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Delve into Development and Meet County Executive Mike Sanders |
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Quarterly Investor Meeting – April 9, The Emaline Ballroom
One of LSEDC’s four time-tested goals is to attract higher paying industry. While it is no secret that Lee’s Summit is experiencing tremendous growth, there is still more to be done, and having shovel ready sites and available buildings in inventory makes us competitive. Arrive early to visit the developers’ booths and talk one-on-one with those responsible for Lee’s Summit’s redevelopment, sites and buildings. Meet County Executive Mike Sanders and listen to our local developers showcase their projects. During lunch, County Executive Mike Sanders will give us an overview of the changes and challenges facing Jackson County. Then, each developer will discuss their current project and answer questions. Some of the following projects will be featured:
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- RED Development (www.reddevelopment.com) will discuss its new Summit Fair project
- Townsend Capital (www.townsendcapital.com) will share its vision for the remaining 170 acres of the Summit Technology Campus.
- Gale Communities (www.galecommunities.com) will discuss the progress at New Longview (www.newlongview.com)
- Mike Atcheson of CEAH Realtors (www.ceahrealtors.com) will give updates on the explosive development of Chapel Ridge
- Jay Burchfield will present on the newly designed and improved I-470 Business and Technology Park
- Kurt Pycior of FPC (www.fpcompanies.com) will share plans on taking downtown to the next level of development.
Please RSVP to the LSEDC Office
ASAP, as we expect this to be a sell-out luncheon. See you April 9 at 11:15 a.m. for the Developers Showcase at the Emaline Ballroom.
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LSEDC Backs R-7 School District Bond Issue
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Another LSEDC goal is to increase community competitiveness through product improvement. Breakthrough economic development is the direct result of great community development, which includes having excellent schools. For this reason, the LSEDC Board of Directors resolved to support the April 8, 2008 R-7 School District No-Tax Increase $54 Million Bond Issue and the Proposition C Waiver Ballot Issue.
A high-performance school system is an important factor that site seekers and prospective residents consider when choosing a location for their business. Lee’s Summit is fortunate to have a quality school district, which is extremely important to the LSEDC mission of attracting and retaining businesses to this community. The R-7 School District is one of Missouri’s fastest growing — and is highly praised. Therefore, it requires additional capital to keep pace with growth and to maintain quality.
The April 8 ballot will contain two no-tax-increase questions. The questions, a $54 million bond issue and a Proposition C 20-cent waiver tax levy continuance, are designed to address school district financial and facility needs. If approved, the bond issue will fund new facilities to handle growth and student needs, including additional classrooms for an all-day kindergarten program, improvements to existing facilities, technology enhancements and new school buses. Proposition C, a 20-cent waiver tax levy, will provide much needed operating revenues. |
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LSEDC BOD/Advisory Board Takes Show on the Road
Visits ViraCor Laboratories
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In March, the LSEDC was fortunate enough to have Angel Investor ViraCor Laboratories (www.viracor.com) host the BOD/Advisory Board meeting at its state-of-the-art headquarters.
Named as one 2007’s Top Ten Businesses of the Year by the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, ViraCor Laboratories was also honored with the Mr. K Award. On track to be one of Lee’s Summit’s largest employers, ViraCor currently has almost 100 employees. |
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ViraCor Laboratories is a leading molecular diagnostic and research laboratory dedicated to providing innovative diagnostic testing to the critical care and immunocompromised patient population. They set the standard for the diagnostic industry by turning all patient results around in 24 hours, unlike traditional lab results which typically take three days to several weeks.
LSEDC would like to extend a special thank you to Flip Short and all of the associates at ViraCor for opening your doors to us and taking time to show us the meaningful work you are doing right here in Lee’s Summit. |
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And the Question Is?! |
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Each quarter LSEDC fields a question about business, city activities, development news, etc. from our investors. If you have a question please e-mail us, and it may be our next question of the quarter.
Q: Why are there so many banks in Lee’s Summit?
A: At recent count, Lee’s Summit is home to 27 – 30 separate banks and credit unions — not including those with multiple branches, so asking why so many is a very good question. LSEDC interviewed several of its investors in the banking industry, and this is what they said…
- Lee’s Summit has a high median income, which equals increased banking needs. Affluent customers require personal service given busy schedules and relatively diverse lending needs.
- There will be even more rooftops in our future whose residents will require banking services.
- Until recently, Lee’s Summit was regarded as on the periphery but now is seen as “an untapped Johnson County.”
- Lee’s Summit boasts high-value homes with considerable equity for borrowing needs.
- Strong, diversified business growth means new banking relationships.
- Like any good business, bankers follow the money — and Lee’s Summit is where the money is and where it will be.
Location, location, location! Lee’s Summit is fortunate enough to have 7 major interchanges that provide ease of access and service to banking customers. |
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Extra, Extra! Kansas City Business Journal Features Lee’s Summit |
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When it comes to image, perception is often reality. One of LSEDC’s four goals is to “generate a positive community image.” Our postcard campaigns to over 2,000 regional decision- and opinion-makers are one example of our image enhancement efforts. Another approach is more subtle, but is a tried and true PR technique: building media outlet relationships to generate news stories to help Lee’s Summit’s name rise above the media clutter in the region. By providing story ideas and serving as a credible resource, LSEDC has formed great relationships with local media like the Examiner, the Lee’s Summit Journal and the Lee’s Summit Tribune, as well as the regional business press such as the Kansas City Star, and the Kansas City Business Journal. Getting electronic media coverage is much more challenging.
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Because opinion- and decision-makers often read the Kansas City Business Journal, (www.bizjournals.com/kansascity), this medium is high on our list. Fortunately, Lee’s Summit has many storylines with both local and regional interest. For example, Lee’s Summit’s fiscal modeling and prudent incentive process will be featured in an upcoming issue of the Kansas City Business Journal. The story surfaced as a result of Business Journal Senior Reporter Jim Davis visiting Lee’s Summit and taking a walking tour of Downtown Lee’s Summit.
The tour included a review of Dusty Dahmer’s “Market Place” project on the old City Hall site, a meeting with Acting City Manager Steve Arbo, and a visit to the newly revitalized Hartley Block and discussion with Billy Hammerly of FPC (www.fpcompanies.com). LSEDC Investor Andy Haynes from Haynes Benefits (www.haynesbenefits.com) wrapped up the tour with coffee at the Whistle Stop, sharing his story of choosing to locate his boutique law firm to Lee’s Summit rather than the Plaza.
Keep your eyes open for an upcoming issue of the Kansas City Business Journal to read the full article on the impact Lee’s Summit revitalization is having on economic development. |
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Business Expansion: Lee’s Summit Gateways Business Alliance |
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Another goal of LSEDC is to “retain and expand existing business.” Local employers are our most important customer. Why? Over 80% of all business growth comes from existing business and because their testimonials are critical to our effort of attracting new businesses to Lee’s Summit. In the last year, we have staffed the Southern Gateway Business Alliance, an organization that consists of the CEOs of 12 companies that employ more than 1,500 people.
We are pleased that the group has voted to expand its membership to encompass CEOs from the entire city and has changed its name to Lee’s Summit Gateways Business Alliance. LSEDC looks forward to staffing their meetings with timely topics and educational programs to help them understand the growth and development issues in Lee’s Summit. To learn of local business needs and trends click HERE to read the 2007 Business Retention and Expansion Report. |
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LSEDC Supports Shop Lee’s Summit Campaign |
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Back to LSEDC’s community product improvement goal, thinking globally and acting locally means supporting our community businesses. One way to do that is to Buy Local. We are pleased to support the Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce Shop Lee’s Summit initiative. Shop Lee’s Summit is a city-wide campaign to educate and encourage residents to purchase goods and services in Lee’s Summit to improve and enhance the quality of life for everyone. When you Shop, Dine and Play in Lee’s Summit, it helps generate additional sales tax dollars to support the many needs of our fast growing community. Visit www.Shop-LeesSummit.com for more information or to participate in the campaign. |
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New Faces at LSEDC |
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While our Office Manager, Shannan Cunniffe prepares for the arrival of her triplets, we have hired additional part-time staff to make sure everything runs smoothly while she’s away from the office. LSEDC would like to welcome Holly Braswell and Kay Janssen. For more information about Holly and Kay, please click here www.leessummit.org/staff.asp. |
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Lunch With Jim Enjoys Continued Success |
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An unspoken but essential LSEDC goal is meeting and exceeding investors’ expectations. After all, they help LSEDC to accomplish our four goals to:
- Increase community competitiveness through product improvement
- Retain and expand existing industry
- Attract targeted, higher paying industry
- Generate a positive community image
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Over the last 5 months, LSEDC has been scheduling informal, small group lunches with all investors. To date, 100 of the 152 investors have been invited. The remaining investors will be invited in the upcoming months. These informal lunches give investors a private forum to meet with Jim Devine and members of the LSEDC Executive Committee to discuss business issues and ask questions specific to their business.
Surveys of attendees indicate that investors enjoy these lunches and would like LSEDC to continue them on a regular basis. If you have not been invited to a lunch yet, keep your eyes open. Your invitation will be coming soon. If you could not attend a previously scheduled lunch, we will hold one lunch in May for all investors who have not been to a lunch. |
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Investor Focus: John Ivey |
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Tell us a little bit about your company and what it does.
Lakewood Business Park provides office and warehouse space for small businesses. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and we’ve tried to create an environment where small businesses can enjoy big-business amenities without big-business costs.
I’m also a major investor in the Lee’s Summit Tribune, as well as the Jackson County Advocate and Raytown Post. Our state-of-the-art printing facility in the Lakewood Business Park prints all of those newspapers, as well as several other newspapers in the region. |
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Why did you join LSEDC?
I’ve lived with my family here in Lee’s Summit since 1974, and for the next 25 years I called on local small businesses selling plumbing fixtures and supplies. After I retired, I worked with several partners and began to focus on real estate development. I joined the Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council for two major reasons. First of all, Mary Stacey, who is one of the sweetest people I have ever met, convinced me to join. Then, in the mid-90s, I heard Jim Devine speak about fast-tracking business growth in our area. The idea of areas that would provide opportunities for fast-tracking and quick-start growth for small business really impressed me, and I’ve been a member ever since.
What have you gained from your investment in LSEDC?
One thing I’ve always believed is that no one can operate without a great team. Whatever success I have had, I’ve had because of the great partners who worked with me. Larry Hickman and Glen Henson are two partners who have been very helpful over the years. Even though I didn’t meet those gentlemen through the EDC, I think one of the benefits of organizations like the EDC is that they provide good networks for small business owners to connect with each other and form those sorts of partnerships.
What projects or activities are you involved in Lee's Summit that would be of interest to our readers?
I am an advocate of new roads and light rail, and I’m very active in bringing both to our region. I think the long-term economic health of not only Lee’s Summit, but Kansas City and even the entire state of Missouri, is tied to transportation, and I want to help make sure we see responsible growth in that area.
We will soon bring forward a new plan for the Quarry Hills area along I-470. We hope to create an environment that will tie in to regional transportation hubs and be a good “incubator” for small business. We hope to have a big effect on the area, and we’ll be friendly to all businesses, but keep a special eye out for small businesses and find ways to help them grow.
We’ll also continue to grow our newspapers and printing operations, because I believe it is vitally important than citizens are well-informed. I don’t get directly involved in the operation of the newspaper, but I know the staff there shares my belief that we’ve got to get as much of the real news out there as possible. Newspapers can inspire vigorous debate about community issues, and let’s face it – a well-informed public is simply better for business, and creates a transparent climate where businesses can thrive. |
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