Then & Now

Ken Hill

Without Ken Hill, the Rices may not have succeeded as much as they did. Credit Ted and Joyce for coming up with the recipe and the vision, but credit their partner Ken Hill with having the right mixture of skill and industry experience to make their dream a reality.

Hill was a 20-year veteran of the restaurant business and was looking for a new challenge. Before joining with the Rices, he was president of Gilbert-Robinson, Inc. Under his direction, Gilbert-Robinson grew from nine local restaurants to 79 restaurants across 23 states.

After working his magic at TJ Cinnamons for several years, he joined Applebee’s International as executive VP and chief operating officer. In 1995 he retired and became a consultant to Applebee’s for governmental affairs, industry relations, and new concept development.

In addition to consulting, Hill currently sits on the board of the National Restaurant Association and is an honorary director of that organization.

Lee Greif

The lure of money and the power it brings can be the world’s greatest elixir, as well as its greatest evil. Few persons know that better than Lee Greif, former head of Midland Bank. Now living a quiet, private life in Prairie Village, Greif was in the throes of the fast lane in 1986, back when Ingram’s called him “Kansas City’s young master.”

By that year, Greif had amassed a mound of assets worth a reported $464 million. Besides Midland Bank, his interests included Country Hill Bank, College Boulevard National Bank, Tower State Bank, and Pioneer Savings & Loan. An affable man who tried hard to de-institutionalize banking, Greif was enamored by the appeal of doing something new and was propelled by the race to do it first. He bent the rules of established banking and made good money being unorthodox. But as in other cases presented in this article, Greif ended up victimizing himself.

In the fall of 1995, he was indicted on charges of bank fraud, money laundering and making a false statement. The following spring, he pled guilty to one count of fraud for using false information in the sale of a stock option in which the buyer lost $1.8 million.

His troubles did not end there. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. sued Greif in 2000, seeking $3.53 million in allegedly unpaid restitution order, which he agreed to in 1998 but later refused.

Ted Ehney, Jr.

Think what you will about this man, the fact is that Ted Ehney has made an undisputable and significant contribution to suburban commercial development in KC. The soft-spoken Texan—by accounts a well-mannered, and charming man—came to town and established Executive Hills, Inc. in 1976. Bringing Larry Bridges into his fold by 1979, Ehney was off and racing. Executive Hills South, East, North, Glenwood Place, Twelve Wyandotte Plaza, and One Kansas City Place—all bear his stamp, or once did.

But people lose control, and when one domino falls, others follow. Ehney went wrong in Texan style: doing things very big. In his scheming to finance the empire, he brought down a savings & loan association and had assumed $100 million in debt. Eventually he was sentenced to prison. The court battles that sent him there scarred this community in ways that are still painful. Just ask Bridges... or Mark Russell.

At the tail end of 2004, Ehney appeared back in town after an absence of at least 10 years. He put $6 million down on the old TWA Administrative Building adjacent Kansas City International Airport, his old playing ground. One of his backers was Greg Timm, a Colorado-based developer who later bought out Ehney’s interest in the building. Just like that, Ted was gone again.

So, the question remains, where is he now? “I’ve heard he’s in Missouri,” Timm said, but exactly where not many know. Ted prefers it that way.

Larry Bridges

Larry Bridges has given to area real estate development what he once gave to professional tennis: his absolute all, and then some.

After surviving a long, trying period of courtroom procedures related to his previous business ties to Ted Ehney, Bridges emerged clean, praised his legal team, and rebuilt his career. He refocused his efforts and began driving development issues in Downtown. Today, the president of Executive Hills, while still a dominant player in Johnson County, leads the group that owns One Kansas City Place and is committed to Downtown and his suburban ties.

Hard-driven, even brazen by some accounts, Bridges has accomplished a great deal in his tenure here. Although he doesn’t always win his battles, Bridges is winning the war. He remains a force to be reckoned with on either side of the state line and is arguably the largest property owner of office buildings in the greater Kansas City area.

For all his business accumen, few are aware that he also owns the Los Angeles Business Journal, which we understand is the most profitable regional publication in America.

J. Nelson Happy

What do the following have in common: working in real estate development, preserving historic architecture, practicing law, managing aviation companies, teaching at universities, serving as board chairman several times, piloting private aircraft for more than 35 years, and, most important, living for a while in Kansas City?

The answer is J. Nelson Happy. Ingram’s readers might remember the coverage he received from local media back in the early 1980s, when he launched into a spree of property acquisitions in the Midtown/Westport areas, many of which were part of the 39th & Main business district redevelopment project.

Having arrived here in the late 1960s with a Columbia law degree and an interest in architecture, Mayor Charles Wheeler appointed him to the Landmarks Commission in 1975. He practiced aviation law and was a partner in two KC firms: Dietrich, Davis, Dicus, Rowlands and Schmitt, and later a named partner in Happy, Cooling & Herbers.

In 1984, he left Kansas City to accept the deanship of Regent University School of Law, a subsidiary of the M. G. “Pat” Robertson trust. After six years there, he was named CEO of CENCO Refining in Los Angeles, another Robertson company. Since then, he has become an aviation industry executive.

Chris Fritz

After many years of promoting concerts by the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and just about every other band to rock Kansas City, it only makes sense that Chris Fritz would be named a charter member of the National Lacrosse League Hall of Fame.

At least, it makes sense when you take a look at his career. Always one to act on his ideas, Fritz saw people on roller skates with lacrosse sticks back in the ‘80s. In 1986, he and longtime partner Russ Cline founded the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League, which has become the National Lacrosse League (NLL). By 1988, he and Cline owned all the teams in the league.

Ten years later, Fritz was forced to sell off his company, New West Contemporary, to SFX, which later sold it to Clear Channel.

He has remained on as a consultant to Clear Channel Entertainment, which produces events all over the world. In the meantime, Fritz re-launched and is now president of New West Presentations, a local company he is taking into creative concepts for television, movies and musicals.

About indoor lacrosse? He and Cline are co-owners of the Philadelphia Wings, the most winning team in the NLL.

And So It Goes

A sliver of this city’s history, its personality and its progress are defined by its people. People of all shapes and flavors, including those featured, have helped to make this city a great—and entertaining and interesting—place to live and work.

From Susan Stanton to Chris Clouser, each recognizes the area’s quality of life. From Tim Leiweke to Gail Lozoff, each realizes the metro area’s abundance of entrepreneurial opportunity. From Marcie Cecil to Chris Fritz, each regards the area’s willingness to innovate—as well as to have a little fun.

It may sound a bit corny but they all know—as do we—that Kansas City is open and welcoming, a friendly place where a person with a dream, perseverance and (legitimate) financing can indeed make a positive, lasting contribution.


Ken Hill Without Ken Hill, the Rices may not have succeeded as much as they did. Credit Ted and Joyce for coming up with the recipe and the vision, but credit their partner Ken Hill with having the right mixture of skill and industry experience to make their dream a reality. Hill was a 20-year veteran of the restaurant business and was looking for a new challenge. Before joining with the Rices, he was president of Gilbert-Robinson, Inc. Under his direction, Gilbert-Robinson grew from nine local restaurants to 79 restaurants across 23 states. After working his magic at TJ Cinnamons for several years, he joined Applebee’s International as executive VP and chief operating officer. In 1995 he retired and became a consultant to Applebee’s for governmental affairs, industry relations, and new concept development. In addition to consulting, Hill currently sits on the board of the National Restaurant Association and is an honorary director of that organization. Lee Greif The lure of money and the power it brings can be the world’s greatest elixir, as well as its greatest evil. Few persons know that better than Lee Greif, former head of Midland Bank. Now living a quiet, private life in Prairie Village, Greif was in the throes of the fast lane in 1986, back when Ingram’s called him “Kansas City’s young master.” By that year, Greif had amassed a mound of assets worth a reported $464 million. Besides Midland Bank, his interests included Country Hill Bank, College Boulevard National Bank, Tower State Bank, and Pioneer Savings & Loan. An affable man who tried hard to de-institutionalize banking, Greif was enamored by the appeal of doing something new and was propelled by the race to do it first. He bent the rules of established banking and made good money being unorthodox. But as in other cases presented in this article, Greif ended up victimizing himself. In the fall of 1995, he was indicted on charges of bank fraud, money laundering and making a false statement. The following spring, he pled guilty to one count of fraud for using false information in the sale of a stock option in which the buyer lost $1.8 million. His troubles did not end there. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. sued Greif in 2000, seeking $3.53 million in allegedly unpaid restitution order, which he agreed to in 1998 but later refused. Ted Ehney, Jr. Think what you will about this man, the fact is that Ted Ehney has made an undisputable and significant contribution to suburban commercial development in KC. The soft-spoken Texan—by accounts a well-mannered, and charming man—came to town and established Executive Hills, Inc. in 1976. Bringing Larry Bridges into his fold by 1979, Ehney was off and racing. Executive Hills South, East, North, Glenwood Place, Twelve Wyandotte Plaza, and One Kansas City Place—all bear his stamp, or once did. But people lose control, and when one domino falls, others follow. Ehney went wrong in Texan style: doing things very big. In his scheming to finance the empire, he brought down a savings & loan association and had assumed $100 million in debt. Eventually he was sentenced to prison. The court battles that sent him there scarred this community in ways that are still painful. Just ask Bridges... or Mark Russell. At the tail end of 2004, Ehney appeared back in town after an absence of at least 10 years. He put $6 million down on the old TWA Administrative Building adjacent Kansas City International Airport, his old playing ground. One of his backers was Greg Timm, a Colorado-based developer who later bought out Ehney’s interest in the building. Just like that, Ted was gone again. So, the question remains, where is he now? “I’ve heard he’s in Missouri,” Timm said, but exactly where not many know. Ted prefers it that way. Larry Bridges Larry Bridges has given to area real estate development what he once gave to professional tennis: his absolute all, and then some. After surviving a long, trying period of courtroom procedures related to his previous business ties to Ted Ehney, Bridges emerged clean, praised his legal team, and rebuilt his career. He refocused his efforts and began driving development issues in Downtown. Today, the president of Executive Hills, while still a dominant player in Johnson County, leads the group that owns One Kansas City Place and is committed to Downtown and his suburban ties. Hard-driven, even brazen by some accounts, Bridges has accomplished a great deal in his tenure here. Although he doesn’t always win his battles, Bridges is winning the war. He remains a force to be reckoned with on either side of the state line and is arguably the largest property owner of office buildings in the greater Kansas City area. For all his business accumen, few are aware that he also owns the Los Angeles Business Journal, which we understand is the most profitable regional publication in America. J. Nelson Happy What do the following have in common: working in real estate development, preserving historic architecture, practicing law, managing aviation companies, teaching at universities, serving as board chairman several times, piloting private aircraft for more than 35 years, and, most important, living for a while in Kansas City? The answer is J. Nelson Happy. Ingram’s readers might remember the coverage he received from local media back in the early 1980s, when he launched into a spree of property acquisitions in the Midtown/Westport areas, many of which were part of the 39th & Main business district redevelopment project. Having arrived here in the late 1960s with a Columbia law degree and an interest in architecture, Mayor Charles Wheeler appointed him to the Landmarks Commission in 1975. He practiced aviation law and was a partner in two KC firms: Dietrich, Davis, Dicus, Rowlands and Schmitt, and later a named partner in Happy, Cooling & Herbers. In 1984, he left Kansas City to accept the deanship of Regent University School of Law, a subsidiary of the M. G. “Pat” Robertson trust. After six years there, he was named CEO of CENCO Refining in Los Angeles, another Robertson company. Since then, he has become an aviation industry executive. Chris Fritz After many years of promoting concerts by the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and just about every other band to rock Kansas City, it only makes sense that Chris Fritz would be named a charter member of the National Lacrosse League Hall of Fame. At least, it makes sense when you take a look at his career. Always one to act on his ideas, Fritz saw people on roller skates with lacrosse sticks back in the ‘80s. In 1986, he and longtime partner Russ Cline founded the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League, which has become the National Lacrosse League (NLL). By 1988, he and Cline owned all the teams in the league. Ten years later, Fritz was forced to sell off his company, New West Contemporary, to SFX, which later sold it to Clear Channel. He has remained on as a consultant to Clear Channel Entertainment, which produces events all over the world. In the meantime, Fritz re-launched and is now president of New West Presentations, a local company he is taking into creative concepts for television, movies and musicals. About indoor lacrosse? He and Cline are co-owners of the Philadelphia Wings, the most winning team in the NLL. And So It Goes A sliver of this city’s history, its personality and its progress are defined by its people. People of all shapes and flavors, including those featured, have helped to make this city a great—and entertaining and interesting—place to live and work. From Susan Stanton to Chris Clouser, each recognizes the area’s quality of life. From Tim Leiweke to Gail Lozoff, each realizes the metro area’s abundance of entrepreneurial opportunity. From Marcie Cecil to Chris Fritz, each regards the area’s willingness to innovate—as well as to have a little fun. It may sound a bit corny but they all know—as do we—that Kansas City is open and welcoming, a friendly place where a person with a dream, perseverance and (legitimate) financing can indeed make a positive, lasting contribution.