CORPORATE REPORT 100

81

NIC, Inc.

Gross Revenue: 2004: $55,762,000    2001: $37,020,000
Growth: 50.627%    Full-time employees: 300

Formerly known as National Information Consortium, NIC has experienced growth in its eGovernment portal services by organic growth within its existing portal business as well as adding new state portal contracts. CEO Jeff Fraser has seen his company on the Corporate Report 100 list every year since 2000.

82

Coldwell Banker Advantage

Gross Revenue: 2004: $7,271,789    2001: $4,831,736
Growth: 50.501%    Full-time employees: 11

Coldwell Banker Advantage appears for the third straight year, and has moved up a few notches each time. The residential real estate company based in Overland Park has grown through a commitment to “exceptional service and keeping customers for life,” according to CEO Karen Bergin.

83

Treat America Food Services

Gross Revenue: 2004: $21,620,381    2001: $14,461,337
Growth: 49.505%    Full-time employees: 235

Acquisitions have been the key for Treat America, appearing for the third-straight year. CEO John Mitchell’s company provides vending, food catering and office coffee services to a wide variety of customers. In the past four years, Treat America has acquired four other companies to become the company it is today.

84

Applebee’s International, Inc.

Gross Revenue: 2004: $1,111,634,000    2001: $744,344,000
Growth: 49.344%    Full-time employees: 28,800

Here we begin the “heavy-hitters” section of our list, as five of the next six companies listed had revenues in excess of $1 billion in 2004. Applebee’s has more than 1,700 restaurants located around the world, and CEO Lloyd Hill credits “great service delivered by great associates” for the company’s success.

85

Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc.

Gross Revenue: 2004: $4,573,946,785    2001: $3,097,026,326
Growth: 47.688%    Full-time employees: 7,258

AWG, the second-largest company on our list (Yellow Roadway is the largest), is a retailer-owned cooperative grocery wholesaler. CEO Gary Phillips’ Kansas City, Kansas-based company continues to be successful through acquisition of three Fleming Foods distribution centers and internal consolidation.

86

Decision Insight, Inc.

Gross Revenue: 2004: $2,924,123    2001: $1,980,266
Growth: 47.663%    Full-time employees: 16

Decision Insight designs custom research programs for leading consumer-goods companies. The decision to switch from traditional market research techniques to technology-driven methods has proved very beneficial for CEO Cathy Allin and this Kansas City-based company.

87

AMC Entertainment, Inc.

Gross Revenue: 2004: $1,782,820,000    2001: $1,215,130,000
Growth: 46.718%    Full-time employees: 8,253

AMC is one of the world’s largest theatrical exhibition companies, with more than 3,100 screens worldwide. AMC has theatre locations in most major markets in the United States and seven other countries, but CEO Peter Brown and the headquarters are located in Kansas City.

88

DST Systems, Inc.

Gross Revenue: 2004: $2,428,600,000     2001: $1,660,000,000
Growth: 46.301%    Full-time employees: 11,000

DST provides information processing and computer software services and products to a wide range of clients. CEO Tom McDonnell has kept his 5,800 Kansas City-area employees in the heart of downtown, which has helped in the revitalization process. DST will continue to be a player for years to come.

89

Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.

Gross Revenue: 2004: $1,658,182,000    2001: $1,139,373,000
Growth: 45.535%    Full-time employees: 4,463

This Overland Park-based propane distribution company has grown steadily since 2001, primarily through acquisitions, according to CEO Jim Ferrell. The most notable acquisition was the 2004 purchase of Blue Rhino Corporation. Ferrellgas is located in all 50 states, Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

90

Original Juan Specialty Foods, Inc.

Gross Revenue: 2004: $3,037,222    2001: $2,098,360
Growth: 44.743%    Full-time employees: 26

Headquartered in KCK, Original Juan Specialty Foods manufactures specialty hot sauces, salsas and condiments. Under President Joe Polo, Original Juan’s success comes from marketing brand awareness and expanding its product lines, including the “hottest of hot sauces” called “Meltdown” and “Off the Charts!”