Building and Construction

Building Leaders Blueprint the Future

Leaders in the building and construction industry do not get together often, but when they do, it is worth listening in. On Monday, February 13 this assembly proved unusually productive.

Chairing the event were Grover Simpson, president of Lockton Companies, a co-sponsor, and Jack Nix, CEO of J.E. Dunn Construction, a co-sponsor as well. The assembly was held in Lockton’s stately 10th floor board room overlooking the Country Club Plaza. An impressive range of top executives from the engineering, architecture, construction, labor, legal, insurance and government fields attended.

Ingram’s is the only organization that affectively pulls together the interdependent entities that make up the industry. In fact, the first Industry Outlook we ever held was with this group. This is our sixth go-around. The first time we did it, we thought, “Have we covered everything there is to cover?” Then we realized that in this business in particular, the transitions are so quick, and each year’s conditions so distinct, that repetition is less a problem than keeping up.

Boom Town?

As an introductory question, participants were asked what a building boom looks like, and if Kansas City really was experiencing one.

(front row, left to right)

Jack Nix , J.E. Dunn Construction (Co-Chair)

Patrick Pribyl, Lockton Companies

Ramin Cherafat, McCownGordon Construction

Jim Calcara, 360 Architecture

Joe Privitera, Mark One Electric

Mike McClure, City of Kansas City, Missouri

John Foudray, MC Lioness

Dennis Thompson,Walton Construction

(back row, left to right)

Scott Stalcup, Gould Evans

Dan Morgan, The Builders' Association

Roy Bash, Shughart Thomson & Kilroy

Casey Cassias, BNIM Architects

Garry Kemp, Greater Kansas City Building & Construction Trades Council

Grover Simpson, Lockton Companies (Co-Chair)

Greg Nook, J.E. Dunn Construction