William D. Zollars, Chairman and CEO of trucking giant Yellow Freight, has helped keep some 2,000 people employed in Kansas City and 30,000 employed nationwide. Despite the loss of $94 million in 2002, the last two years have witnessed a run-up in Yellow's stock of more than 50%. What is more, the fourth quarter of 2002 witnessed a nice return to profitability.

Although his bank is obviously not headquartered in Kansas City, Clyde Wendel makes it almost seem like it is. As president of the Bank of America-Kansas City Region, he has helped steer the bank through the treacherous shoals of the past two years and still managed to sit on any number of high profile charitable and civic boards.

To this point, Bryan Rogers has kept a relatively low profile within the HCA system as CEO of a Riverside, California hospital. This is all about to change. Rogers will now preside over the newly purchased Health Midwest today known as Community Health Group. With so much money changing hands, Rogers and HCA's management team will meet more new friends and swindlers over the next few months than anyone in Kansas City. We're relieved that a capable operator like HCA is finally at the helm of the ailing Health Midwest

As Chairman, President and CEO of LabOne Inc., W. Thomas Grant, II has helped to make the Lenexa-based company a major player in the drug screening business. By expanding risk-assessment services provided to life insurance companies and by increasing laboratory capacity, Grant has continued to push up the company's stock price in a bear market and predicts 15% revenue growth for 2003. Father William D. Grant serves as Chairman Emeritus and also serves on the regional committee of the Business Executives for National Security.

Despite the Anglo name, Timothy Webster serves as President and CEO of American Italian Pasta Co. Founded only 15 years ago, this Northland enterprise has captured about one-quarter of the total market of 4 billion pounds of dry pasta sold in North America. In the past five years, the company has more than tripled sales and boosted profit more than five-fold.

Lloyd L. Hill serves as chairman, president and CEO of Applebee's International Inc., a 20 year-old restaurant business first brought to KC by Applebee's patriarch Abe Gustin in 1986. There are roughly 1,300 Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants in 49 states and eight countries. Given its substantial balance sheet and strong cash flow, Hill's current strategy is to buy out its franchisees. This confidence is buttressed by a near doubling of the company's stock price in the last two years.

Jack Lockton and his parents launched the insurance company that bears their name in an Overland Park basement less than 40 years ago. Today it is the largest independently owned insurance broker in the U.S and employs more than 2000 brokers nationwide. Jack now serves as Chairman Emeritus and younger brother David Lockton is Chief Executive Officer.

Bob Bernstein co-founded Bernstein-Rein Advertising in 1964 with just one employee and less than $1 million in billings. Today, the company has emerged as the largest in Kansas City with nearly 300 employees and over $280 million in billings. The firm's diversification has helped it weather a difficult time in the industry and remain independent in an era of mergers. Son, Steve Bernstein, serves as COO.

After 17 years at the helm of Burns & McDonnell, the area's second largest engineering firm with 1,700 employee and a $90 million annual payroll, the irrepressible Dave Ruf is alleged to be stepping down soon as he reaches the mandatory retirement age. Energy Group President Greg Graves is now COO and will become the sixth president in the firm's 105-year history. Graves is slotted to become CEO when Ruf retires at year's end.

After a long career with Kansas City Southern, Landon Rowland recently served as Chairman, President & CEO of Stilwell Financial, Inc., until it became Janus Capital Group a single-branded, global asset management firm. This year he continues on as Chairman of the Board with Janus. He also serves as Chairman of Business Executives for National Security Kansas City, a position, that with good reason, he takes seriously.