National

Office Markets Continue to Slow in 2023

For many employers wanting to migrate their staff back into the office, recent Q1 office market reports from major commercial real estate companies show the effects of the pandemic are quite present. Office vacancy is still prevalent as 20.2 percent… more

Survey: U.S. Workers Believe They’re Underpaid

The ADP Research Institute has released results of a global survey of workplaces, and nearly half of American workers who responded believe they are underpaid. Three-fourths of them, however, are optimistic that they will receive raises this year. The institute,… more

Latest Fed Data Reflect Regional Slowdown

The Federal Reserve Bank's latest update of the so-called Beige Book reports that total economic activity across the 10th District, based in Kansas City, declined slightly in March and April. The good news? Almost every business contact surveyed for the… more

Business Leaders Asses Recession Threat

Nearly three in five business executives say they anticipate that the U.S. economy will slip into recession this year, according to a new regional survey. But for a third straight month, the Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions Index has expanded… more

Latest U.S. Job Numbers Break Expectations

A surge of jobs rose in the U.S. as the economy continues to decelerate, the Labor Department reported on Friday. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the total of nonfarm payroll jobs rose by 253,000 in April. The number of… more

Leslie Duke Will Be Next CEO of Burns & McDonnell

Burns & McDonnell announced this afternoon that Leslie Duke will succeed Ray Kowalik as chief executive of Kansas City 's biggest design/construction firm, effective Jan. 1. Kowalik, who also holds the title of chairman, announced last month that he would… more

Burns & McDonnell’s Kowalik to Retire at Year-End

Burns & McDonnell, the Kansas City region's biggest engineering/construction company, announced this morning that chairman and CEO Ray Kowalik would retire at the end of 2023. Kowalik succeeded Greg Graves in that role in 2017, becoming just the seventh CEO… more

Global Prairie Merging With Cleveland Firm

Kansas City marketing consultancy Global Prairie announced today that it was merging with Cleveland-based Hileman Group, a fast-growing marketing technology firm, a move that executives say will better serve clients by adding data-driven strategies and cutting-edge marketing technology. The merged entity… more

Panasonic in DeSoto: And So It Begins . . .

Gov. Laura Kelly and Lt. Gov. David Toland flanked Kazuo Tadanobu, president and CEO of Panasonic Energy of North America, and other dignitaries as the dirt began to fly on the battery-plant construction site.   Public officials, local dignitaries, economic-development… more

Olathe Health Joining KU Health System

Officials from the University of Kansas Health System and Olathe Health announced today that the two will merge, the biggest health-care merger in the Kansas City market in nearly 20 years. Olathe Health CEO Stan Holm joined KU Health's CEO… more