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Time to Hit The Road

Who are the leaders that are moving American business forward?

It’s Business Drive Time^{^®}, and we are looking for some of the greatest business drivers regionally and nationally to feature in our 2025 Alpha Board Business Leadership and Innovation Tour.

Who are the innovators? Who are the leaders? What (and where) are the opportunities? Which companies, technologies, products, people will be propelling growth over the next few years?

The National Alpha Board Tour includes a market study, leader profile interviews, business news coverage and series of leadership exchanges among standout business leaders across the country and throughout the most promising industries.

We have already begun to engage business leaders and leading businesses in multiple cities, as well as rural America. We’re working with those that will be most responsible for the leadership, innovation, products, companies and programs that will be driving business forward. If that includes you, we’d love for your organization to participate.

Discussion topics:

Where are the high growth cities and high-potential regions of the country for new growth, and more importantly what are the key trends, issue and activities within those geographies that will help drive growth moving forward?
What industries show the most promise for growth in jobs, revenue and profits over the next few years?
What companies are driving those industries?
Who are the people, products, and services that are most responsible for new business growth?
What key market trends that will be significant drivers of growth moving forward?
How can we help the best business drivers gain more recognition, visibility and market connections?
Which leaders should be involved in the tour, and what companies, in your opinion, are the most deserving of recognition?

To learn more about the Alpha Board Tour and to share with us who you believe are the best business drivers, give us a call. You may call Dave Anderson at (cell/text) 612 810-4000, (office) at 913 685-4850 or by email at dave@neuvision.com.

J.D. Higgason – Reece Nichols Real Estate Koehler Bortnick Group

8:07 pm By Dave Anderson

J.D. Higgason of Koehler Bortnick Realty is a premier home real estate professional in the Kansas City area. He has served as an advisor to Alpha Board on the growth elements of the Kansas City metro area. J.D. is an expert on the dynamics of local real estate market. J.D.’s Kansas City area home real estate practice is tied directly to the growth and vibrancy of the region. By working with local residents as well as families who are relocating to Kansas City, he knows what makes the Kansas City region attractive to working families.

J.D. is the most senior level team member of the Koehler Bortnick Group beyond the firm’s founders, having worked there for over 15 years. Koehler Bortnick’s Leawood, Kan. based office of Reece Nichols Realty (reecenichols.com) is owned by Kathy Koehler and her daughter Heather Bortnick. With more than 45 real estate professionals, Koehler Bortnick was ranked 25th nationally among its peers in total sales in 2017 as according to the Wall Street Journal. https://bit.ly/2E32itu Also consistently number one in the Kansas City area, Koehler Bortnick sold more than 850 houses in 2018 averaging one house sold about every 10 hours throughout the year. Koehler Bortnick’s sales for 2018 were $356 million.

The insights J.D. has provided include the view of an executive realtor, as well as a resident, leader and member of the Kansas City business community. J.D. is a consummate professional with his career devoted to sales, service and account management.

J.D. has and will continue to provide us with information about what residents and newcomers believe is special about the Kansas City community. He has helped us better understand where and why people choose to locate in the Kansas City region. J.D. described for us what he believes are key drivers of growth in the area, the special attractions, activities and culture of the Kansas City community as well as the leadership and growth that the city provides as a 21st century, Midwest business hub.

J.D. is a father, husband and former high school and college athlete. He has a degree in agricultural economics from Kansas State University and was raised on a farm in rural Norton County, Kan. near Logan.

To reach J.D. to discuss your own Kansas City real estate needs, you can reach J.D. at the Koehler Bortnick office of Reece Nicholls Realty at www.KBSells.com.

The Largest Small Town in America Chapter One Lisa Dunleavy – A Kansas City Expert

3:37 pm By Dave Anderson

Lisa Dunleavy is a valued advisor to the Alpha Board Tour. She is an expert on the Kansas City region, past, present and future. She could write a book about the city, and maybe she will! At first glance, Lisa is a typical member of the community, experiencing the daily life of the region like the rest of us. But there is more. Her family history with the city spans more than 150 years.

Along with her husband, they share a lifetime of experiences as a part of two large Kansas City families. Between the siblings in each of two families, their classmates, their friends, nephews, nieces and cousins, they have cultivated lasting relationships and connections reaching nearly every corner of the city. With multiple generations still living in the Kansas City region, Lisa gives a whole new dimension to the word connected.

Lisa has a family heritage that has been a recognized part of the Kansas City community since the very early days of the city. Lisa is providing the Alpha Board Tour with Kansas City knowledge, insights and experiences that we could find in few other places.

We’ll start with a few highlights, and continue the conversation with Lisa as we continue through the tour.

Suburban Kansas City ̶ Superb Family Livability

After growing up in Kansas City, Mo. Lisa and her husband Steve raised their family in the Johnson County, Kan. suburbs. The area is home to a melting pot of residents from all over the country and beyond. According to Lisa and others, people feel an attraction to the Kansas City metro that makes it a difficult place to leave.

The schools, sports, activities, restaurants, a healthy family atmosphere, ties to the Kansas City area culture and activities are all elements of consideration. One of the most important elements mentioned by Lisa is the open friendliness that allows everyone to feel welcome and at home in the region. Overland Park has been recognized repeatedly as one of the best places for families in the nation. https://bit.ly/2ByMjlr

Kansas City 2020 ̶ Rich Culture and Heritage

Lisa is providing us with a view of what Kansas City is like as a new, modern, entrepreneurial, cultural city. While the city carries with it a deep history and Midwest roots, it has also become a melting pot for tech, a new economy town and a city that is connected to people around the country and around the world, both personally and professionally. Dozens of major cultural venues and events allow Kansas City to thrive as a vibrant, sometimes undiscovered, crown jewel in the nation’s portfolio of cities.

Kansas City also has a history and culture that creates a pride in the community. Much of that culture is tied to prominent Kansas City people. J.C. Nicholls built the Kansas City Country Club Plaza, patterned after Seville Spain. Built in the 1920’s, the Plaza was and remains the country’s first outdoor shopping mall. It was the blueprint for Rodeo Drive. Others include: Walt Disney. Joyce Hall, founder of Hallmark Cards. President Harry Truman. Members of the Eisenhower family. All of these notables have called Kansas City their home.

Kansas City also includes prominent names like the Kemper family of the Kemper Museum and Kemper Arena; the Kauffman family of the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurism and the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts; Lisa’s Muehlebach family of the Muehlebach Hotel, the Muehlebach Brewery (the city’s first major brewery), and Muehlebach Field (the first baseball stadium); President Harry Truman; William Rockhill Nelson who gave the city the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art; Jackie Robinson of the Kansas City Monarchs. All of these and more have left their mark in the rich heritage of the city. And, while they lived lives of distinction, these families were and are approachable citizens blended into the fabric of daily Kansas City life.

The Kansas City Network

Someone once referred to Kansas City as a town with 1.2 degrees of separation from anyone and anything local. Never mind Kevin Bacon. As the title suggests, J.D. Higgason of Koehler Bortnick Realty refers to the city as “the largest small town in America.” An approachable culture despite a major metro of more than two million people, the friendliness and closeness of the city, and its Midwestern roots make it easier than most cities to get your arms around the town.

A Taste of Kansas City

You cannot experience Kansas City’s rich culture without also tasting the local cuisine.

A literal melting pot of fine food: Italian, Steak, Barbecue, Mexican, Americana, Greek, Thai and more

Kansas City was the original home of the American Restaurant Association (ARA.) Funded in 1919, ARA is celebrating a century of fine food this year from their new headquarters in Chicago. It was patterned after the Kansas City Restaurant Association, established two years earlier.

The restaurants in the Kansas City region bring with them a kaleidoscope of different genres, nationalities, flavors and tastes. With nationally renown foodies like Michael Smith farinakc.com, Christopher Elbow elbowchocolates.com and Jasper Mirabile Jr. jasperskc.com, there is always something cooking in the heartland city.

It’s no surprise that Lisa grew up with some of most notable restaurant families in town. The Mirabiles, the Dunleavys, the Muehlebachs and the Fiorellas were neighbors and friends. Once a community, always a community.

With a global flair, Kansas City also has its own styles as well. While both Jasper Mirabile and Michael Smith are known for their authentic Italian cooking, both can cook up a mean steak. Kansas City was once a major Midwestern livestock hub. This helped to not only to create an indelible tradition of great steaks, but also jazz, entertainment, hotels and speakeasies. Eating a steak in this town is a must.
Kansas City is also home of the original Kansas City Strip. While New Yorkers like to put their own spin on the name (New York Strip,) the name and cut of beef originated with a butcher in Kansas City, America’s hometown of great steak.

The KC Strip was originated when a local Kansas City butcher separated the two major sections of a Porterhouse steak. The smaller, more tender cut becomes the tenderloin filet. The larger, more flavorful cut becomes (became) the Kansas City Strip (steak.)

You cannot say Kansas City without barbecue. Kansas City has a rich heritage of jazz, barbecue and baseball that goes back more than a century. Local hangouts like Joes KC joeskc.com, Q39 q39kc.com and Jack Stack jackstackbbq.com attract barbecue fans from around the country. With more than a dozen local barbecue favorites, and thousands of fans, the annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue® www.americanroyal.com/bbq/ keeps the chefs sharp and the fires hot.

A late breaking entry must be included. The Jones Sisters of Jones BBQ was recently featured on Queer Eye’s Season 3. It’s worth checking out the episode on Netflix, and also their BBQ! An adorable pair who are faithfully carrying on their father and brother’s legacy in Kansas City, Kan. The sisters have been starting the Q at 4:30 a.m. for nearly 40 years! www.JonesBBQKC.com, www.netflix.com, https://bit.ly/2UGPmPY

Kansas City Family Businesses

Kansas City is a private company town. With more than 100,000 privately-owned companies in Kansas City, it is a city of entrepreneurs and business builders. That is one company for every man, woman and child in town, meaning the average size of a company is approximate 12 employees, despite global giants like Cerner, Sprint and Hallmark.

While most of the private companies are small family-owned businesses, over the years established companies grow. The region is home to hundreds of multigenerational businesses. Family names like Muehlebach, Kemper, Mirabile, Fiorella, Lockton, Hall, Baldwin, Regnier, Dunn, Goppert, Stowers and many more are not just tied to Kansas City businesses, they are tied to Kansas City families and a rich Kansas City heritage.

Reaching the World Beyond Kansas City

Kansas City is home to regional offices of major companies based throughout the U.S., North America and the globe. John Deere has their North American Sales and Marketing Center in Kansas City. Major national companies like Ford, Microsoft, Google, U.S. Bank, Accenture, KPMG and many more have regional offices in the Kansas City metro. And, Kansas City is home to headquarters locations for some of the nation’s notable law firms as well. Five major Kansas City based firms have offices around the world, yet they call the area their home.

The ebbs and flows of a diversity of people moving in and out of the region, as well as daily business and personal travel to destinations beyond, keep Kansas City moving and connected in ways that few consider. Kansas City may be perceived by outsiders as an isolated Midwest city, but it’s truly a melting pot of personal and professional diversity.

Alpha Board Cities of Innovation

We’ll continue to check in with Lisa Dunleavy as we progress through the Kansas City Alpha Board Tour. She will continue to provide us with insights into the past, present and future of the Kansas City region. Lisa will connect us with stories of Kansas City area leaders, the culture, the landmarks of the city and some of the people, past and present, who make the city what it is today. She’ll help us tell the stories of why and where people love to live in Kansas City. And as she has time, Lisa will help guide us to other cities as a part of Alpha Board Innovation Tour across the nation and ultimately beyond.

Growing up KC^{^™}

1:21 am By Dave Anderson

We are a key player in a national business leadership tour, industry market study and executive leadership exchange. The program is a showcase platform to highlight the best business drivers across a number of major metros throughout the United States.

We are meeting with high-growth companies and innovative business leaders within vibrant American cities. We are visiting cities that are poised for significant new growth over the next five years. The tour includes a number of metro markets that are benefiting as people and companies depart the coasts and seek more livable cities. Kansas City is first on our list.

We have some special plans for Kansas City area leaders. The region has been our home for many years. We want to take this opportunity to showcase the city and learn from Kansas City area leaders. The “Growing up KC” program is a special series to better understand and describe what is driving growth and progress in the region. The story will be told by the leaders who are helping to drive the city forward.

In addition to learning about the region, there are unique opportunities for visibility. The Growing Up KC tour will promote area leaders, companies, lifestyles and growth opportunities on a local, regional and national scale.

So, what does that mean for you and/or your company? Quite simply, “leaders wanted.” We are putting together a list of some of the standout leaders who represent not only the legacy of the region, but the future. We are seeking business owners, CEOs, senior executives, business advisors, and also “Kansas City lifestyle” experts to helps us tell the story of Kansas City to the world.

It’s an opportunity for leaders to interact with each other, meet other leaders in other cities, highlight their businesses, and gain further visibility and recognition for you and your organization’s efforts in Kansas City region and beyond. We cannot promise the cover of Rolling Stone magazine but our past efforts have been well received. Previous efforts have been recognized by BusinessWeek, Forbes, CNBC, Reuters, Bloomberg, MSNBC, EuroInvestor, and dozens more.

If you are a stand-out leader with major ties to the region and business community, we’d love to have you join us.

For more information on Alpha^® Board, and/or to include your company in our tour, you can call me at 913 685-4850 or 612 810-4000, or reach me via email at dave@neuvision.com.

Alpha Board and NeuVision Group are founding hosts of the 2023-2024 Alpha Board Tour. In addition, we’ll be including sponsors and co-hosts throughout America’s Heartland.

It’s Business Drive Time^® in Kansas City

2:26 am By Dave Anderson

Kansas City is jumping. We’ve been through alot over the past few years, but things are getting back to normal. Companies are expanding. New organizations are finding their beginnings in the city. Employers hiring. They are looking for great people, and they are finding them in Kansas City! With all the changes in the market, and turmoil on the coasts, people and companies are looking from better markets. Better places to live. Better places to locate companies and employees. And, there are opportunities, especially in tech, for remote positions. As a result of this, and Kansas City’s overall reputation, KC is developing a notable spot on the national map.

The Spirit (and vibrancy) of Kansas City.

A recent study by the Brookings Institute ranked Johnson County, Kan., the key suburban county of the Kansas City metro, as one of the most vibrant counties in the nation. https://bit.ly/2EmCBmq Kansas City City is feeding off that energy, and the city’s future is as bright. Kansas City based events like the 2023 NFL Draft, a recent Super Bowl Win and the awarding as a host city for the FIFA World Cup 2026 are all nods from national influencers that Kansas City is on the map.

Kansas City is on the Move!

What is Kansas City’s secret sauce? What makes Kansas City a great place to live and work? Why is it an attractive metro to own and run a company? Kansas City has become a hotbed for innovative new companies, new technologies and new business growth. We will discuss why!

Alpha Board Leaders: We are addressing these topics and more in the Kansas City segment of our Alpha Board National Business Leadership Tour. We are featuring a select group of area professionals as a part of the national tour. Join us as we showcase Kansas City leaders and newfound Kansas City growth! www.AlphaBoardTour.com

The national Alpha Board Tour is featuring some of the hottest markets across the nation. We’re reviewing the cities where business leaders, families and companies truly want to live. Fresh Octane^® cities like, Kansas City, Denver, Minneapolis, Phoenix-Scottsdale, Nashville, Dallas, Austin and Raleigh-Durham all have a number of things in common. They are vibrant and growing. They are great places to locate businesses. Technology companies are thriving, plentiful and welcome in each city. And their livability indices far exceed the livability and affordability ratings of their coastal peer cities.

Alpha^® Driven Growth: As a part of our tour, we’re looking for the finest drivers to help us tell the best business stories! If you are distinguished business owner, CEO advisor, a noted business development professional or a recognized leader in the Kansas City region (or another Fresh Octane City,) we’d love to include your story in our national tour! To learn more, call Dave Anderson at 612 810-4000; email Dave@AlphaBoard.com.

About Alpha^® Board

Alpha Board is CEO power hub and National Business Leadership Exchange™ for leaders of high growth companies.

Alpha Board is designed to enhance the reputation, learning and market reach of CEO’s, Alpha Grade™ executives and the companies they lead. The Alpha Board Tour includes a series of regional industry visits throughout the U.S. This will involve news interviews, company visits and a market study on the topics of leadership, tech development, business growth and new product innovation. Other Alpha Board programs feature national speakers, executive exchanges, corporate profiles, leader roundtable discussions and open-house events at leading companies. Alpha Board works in collaboration with NeuVision Group, a 20-year-old new business development firm, as well as local,regional and national participants throughout the U.S.Past efforts have benefited owners across the U.S., and gained the attention of noted business media outlets throughout two continents. More information about Alpha^® Board, NeuVision^® Group and the Fresh Octane^® Tour can be found at www.AlphaBoard.com.

Seeking the Finest Business Drivers in America

4:39 pm By Dave Anderson

Alpha^® Board 2025-2026 Fresh Octane^® Tour

National Business Leadership Exchange^™

Executive Overview

Join the conversation! Are you a great business driver? We’ve working with some of the finest Alpha^® Grade leaders in American business, and we’re looking for additional standout leaders to be involved. Which business leaders in your market do you believe are creating the greatest regional, national and global market impacts? What industries, companies, people and products are moving business forward? Got Drive? Let’s talk!

Alpha^® Board Fresh Octane^® National Business Leadership Tour:

Fresh Octane^® Tour: Showcasing innovative new products, Alpha^® Driven companies, Alpha^® Grade CEOs, and outstanding business leaders throughout major growth markets across America.
It’s about creating excitement, gaining visibility and driving inbound leads.
Helping to grow the reach, reputation and revenue of the region and nation’s finest business leaders.
A chance to place the great business drivers’ stories on the national stage.
Alpha Board Fresh Octane^® Tour is a field tested system with well-designed, unique and powerful approach.
- Proprietary, centralized system to drive marketplace attention
- Innovative design based on rock-solid product launch/market acceptance techniques
- Proven exponentially more efficient and powerful than comparable single company initiatives
- We have market partners committed and participating from across the U.S. and globally.
- CEOs, CEO advisors, business developers, celebrity guests.

Alpha Board Fresh Octane Executive Programs

Centralized visibility system for leaders: executives, companies, products and services
Leverages two decades of experience creating visibility and market adoption for new products
Alpha Board Portraits of Leadership Executive and corporate showcase interviews and profiles
Alpha Board News Reel: Video shorts and comprehensive news film (local, regional and national video)
Alpha Board Fresh Octane CEO/Business Leader Roundtable discussions
Alpha Board Exchanges: Newsworthy leader exchanges among other cities and high profile venues
Alpha Board Ambassadors: Serving as a host for CEOs, business advisors, and/or celebrity guests
Alpha Buzz: Corporate and individual news content, social media, SEM, SEO

For more information, you can reach us via telephone or email. In Denver, call Dan Vasey at 303 809-9058 or via email at dan@neuvision.com. In the Twin Cities or Kansas City, call Dave Anderson at 612 810-4000/913 685-4850, or by email at dave@neuvision.com.

Alpha^® Board’s 2025 Fresh Octane^® Tour

Alpha Driven Winners

Who are the best business drivers in America? Which of these business leaders are making national and global impacts? What industries, companies, people and products are moving business forward? We are seeking some of the finest drivers of business success, to include in the Alpha^® Board Fresh Octane^® National Business Leadership Tour. Read articles about What’s Holding Back the New Ford Transit Custom Lease Industry? to have a better strategy idea or your business.

The Fresh Octane^® tour is a national effort to showcase Alpha^® Driven companies and Alpha^® Grade leaders across the United States and ultimately beyond. We’re starting the tour in three U.S. cities, all known for their ingenuity, new technologies, and a business climate that embraces innovation and fosters business growth.

We are working with innovative businesses and business leaders in these three regions as we assemble a targeted group of organizations and professionals that we would like to recognize during the first leg of the tour. We would like you to consider being involved. Why, you ask? It’s about creating excitement, gaining visibility and growing the reach and reputation of the regions’ finest leaders. It’s quite literally a chance to place the great business drivers’ stories on the national stage.

A great business, just like a high-performance racing team, is a well-oiled machine. Both are designed and built by professionals, with the finest components, proper assembly, an experienced maintenance and repair crew, a talented crew chief, and a great race driver. Even with everything designed and prepared perfectly, you still have to face the competition and race. Track conditions, other drivers, when to pit, wrecks to avoid, and when to really push to pass. There is a huge amount that goes into a winning the race. Not just on the track of motorsports, but also on the track of business.

And, just like great sports teams, businesses, business leaders, and business teams must be recognized, respected and learned from. We are involved in a major program to do exactly that. Alpha^® Board is working with NeuVision^® Group (Kansas City, Minneapolis, Denver), Jeff Andretti Motorsports, and Mesa Research Group (Los Angeles, Paris, Shanghai) to identify and provide recognition to some of the greatest business leaders throughout the Midwest and across America. We’ve devised a formal program to accomplish the task. We are identifying targeted leaders and participants throughout the U.S.

The Alpha Board Fresh Octane^® Tour has been field tested and it works. CEOs, business owners and senior executives that have participated in past effort have been excited about the visibility and camaraderie associated with the programs. We have and will continue to develop new features and fine tune the program based on ongoing market feedback. Finally, we’ve shown that through this effort, we can efficiently gain much needed market attention among key opinion leaders, the business press, and also among participants’ major targeted customers.

We are working with leaders across the region to gather people, products and companies that we should include in our tour. We would love to have you participate, and we also welcome ideas and suggestions regarding companies and leaders that we might feature in our National Business Leadership Tour.

About Alpha^® Board and the Fresh Octane^® Team

Alpha^® Board

Alpha Board is a National Business Leadership Exchange^™, designed to provide added market reach and further the cause of great business leaders and the companies they represent. The 2023 flagship program is a national leadership press tour and market study on leadership and innovation. Other Alpha Board programs include keynote speakers, executive interviews, corporate profiles, leader roundtable discussions, news stories, and live open-house events for businesses. Alpha Board provides the opportunity for enhanced market reach and visibility for the companies involved in the program, locally, regionally, and nationally. More information on Alpha Board and the Fresh Octane® Tour can be found on the web at www.AlphaBoard.com.

NeuVision^® Group

NeuVision Group helps leaders, companies and new product teams manage the risk and maximize the opportunities associated with new products, new companies, and major new growth initiatives. NeuVision Group is the initial founder of Alpha Board and is working with other partnering organizations throughout the U.S. to join the effort. Clients have ranged from the most innovative new ventures to many of the world’s most respected companies and brands. NeuVision Group, its president and founder Dave E. Anderson, and NeuVision Group’s sister company, Alpha Scouts^®, have worked across North America and beyond with organizations like Pfizer, 3M, IBM, Dell, Microsoft, Toshiba, Hewlett-Packard, Seagate, Iomega, Caterpillar, Monsanto, Deere, DuPont, CNH, MarketWatch, USDA and many more. Our previous Business Drive Time^® efforts, which served as a market test for Alpha Board and Fresh Octane, received national and international attention, and were recognized by major media outlets such as BusinessWeek, Forbes, CNBC, MSNBC, Reuters, Bloomberg, MarketWatch, EuroInvestor and more. For more information on NeuVision^® Group visit us on the web at www.NeuVision.com.

Business Drive Time^® Kansas City Freedom Bank and Kurt Knutson

8:03 pm By Dave Anderson

We recently began a series of interviews with Kurt Knutson, founder, chairman and CEO of Freedom Bank of Overland Park, Kansas, the largest suburb in the Kansas City metro area.

Today’s topic is a discussion about “Why Kansas City.” Why are business leaders and leading businesses in Kansas City so driven? What is it about the Kansas City region that makes it a great place to live, work, raise a family and grow a business?

Kurt has a bird’s eye view of Kansas City, and views the city from a variety of perspectives:

A leader, CEO, business owner and business founder
A member of the Kansas City and Johnson County communities
A vision of Kansas City and also significant experience and ties to other markets
A community and commercial (business owners’) banker/lender
A mentor and advisor to business owners and young banking professionals
A volunteer and leader of statewide organizations
The founder and CEO of a local charity

In addition to viewing Kansas City as a CEO and business banker, Kurt sees through the lens of a husband, father and member of the community.

Kurt chose Kansas City as a career destination out of college. He considered Kansas City, Minneapolis and Chicago as solid locations for him to start his career. Here are some of his considerations, beginning in 1982 and now through the eyes of a seasoned Kansas City business leader.

A Business Builder City

Why is the Kansas City metro a great place for small businesses? Small businesses are the ultimate driver of the majority of job growth in the U.S. economy. Kansas City is no exception. The Kansas City metro is an excellent small business city. And, we cannot evaluate the area’s business community without also discussing why the Kansas City region is a great place to live, work and raise a family.

“Kansas City is a very diverse community. It’s not heavily reliant on one industry which was important to me. We have a few large companies, but it’s not a Fortune 500 type of town. It’s a privately held business town. That diversification to me is really important. It provides stability. The ups and downs aren’t as steep. That to me is something I was looking for at the time.”

A Culture and Business Climate to Foster Thousands of Small Companies Around a Few Larger Companies

There is a healthy, growing interaction effect between the thousands of smaller companies and a number of larger companies. Both the large and small companies are well diversified across a variety of industries. Thus, the city is not only free from dependence on one giant employer, but also is less affected by national economic cycles. Kansas City’s diverse, non-coastal, small business economy typically serves as an economic buffer to some of the impacts and shocks of national economic volatility.

“The smaller businesses have really done well around the larger companies in town.”

“You’ve got a heavy amount of industry that calls upon our local businesses to support them. We also know it isn’t the concentration (within one industry) that we need. We (KC, as a community) need to be diversified, and not be subject to the whims of any one particular company.”

A Great Place to Live and Raise a Family

Kansas City is undoubtedly a wonderful place to raise a family. That alone makes for a great economic development engine. Overland Park, the largest Kansas suburb, consistently ranks among the top in the nation for raising a family. https://bit.ly/2WUTYmT Quality of life, broadly defined, is one of the most attractive and important growth factors for the region. The public-school systems on the Kansas side of the metro are a significant economic driver. The three major districts are Blue Valley, Shawnee Mission and Olathe.

“We moved here Johnson County (Kan.,) because we had kids and we were looking for those great school districts to have our kids go through. I see the growth of the county dependent on the excellence of the school districts we have here. That has happened. It continues to happen. Johnson County is the economic driver of the state, and the school district is really the economic driver for Johnson County. That’s what keeps the growth going and keeps the community so vibrant.”

A melting pot of people for everywhere, keeping the city engaged, open-minded and vibrant.

In addition to a firm foundation of Kansas City area natives, Kansas City, Mo. and especially Johnson County are home to people who moved here from around the country and around the world. The diverse population, combined with a family friendly culture and a lower stress city, keeps the business population vibrant, engaged and open to new ideas.

Because of its livability and centralized location, the KC metro is home to regional offices of many of the country’s most notable employers. Even when local employees are offered subsequent transfers to other communities, many have fallen in love with the Kansas City area and choose to stay.

“The people that you come across in town are from all over. Everybody is very accepting and welcoming. That creates a positive environment. Wherever you’re coming from, it’s an environment that’s conducive to somebody coming in from the outside, and being able to grow a business here.”

Freedom Bank – Banking on Kansas City Businesses

We will continue to follow progress at Freedom Bank as our business tour of the Kansas City area continues. Kurt and his team at Freedom Bank represent all that is right with the Kansas City area and Kansas City business, and we’re excited to continue our journey of following the progress of stand-out business owners in the Kansas City area and beyond.
For more information about Freedom Bank services, contact Kurt Knutson via email at kknutson@ibankwithfreedom.com. You may call the bank at 913 563-5600, or visit them on the web at www.IBankWithFreedom.com.

Building Great Brands in a Digital World

2:16 am By Dave Anderson

It’s Business Drive Time^® in this new age, ever changing digital world.

So, who in the marketplace is doing the finest job in the business race? Who are the winners? What industries, what companies, what products, which people are leading the pack?

We are speaking with leaders across the country and throughout the most innovative industries as we attempt to answer these questions. It’s part of Alpha Board’s National Business Leadership Tour. The tour includes companies and leaders from a number of the hottest markets in the U.S. and ultimately beyond.

One of the subjects we will be discussing is the challenges and opportunities of building great brands in today’s dynamic technology world. We are speaking leaders inside well branded companies. In addition, we’re speaking with the marketing agencies and advisers that are helping promising companies manage and develop their brands in the marketplace.

We’re not looking for leaders in the cliché companies. We’ll leave Google, Facebook, LinkedIn and their peers for someone else’s tour. We’re looking for the hidden gems, the fast companies, the smaller companies, the private companies and the emerging leaders who are mastering the art of new.

We have the same philosophy as we select the cities in the tour. While New York, LA, San Francisco and Seattle may not be entirely yesterday’s news, we’re visiting the cities that are truly winning in the 21st Century.

Technology is hot, but even technology is not just for California anymore. If you are in a city like Minneapolis, Kansas City, Denver, Austin, Phoenix-Scottsdale, Dallas, Nashville or Raleigh-Durham you may find yourself on our list of experts for the tour.

One of the topics we will be discussing with leaders is the art and science of growing great brands and achieving marketplace attention in our new, always spinning, digital age.

We’re looking for the experts that can tell us how the great brands roll.

What are the most powerful methods and trends driving today’s new age brand growth?
What companies are doing it right?
Are they product driven or market driving?
Are their brands about loyalty, clicks or both?
What is the blend of traditional marketing, product innovation, social media, the web and personal sales?
Is there a secret formula? Is there one strategy or many?
How are marketers finding the delicate balance between innovation, hard work? Traditional versus non-traditional tools?
Who are market suppliers and media companies with the leading-edge approaches?
Who are the agencies, digital leaders and market advisers that are doing the best work?

If you are an engaged and engaging leader in today’s branding and marketing race, we’d love to hear what you have to say. We can be reached at 913 685-4850, or via email at dave@alphaboard.com.

Portraits of Leadership Series – Kurt Knutson

7:50 pm By Dave Anderson

Kurt Knutson – Freedom Bank, Overland Park, Kan.
Founder, Chairman and CEO

It’s Business Drive Time^® in America, and we’re on a national business leadership tour. We are speaking with some of the finest leaders across America’s top growth industries. We are fielding a national market study, developing news stories and creating a video series about leading growth cities, industries, companies and people.

We recently sat down with Kurt Knutson of Freedom Bank in Overland Park in Overland Park, Kan., a growing suburb of in the Kansas City metro. Kurt is a respected CEO, a CEO advisor and business founder. Freedom Bank is one of the most well-managed business owner banks you will find. In addition to business banking insights, Kurt has provided valuable insights on what is required to foster growth of privately held companies.

The $180 million bank was founded by Kurt in 2005 after more than 20 years of prior commercial banking and finance experience. Freedom Bank is a new kind of bank, dealing exclusively with small to medium-sized privately held companies. Freedom Bank’s lending services focus on business term loans, working capital lines of credit and owner-occupied business real estate loans.

The bank’s mission, the portfolio of services and even the contemporary headquarters building were developed around the unique needs of business owners. Freedom Bank’s personalized level of services mirror what was once the norm in banking. This single-location, community bank with a visible, respected leader is something Kurt experienced firsthand as he grew up in the Midwestern town of Waterloo, Iowa, home of John Deere Tractor Works www.deere.com.

In addition to Freedom Bank, Kurt worked with his investor group to create a Founders Club and a Freedom Bank Foundation. Associated activities help to cultivate ongoing business friendships and professional connections for all involved. Freedom Bank hosts quarterly in-house events and an annual charity golf tournament. Kurt and his team select worthy local causes each year to receive the tournament proceeds.

Kurt also established a Freedom Bank banking and corporate finance training institute. The Freedom Bank Institute offers young professionals a taste of career opportunities in business banking. The institute provides student internships and training to promising young professionals on the subjects of banking, credit analysis and corporate finance.

Kurt is active in the business and banking community across the region. He is a member and past chairman of the Kansas Banking Board within the Office of the State Bank Commissioner. Kurt is an active member and chairman elect of the Kansas Bankers Association www.ksbankers.com, and is a member of KBA’s federal affairs committee. Kurt is on the board of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce www.kansaschamber.org, and a corporate board member of Clements Worldwide, a leading supplier of insurance solutions for expatriates and international organizations.

Kurt began his career as a regional sales manager at Russell Stover Candies before entering commercial banking. Prior to founding Freedom Bank, Kurt held senior and executive level banking positions serving customers locally, regionally and nationally. Prior banking experience includes Enterprise Bank, UMB Bank, Bank of America, Johnson County Bank and Bankers Trust. Kurt received his degree in marketing from the Tippie College of Business at the University of Iowa. www.uiowa.edu

For business loans in the Kansas City region, you can reach Kurt and Freedom Bank at www.IBankWithFreedom.com

“Kansas City on the Move^®” – Sheila Ost

10:49 am By Dave Anderson

Sheila Ost – Advanced Insurance Planning Consultant
Target Insurance Services

Sheila Ost of Target Insurance Services is Kansas City “business connected.” She has collaborated with privately-held Kansas City companies and their owners for more than two decades and has cultivated a network that is nearly unmatched among area business professionals.

Our discussion with Sheila provided us with great insights on some of the most inviting features of the region. It helped us understand why Kansas City is an attractive destination for individuals, young professionals, families, business owners and companies.

Sheila is a life-long member of the community. She grew up and continues to live in Johnson County, Kansas, a popular and affluent suburban county of the Kansas City metro http://www.jocogov.org/. Johnson County is a major driver of jobs and economic growth in the Kansas, Missouri and Kansas City regions.

By the nature of her job, her professional skills and her tenure in the marketplace, Sheila is well-versed on the people, companies, dynamics and growth of the Kansas City area. She also provided extensive insights into the culture of living in Johnson County and the metropolitan area as well as insights on how to buy a house. Sheila travels often and is familiar with how Kansas City compares to peer cities throughout the nation.

Sheila is well-known and highly-regarded in the Kansas City business community. Through Target, she directly provides insurance and other benefits solutions to the business owners and employees of privately-held companies throughout the area. Products include life insurance, long-term care coverage, disability income, Medicare Supplement, and others. Furthermore, by listening and asking questions, Sheila can craft long term plans for selling or transferring their businesses.

Sheila also partners with benefits agencies, property/casualty professionals, attorneys, wealth managers and financial planning firms to provide education. In addition to the previously mentioned solutions, she provides products and services such as buy/sell, key man instruments and more to their clients.

Sheila received her degree in business from Kansas State University, and along with her husband Ed, are parents to two future doctors.

To learn more about the services that Sheila and Target Insurance provides to families, businesses, employees and business owners, visit www.targetins.com.