind when we set our foundation on the core values of Character, Competence, Commitment and Connection. At CrossFirst Bank, you will experience extraordinary through authentic relationships, valuable services, and our willingness to search beyond standard answers in accomplishing your goals.

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MEMBER FDIC

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Made in

KC

Innovative business ideas launching today are extensions of what this city has always been about. A creative, humble attitude makes our community one of the most proud, and welcoming in the world. Here are some examples of this work ethic in action.

Charlie Hustle has earned icon status in Kansas City. The vintage T-shirt company is out to preserve “the old school” using T-shirts as a canvas for artistic expression. The “KC Heart” T-shirt is a staple of the Charlie Hustle brand, representing its hometown of Kansas City, and worn by local-born celebrities Paul Rudd and Jason Sudeikis among others.

“There is an electric feeling in this city right now that you can’t help but feel and want to be a part of. We all want to see our friends succeed and explore their passions. That’s what builds a city, and I think you’ll find out that there is no better place right now to start something, whatever it may be,” said Holly Meairs, public & media relations director for Charlie Hustle.

“The resources available to young entrepreneurs are incredible and the community is willing to get behind it. We’ve been blessed to be able to work with some key players within Kansas City and it’s a competitive edge that you can’t necessarily find in the bigger cities.”

Meairs also notes that Made in KC, in Overland Park, Kansas, is a perfect example of what happens when there are some key visionaries doing something they love. She explains the grand scheme is bigger than just a shop, it’s creating buzz around the pride this city has and the love our people have for it.

Another KC company, started by two local businesswomen, is working to bring the world out of poverty one cell phone case at a time.

Christina Eldridge and Dawn Taylor launched their online company Red Dirt in 2013, to sell unique cell phone cases designed by KC local artists including Mike Savage, Lisa Lala and Janelle Dimmett. A portion of the proceeds goes to support Water.org, a nonprofit based in Kansas City that helps provide clean drinking water to people across the world.

Indigo Wild is an eclectic company with a factory in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

The company’s products include Zum bar soap, dragon’s blood massage and body oil, face products, lip balm, liquid soap, laundry soap, soy candles and more. Goat’s milk, the main ingredient in Zum Bars, is naturally ultra-moisturizing, naturally balanced for the skin, and naturally homogenized. A portion of their proceeds benefits breast cancer patients and survivors, and the KC Sheltie Rescue.

Matt Baldwin, founder and designer of Baldwin Denim and Standard Style, uncovered his desire to be a part of the action sports industry while snowboarding in Colorado. He spent time in Huntington Beach, California where he received a degree in Apparel Manufacturing from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles. After spending time working for various fashion brands, he and his wife returned to their Midwest roots, settling down in Kansas City. In 2003 they opened their first men’s and women’s designer boutique in Kansas City, and have stores on the Country Club Plaza and in Leawood, Kansas.

SouveNEAR, which sells distinctive wares made

by Kansas City artists, designers and makers, unveiled its first vending machine at Kansas City International Airport. The SouveNEAR vending machine offers jewelry, artwork, clothing and other easy-to carry uniquely-KC souvenirs.

The merchandise includes post cards from Hammerpress, T-shirts from Normal Human featuring “The Scout” sculpture and more.

In addition to providing a showcase for local artists, SouveNEAR manufactures its own items for the vending machines at KCI, the NelsonAtkins Museum Store, Union Station and Unique Finds and the General Store & Co. SouveNEAR’s plans include adding an online store and expanding to other cities in the future. n Tenth Annual 2015 | 2016

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12 Hours in

Lee’s Summit

8 a.m. – DOWNTOWN LEE’S SUMMIT FARMERS MARKET The Downtown Farmers Market is the place to be on Wednesday and Saturday mornings between April 4 and Nov. 21. It is the No. 1 farmers market in Missouri for a reason. As you stroll past vendors, you’ll soak in the wonderful smells of freshly baked breads, fruits, vegetables and flowers. Come early to get the best selections!

9 a.m. – WHISTLE STOP CAFÉ AND NEIGHBORHOOD CAFÉ Next, head over to the Whistle Stop Café. Nestled in Lee’s Summit’s downtown and across the street from the Amtrak Train Station, the Whistle Stop Café is a popular hangout for friends and business colleagues. Sit on the back deck to enjoy your favorite latte, cup of coffee, tea or smoothie, and check out the daily menu of paninis, homemade quiches and salads. If you listen carefully, you’ll hear the train whistle as it rolls into the station.

If a home-style breakfast is more to your liking, head over to Neighborhood Café where you’ll be served warm cinnamon rolls as soon as you sit down. This is a favorite breakfast and lunch spot among locals, and the made-daily pies are too tempting to refuse.

11 a.m. – SHOP ’TIL YOU DROP Now it’s time to do some serious shopping. Summit 108 liveworkKC.com

Fair and Summit Woods Crossing are two of the city’s most frequented shopping districts with everything from Macy’s and Target to boutique stores unique to KC. Stop in Heavenly Olive Oils to taste-test artisan oils and vinegars, or visit Escapist Skateboarding, frequented by pro skater Sean Malto, for the latest trending equipment.

1:30 p.m. – HENRY’S ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES AND TEAROOM With 25 one-of-a kind restaurants downtown, it is difficult to choose where to have lunch. One option is Henry’s Antiques & Collectibles and Tearoom. Once a church, you’ll meander through a variety of vintage furniture, antiques, paintings and jewelry before arriving at the Tearoom. Your leisurely lunch served on fine china is like taking a step back in time.

3 p.m. – MISSOURI INNOVATION CAMPUS Stop by the Missouri Innovation Campus to see innovation in the making where business professionals in the tech industry mentor junior and senior high school students. A collaboration between the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District, Metropolitan Community College and the University of Central Missouri (UCM), the Missouri Innovation Campus is the first of its kind in the U.S. Following graduation, students can continue the mentoring program at UCM

By BETH BAHNER

where they earn a four-year high-tech degree in engineering systems, drafting and design, and computer science.

4:30 p.m. – LEGACY PARK Stretch your legs at Legacy Park, just one of 27 parks in Lee’s Summit, and walk around the 4.7 mile trail surrounded by wild flowers and grasses.

Nearby is a 22-acre lake where one can fish off the dock, kayak or paddle board. Looking for more? Check out Lee’s Summit’s many beaches and marinas, equestrian park, golf courses and dog parks. Fido needs to play, too!

6 p.m. – UNITY VILLAGE For a change of pace, visit Unity Village where courtyard fountains that stretch the length of a football field, prayer garden, sculptures and walking paths offer a quiet respite. Unity Village’s spa services may be just the ticket to unwind.

8 p.m. – NIGHTLIFE AND FESTIVALS Complete your day by enjoying one of the 500 craft brews served in downtown Lee’s Summit and participating in one of the city’s many festivals. Downtown Days…Streets Alive!, Oktoberfest, Summit Art Festival, Smokin’ on the Summit and the Summer Concert Series are just a few of the events guaranteed to entertain the whole family! n

Located in the Crossroads, the Sprint Accelerator is a center for entrepreneurship and corporate innovation that showcases Sprint’s committment to community.

A collaborative space for learning and growth, we continually attract new talent and startups to Kansas City.

Learn more at

SPRINTACCELERATOR.COM

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The Art of

The Tailgate

Sports enthusiasts can already get their fill of every sport in Kansas City, and but it’s the tailgate that takes the experience to the next level. Whether football, baseball or soccer, KC knows how to tailgate in style.

In fact, Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs, is world-renowned for game days, when barbecue smoke rises from the parking lot in fragrant plumes laden with the smell of everything from ribs and fried turkey to burgers, bratwurst and more being grilled – no matter the weather. Full spreads are plentiful, and tables are heaped with all the trimmings and sides. Some even indulge in shrimp and crab legs, or wine and cheese, before heading into the stadium.

For Chiefs games, the gates open three and a half hours prior to kickoff. The complex features

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parking for 26,000 cars, but get there early or you’ll be parking in the back 40, unless you have a season parking pass.

The Chiefs instituted overnight camping in 2005. Located near lot N, Stadium Park is for those who want to wheel their tailgating mobiles in the night before and get a jump start on festivities in the morning. Lights off at midnight, but you can move your car into a close stadium lot at 6 a.m., for no additional charge.

Fans gather after the game to continue tailgating, win or lose. Home fans have much to cheer about since the Chiefs are once again hoping to be undefeated at Arrowhead. Not to mention, maintaining its status as loudest stadium in the NFL. The Kansas City Royals also enjoy a heaping helping of tailgating before and after the baseball games, just across the way at Kauffman Stadium.

Day or night, barbecue grills are fired up as “Forever Royal” fans prepare to cheer on the

By JUDY GOPPERT

defending American League Champions. Add something here about games of catch in the parking lots, live music and tailgating games.

KC T-Bones baseball attracts families and fun seekers to CommunityAmerica Ballpark. Head to the park early to enjoy free tailgating parking and watch the grills light up. Looking for cheap entertainment? Grab lawn tickets and bring a blanket. There’s not a bad seat in the house.

Sporting Kansas City plays at Sporting Park, where you get an up-close and personal view of Major League Soccer. This tailgate scene is a great way to get ready to watch a win, and get in the park early to experience the Cauldron, a high0energy, standing-room-only area behind one of the goals.

Kansas Speedway is home to NASCAR magic, and fans do it up right for tailgates, complete with tents, trailers and plenty of barbecue and suds. n

S E L E C T YO U R G A M E

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Chiefs Hat For Each Guest

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Access to Scout Investments Club Level

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Chiefs Hat For Each Guest

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In Suite Catering, unlimited food

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Private Restroom

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Bottle of Red & Gold Wine

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Alternative

Sports

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Kansas City is known as a hotbed for disc golf, boasting more courses and Club memberships than many areas of the country. The Kansas City Flying Disc Club is a nonprofit organization promoting the sport of disc golf and volunteerism in the KC area. Kansas City offers more than 30 9-hole and 18-hole courses. The club has approximately 400 members, and participates in the Kansas City Wide Open, which draws some of the biggest names in professional disc golf as well as local and regional amateur-level players.

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P L AY

Quixotic is an innovative performing arts group known for its ability to seamlessly integrate technology with live music, contemporary dance, and cirque arts.

Touring both in the U.S. and internationally, it immerses audience members in a multisensory experience. Several of its professional performers offer private training in a diverse selection if disciplines including aerial, body conditioning, contortion, and dance. Students of all ages and skill-levels can experience the thrill of flight and artistic athleticism.

The Kansas City Juggling Club is the premier club for juggling and the variety arts in the Kansas City area. With more than 400 members, this friendly group of dedicated individuals enjoys learning, playing,

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experimenting and sharing different ways to defy gravity.

Lucia Aerial Performing Arts offers beginning through advanced instruction in Aerial Silks (Tissue), Lyra (Aerial Hoop), Trapeze (Static and single-point Dance Trapeze), Aerial Rope (Corde Lisse), Hammock and other custom apparatuses. In addition, they offer Aerial Yoga, Aerial Conditioning, Fitness classes, Handstand and Handbalancing training, Contortion and Deep Stretching classes, and other workshops throughout the year.

The KC Sport & Social Club offers adult recreational sports leagues in the Midtown and Downtown area. Leagues are affordably priced, and provide events at local establishments for players to relax and socialize after games.

A LT E R N AT I V E S P O R T S

Sports include Kansas City kickball, softball, flag football, and sand volleyball. The group offers the only leagues in the area that use a full softball field for games, and provide paid officials. Join in the upcoming season to get active and participate in that game everyone enjoyed during recess. These Coed adult Kansas City kickball leagues the KC Sport & Social Club sponsors are offered on multiple days during the week, so simply choose the day that works best for you.

Cycling is big in Kansas City, and Team Cannondale-Garmin has won stages at all three Grand Tours, worn the leader’s jersey at many races, and ridden to victory at the Giro d’Italia, USA Pro Cycling Challenge, Tour of Utah and Criterium Dauphine. n

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K C C R E AT I V E S

KC

Creatives CAMERON GEE

is a photographer based in the Crossroads Arts District.

He’s best known for his black and white portraits of modern-day Kansas City creative personalities displayed on the following pages.

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K C C R E AT I V E S

HALEY BESHEER

is the founder and CEO of MADI Apparel – Make a Difference Intimate Apparel, a women’s underwear line that donates a pair of underwear to a woman in need for every pair sold.

IAN BYRNE was born in County Wicklow, Ireland and is the lead singer of The Elders, an Irish folk band that originated in KC and has achieved international success. A resident of Kansas City for more than 20 years, Byrne is inspired by the region’s appreciation for the artistic community.

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HOWARD HANNA

began his restaurant career in Manhattan, Kansas, and went on to help open CoCo Bolos in 1998. After attending the Culinary Institute of America, Hanna opened his own restaurant, The Rieger Hotel Grill and Exchange, and later the Westport champagne bar, Ça Va.

MICHAEL ONG

Originally a native Malaysian, worked as creative director at Hint, a premier production/experience enterprise in Kansas City, for 16 years. He currently is Art Director – Video Team Leader at Hallmark.

FITBARK co-founders and brother-sister team Davide and Sara Rossi are originally from Verona, Italy. Their pet wearable device was developed during their time in the 2014 Sprint Accelerator class. You can now find a FitBark device in Target stores across the U.S.

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K C C R E AT I V E S

ALICIA SOLOMBRINO

is the lead singer for the Kansas City-based alternative rock band, Beautiful Bodies, which is signed with major Hollywood independent label, Epitaph Records.

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CHASE McANULTY

NICOLE EMANUEL

LAURA JONES WALLNER

TYRONE AIKEN is executive director of Kansas City Friends

is the founder and CEO of Charlie Hustle, a vintage inspired T-shirt brand that incorporates past motifs with a modern twist. His top-seller, a shirt with a heart and the letters ‘KC’ can be spotted on the streets daily, favored by many Kansas Citians.

started dancing when she was 6. Her classical ballet training landed her a job with the Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet and later the Missouri Contemporary Ballet. She has been in Kansas City since 2008 and is a principal dancer with international performing arts company, Quixotic Fusion.

is founder and CEO of InterUrban ArtHouse. Her paintings and drawings are in numerous corporate and private collections in New York, California, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kansas and Missouri.

of Alvin Ailey, the second home of the NYC-based Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. Starting out as an instructor in 1991, he became artistic coordinator in 1995 and received the Coming Up Taller Award from First Lady Laura Bush in 2003.

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Jeff Freling and Erin McGrane are the duo behind , a musical mĂŠlange of 1940s jazz and modern pop. The ukulele, jazz guitar and vocals that comprise their sound are unforgettable.

JEFF HARSHBARGER

BUTCH RIGBY

PAULA BOWERS,

VICTOR & PENNY

is the founder and owner of the Screenland Theatres, a circuit of movie theatres in Kansas City. Locations include the Screenland Armour and Screenland Crossroads.

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is a jazz musician and prolific composer who has recorded and performed across the globe with artists like Bobby Watson, Allison Miller and Curtis Fuller.

a life-long Kansas Citian, is a former dancer, a community volunteer and published author of hit fiction novel, Accessible, and new sequel Redemption.

RON LeMAY

is managing director and co-founder of OpenAir Equity Partners, as well as chief executive officer of its portfolio company, FarmLink. He is a thought leader in the KC region building a risk-friendly business environment to create long-term economic success.

SHANE EVANS

is an artist who has lent his talents to nearly 30 children’s books. His work has received recognition from the White House, The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Late Show with David Letterman.

RADKEY is an internationally touring punk band from St. Joseph, Missouri, that is made up of three brothers: Dee as lead guitarist and vocalist, Isaiah on bass, and Solomon on drums.

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NATHAN GRANNER

is recognized throughout the world as a generative, solo and collaborative artist. His voice fits that rare timbre of heroic, vulnerable, refined quality that defines the classic lyric tenor.

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LEROY SHATTO

is co-founder and CEO of DEG, one of the nation’s fastest-growing and most insightful digital consultancies. The company was recently named one of Inc. Magazine’s “25 companies that are changing the world.”

CHRISTOPHER ELBOW’s

Artisan Chocolates have been featured across the nation, from magazines like Oprah, Food & Wine, Fine Cooking and InStyle to syndicated TV programs like Food Network’s What’s Hot, What’s Cool.

BROOKE SALVAGGIO is an organic farmer and founder of BADSEED, a community market, as well as URBAVORE, an organic farmstead that produces gourmet vegetables, fruits and free-range eggs.

Salvaggio promotes local, sustainable farming amidst the city’s landscape.

RYAN MAYBEE

is a bartender-turned-restaurateur-turneddistiller. Beginning his career at Pierpont’s in Union Station KC in 1999, Ryan now owns and operates a speakeasy bar in KC called Manifesto. He is also a co-founder in J. Reiger & Co.

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NEAL SHARMA

Visionary, artist and sculptor are just a few ways to describe , the talented metal sculptor artist creating incredible metal pieces for both public and private sectors around the nation.

TERI ROGERS

SEAN MALTO, born in Leavenworth,

is co-founder and CEO of DEG, one of the nation’s fastestgrowing and most insightful digital consultancies.

The company was recently named one of Inc. Magazine’s “25 companies that are changing the world.”

is owner and CEO of Hint, a nationally recognized digital design and production center located in the heart of the Crossroads Arts District.

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BETH NYBECK

Kansas, is a professional skateboarder who won the 2011 Street League Skateboarding championship.

Since the start of his career, he has been supported by the Escapist Skate Shop in Kansas City, one of his sponsors.

JIM LEEDY,

a former Kansas City Art Institute professor, is considered “Godfather of the Crossroads.” He has been a dynamic force in the international art world and a catalyst for community development in Kansas City for more than four decades.

HERMON MEHARI

is a professional trumpeter and composer. Recently, he won the 2015 Carmine Caruso International Trumpet Competition and was a semifinalist in the 2014 Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition.

ESTHER HONIG

California native , is a bilingual, freelance radio journalist with KCUR, Kansas City Public Media. Her viral “Before & After” project earned her exposure on Buzzfeed, TIME, CNN International, The Today Show and more.

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LAST WORD

AMERICA’S CREATIVE CROSSROADS:

The Intersection of

Artistry and Technology

By JESSICA NELSON

The Kansas City region has a legacy of artistic

and

entrepreneurial

innovation

spanning more than 125 years. Today, the KC metro has one of America’s most inventive and creative cultures.

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“There is a spirit of collaboration and cooperation in KC that we don’t see in other places. We spend most of the year on the road, having traveled tens of thousands of miles in the last few years, and Kansas City is unique,” said Jeff Freling and Erin McGrane of the antique pop duo Victor and Penny. “There is a spark, an excitement, a sense of hope and hard work that is fueling us and drawing people into our city.”

With companies and people that design many of the nation’s premier sustainable buildings, create James Beard award-winning culinary dishes, deliver internationally recognized performances, and develop stateof-the-art technologies, Kansas City is a thriving hub for arts and innovation.

According to entrepreneur Davyeon Ross, “Kansas City is fueled by the intersection of technology, innovative thought leaders and deliberate strategies to foster entrepreneurship. When combining these factors with Midwest values, Kansas City is truly differentiated both nationally and internationally.”

Beyond the caliber of technology and businesses in the region, the physical landscape and artistic expression of individuals in the community enhance the cultural fabric of the region.

“Kansas City has such a deep diversity in artistic talent and expertise. Artists alike in Kansas City understand the value of discussion and collaboration of ideas and projects,” said Beth Nybeck, metal sculpture artist. “I’ve fallen head over heels in love with this city.” n