Missouri

Madeleine McDonough to Take Reins at Shook

Shook, Hardy & Bacon, which has more lawyers in Kansas City than any other regional firm, announced today that Madeleine McDounough would succeed John Murphy as chairman of the 127-year-old firm, starting Jan. 1, 2017.  McDonough, a litigator who joined… more

KCP&L Parent Will Buy Westar Energy, Kansas’ Biggest Utility, for $12.2 Billion

  Great Plains Energy, the parent company of Kansas City Power & Light, announced this morning that it had reached an agreement to acquire Topeka-based Westar Energy, the largest utility in Kansas, for $12.2 billion in cash and stock, including… more

Husch Blackwell Will Combine With Milwaukee Firm in July

Kansas City-based Husch Blackwell announced this morning that it would merge with Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek, a business and litigation law firm from Milwaukee, effective July 1. The combined firm will keep the Husch Blackwell name, officials said, will give Husch… more

A Tribute to Those Who Were Called to Serve

The menu may have featured bacon and eggs, but the 2016 Heroes in Healthcare awards breakfast was really more of a smorgasbord. It served up laughter, solemnity, an occasional teary eye and a whole lot of grateful appreciation for the… more

Roots of the Family Tree

The successful family-owned company has a special place in the world of business. The premise is simple enough: “My family is the most important thing to me, so why not spend every day with the people I love most, working… more

Security Policies Every Small Business Should Have

You don’t have to have a big-business IT budget, or the staff to match, to bolster your company’s security profile. If you work in or own a small business, do you have security? Security is no longer limited to the… more

2016 Icons of Education Luncheon

What makes an Icon of Education? Not longevity alone, though some of this year’s honorees have been at the practice since 1968. No, it’s more than that: It’s part passion, part call to serve, part intellectual curiosity and part executive… more

Sales: Love It or Leave It. Literally.

No love, no relationship—and no sale. Do you love sales? Do you love what you do? Do you love your product? Do you love your company? Do you love your customers? These are not questions I pulled out of the… more

The Streetcar Named Disorder

Even before the first passenger has taken a seat, the Downtown streetcar shows us why buried rails were best left untouched. At $102 million, it’s an expensive lesson. A video posted on The Kansas City Star Web site reminds us… more

A Greater Kansas City

Inside this month’s edition, you’ll find an intriguing—and uplifting—report on the changing nature of Kansas City’s ecosystem for entrepreneurship and innovation, especially within the technology sector. It’s a measure of how, and how much, the regional economy is changing around… more