Ingram's Magazine May 2016

It’s a Prefab World…

As contractors adopt new prefabrication techniques, the nature of the business is changing. Coming Attraction in Construction: If you happen to drive past the 3400 block of Main Street in August, you’ll get a chance to see the face of…more

Amid a Time of Relative Prosperity, Concerns Emerge

A beautiful spring morning in North Kansas City starkly contrasted with images of 19th-century London, but a nearly Dickensian theme—the best of times, fraught with some uncertainty—presented itself May 12 at the 17th annual Construction Industry Outlook Assembly, which drew…more

Top 25 in Kansas Brands

   What is a product or service with a brand    that says “Kansas”? Lots of factors define such brands—yes, including the very name of the state that gave us both the Kansas Jayhawk and a K-State Wildcat—but there’s more…more

A New Generation of Leaders Steps Forward

The Sprint Festival Plaza at Union Station came alive May 10 as Ingram’s raised a glass to the 2016 Class of 40 Under Forty. Accompanied by spouses, friends, relatives, peers and their bosses, this year’s honorees celebrated one another’s achievements…more

Contractor Contracts: An Updated Best-Practices Guide

An annual review can reduce cost, conflicts. A written contract is an important tool for all parties in construction. While many fear that a contractual agreement can interfere in a business traditionally done on a handshake, a thoughtful contract that…more

Interest Rates: An Uptick is Not a Surge

As the U.S. economy plods along, commercial borrowers have time to plan spending and borrowing. The U.S. economy continues to be lukewarm. The most recent GDP report showed weakness across nearly all sectors. This marks the third year in a…more

Less Negativity Needed–In Politics and Interest Rates

The mud about to fly between the Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump camps will only add to confusion caused by interest rate funk. The quadrennial presidential popularity contest is nearly upon us. With November fast-approaching, our constituency deemed it appropriate…more

When Building A Business, Don’t Forget the Brand

Remember that everything you do in business becomes part of your image. Wow, you now own a business! You’re rich and you’re happy…  aren’t you? Many business owners go into business excited and full of energy. They learn quickly that…more

It’s Not the Company. It’s the People in It. It’s You.

Forget the marketing; what about the levels of service that underpin it? When you walk into someone’s place of business to shop or buy something, what are you expecting?  Most people (you included and me included) expect to find someone…more

Nobody Said a New KCI Would Be Easy. Or Right.

Despite a full-court press from City Hall, the public remains stubbornly opposed to billion-dollar solutions. Especially for  problems it doesn’t perceive as real. It seemed so easy back in 2013. The good folks on the KCMO City Council looked into…more

Forging a Consensus on KCI

The business community must step up with a compelling argument­—now. Ingram’s was honored to collaborate with the Kauffman Foundation, JE Dunn Construction and Husch Blackwell on the 2016 Greater Kansas City Economic Development Assembly earlier this month, where some of…more

50 Kansans You Should Know

The heart of Kansas isn’t a person, place or thing: It’s the collection of people who make it work. No state has a population density greater than . . . New Jersey. (Guess it’s good that their No. 1 at…more