Kansas Economic Development Guide 2011

Business at Jet Speed Investments lift

aviation industry

Wide Open Possibilities

New initiatives feed rural economy

Fueling InnovationState sets the pace in renewable energy

kansas economic development guide

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SPOnSOred By the KanSaS dePartment OF COmmerCe | 2011

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K a n S a S e C O n O m I C d e v e l O P m e n t . C O m 9

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WorkstyleStaying Power 26Kansas economic development efforts draw millions in new investment

Speed merchants 32Kansas broadband initiative transforms rural economies

Business at Jet Speed 38Incentives give lift to the state’s aviation industry

driven by the Wind 44Suppliers flock to Kansas to serve growing energy sector

Job Well done 52KANSASWORKS connects employers to skilled workers

Wide Open With Possibilities 58Bumper crop of initiatives feeds rural Kansas economy

no Place like Kansas 64State is stocked with natural beauty, history and culture

Known around the World 72Kansas is a global player in exports, foreign investment

Table of Contents Continued on Page 11

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On the COver the aGC Flat Glass manufacturing operation in Spring hill, Kan. Photo by jeff adkins


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InsightOverview 19

almanac 20

energy/technology 80

transportation 86

health 92

education 100

livability 108

Gallery 116

economic Profile 122

through the lens 127

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COnneCtIOnS

lifestyleFind out what it’s like to live in Kansas and what makes the state such a special place to be.

ONLINEl IFeSt y le | WORKSt y le | d IggINg deepeR | v IdeO | l INK tO u S | AdveRt ISe | c ONtAc t u S | S Ite mAp

WorkstyleA spotlight on innovative companies that call the state home.

See the videoOur award-winning photographers give you a virtual tour of unique spaces, places and faces.

neWS and nOteS >>

Our editors give you the

Inside Scoop on the latest

development and trends

across the state.

SuCCeSS BreedS SuCCeSS >>

meet the people who set the

pace for business innovation. dIG deePer >>

plug into the state with links

to local websites and

resources to give you a big

picture of the region.

data Central >>

A wealth of demographic and

statistical information puts

the entire state at your

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links to a cross section

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An online resource at KanSaSeCOnOmICdevelOPment.COm

Business at Jet Speed Investments lift

aviation industry

Wide Open Possibilities

New initiatives feed rural economy

Fueling InnovationState sets the pace in renewable energy



SPOnSOred By the KanSaS dePartment OF COmmerCe | 2011

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Digital Edition

Share with a friendeasily share an interesting article, stunning photo or advertisement of your business on facebook, twitter or via email.

haVe a BLOG Or weBSite?embed the digital magazine into your site to add compelling information about the successful businesses located here, what it’s like to work here and why it’s a great place to live.

dO MOre than JUSt read aBOUt ithear from decision-makers at leading companies, see video of the region’s success stories and find links to useful demographic information and information sources.

72 K A N S A S K A N S A S E C O N O M I C D E V E L O P M E N T . C O M 73

Known Around the WorldKansas is a global player in exports, foreign investment

Story by Katie Kuehner-Hebert

E ven in a sluggish global economy, Kansas has remained an export powerhouse and an

attractive locale for foreign direct investment.

The state’s export volume for 2010 was $9.9 billion, surpassing 2009’s total by more than 11 percent. Kansas exports to markets around the world, sending everything from aircraft ($2.1 billion) to industrial machinery ($955.9 million) to meat ($756.2 million) to cereals ($643.2 million) to countries in Europe, Asia, South America and North America.

Wichita was the fastest-growing export market among the top 100 U.S. metropolitan areas, with 22.3 percent growth from 2003 to 2008, according to a July report by the Brookings Institution. Wichita’s explosive growth has been fueled by aviation manufacturers such as Cessna and

Aircraft$2.1 billion

Industrial Machinery

$956 million

Electric Machinery$640.1 million

Meat$756.2 million

Cereals$643.2 million

Animal Feed$494.3 million

Vehicles & Parts$554.6 million

MAJOR EXPORT CATEGORIES

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Ceva Santé Animale in Lenexa is one of Kansas’ major foreign-owned employers.

72 K A N S A S K A N S A S E C O N O M I C D E V E L O P M E N T . C O M 73


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2011 Edition, volumE 2

audiEncE dEvElopmEnt dirEctor lISA BAttleSproofrEading managEr RAveN pettycontEnt coordinator JeSSIcA WAlKeRStaff WritEr KevIN lItWINcopy Editor JIll WyAttcontributing WritErS pAm cOyle, BIll leWIS, HeAtHeR JOHNSON JOHNStON, BetSy WIllIAmSmEdia tEchnology dirEctor cHRIStINA cARdeNSEnior graphic dESignErS lAuRA gAllAgHeR, JeSSIcA mANNeR, JANINe mARylANd, KRIS SextON, vIKKI WIllIAmSgraphic dESignEr RAcHAel geRRINgeRmEdia tEchnology analyStS cHANdRA BRAdSHAW, lANce cONzett, mIcHele NIccORe, mARcuS SNydeRphotography dirEctor JeFFRey S. OttOSEnior photographErS JeFF AdKINS, BRIAN mccORdStaff photographErS tOdd BeNNett, ANtONy BOSHIeRWEb contEnt managEr JOHN HOOdWEb projEct managEr NOy FONgNAlyWEb dESign dirEctor FRANcO ScARAmuzzAWEb dESignEr ii RIcHARd SteveNSWEb dEvElopEr i yAmel HAllad production managEr KAtIe mIddeNdORFad traffic aSSiStantS KRyStIN lemmON, pAtRIcIA mOISANi.t. dirEctor yANcey BONdi.t. Support tEchnician BRyAN FORIeStSEnior accountant lISA OWeNSaccountS payablE coordinator mARIA mcFARlANdaccountS rEcEivablE coordinator dIANA guzmANofficE managEr/accountS rEcEivablE coordinator SHelly mIlleRSEnior intEgratEd mEdia managEr clAy peRRy

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chairman gReg tHuRmANprESidEnt/publiShEr BOB ScHWARtzmANExEcutivE vicE prESidEnt RAy lANgeNSEnior v.p./SalES tOdd pOtteR, cARlA tHuRmANSEnior v.p./opErationS cASey HeSteRSEnior v.p./cliEnt dEvElopmEnt JeFF HeeFNeRSEnior v.p./buSinESS dEvElopmEnt ScOtt templetONv.p./ExtErnal communicationS teRee cARutHeRSv.p./cuStom publiShing KIm HOlmBeRgv.p./viSual contEnt mARK FOReSteRv.p./contEnt opErationS NAtASHA lOReNSv.p./SalES cHARleS FItzgIBBON, HeRB HARpeR, JAReK SWeKOSKycontrollEr cHRIS dudleycontEnt dirEctor/travEl publicationS SuSAN cHAppellcontEnt dirEctor/buSinESS publicationS BIll mcmeeKINmarkEting crEativE dirEctor KeItH HARRISdiStribution dirEctor gARy SmItHExEcutivE SEcrEtary KRISty duNcANhuman rESourcES managEr peggy BlAKerEcEptioniSt lINdA BISHOp

Kansas Economic Development Guide is published annually by Journal communications Inc. and is distributed through the Kansas department of commerce. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by email at [email protected].

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Overview

a roadmap for Jobs, Investment in KansasA letter from kAnsAs governor sAm brownbAck

my No. 1 priority as governor of Kansas is to restore economic growth and spur private-sector job creation.

to that end, we have laid out our Road Map for Kansas that details our plans to grow the Kansas economy, excel in education, reform state government and protect Kansas families.

We have proposed a number of initiatives in our Strategic Economic Development Plan that refocuses our state’s economic incentives and reforms our state tax code.

Our plan will allow for a much

broader range of businesses currently operating in Kansas to invest more for expansions and add workers while at the same time making the Sunflower State even more attractive to companies from outside our borders.

Kansas continues to focus on our core strengths of aviation manufacturing, life sciences, agriculture, services, wind energy and biofuels, and the Animal Health Science corridor.

We have not forgotten, however, the rural areas of our state.

We have created Rural Opportunity Zones to spark business creation and economic growth in exchange for no state taxes and student loan forgiveness for those who make the move.

In this second edition of the

Kansas Economic Development Guide, you’ll discover what makes Kansas a great state to live and do business.

you’ll learn more about the wide range of companies that call Kansas home, from cerner corp., a global supplier of technology solutions, to airplane maker Hawker Beechcraft to denmark-based Jupiter group, a manufacturer of wind turbines.

they make Kansas a great state for business. Find out how you can make it even better.

Sincerely,

gov. Sam Brownback

lIquId aSSetSWhen your favorite beverage is delivered to a store or restaurant, there’s a good chance it got there from the work of a manufacturer in Kansas.

Hackney is the world’s largest producer of side-loader, overhead door truck bodies and trailers. many of the company’s trucks and trailers, used to haul products for beer distributors, soft drink companies, bottled water providers and others, are built by Hackney in Independence, where the company has been since 1972, and where it operates one of its two North American manufacturing operations.

the company also manufactures emergency response vehicles and contractor service vehicles. For more, go to www.hackneyusa.com.

Almanac

CallInG On KanSaSOne of the globe’s telecom giants calls Overland park its home base. Sprint Nextel offers a range of wireless and wireline communications services, serving more than 48.8 million customers.

With 10,000 employees in Kansas, it is among the state’s largest employers. the first wireless 4g carrier in the united States, Sprint Nextel offers a number of mobile data services, prepaid brands including virgin mobile uSA, Boost mobile, common cents mobile and Assurance Wireless, and a global tier 1 Internet backbone.

Newsweek ranked the company No. 6 in its 2010 green Rankings of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications provider. For more, go to www.sprint.com.

ShInInG a lIGht On WIChItacoleman co. Inc., the iconic camping and outdoors-gear giant, is

based in Wichita. Founded more than 100 years ago, the company produces a range of products, from its legendary lanterns and

stoves to coolers, tents, sleeping bags, airbeds, backpacks, furniture and grills, that are sold under its coleman and

exponent brands.

the “greatest name in the great outdoors” got its start in what is now downtown Wichita’s Old town

neighborhood. coleman operates a factory outlet there and a museum detailing the

company’s history. For more, go to www.coleman.com.

20 K a n S a S

tyPe a PerSOnalItIeSHutchinson is home to collins Bus corp., North America’s largest producer of small, type-A school and activity buses used by school districts, childcare providers and others.

the company (www.collinsbus.com) sells its products under the collins, mid Bus and corbeil brand names and employs more than 220 people in Hutchinson. It has more than 70 dealers in North America, the largest distribution network for any type-A bus manufacturer.

the company, a subsidiary of Allied Specialty vehicles Inc., was recognized in december 2010 with Safety and Health Achievement Recognition program (SHARp) certification. the award, administered by the Kansas department of labor in conjunction with the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, recognized collins as a national model for workplace safety and health. the company was just one of 157 employers in Kansas to receive the designation.

at the tOP OF GOOGle’S SearChgoogle has selected Kansas city, Kan., as its first google Fiber community, an initiative designed to bring Internet connections at speeds 100 times higher than what most Americans have today.

Kansas city was selected from among more than 1,100 communities that applied for the service, which google plans to offer beginning in 2012. google said the initiative represents the future of how people will connect to the web.

“the availability of ultra-high-speed bandwidth will be another tool for the community to use to drive more economic growth in the region,” said Kansas commerce Secretary pat george.

hOt PrOSPeCtSThey carry a torch for natural gas products at Flame Engineering Inc. in LaCrosse.

From a single torch used to clear brush on the founder’s family farm, Flame Engineering Inc. has grown into a company with a product line numbering more than 100 items, including hand-held torch kits, outdoor patio lights, portable heaters and torches for agricultural and construction uses.

The company’s engine pre-heaters, for example, are used by pilots. contractors, farmers, oil field operators and others who need to keep the engines in their equipment warm.

The company, whose roots date to the 1950s, produces its Red Dragon product lines under eight patents at its manufacturing operation in LaCrosse. Go to www.flameengineering.com for more.



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they’re Great WIth FreIGhtIf you ship product, there’s a good chance a Kansas company helps get it where it needs to go. YRC Worldwide Inc. in Overland Park is a Fortune 500 company and one of the world’s largest transportation service providers.

YRC, with 2,200 employees in Kansas, is a holding company for a roster of successful brands, including YRC, YRC Reimer, YRC Glen Moore, New Penn, Holland and Reddaway.

YRC offers expertise in heavyweight shipments and flexible supply chain solutions on a local, regional, national and international basis. For more on the company, go to www.yrcw.com.

a POWer Play In haySHays in ellis county is one of 27 global manufacturing operations for enerSys, the world’s largest industrial battery manufacturer.

the company’s line of batteries and chargers are used for electric lift trucks, mining, railroad and airport ground support equipment.

the company’s 375,000-square-foot operation in Hays employs about 200 and specializes in batteries that serve as the main emergency back-up power sources for nuclear reactor controls. the Hays operation also produces a battery line utilized in telecommunications, uninterruptible power systems, and utility switchgear and control applications.

In 2009, the Hays operation was named to Quality magazine’s Quality leadership 100, which surveyed 5,000 manufacturing companies across the country on various quality assurance criteria. For more on the company, go to www.enersys.com.

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Almanac

BuIlt BrICK By BrICKcloud ceramics has been a manufacturing fixture in concordia since 1945, when the company began mining dakota clay deposits found in the area and producing bricks in its kilns. From those beginnings, cloud ceramics has built a reputation for its high-quality brick products – still made from the five different colors of clay from the same dakota clay field used when the company began.

today, cloud ceramics manufactures more than 30 different colors of brick in a variety of sizes and textures, and boasts a 46-state distributor network. Known as the “cadillac of brick lines” for their consistency and color uniformity, cloud ceramics bricks are a staple of office buildings, schools, private residences, churches and universities.

the company's bricks can be found in places such as American National Bank in Wichita, Asbury methodist church in tulsa and duke university in North carolina. For more, go to www.cloudceramics.com.



they StretCh InnOvatIOnA Wichita company is woven into the fabric of hundreds of products, from clothing and carpet to cars and computers.

Invista, an integrated fibers and polymers company, is a subsidiary of Kansas-based Koch Industries. the company is an innovator in fibers, fabrics, polymers and intermediate chemicals used in nylon, spandex and polyester applications. Among the company's signature brands are lycra, cordura and Solarmax fabrics, Stainmaster carpeting and dacron fiberfill used in products such as pillows and bedding.

One of the company's most recent innovations is its line of coolmax eco-made socks, produced with fiber containing 97 percent recycled resources such as plastic water bottles. For more, go to www.invista.com.

Get yOur ShOPPInG OnAmong the most popular visitor destinations in the state, village West is a $573 million, 400-acre retail, dining and entertainment mecca in Kansas city, Kan.

the complex includes a 1.2 million-square-foot, open-air shopping and entertainment center that features 101 stores and restaurants, including 27 outlets. A signature restaurant is t-Rex cafe, a 20,000-square-foot destination eatery where dinosaurs “come to life” among theatrical settings including waterfalls and ice caves. the 150-foot-tall Smokestack tower is designed with the theme of a historic warehouse district. the two-tiered civic courtyard Fountain rises 60 feet in the air.

In June 2011, lIveStRONg Sporting park opened at village West and serves as home field for the Sporting Kansas city pro soccer franchise. the venue seats 18,457 for soccer and 25,000 for concerts.

A key feature of village West is Kansas legends – statues, paintings and plaques dedicated to more than 80 Kansas sports figures, entrepreneurs, explorers, artists, scientists, writers, poets and politicians. go to www.legendsshopping.com for more.

Almanac

SOundS GreatIf you can hear your favorite song or the sound on your dvd sounds like the local cineplex, it may be because of the work of martinlogan.

Founded in 1983, the company designs and manufactures electrostatic speakers for stereo and home theater use. the company, based in lawrence, produces a range of high-quality, high-end speakers that are not only renowned for their technologically advanced sound reproduction, but also their cutting-edge design.

the company’s lS Series and design Series loudspeakers and subwoofers, and custom Installation in-wall and in-ceiling speakers products are sold through specialty retailers in the united States and internationally. For more on the company, go to www.martinlogan.com.


26 K a n S a S K a n S a S e C O n O m I C d e v e l O P m e n t . C O m 27

Business Climate


Staying Powerkansas economic development efforts generate jobs, investment

Story by Betsy Williams

d uring a year in which most states were chalking up lost jobs, Kansas was breaking

records with new capital investment, job creation and retention, and some impressive national accolades.

The Kansas Department of Commerce facilitated 110 successful relocations or expansions, creating and retaining nearly 19,500 jobs – 6,806 more than 2009 – and a whopping $1.3 billion in capital investment.

“It was the best year we’ve ever had for business recruitment,” says Barbara Hake, business recruitment manager for Commerce. “We had some major companies with large projects choose to locate to Kansas.”

Cerner BrInGS 4,500 JOBSLeading the pack was Cerner Corp.,

a global supplier of technology solutions that help hospitals and other health-care organization manage and integrate electronic medical records, computer physician order entry and financial information. The company is investing $170 million in a headquarters facility in Kansas City, Kan., creating 4,500 jobs.

J.P. Morgan is moving its retirement plan services headquarters to Overland Park in a $30 million, 650-job investment, while Tindall Corp. will build a $66 million facility in Newton to manufacture precast concrete wind towers, bringing 400

general motors employs more than 3,800 workers at its Fairfax Assembly plant in Kansas city, Kan., where the automaker is adding a third shift. p

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jobs to the region.

Gm InveStS In KanSaS“GM will invest new capital in its Kansas

City, Kan., plant to build its next-generation Chevrolet Malibu, which will add a third shift to this plant,” Hake says. “J.P. Morgan was another great win for us with the relocation of their headquarters to Kansas.”

FOur InduStry SeCtOrS tarGetedBased on its highly skilled workforce, the

nucleus of research universities and its central location, the Kansas Department of Commerce team has targeted four industry sectors:

advanced manufacturing, distribution, alternative energy and bioscience.

Billed as the aviation capital of the world, Kansas produces more than 40 percent of the world’s general aviation aircraft. The state confirmed its reputation in December 2010 by completing an agreement to keep Hawker Beechcraft and 4,000 jobs in Wichita.

Alternative energy is growing with rural biofuels projects, a value-added target that builds upon the state’s extensive agribusiness sector. In addition, the state is ranked No. 2 nationally for wind energy potential.

Distribution makes sense for the state, Hake maintains, as Kansas is located in the center

• Kansas ranked 10th on Forbes’ new Best States for Business and careers list in 2010. the state scored particularly well for its regulatory environment and economic climate, finishing 11th and 13th, respectively, in those categories.

• Kansas was listed in the top 10 in eight of 20 categories in Business Facilities magazine’s 2010 Rankings Report, the state’s best-ever finish.

• Kansas ranked third in Southern Business & Development magazine’stop deals and Hot markets report, the state’s best-ever finish and second straight top 5 ranking.

• Kansas ranked No. 6 on Site Selection magazine’s competitiveness Awards, moving up from No. 10 the previous year.

• Kansas was ranked No. 11 in cNBc’s America’s top States for Business 2010 report for the second time in three years.

• Area Development magazine named Kansas the winner of the Silver Shovel Award for excellence in job creation and capital investment, the fourth Silver Shovel in five years.

In Good Company� KanSaS ranKS Well On Several PreStIGIOuS lIStS

major new Investments In 2010:Cerner Corp., Kansas City (4,500 jobs, $170 million capital investment)

Regent Asset Management, Overland Park (1,250 jobs, $2 million capital investment)

General Motors, Kansas City (1,000 jobs, $88 million capital investment)

J.P. Morgan, Overland Park (650 jobs, $30 million capital investment)

Tindall Corp., Newton (400 jobs, $66 million capital investment)

general motors is investing $136 million in its Kansas city plant to build the next-generation chevrolet malibu.

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of the continental United States and boasts the nation’s top-ranked transportation system. New rail intermodal facilities being built in Kansas will spur more companies considering the state for their next distribution operation.

On the retention front, the Sugar Creek Packing Co. will create 150 new jobs in Frontenac, while retaining 145 jobs, and General Motors is investing $136 million in its Kansas City plant.

anImal SCIenCe COrrIdOr draWS InveStment

Kansas is one of the nation’s fastest-growing bioscience hubs and is located in the middle of the Global Animal Health Corridor, a stretch of real estate that runs through the Kansas City metropolitan area and comprises more than 40 percent of the world’s animal science assets.

In January 2011, Ceva Santé Animale, a global leader in the animal health industry, selected Lenexa to maintain and expand its North American corporate location, building upon a $15 million expansion that created 80 new jobs in 2010. The value of being located within the Animal Health Corridor was key to the company’s decision to stay in the region and add 20 new corporate level positions.

“Ceva’s decision to maintain and expand its Lenexa campus is a testament to the support we’ve received from the Animal Health Corridor,” says Dr. Arnaud Bourgeois, vice president of Ceva Santé Animale. “Thanks to Animal Health Corridor’s extended networking opportunities, resources in the state of Kansas and support from officials in Lenexa, we will continue to invest in breakthrough technologies that support our future growth.”

• Sugar creek packing co., Frontenac (150 new jobs, 145 retained jobs, $7.9 million capital investment)

• RtS International, lenexa (165 new jobs, $5.2 million capital investment)

• ptmW Inc., topeka (135 jobs, $9 million capital investment)

• ldF cos. Inc., Wichita (5 new jobs, 146 retained jobs, $11.9 million capital investment)

• Watco cos., pittsburg (304 retained jobs, $1.9 million capital investment)

major retentIon/expansIons In 2010

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Kansas has become a destination for corporate headquarters location.


Business FriendlyPro-business legislAtion Aids kAnsAs job creAtion

to attract new business, a state’s leadership has to think like a business, and that is exactly what the Kansas legislature has been doing in recent years.

Key among reasons for the state’s economic success is a series of pro-business legislation passed by Kansas lawmakers, starting with the Kansas economic growth Act of 2004 that created the Kansas Bioscience Authority. Kansas will be named the future home of the National Bio and Agro-defense Facility, a $650 million laboratory that will work to research diseases that can affect the public health and

food supply.In 2011, the legislature also

approved “expensing,” which will allow businesses to immediately deduct the entire cost of certain purchases for tax purposes, rather than requiring a set schedule of smaller deductions over multiple years. the law is expected to pump at least $47 million per year back into the Kansas economy.

legislators also eliminated property tax on new business machinery and equipment, phased out the Kansas franchise tax and reduced unemployment insurance and corporate income tax rates. In

2009, the legislature approved the Wind and Solar Bond Financing Incentive, making up to $5 million available for eligible wind/solar projects, which proved to be helpful in Siemens energy’s spring 2009 selection of Hutchinson, Kan., for its first North American wind turbine nacelle production plant.

Another program aimed at job creation is promoting employment Across Kansas (peAK), which allows qualified for-profit new and existing expanding companies to retain 95 percent of the payroll withholding tax of the relocated jobs over a period of five or more years. – Betsy Williams

www.derbyks.com

Speed merchantsbroadband initiative transforms rural economies

Story by Bill Lewisphotography by Jeff Adkins

t he jobs of the future, new educational opportunities, health-care services never

before available in rural areas, and a higher quality of life are coming to communities across Kansas thanks to the Internet.

The Kansas Department of Commerce’s Connect Kansas initiative is working to make sure they are ready.

“The initiative’s goal is to make sure more homes, businesses, schools, medical facilities and other institutions have access to the Internet through a high-speed broadband connection,” says Stanley

Adams, broadband manager for the Kansas Department of Commerce. “High-speed Internet makes a tremendous difference in people’s everyday lives, in ways barely imaginable just 10 years ago. The information superhighway has rapidly become integral infrastructure to fostering a strong, vibrant economy.”

“Broadband is the type of thing that makes a huge difference in people’s lives. I think it’s like the advent of the telephone, electricity and color TV. It could be imagined as a luxury, but it isn’t. Without it you’ll be left out,” Adams says.

By� the numBers

$6.4 millionamount Kansas has received in federal stimulus funds for planning, data collection and mapping of broadband capacity

$136 millionamount Kansas businesses and organizations have been awarded from the BIP and BtOP programs.

32 K a n S a S

the higher connectivity speeds offered by broadband could unlock new services and enterprise in rural parts of Kansas.


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The Department of Commerce is leveraging new federal funding to gather data and assess the gaps in Kansas so that no one is left behind in the digital dust. The Broadband Initiatives Program makes loans and grants primarily to private enterprises expanding or improving infrastructure exclusively in remote, rural areas. Meanwhile, the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program focuses on the expansion of publicly accessible computer centers and sustainable broadband adoption programs within the state.

PuBlIC-PrIvate PartnerShIPSBroadband access has the power to

transform rural economies, says Steve Allen, marketing manager for SCTelecom. The company is one of several providers participating in the broadband initiative. SCTelecom is working to bring high-speed connectivity to thousands of Kansans

in its rural service areas. Steve Davis, the company’s general manager, is a member of Gov. Sam Brownback’s broadband task force.

“Back in the 1970s, every home had a phone. Broadband will provide your phone, television, security, a storefront for your business, all through that fiber optic connection,” Allen says.

SCTelecom is connecting many customers with fiber optic lines. In isolated places, the company is turning to an even more modern solution – wireless broadband. Wide swaths of rural Kansas could be turned into Wi-Fi hotspots, Allen says.

COnneCtInG e-COmmerCeThe effort has already had

measurable results. A ranch that provides horseback riding experiences for tourists is using its broadband connection to reach new

Clockwise from top: Sctelecom is working to bring high-speed connectivity to thousands of Kansans in its rural service areas. Kansas sees the development of high-speed broadband networks bringing new jobs and economic opportunity to rural communities.

gov. Sam Brownback has made growing the Kansas economy a top priority. He made good on one of his first major efforts to fulfill

that pledge by signing into law the Rural Opportunity zones (ROzs) program in April 2011.

the ROzs program covers 50 rural counties in Kansas: Barber, chautauqua, cheyenne, clark, cloud, comanche, decatur, edwards, elk, gove, graham, greeley, greenwood, Hamilton, Harper, Hodgeman, Jewell, Kearny, Kingman, Kiowa, lane, lincoln, logan, marion, mitchell, morton, Ness, Norton, Osborne, pawnee, phillips, pratt, Rawlins, Republic, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Scott, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Stafford, Stanton, trego, thomas, Wallace, Washington, Wichita, Wilson and Woodson.

Kansas will offer a rebate on all state income taxes for up to five years to individuals who move to an ROzs county from outside the state. In addition, the program offers up to $3,000 per year ($15,000 maximum benefit) in student loan forgiveness for students who graduate from an accredited post-secondary institution and move to an ROzs county.

“Rural Opportunity zones will jump start economic growth in many areas in Kansas that have experienced dramatic population declines,” says Kansas commerce Secretary pat george. “We need people to move to these areas, and the ROzs program provides the state with a powerful incentive to do just that. this is a partnership between the state and counties to help them promote the state and bring back individuals to these areas. this is just the start of the Brownback Administration’s efforts to revive rural Kansas.”

a Big Incentive for rural developmentroZs ProgrAm Aims to jumPstArt growth in 50 counties

Sherman

Wallace

Greeley

Hamilton

Stanton

Kearny

Wichita

Logan

Thomas

Rawlins Decatur

Sheridan

Gove

Scott Lane Ness

Trego

Graham

Norton Phillips

Rooks

Ellis

Rush Barton

Russell

Osborne

Smith Jewell

Mitchell

Lincoln

Ellsworth

Rice McPherson

Saline

Ottawa

Cloud

Republic

Finney Hodgeman Pawnee

Grant Haskell

Morton Stevens SewardMeade

Gray

Ford

Clark

Kiowa

Edwards

Comanche

Barber

Pratt

StaffordReno

Kingman

Harper

Sedgwick

Sumner

HarveyButler

Cowley

Elk

Greenwood

Chautauqua

Woodson

Wilson

Montgomery Cherokee

Crawford

Labette

Neosho

Bourbon

Linn AndersonCoffey

Allen

Osage

Franklin MiamiLyon

ChaseMarion

Morris

Dickinson

Clay Riley

Geary WabaunseeJohnson

Douglas

Jefferson

Shawnee

Pottawatomie JacksonAtchison

NemahaMarshallWashington Brown

Doniphan

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Wyandotte

Cheyenne

Kansas is committed to boosting rural development. the new Rural Opportunity zones (ROzs) program covers 50 counties in the state and offers incentives such as a rebate on all state income taxes for up to five years to individuals who move into an ROzs county from outside Kansas. the program also offers up to $3,000 a year ($15,000 maximum benefit) in student loan forgiveness for students who graduate from an accredited post-secondary institution and move into an ROzs county.

proGram Boosts rural kansas InCentIveS PrOmOte GrOWth In COuntIeS

Pat George


More than 72 percent of Kansans households have access to broadband technology.


U.S. average of households with broadband service

Kansas households with a computer

Kansas residents who access the Internet from home

Residents who subscribe to mobile wireless via laptop or cell phone/mobile device

customers. A number of cattle auction houses are broadening their reach by conducting e-auctions. A dial-up connection would be far too slow to keep up with the fast-paced action, Allen says.

“I know of several businesses that were going to have to relocate but didn’t have to once broadband became available,” Allen says.

More than 90 percent of Kansans have access to some form of broadband. That existing

infrastructure is better than dial-up, but not always fast enough to support life-changing services such as distance medicine or encourage e-commerce. For that, the highest speeds are needed, Adams says.

“We have doctors in rural areas that need to consult with specialists in major medical centers. A small town may not have a radiologist. But a doctor there can send an X-ray image on the Internet and have it

read in real time. Broadband means higher quality care, close to home,” Adams says.

Once enhanced broadband is available, the Kansas Department of Commerce wants to ensure that Kansans subscribe. Currently, only about half of Kansans who have service available are actually using it, Adams says. “The more people using the Internet, the better it is for our economy. It’s a commerce engine,” Adams says.

Households in Kansas with broadband service

28%

88%

83%

67%

72%

kansas teChnoloGy� BenChmarks

Source: Connect Kansas




Business at Jet Speedincentives give lift to kansas aviation industry

Story by Bill Lewis

With an economy connected to the world at the speed of Learjet, Cessna, Hawker

Beechcraft, Airbus, Boeing, Spirit AeroSystems and other aircraft companies, Kansas is taking steps to nurture the industry that makes it the world’s aviation leader.

“We’ve built over a quarter-million aircraft in Kansas,” says Randi Tveitaraas Jack, international business recruitment manager for the Kansas Department of Commerce.

The state is taking steps to ensure that aircraft keep coming off the line in Wichita, long known as the Air Capital of the World, and in

Independence, where Cessna assembles the Citation Mustang business jet and single-engine piston aircraft.

Wichita has six major aircraft companies, including Airbus Americas Engineering; Boeing Defense, Space & Security; Bombardier Aerospace/Learjet; Hawker Beechcraft; Spirit AeroSystems; and Cessna, which manufactures and services its Citation business jet line in the city.

KanSaS avIatIOn InnOvatIOnAdditional aviation industry

companies with large Kansas

Bombardier Aerospace has announced the expansion of its learjet production in Wichita, creating at least 300 jobs and $600 million in total investment in Kansas. Je

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operations include:• Garmin International, navigation systems• Honeywell Aerospace, avionics• GE Engine Services, aircraft engine overhaul• Triumph Group, aircraft components• Goodrich Cabin Systems, aircraft interiors• TECT Aerospace, aircraft components• B/E Aerospace, aircraft interiors• Senior Aerospace, aircraft components

At least 30,000 people are employed in the aviation industry and a significant number, over 40 percent globally, of general aviation aircraft are built in Kansas,” says Tveitaraas Jack.

Approximately 200 suppliers and “innovation companies” do business in Kansas, says Suzie Ahlstrand, interim president of the Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition. “They are the rest of the foundational pieces. When you put all

these together, you’d be hard pressed to find any place in the United States with the depth and breadth of Kansas in the aviation industry,” she says.

A major contract for Boeing will have enormous impact for the Kansas aerospace and aviation industry. Boeing, in early 2011, was awarded a $35 billion contract to build a new f leet of air refueling tankers for the Air Force based on its 767 jetliner platform. The company has estimated the project, which will deliver some 200 of the tankers, will create 50,000 jobs at its U.S. operations.

Initial estimates put the number of jobs in Kansas directly and indirectly tied to that contract at 7,500, with an economic impact of $388 million. Boeing’s Wichita operations will be the finishing center for converting the jets into tankers, and Spirit AeroSystems, which builds the forward section for the 767, is also expected to see work from the contract.

InCentIveS Create JOBS In KanSaS

Facing competition from other states and even other countries that would like to lure those jobs away, the state is making targeted use of economic incentives to ensure that the industry has an unmatched business climate in Kansas. Two of the largest aviation companies responded with major investments in the state.

Bombardier Aerospace announced the expansion of its Learjet production in Wichita to include the advanced new Learjet 85. The company is creating at least 300 jobs and $600 million in total investment in Kansas. Approximately 600 jobs will be associated with the new production line.

The expanded Learjet site will handle final assembly, interior completion, paint and final delivery of the Learjet 85, the largest, fastest and longest-range Learjet ever. The announcement came after a meeting between state and company officials at

From left: A technology lab at the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State university; Bombardier learjet

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the Farnborough Air Show in England. Bombardier Learjet has about 2,250 employees in the state.

Hawker Beechcraft, a world-leading manufacturer of business, special mission and trainer aircraft, inked an agreement with the state that guarantees the company will maintain its current production lines in Wichita and retain at least 4,000 jobs over the next 10 years. The company’s headquarters and major facilities are located in the city.

Kansas’ commitment to the industry includes research and training facilities that help its aviation businesses maintain their lead. The National Center for Aviation Training, a world-class facility in Wichita, provides realistic hands-on technical training on the latest aircraft manufacturing

equipment. NCAT also incorporates major new facilities for the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR).

Located at Wichita State University, NIAR is the nation’s largest aerospace research and development academic institution. It provides applied research into advanced materials and composites, 3-D prototyping, aerodynamics, aircraft aging and other fields critical to aircraft design and manufacturing. An Industry Advisory Council, composed of senior managers from several aviation companies, communicates the industry’s needs to NIAR.

NIAR “plays a key role in attracting and retaining aviation manufacturing businesses,” says Tracee Friess, NIAR’s spokeswoman and coordinator of special projects.

Important recent legislation and incentives have bolstered Kansas’ manufacturing sector, including its aviation industry:• 2011: the legislature passes legislation allowing businesses to

immediately “expense” certain purchases for tax purposes, putting at least $47 million back into the Kansas economy.

• 2008: the legislature passed HB 2006, which makes up to $33 million in state incentives available for eligible large-scale aviation projects.

• 2006: the Kansas legislature eliminated the property tax on new business and machinery, meaning major savings for large-scale manufacturers, including aviation companies.

• Qualified companies relocating or bringing new operations to Kansas can retain their payroll withholding tax for five to 10 years, depending on wages and number of jobs brought to the state.

• Financial assistance is available to train a new workforce or to retrain existing workers on new technology.

• Financial assistance is available for construction, remodeling, furnishings and equipment.

• 10 percent corporate income tax credit for new capital investment.• 100 percent sales tax exemption on purchases to construct, remodel,

furnish and equip a facility.• 100 percent sales tax exemption on items that become part of a

manufactured product or items consumed in production.• 100 percent personal property tax exemption on commercial machinery

and equipment new to Kansas.• property tax abatement on real property for up to 10 years subject to

community approval.• No inventory tax or franchise tax.

CreatInG a ClImate for Investment

top left and bottom: Workers assemble new learjet aircraft at Bombardier’s manufacturing facility in Wichita. top middle and top right: NIAR is the nation’s largest aerospace research and development academic institution.


driven by the Windsuppliers flock to kansas to serve growing energy sector

Story by Pamela Coylephotography by Jeff Adkins

W hen Draka, a global manufacturer of wire and cable, announced its first

U.S. wind industry cable assembly venture would be in Hutchinson, Kan., it cited Siemens Energy’s nearby nacelle plant as a big reason.

The Siemens project is drawing companies at all ends of the wind supply chain to the state. Schuff Steel in January 2011 said it will build a 200,000-square-foot wind tower manufacturing plant in Ottawa, Kan., rather than North Dakota as planned.

This will be the large steel fabricator’s first venture in the wind sector, and it will use its existing plant in Ottawa to create the next generation of wind towers – ones that can be broken down into smaller pieces and assembled on site, rather than huge tubular structures that are more difficult to transport. At full capacity, Schuff will have up to 250 workers and produce 300 towers a year.

Additionally, South Carolina-based Tindall Corp. is building a facility in Newton, Kan., to make the massive

Kansas is ranked second in the nation for wind-energy potential, according to the National Renewable energy laboratory.


concrete bases for wind towers, a capital investment of $66 million that will create 400 jobs.

WInd COrrIdOr draWS SuPPlIerS

Kansas makes sense – seven nacelle plants in addition to the Siemens facility are in operation or under construction within 500 miles. Kansas is in the heart of the Wind Corridor, with great access to interstates, Class I railroads and even water transport out of nearby Tulsa, Okla. Wind is strong in Kansas, literally as well as economically. The state is ranked second in the nation for wind energy potential, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

At the end of 2010, Kansas had 1,026 megawatts of wind generating capacity. And though total U.S.

installation of new wind projects in 2010 was half the level of 2009, several Kansas projects with more than 500 total megawatts were announced.

Kansas has long been a big oil and natural gas player, and now wind is attracting international investment to the Sunflower State. Draka, which announced its project in December 2010, is based in Holland and is the eighth-largest cable manufacturer in the world and the third largest in Europe. It is the main cable supplier for Siemens Wind in Denmark.

Jupiter Group, a Denmark-based producer of wind turbine components, opened a new facility in Junction City from which it will serve clients throughout the Midwest. Siemens, a German powerhouse, started producing 90-ton nacelles in

Hutchinson in December 2010.The nacelle is a large, heavy box that

sits on top of the wind tower and contains the components that run the turbine, including the gear box, rotor and hundreds if not thousands of components that control the blades, collect the energy and convert it into usable power. Moving them is expensive, and Kansas’ central location helps manufacturers and their suppliers control transportation costs.

“To get closer to the customer because of freight costs is a big concern,” says Dennis Anweiler, business unit director for Draka.

InternatIOnal FlavOr, lOCal OPPOrtunItIeS

But the wind isn’t blowing past existing Kansas manufacturers. Dozens of companies, including many

kansas wInd farms the heart OF the WInd COrrIdOr

Siemens energy’s wind turbine nacelle manufacturing plant in Hutchinson is drawing many wind-industry companies to Kansas.

46 K a n S a S

meridian way wind farm Cloud County

smoky hills wind farm lincoln/ellsworth Counties

elk river wind project Butler County

Central plains wind farm wichita County

spearville wind energy facility ford County Greensburg wind project, kiowa County

Gray County wind farm Gray County

flat ridge wind farm, Barber County



HUTCHINSON KANSAS Come see why Siemens Wind Power

chose Hutchinson for their North American nacelle plant.

Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce

620.662.3391 www.hutchchamber.com

Shovel-ready land

Available buildings

Central location

Excellent transportation access

Motivated and educated workforce

Value-driven community

1 SiemensEnergy Hutchinson,KS

2 Mitsubishi PowerSystems FortChaffee,AR

3 NordexUSA Jonesboro,AR

4 SuzionBlades Pipestone,MN

5 ClipperWindpower CedarRapids,IA

6 AccionaEnergy WestBranch,IA

7 VestasNacelles Brighton,CO

8 VestasBlades Windsor,CO

PhotosuppliedbySiemenspress


that have long supplied the state’s huge aerospace industry, are retooling or studying the feasibility of working in the wind sector. JR Custom Metal Products in Wichita is one of them. The job shop has started supplying big wind manufacturers with walkways, platforms and material handling equipment for nacelle components.

“Last year we added 30 people, and

it is looking like 2011 is going to be exciting,” says owner Pam Koehler.

Companies such as JR Custom can get help from the Advanced Manufacturing Institute (AMI) at Kansas State University. AMI has partnered with the Great Lakes Wind Network (GLWN) to provide site assessments for manufacturers wishing to enter the wind industry

supply chain, make recommendations on possible components to be supplied and review the production systems. The institute also works with regions and their governmental entities on the economic development planning.

“The biggest challenge is materials,” says Jeff Tucker, AMI’s associate director. “A lot of aviation work is in aluminum, and the wind

alternatIve enerGy� Bond fInanCInG InCentIves make up to $5 million available for eligible renewable energy projects in Kansas. to qualify, a project must have a capital investment of at least $30 million, create at least 200 jobs within five years and pay an average salary of $32,500. the bonds are paid off from the withholding tax of the new jobs. this legislation was a major draw

in luring Siemens energy to Hutchinson, Kan., the site of the company’s first u.S.-based nacelle production facility, which created 400 jobs. the Kansas legislature approved the incentive, which applies to solar projects as well as wind, in 2009. Siemens was the first wind venture to take advantage of the bond financing, though other eligible projects are in the pipeline.

an InCentIve GeneratInG results SIemenS enerGy taKeS advantaGe OF BOnd FInanCInG

An employee makes wind turbine blade kits at Jupiter group, a denmark-based company that opened a new facility in Junction city.


industry uses steel and others. The business relationships have a different structure, and the return on investment is usually longer. The question is more whether it is economically viable than technically feasible.”

reneWaBle enerGy GOalSKansas first enacted Renewable

Energy Standards for 2010 (10 percent) and 2020 (20 percent), a strong signal to alternative energy producers of Kansas’ commitment to renewable energy. The state is on target to hit a 20 percent threshold by 2020 and has a portfolio of economic incentives to also pave the way for manufacturers.

“The economy has impacted the wind industry like everything else, and some investment decisions have been delayed,” says Randi Tveitaraas Jack, international business recruitment manager for the Kansas Department of Commerce. “We are patient, and we are in this for the long haul.”

wInd In kansas

2u.S. rank in potential capacity

14u.S. rank in existing capacity

8Wind farms in Kansas producing 100 or more megawatts

1,026megawatts online at the end of 2010

SOURCE: American Wind Energy Association

Employees assemble nacelles at the Siemens Energy plant in Hutchinson.


Kansas training programs help ensure that employers have workers with the right skills.


Job Well donekAnsAsworks connects employers to skilled workers

Story by Heather Johnston Johnsonphotography by Jeff Adkins

Online matchmakers are churning out hundreds of successful matches in Kansas –

at least when it comes to the state’s workforce system.

The Kansas Department of Commerce administers the KANSASWORKS system, which links businesses, job seekers and educational institutions to ensure that Kansas employers can find skilled workers. The system includes various workforce centers, which are located statewide to connect businesses with

job seekers in their area, and integrates Kansas universities, community colleges and technical schools so they can tailor their curriculum to the needs of new and expanding businesses.

The result is a seamless network in which Kansas workers receive job-specific training and Kansas businesses can find well-trained employees. Those efforts are paying off on a number of fronts: Kansas has the No. 3-ranked workforce development programs in the nation, according to

an Area Development magazine survey of site location consultants.

KanSaS WOrKFOrCe PrOGram tarGetS InduStry needS

And as workforce and employer needs evolve, the program is evolving with them and keeping pace with industry innovations.

Biosciences are seeing tremendous growth in Kansas, especially in animal and human health.

Energy is expanding beyond its base in oil, gas and coal to include a

the Kansas Industrial training (KIt) program assists firms in pre-employment and on-the-job training. pre-employment training may be used to allow the company and prospective employees an opportunity to evaluate one another before making employment commitments.

prospective employees are given the knowledge and specific skills necessary for job entry. On-the-job training is conducted after hiring. trainees may receive

instruction on the company’s own production equipment on the plant floor or on similar machinery in a classroom setting.

to be eligible, a company must add at least one net new position at an average wage of at least $11 per hour in douglas, Johnson, leavenworth, Sedgwick, Shawnee and Wyandotte counties, or $9.50 per hour in the rest of the state.

IndustrIal strenGth traInInG KIt PrOGram PrePS WOrKerS BeFOre and aFter they’re hIred



burgeoning wind energy sector and biofuels. Kansas is ranked No. 2 in wind potential, according to National Renewable Energy Laboratory data. And companies such as Siemens Energy, which has a new nacelle manufacturing facility in Hutchinson, along with suppliers such as Denmark-based Jupiter Group and Holland-based Draka, are creating new job opportunities and, with them, new training needs.

SKIllS traInInG helPS KanSaS emPlOyerS

A critical component to building a strong economy is the availability of a highly trained and qualified workforce, and Kansas has launched efforts on a number of fronts to ensure that employers have a deep pool of skilled talent from which to draw.

One of the keys to those efforts is the Kansas WORKReady! Initiative, which uses the WorkKeys® assessment tool to award Career Readiness Certificates to individuals to document their skills in mathematics, reading for information and locating information.

Applicants can receive a bronze-, silver-, gold- or platinum-level certificate based on their score, which indicates the percentage of core skills they possess for the jobs profiled by WorkKeys®.

Keith Meyers, director of training services for the Kansas Department of Commerce, sees a strong future for the training component.

“A lot of our employers find the skills assessment to be a valuable tool, especially in the manufacturing arena. If candidates don’t have a previous manufacturing background, but they can demonstrate a skills background, employers can see that they have a certain level of aptitude,” Meyers says.

When Siemens began hiring for its new facility in Hutchinson, the workforce program provided a job fair at Hutchinson Community College and listed open jobs on the state website.

Roger Brown, human resources manager for Siemens, says the state program provided important services the company couldn’t handle on its own. The plant hired around 150 employees in 2010 and plans to add more in 2011.

“Instead of having people constantly walk in and disrupt our small workforce, the job site listings allowed control of applications for a given time,” he says.

hIGh ImpaCtThe Investments in Major Projects and Comprehensive Training (IMPACT) program is designed to respond to training and capital requirements of major business expansions and locations in Kansas. Under certain circumstances, IMPACT may also be used for job-retention projects. IMPACT has two major components: SKILL (State of Kansas Investments in Lifelong Learning) and MPI (Major Project Investment). SKILL funds may be used to pay for expenses related to training a new, and in certain instances, an existing workforce. MPI funds may be used for other expenses related to the project, such as the purchase or relocation of equipment, labor recruitment or building costs. IMPACT is typically reserved for projects involving at least 100 new jobs at a higher-than-average wage. The IMPACT program may also be used for job retention projects that have compelling economic benefit for Kansas.

KANSASWORKS’ continues to seek additional funding to enhance its training capacity. The Department of Commerce and other partners collaborated on eight successful grant applications, which will amount to more than $23 million over the next few years, giving the program stability and the ability to help more people and leverage current resources.

A federal Health & Human Services grant for $15 million over five years, for example, is designed to increase the health care workforce by helping low-income individuals find employment in health care-related fields.

Clockwise from top left: Kansas Workforce centers, like this one in topeka, assist job seekers and employers; KANSASWORKS provides a range of training programs that assist businesses.


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kansas workforCe Center loCatIons

Kansas Workforce centers provide a range of services for people seeking careers and businesses looking for qualified employees. more on services Kansas offers to job seekers and employers can be found at www.KanSaSWOrKS.com.

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Russell County

Russell County Economic Development & CVB

[email protected] (877) 830-3737

www.russellcoks.org

Russell Kansas or GetRussell

History

Culture

CommerceHistory of oil in this

area comes alive!

Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas

Alive with …

Wish YouWere Here!

high-voltage trainingworkforce initiAtive tArgets energy sector

Kansas is giving its energy workers an edge over those in surrounding states by providing a new education program with targeted skills training.

energyNet, also known as the energy Network of education and training, delivers the education and training needed by the energy industry and ties a statewide network of community and technical colleges together to provide specialized training for energy employees.

FOrt hayS State unIverSIty COOrdInateS enerGynet PrOGram

With an initial $1.6 million investment from the Kansas department of commerce and the Kansas Board of Regents, the program is coordinated by Fort Hays State university.

dr. chris crawford, assistant provost for quality management at FHSu, says partnering colleges will focus on occupational skills, such as line worker training, as well as the more advanced skills needed for smart grid technology.

Fort Hays State is drawing on its experience with distance learning to help partnering colleges build their own online courses.

InduStry needS ShaPe enerGynet

Kathy Hund, director of workforce education and training for the Kansas department of commerce and Kansas Board of Regents, says the education initiative offers a hybrid delivery model for education.

potential workers who don’t want to travel out of their region can take advantage of distance-learning courses at local schools.

cooperation between colleges saves money for new programs by providing students broader access to established courses with

expensive equipment – such as climbing poles – that teach skills necessary for line workers.

“Industry needs are front and center,” Hund said. “Industry drives energyNet.”

energyNet organizers have met with energy leaders to determine what skills are needed. As the coordinating entity,

Fort Hays State will work with the state’s 26 independent community and technical colleges to enhance existing programs.

participation by colleges is voluntary. Hund hopes energyNet will result in more efficient use of limited public funds and increase training opportunities to Kansans.

– Heather Johnston Johnson

19

Wide Open With Possibilities

58 K a n S a S

Wide Open With Possibilitiesbumper crop of initiatives feeds rural kansas economy


Agritourism and other programs are making a real difference in the

economic outlook of rural Kansas.PHOTO bY JEFF A DKIN S


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Story by Betsy Williams

t he rural communities of Kansas are developing creative ways to diversify and

strengthen their economies, and efforts by the Rural Development Division of the Kansas Department of Commerce are ensuring these communities will play a major role in the state’s future.

“Kansas has a wide geography that is very rural, and our department has developed programs that provide funding and technical assistance to regions, communities and individuals,” says Carole Jordan, rural development director at the Kansas Department of Commerce. “Rural is our sole focus.”

Utilizing federal dollars, the Rural Development Division assists communities with infrastructure and housing stabilization, and state-funded community development programs provide funding opportunities and hands-on technical assistance from Rural Opportunity field representatives.

value-added PrOGramS maKe a dIFFerenCe

Agritourism, renewable energy, value-added loan programs, dairy

farm expansion assistance – these and other programs are making a real difference in the economic outlook of rural Kansas.

“Our agriculture marketing piece is state-funded and is impacting rural businesses and agribusiness,” Jordan says. “Our Value-Added Loan Program adds value to agricultural commodities. For example, ethanol is a value-added commodity, where corn or sorghum is turned into a secondary product. Or we might help someone purchase the equipment necessary to turn organic wheat into organic f lour, which is valued higher than regular f lour.”

Simply Kansas, a trademark program that highlights and markets Kansas products, has been extremely successful, Jordan says. And the state’s Main Street program continues its community capacity-building, self-sustaining effort. Just developed over the past year is the Kansas Downtown Network for smaller and non-Main Street communities. This network utilizes the national program’s successful four-point approach to downtown redevelopment.

The state’s successful agricultural

Clockwise from top: guests at grandview Ranch in emporia; longhorn cattle at longhorn park in dodge city; Jan Jantzen, on his grandview Ranch property, is helping other rural entrepreneurs design their own agritourism experience.

2009 kansas aGrICulture overvIew

65,500number of farms

46.2 millionnumber of acres

$12 billionamount of cash receipts in 2009

$4.9 billionagricultural export values

705average farm size in acres

6 millionnumber of cattle and calves

1.8 millionnumber of hogs and pigs


marketing programs will be housed in the Kansas Department of Agriculture, effective July 1, 2011.

In the top tier of the rural Kansas success story is agritourism, and one of the pioneers in the state’s movement is now devoting his extensive knowledge to spreading the word through seminars and workshops.

Jan Jantzen, who has great success with marketing and hosting the authentic ranch experience to eager urban dwellers at his Grandview Ranch

in Emporia, is now helping other rural entrepreneurs design their own agritourism experience.

The 20-hour “Agritourism: Your Next Cash Crop?” interactive business course, sponsored by the Kansas Department of Commerce, covers targeted client demographics, marketing, cash flow and accounting, liability and idea development.

“I think the rural economy has a lot of unrealized potential,” Jantzen says. “For instance, Kansas is one of the great

Kansas ranks first in wheat, first in grain sorghum, second in cropland and third in sunflowers produced. the state ranks fourth in summer potatoes, sixth in hay produced, seventh in corn for grain and ninth in soybean production. more than 19 percent of all u.S. beef originates from Kansas beef-processing facilities. the state ranks third in cattle and calves on farms and third in cattle and calves on grain feed, 10th in hogs on farms and 11th in market sheep and lambs.

all aBout aG KanSaS ranKS In many aGrICulture CateGOrIeS

deer-hunting states in the nation. I had a father and son who walked into a class, saying the son wants to take over the farming operation but can’t without further diversifying the income. We’re looking at how he can utilize rural assets that were going untapped. That farm has a great habitat and a good deer population, ideal for hunting. All of a sudden, that farm has additional value.”

Hunting trips that can cost upward of $1,500 per person and can extend into fishing, camping, chuck wagon dinners, working and moving cattle, tours of local historic assets, horseshoe art – all falling into the broad definition of rural tourism, Jantzen says.

For him, it also means he’s been able to parlay the successful trail-riding, range-burning business at Grandview into something he sold to a fellow rancher, while still retaining his property ownership.

“That is an amazing stamp of the maturing of this industry,” he says. “The agritourism business has value.”

Rural entrepreneur initiatives in Kansas are helping farmers and ranchers diversify their operations and unlock other uses for their land, such as for hunting, camping and agritourism experiences.

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Grass-roots approachoffice of rurAl oPPortunity PlAnts seed for growth

Rural Opportunity representatives within the Kansas department of commerce are building bridges between what is and what can be by spurring meaningful development in communities of 5,000 or less. these rural-based representatives serve as contacts for rural communities seeking assistance in the development of strategic plans to attract businesses, workers and investment.

“We have four individuals who have offices in four regions of the state, and they are our bridge between the community and available assistance,” says carole Jordan, rural development director at the Kansas department of commerce. “We work with cities, counties and not-for-profit groups to build foundations that can help initiate and sustain economic development by helping them go through a strategic planning process. When opportunity comes their way, they know what to do to optimize it.”

the definition of “rural” is “all over the map,” Jordan says. “For the Rural Opportunity program, we set the number at 5,000 and fewer when we started our program in 2007. In Kansas we have about 600 municipalities that fit that category.”

By working with hundreds of these communities, the program has helped communities generate projects that created economic benefit or simply restored community pride.

Sometimes it’s as simple as providing information.

“We had one very small community that didn’t have the financial capacity to do much, but they had a cemetery in the middle of town that had become an eyesore,” Jordan says. “they were at a loss as to what to do to restore the tombstones. We got them that information, they did the work. It increased their community pride and prompted volunteer involvement.” – Betsy Williams Living green is making sure the air in your home is healthy for your family to breathe. Test

your home for radon and build radon-resistant. It's easy. That's living healthy and green.

Just call 866-730-green or visit www.epa.gov/radon

Living greenstarts from the ground up.

www.growparsons.com


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no Place like Kansasstate is stocked with natural beauty, history and culture

Story by Kevin Litwin

O ne of every nine Kansas citizens today owes his or her job to tourism.

In fact, the state’s tourism industry directly supports approximately 125,000 individuals, and if tourism didn’t exist, each Kansas household would pay $875 more in annual taxes to maintain the current level of state and local tax receipts.

“When I hear from visitors and travel writers who visit Kansas for the first time, most are impressed with

our pace of life and friendliness of the people – no matter where they go,” says Richard Smalley, tourism marketing manager for the state’s Travel & Tourism Division. “Visitors are also often surprised by the landscape of the state. We aren’t just f lat land. Kansas has wooded hills, rolling hills, high plains and more.”

One famous and well-visited scenic area is the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway, which stretches 48 miles and offers travelers an unchanged view of

Clockwise from top left: An Apollo spacecraft on display at the Kansas cosmosphere & Space center in Hutchinson; dwight d. eisenhower presidential library & museum in Abilene; Hikers stop on a trail to take in the views of the Flint Hills of Kansas.


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PHOTO C OuR T E SY OF K AN SA S C O SMO SPHERE & SPAC E C EN T ER

grasslands in the Great Plains. The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is another popular destination, home to the last remaining stand of native tallgrass prairie in North America.

Smalley says visits to those two sites and the many other Kansas attractions help the tourism industry surpass $5 billion annually in total economic impact. “More than $2.5 billion of that tourism money goes to employee wages and salaries,” he says. “We are lucky that there are so many interesting places to see in the Sunflower State.”

KanSaS and the SPaCe raCeFor history buffs, the Kansas

Cosmosphere & Space Center showcases an important chapter in U.S. history – the Space Race. The center includes a large collection of U.S. space artifacts along with the

Clockwise from far left: Kansas cosmosphere & Space center; castle Rock features unique limestone outcroppings and fossils left behind from thousands of years ago; Oldtown in downtown WichitaS

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largest collection of Russian aerospace artifacts outside Moscow.

“The Cosmosphere attracts 150,000 tourists annually, including 30,000 school children,” Smalley says. “One side of the hall is the timeline from the 1950s and 1960s of the Soviet Union and their space race agenda, and the other side has the corresponding timeline of the U.S. during those same years. It is an interesting tourism destination in Hutchinson.”

hIStOry, Culture, Old WeStHistory fans can also visit the

federally designated Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area, which commemorates sites and events that helped shape the nation, such as “Bleeding Kansas,” the precursor to the Civil War, and the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site.

Cattle drives, cowboys and the Old West’s wilder days are also a big part of the Kansas experience in historic Dodge City, with attractions such as

kansas tourIsm Industry� By� the numBers

$5.4 billioneconomic impact in 2009

125,000direct employment in the state by tourism-related enterprises

$2.56 billionWages paid by tourism- related businesses

$238average expenditure by each Kansas visitor

Kansas offers ample water opportunities for anglers and boaters.

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Boot Hill Museum and the Dodge City Trail of Fame.

Kansas attractions include the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum in Abilene, Oldtown in downtown Wichita, geological formations such as Monument Rocks, Castle Rock and Gypsum Hills, and the Kansas Underground Salt Museum in Hutchinson that take visitors 650 feet below the Earth’s surface.

“For outdoor enthusiasts, pheasant hunting is fantastic in Kansas, whitetail deer are abundant, and mule deer is prominent in the western part of the state,” Smalley says. “There are also plenty of lakes and reservoirs for fishing, and a number of state parks have cabins right on the water.

Information on things to do, places to see and great Kansas events can be found on travelKS.com and in the Official Kansas Visitors Guide.

(The state’s tourism programs will be housed in the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, effective July 1, 2011.)

kansas Cosmosphere & spaCe Center www.cosmo.org

freedom’s frontIer natIonal herItaGe area www.freedomsfrontier.org

Boot hIll museum boothill.org

dodGe CIty� traIl of fame www.dodgecitytrailoffame.org

dwIGht d. eIsenhower presIdentIal lIBrary� & museum www.eisenhower.archives.gov

kansas underGround salt museum www.undergroundmuseum.org

oldtown www.oldtownwichita.com

monument roCks www.naturalkansas.org/monument.htm

for more InformatIon

From top: cattle drives are still part of the Kansas landscape; Kansas underground Salt museum in Hutchinson


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www.naturalkansas.org/monument.htm

that’s a lot of CandleskAnsAs celebrAtes 150 yeArs of stAtehood in 2011

Kansas looks really good for 150 years old.

the Sunflower State turns 150 in 2011, as Kansas celebrates its 1861 admission into the union as the 34th state. Festivals, concerts, theatrical performances, quilt shows and a host of other events will take place across the state throughout the year.

the Kansas sesquicentennial is being marketed as a grassroots effort, meaning that residents from all parts of the state are invited to plan and participate in a year’s worth of special events.

Festivities officially began Jan. 29, 2011, on Kansas day, which commemorated the day in 1861 that the state became an official part of the united States.

reCOGnIzInG the SeSquICentennIal

members of the Kansas 150 Steering committee compiled a long list of activity suggestions for individuals and communities to put into action to recognize the sesquicentennial.

As part of the celebration, the Kansas museum of History’s special exhibit, 150 things I love About Kansas, features 150 objects, images, and documents about the Sunflower State.

the year-long exhibit, which runs through 2011, “presents Kansas symbols and stereotypes while also turning them inside out and inviting public reaction,” the museum says.

the state’s history, culture, and traditions will be examined through these common themes. the list includes everything from the Wizard of Oz to the Wild West to sunflowers to the state’s reputation for friendliness.

For more on the Kansas sesquicentennial, go to KS150.org.

– Kevin Litwin

Rice CountyK A N S A S

Strong, Established Industry • Active Lending Institutions

Progressive, Growing Community • Aggressive Government

We have buildings and space – and our people make the difference.

Rice County Economic Development P.O. Box 171 • Lyons, KS 67554

(620) 257-5166 • (620) 257-3039 Fax

visit us online at www.ricecounty.us to learn more.

We’re growing …right now!

Located in the center of Kansas!




Known around the Worldkansas is a global player in exports, foreign investment

Story by Katie Kuehner-Hebert

e ven in a sluggish global economy, Kansas has remained an export powerhouse and an

attractive locale for foreign direct investment.

The state’s export volume for 2010 was $9.9 billion, surpassing 2009’s total by more than 11 percent. Kansas exports to markets around the world, sending everything from aircraft ($2.1 billion) to industrial machinery ($955.9 million) to meat ($756.2 million) to cereals ($643.2 million) to countries in Europe, Asia, South America and North America.

Wichita was the fastest-growing export market among the top 100 U.S. metropolitan areas, with 22.3 percent growth from 2003 to 2008, according to a July report by the Brookings Institution. Wichita’s explosive growth has been fueled by aviation manufacturers such as Cessna and

Aircraft$2.1 billion

Industrial Machinery

$956 million

Electric Machinery$640.1 million

Meat$756.2 million

Cereals$643.2 million

Animal Feed$494.3 million

Vehicles & Parts$554.6 million

major export CateGorIes

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ceva Santé Animale in lenexa is one of Kansas’ major foreign-owned employers.


Hawker Beechcraft, and a host of suppliers.

the WOrld COmeS CallInGThe state has also attracted more

foreign direct investment, with a spate of companies building major facilities in the state. Nearly 53,000 Kansans are employed by foreign-owned companies. In 2009 alone, foreign-owned companies made $367 million in capital investments in the state, creating 1,420 jobs.

In December 2010, Denmark-based Jupiter Group opened a wind turbine component manufacturing facility in Junction City. Siemens Energy, a unit of Germany-based Siemens AG, cut the ribbon on its first U.S.-based nacelle production facility in Hutchinson. Because of Siemens’ investment, Dutch wire and cable manufacturer Draka in November announced it would build an assembly facility in Hutchinson to supply Siemens and

Aircraft is Kansas’ top export category.

DiscoverOsborne.Com


other key customers in the region.In the animal health industry, France-based

Ceva Santé Animale in January 2011 recommitted to keeping its North American headquarters in Lenexa. Ceva is increasing production capacity at its existing Lenexa facility with construction of a new 53,000-square-foot, two-story building.

a Breed aPart In lIveStOCKOsborne Industries was named the 2010

Kansas Governor’s Exporter of the Year. The company is an innovator in solutions for livestock production, including feeders and management systems, and has exported livestock products to 44 countries. Osborne also provides custom plastic molding technology solutions to other industries.

“One of our core values is providing jobs for people in Osborne County, and if we didn’t have an export business, we would not be able to employ as many people,” says Steve Langley, president.

The Kansas Department of Commerce’s Trade Development Division helps Kansas

companies increase their export business through a variety of marketing efforts and networking with foreign contacts, says John Watson, trade director. The division targets industries that already have a strong base in the state, including wind energy, aviation, bioscience, agriculture and animal health.

The division maintains offices in Mexico City and Beijing, staffed by local business advisers contracted by the division to introduce foreign prospects to Kansas.

“These two markets are important to us,” Watson says. “Our strategy is to try to do the most good for the most number of Kansas companies, so we have offices where there are significant amounts of business to capture.”

The division also works closely with business consultants in other parts of Asia, India, Latin America and Europe to conduct market research for Kansas companies.

PrOmOtInG KanSaS GlOBallyThrough the Kansas International Trade

Show Assistance Program, or KITSAP, the division will pay some of the direct costs of

foreIGn dIreCt InvestmentForeign-controlled companies employ nearly 53,000 Kansas workers. Major sources of foreign investment in Kansas include Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany. Projects involving international investment in 2009 resulted in a total of $367 million in capital investment and 1,420 jobs created. The primary project was the $30 million Siemens Energy wind turbine plant in Hutchinson, expected to create 400 jobs.

www.osborne-ind.com


Ceva Santé Animale is nearly doubling its existing Lenexa manufacturing facility to 55,000 square feet.


eligible Kansas companies attending international trade shows in foreign locales.

The division also participates in such shows, including the China Veterinary Medicine Association conference in Beijing last October. Five Kansas companies in the animal health sector joined the division, as well as Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

“They were also promoting educational opportunities for Chinese veterinarians, which is another form of export,” Watson says.

Other trade missions included a visit with wind energy investors in Denmark and Germany; a trip to an international aviation trade show in Farnborough, England; and two joint missions with the states of Colorado and Montana to Russia to promote the animal genetics industry.

2010 kansas export markets

$2.5 billionCanada

$1.3 billionmexico

$585 millionJapan

$527 millionChina

$456 millionunited Kingdom

$9.9 billionKansas total export value 2010

$8.9 billiontotal export value in 2009

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Where Agriculture Meets IndustryPratt Area Economic Development Corporation (888) 886-1164 • www.prattkansas.org

Union Pacific

RailroadKansas & Oklahoma Railroad

Pratt

Excellence in EducationWe have two school districts offering innovative education to prepare our youth for the 21st Century.

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Education CenterThis showcase for outdoor Kansas houses numerous displays, dioramas, aquariums and exhibits.

Thriving DowntownPratt offers a robust mix of unique shops, eateries and professional offices in the downtown area.

Lemon ParkPratt has 19 parks comprising approximately 270 acres of “green space.”

Regional Medical CenterPratt Regional Medical Center is a progressive medical center providing the region with outstanding patient care.Sports/Recreation Facilities

Sports complex and a new 44,000-square-foot fitness facility.

Progressive Higher EducationPratt Community College provides business and industry training, as well as general and technical education.

Hutchinson 60 mi.

Wichita 70 mi.

Great Bend 45 mi.

Pratt Regional Airport Our C-II GA airport boasts a 5,500-foot concrete runway and is also home to one of our industrial parks.

Our Future EconomyAgriculture, energy and industry come together to make Pratt a community of opportunities.

Where Agriculture Meets IndustryPratt Area Economic Development Corporation (888) 886-1164 • www.prattkansas.org

Union Pacific

RailroadKansas & Oklahoma Railroad

Pratt

Excellence in EducationWe have two school districts offering innovative education to prepare our youth for the 21st Century.

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Education CenterThis showcase for outdoor Kansas houses numerous displays, dioramas, aquariums and exhibits.

Thriving DowntownPratt offers a robust mix of unique shops, eateries and professional offices in the downtown area.

Lemon ParkPratt has 19 parks comprising approximately 270 acres of “green space.”

Regional Medical CenterPratt Regional Medical Center is a progressive medical center providing the region with outstanding patient care.Sports/Recreation Facilities

Sports complex and a new 44,000-square-foot fitness facility.

Progressive Higher EducationPratt Community College provides business and industry training, as well as general and technical education.

Hutchinson 60 mi.

Wichita 70 mi.

Great Bend 45 mi.

Pratt Regional Airport Our C-II GA airport boasts a 5,500-foot concrete runway and is also home to one of our industrial parks.

Our Future EconomyAgriculture, energy and industry come together to make Pratt a community of opportunities.


kansas sets the pace in biofuels, solar, traditional sources

I nvesting in Kansas energy is easy – the tough part may be deciding which sector, because the state is making moves in all

of them.Kansas is a longtime leader in traditional

energy, including natural gas and oil production, consistently ranking among the top 10 U.S. states in crude oil production.

The Sunflower State is a hub for wind power, with 1,026 megawatts on line at the end of 2010, and the industry’s growing U.S. supply chain.

Solar energy’s future is bright, too. The state has a high solar rating, and industry powerhouses such as AGC Flat Glass, a global leader in solar glass production, have

operations in Kansas. Ethanol, biodiesel and cellulosic

technologies are also part of the portfolio.

StandardS, InCentIveS Fuel GrOWthKansas is an active partner in developing

new technologies and creating markets for sustainable fuel sources. The state demonstrated its commitment to renewables with a Renewable Energy Standard – 10 percent for 2011 (which was met almost exclusively with wind generation), 15 percent for 2016 and 20 percent for 2020. In 2009, the state bumped up its commitment and elevated the benchmarks from “goals” to “mandatory requirements,” making

Plenty of energy

Story by Pamela Coyle

Energy/Technology

oIl and GasKansas consistently ranks among the top 10 states in crude oil production.The Anadarko Shelf in southwestern Kansas contains the Hugoton Gas Area, one of the top producing natural gas fields in the United States.The Mid-Continent Center, located in Wichita, is a key natural gas supply hub that merges production from several states in the region before piping it east toward major consumption markets.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

Kansas is a leader in energy production on several fronts, including oil and natural gas, and agricultural-based renewables, such as ethanol and biofuels made from such things as switchgrass and wheat stover.Je

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Icm, based in colwich, is a leader in building and retrofitting ethanol plants. Kansas has 12 operating ethanol production facilities.

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Kansas Oil Production (in barrels)

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Kansas Natural Gas Production (in mcf)

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kansas natural Gas production (in mcf)

kansas oil production (in barrels)

Kansas an attractive investment option because companies have evidence of the state’s commitment.

State incentives include special bond financing, which make up to $5 million available for eligible projects. Renewable energy incentive grants from the Kansas Energy Office provide up to $250,000 to help state agencies, local governments and educational institutions finance 25 percent of alternative energy projects. In addition, Kansas has a $34 million revolving loan program for small commercial and residential energy efficiency projects.

ethanOl, BIOFuelS FlOWInGKansas has 12 operating biofuel

facilities with a combined permitted capacity of 519.5 million gallons per year.

More projects are in the permit or construction phase. Abengoa Bioenergy, an industry leader, picked Kansas for its first commercial-scale hybrid biomass plant, in part because the state has no shortage of feedstock.

“We are a big agricultural state and produce corn and sorghum, feedstocks for ethanol plants,” says Carole Jordan, rural development director at the Kansas Department of Commerce. “Those can be interchanged in plants depending on what the market is doing. We have the source of those inputs very near to production.”

Companies are working with wheat stover, switchgrass and other potential sources of biomass. Researchers are trying to figure out how to break apart corn kernels to get all the material for potential energy conversion. Both the University of Kansas and Kansas State University have dedicated



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biomass working groups, including one that is developing algae as a biofuel, Jordan says.

the lOCatIOn advantaGeThe state already is home to major

industry players. In addition to Abengoa, ICM, a leader in building and retrofitting ethanol plants, is based in Colwich, Kan. ICM is one of four

biorefinery companies selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to lead biomass-to-ethanol research efforts with innovative technologies. Projects include developing a demonstration plant at the Harvey County landfill for a biomass gasifier, says Monique Garcia, ICM’s director of government affairs.

With innovative companies, existing production, solid

transportation infrastructure and market access, Jordan says, “it makes for a really great combination.”

windthe state has eight operating wind farms and 1,026 megawatts of wind power online as of the end of 2010.

Biodieselthree plants in operation, with a combined output of 7.4 million

gallons per year, and one plant with the capacity to produce 72 million

gallons per year under construction or permitted.

Biofuels12 operating biofuel facilities with a combined permitted capacity of

519.5 million gallons per year.

Cleaner fuels on tap SOURCE: Kansas Department of Commerce, December 2010 figures

what’s online For more information about energy in Kansas, visit the website at kansaseconomicdevelopment.com.

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Transportation

highway, rail, air systems give kansas a logistical advantage

a key component of the Kansas economic development success story is its sophisticated

and integrated transportation infrastructure that includes major interstate highways, Class I rail service and a network of commercial airports.

Kansas has the best highways in the United States, according to a 2010 survey compiled by Reader’s Digest.

“More than 10,000 miles of roads in Kansas are either interstates, U.S. highways or state roads, and all are in excellent shape,” says Jerry Younger, deputy secretary of engineering with the Kansas Department of Transportation. “Also, many states today are wrestling with poor bridges,

but Kansas has only 2 to 3 percent that currently need attention. That is a very low and manageable number.”

GOOd COnneCtIOnSGood highways are a key reason

why many companies set up logistics and distribution operations in Kansas. The major east-west route of Interstate 70 and the north-south route of I-35 cross in Kansas and connect with I-29, which is part of the NAFTA highway corridor linking the United States to Mexico and Canada.

“The state underwent two robust highway improvement programs in the 1980s and 1990s, and now has embarked on a new 10-year project,” Younger says. “The transportation

Paved With Good Intentions

Story by Kevin Litwinphotography by Jeff Adkins

By� the numBers

10,607highway miles in Kansas

4,776miles of rail in Kansas, including 2,790 miles served by Class I carriers

9,691Kansas-based motor carriers with intrastate or interstate operating authority licensed to operate in Kansas



system in this state is impressive.”Kansas Secretary of Transportation

Deb Miller says that in the past decade, Kansas completed 5,700 road projects, replaced or repaired 900 bridges and rehabilitated more than 1,000 miles of rail.

“New airport runways have also been built across the state. In fact, 209 airport improvement projects were completed over the past 10 years,” she says. “Tens of thousands of transportation jobs were created or sustained as a result.”

a lOGIStICal advantaGeMiller adds that a slew of

manufacturers – from aircraft makers to wind-energy component manufacturers – have cited the overall transportation infrastructure and accessibility to markets among the state’s major attributes. Some key companies that utilize the logistical distribution advantages in Kansas include Coleman, Foot Locker, Home Depot, JCPenney, Target and Walmart Stores. In 2009, Siemens Energy officials noted that infrastructure was

a key factor in their decision to establish a wind turbine production facility in Hutchinson.

Rail carrier BNSF Railway Co. announced in 2010 that it was adding to the state’s transportation infrastructure by constructing a $750 million intermodal rail facility in Edgerton, just outside of Kansas City.

The Logistics Park KC is tentatively scheduled to open in 2011. The project was aided by a $35 million grant from the state’s Rail Assistance Program. The 443-acre facility will feature wide-

dodGe CIty� reGIonal aIrportwww.dodgecity.org/index.aspx?nid=60

forBes fIeld (topeka)www.mtaa-topeka.org

Garden CIty� reGIonal aIrportwww.fly2gck.com

Goodland munICIpal aIrportwww.goodlandks.us

Great Bend munICIpal aIrport www.greatbendks.net/?nid=190

hay�s reGIonal aIrportwww.haysusa.com/html/ airport.html

lIBeral mId-amerICa reGIonal aIrportwww.cityofliberal.com/ c_airport.htm

manhattan reGIonal aIrportwww.flymhk.com

salIna munICIpal aIrportwww.salinaairport.com

wIChIta mId-ContInent aIrportwww.flywichita.org

kansas CommerCIal aIrports

top left: Wichita mid-continent Airport is one the largest commercial airports serving Kansas. top right: A Fedex aircraft at the Wichita mid-continent Airport Bottom left: BNSF is constructing a $750 million intermodal rail facility in edgerton, just outside Kansas city.


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ThinkOttawa.org


span electric cranes that produce zero emissions on site and automatic gate systems to speed the movement of traffic entering and departing the facility. The facility will also incorporate a 60-acre conservation corridor for water quality benefits to the area. Officials expect the project will create some 8,700 jobs when complete.

“The facility will offer companies the ability

the major east-west route of Interstate 70 and the north-south route of I-35 cross in Kansas and connect with I-29.

the Kansas department of transportation was awarded a $10.2 million federal transportation Investments generating economic Recovery II (tIgeR II) grant in fall 2010 to help fund its great plains Freight Rail Service Improvement project. the grant will provide for infrastructure and facility rail improvements to the South Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad (SKOl) owned and operated by Watco transportation Services Inc.

upGrade on traCk

to ship goods quickly and efficiently by rail and truck to their final destinations,” says Matthew Rose, BNSF chairman, president and CEO. “It will also help the Kansas City region’s economy grow in a more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly way, by expanding that market’s capacity to shift even more freight traffic from an all-highway move to rail.”

KanSaS’ GOal: 45 mInuteS tO aIrPOrtWhile the BNSF facility will ultimately add

to the Class I rail service that Kansas already enjoys, transportation officials also tout the state’s strong airport system. Kansas City International Airport and Wichita Mid-Continent Airport are the largest airports serving the state; in all there are eight commercial airports and 132 general aviation facilities in Kansas.

“One of the big goals in this state is to eventually grow our airport system in such a way that every resident will be within 45 minutes of an airport,” Younger says. “And, of course, large companies all want to be located near airports, which can often happen in Kansas.”

markets wIthIn 500 mIles of kansas

89.3 millionPopulation (30.2% of U.S.)

33.7 millionHouseholds (30.4%)

$1.6 trillionBuying Power (29.5%)

3.9 millionBusinesses (30.7%)

$5.3 trillionTotal Sales

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Health

investment in bioscience pays dividends in innovation

W hat once seemed like science fiction is bioscience fact in Kansas.

The state’s bioscience corridor stretches from Kansas City to Hays, Manhattan to Wichita, and Atchison to Garden City. Along the way it sustains and attracts global businesses such as Bayer and Hill’s Pet Nutrition and promotes innovation in human and animal health as well as in plant science, bioenergy, biomaterials and biomanufacturing.

Kansas ramped up its bioscience investments in 2004 with the Kansas Economic Growth Act, and state funding is estimated to reach more than $580 million in the next decade.

“The Brownback Administration is focused on growing the Kansas economy and creating jobs, and a key part of that effort will focus on pursuing new economic opportunities,” says Kansas Commerce Secretary Pat George. “We expect many of those opportunities to come in the bioscience area, from animal health science to cancer research.”

Gov. Brownback announced earlier this year his plan to host several economic summits focusing on

lab Partners

Story by Heather Johnston Johnsonphotography by Jeff Adkins

left: Kansas will invest an estimated $580 million over a 15-year period to promote bioscience investment in the state.


Biocience is a growing sector of the Kansas economy and numbers more than 16,000 workers. right: Animal health leader Hill’s pet Nutrition opened a new 500,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in emporia.


specific industry sectors critical to the Kansas economy, including bioscience.

“The administration wants to gather all the industry stakeholders in one place, so they can openly share ideas and thoughts on the future of bioscience over the next several years,” George says. “From those ideas, we will develop an action plan to move the industry forward in Kansas.”

BIOSCIenCe yIeldS FInanCIal returnS

Economic returns on state-supported bioscience programs continue to fuel innovation in the industry. The sector’s workforce is more than 16,000 strong.

Animal health and human health are the state’s two major bioscience sectors, receiving the most funding. The Animal Health Corridor, which runs through the heart of Kansas, has the world’s largest concentration of animal health interests. In fact, it accounts for nearly 32 percent of total sales in the $19 billion global animal health market. The state’s human health activities include clinical research, pharmaceutical drug development, medical devices and diagnostics.

In addition to animal and human health, three other key areas have a growing presence in the state:

1. Bioenergy, which includes technology development associated with alternative fuels.

2. Biomaterials, which repurposes materials used for biomedical devices for

Kansas was named a top 10 state in eight of 20 categories in Business Facilities magazine’s 2010 Rankings Report, an annual report that rates the 50 states on their economic development efforts. economic growth potential (No. 10)Biotechnology Strength (No. 5)Biofuels manufacturing Research leaders (No. 10)Alternative energy Industry leaders (No 10)Wind energy manufacturing (No. 3)Quality of life (No. 3)employment leaders (No. 5)Best education climate (No. 3)Source: Business Facilities magazine

In Good Company� KanSaS maKeS the Grade In State ranKInGS

other uses, such as airline applications.3. Plant biology, which researches

and develops genetic modifications to yield better crops.

COmPanIeS InveSt In KanSaSCargill, the international producer

of food and agricultural products, plans to build a $14.7 million facility in Wichita that will be used for research and development, as well as a culinary laboratory, pilot plant and distribution center. The center, which will focus on food safety and quality, will add 65 jobs to the 50-person workforce over the next few years.

More jobs are on tap for the sector. Hill’s Pet Nutrition, which has its global headquarters in Topeka, opened a new

500,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Emporia in December 2010. The $200 million facility, which produces Hill’s Prescription Diet and Science Diet pet food, employs more than 100 and is a state-of-the-art bioscience production facility.

PrOmOtInG FOOd SaFety and CanCer-FIGhtInG CureS

In April, Kansas State University opened the International Animal Health and Food Safety Institute on the Olathe Innovation Campus. The institute is a $28-million, 108,000-square-foot facility that opens a new chapter in the efforts to make the state a global center for research.

The Innovation Campus will serve p

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as a center for research, education and commercialization. Students earning master’s and doctorate degrees in biosciences and biotechnology will work alongside scientists conducting research.

The campus is part of the Johnson County Education and Research Triangle, or JCERT, initiative. It’s a cooperative effort with the University of Kansas, involving KU’s Edwards Campus and the KU Medical Center.

K-State also will house the Department of Homeland Security’s National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, which is charged with protecting the nation’s food supply, among other duties. Once completed, the $650 million, 500,000-square-foot facility in Manhattan, Kan., will provide integrated research, response and diagnostic capabilities to protect animal and public health.

Meanwhile, the KU Cancer Center is working to achieve designation from the National Cancer Institute. Once completed, the designation will bring millions more in research dollars along with the ability to provide widespread, cutting-edge cancer treatment throughout the region and local economic growth through job creation.

KanSaS dePartment OF COmmerCe1000 S.W. Jackson St., Ste. 100topeka, KS 66612(785) [email protected]

KanSaS BIOSCIenCe authOrIty25501 W. valley pkwy., Ste. 100Olathe, KS 66061(913) [email protected]

KanSaS BIOSCIenCe OrGanIzatIOn8527 Bluejacket St.lenexa, KS 66214(913) [email protected]

key� kansas BIo ContaCts


www.biosciencepowerhouse.com


Kansas Programs encourage Bioscience Industry stAte offers A weAlth of resources to Aid sector’s growth

Bringing talented people to Kansas is important to the state.

the Sunflower State’s eminent Scholars program recruits distinguished bioscience researchers to Kansas institutions. Another effort, the Kansas Bioscience Rising Stars program, enlists world-class bioscience scholars to the state and encourages the state’s best scholars to stay.

reCruItInG hIGh-POtentIal COmPanIeS

the Kansas R&d voucher program gives early-stage financing and support to bioscience companies

with high-potential but high-risk innovations. meanwhile, the Kansas Bioscience matching Fund matches a portion of research grants for large-scale research and development projects at academic institutions.

the Kansas Bioscience expansion & Attraction program focuses on high-tech jobs, a program partially administered by the Kansas department of commerce to provide funds to growing bioscience companies.

BuIldInG reSearCh CenterSKansas has committed to build

several world-class centers of

innovation over the next 10 years, centers that will provide innovative research along with profitable commercial applications.

Animal health and human health – the state’s core bioscience sectors – also have special initiatives. the collaborative Biosecurity Research Initiative is a $2.5 million effort to promote products that will protect Americans from a terrorist attack that spreads animal-borne disease. meanwhile, the collaborative cancer Research Initiative will promote all areas of cancer research in the state.

– Heather Johnston Johnson

National site selection magazine Business Facilities highlighted Kansas’ success by ranking the state #5 In the natIOn FOr BIOteChnOlOGy, placing Kansas alongside powerhouses such as california, massachusetts and Illinois.

Kansas ranked #1 In the natIOn in growth of critical research funding from the National Institutes of Health from 2004 to 2009.

the federal government chose Kansas for a new $650 mIllIOn natIOnal reSearCh FaCIlIty and a research center of excellence that will be housed at Kansas State university to protect the American food supply.

K-State opened the $28 mIllIOn International

Animal Health and Food Safety Institute on the Olathe Innovation campus in April 2011.

Kansas is generating new investment in its bioscience industry.

cargill, the international producer of food and agricultural products, plans a $14.7 mIllIOn FaCIlIty in Wichita that will be used for research and development, as well as a culinary, laboratory, pilot plant and distribution center.

Hill’s pet Nutrition, which has its global headquarters in topeka, opened a new 500,000-Square-FOOt, $200 mIllIOn manuFaCturInG Plant in emporia in december 2010 that will produce Hill’s prescription diet and Science diet pet food.

faCts and fIGures KanSaS and the BurGeOnInG BIO SeCtOr

high-powered research fuels innovation at kansas universities

I t’s no coincidence that Kansas’ reputation as a center of innovation in life sciences, animal

health, advanced manufacturing, aviation and agriculture mirrors the rise in research prominence of the state’s major universities.

Kathy Hund says that for every scientist who introduces a research project at a Kansas university, 20 to 100 research technicians will assist that scientist with the project. “Many of those technicians can actually receive their education and training from a community or technical college, while others will

attend one of the state’s regional or big universities,” says Hund, director of workforce education and training with the Kansas Department of Commerce and Kansas Board of Regents. “There’s a need right now for additional highly skilled technicians in Kansas.”

mIllIOnS FOr reSearChThe number of research projects at

the state’s major universities continues to grow in Kansas each year, especially in fields such as life sciences, animal health, advanced manufacturing, aviation and agriculture. Kansas State University, the University of Kansas

Big Ideas Born here


Education

eduCatIonal faCts

30,000+number of students enrolled at Ku

250+number of undergraduate majors available at Kansas State

12Wichita State university’s rank in u.S. for international students

university of Kansas in lawrence

100 K a n S a S



www.fhsu.edu


and Wichita State University all developed major centers of research that attract millions of dollars in public and private grants and bring new products and companies to market.

In fact, Kansas State is among the top animal health/ag science schools in the country, while Wichita State is home to the renowned National Institute for Aviation Research. The University of Kansas has a Top 3

school of pharmacy research complex.“One of the pharmacists who taught

here at KU helped develop timed-release capsules, and alum helped develop insulin,” says Lynn Bretz, KU’s director of communications. “We certainly have a legacy of being at the forefront of life-changing discoveries.”

FundS FOr FOur FaCIlItIeSResearch is so important in the

state that in 2010, the Kansas Legislature approved $130 million in

additional funding for four major research facilities at Kansas universities: a food safety and security research facility at KSU, a biomedical research facility at the KU Medical Center, equipment for a biosciences research building at KU and expansion of the Aviation Engineering Complex at WSU.

“Wichita State is such a leader in aviation research and composite materials that the university has

“today, there is $500 million a year being spent on overall research at Kansas universities, and much of the money is coming from federal grants. the federal government believes in what is happening research-wise at Kansas universities.”

Fort Hays State universityPHOTO bY TO DD b ENNE T T



expanded its research into studying composites for joint replacement parts in the human body,” says Gary Sherrer, chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents. “There appears to be a tremendous advantage in using composite-based artificial knees and hips because the composites are not made of metal.”

Sherrer points out that since Kansas State is so involved with animal health and agriculture research, the university is building a large research center in Kansas City, a hub for the industry.

“Kansas City’s animal health industry is huge, and a significant portion of animal health products for the world are produced in the Kansas City metro area,” he says. “So KSU is expanding into the Kansas City area and will be opening an animal health research facility in 2011.”

Sherrer adds that researchers at the

puBlIC unIversItIes In kansas

university of Kansas lawrence, KSwww.ku.eduenrollment: 29,462

Kansas State universitymanhattan, KSwww.k-state.eduenrollment: 23,588

Wichita State universityWichita, KSwww.wichita.eduenrollment: 14,806

Fort hays State universityhays, KSwww.fhsu.eduenrollment: 11,883

Washburn university*topeka, KSwww.washburn.eduenrollment: 7,876

Pittsburg State university Pittsburg, KSwww.pittstate.eduenrollment: 7,131

emporia State universityemporia, KSwww.emporia.eduenrollment: 6,262

left: Kansas State university right: Wichita State university A

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*Municipal university


www.emporia.edu


hIGh SChOOl Or hIGher

5.8%

17%

aSSOCIate deGree

BaChelOr’S deGree

Graduate deGree

kansas eduCatIonal attaInment

89.5% 8.7%

University of Kansas are making large strides these days in cancer research, and KU’s medical center is expected to be designated a National Cancer Institute sometime in 2011 or 2012.

“When KU is given this designation, it will mean $1.5 billion annually in economic impact for the Kansas economy because of all the research related to it,” he says. “Today, there is $500 million a year being spent on overall research at Kansas universities, and much of the money is coming from federal grants. The federal government believes in what is happening research-wise in Kansas.”

www.rgs.ku.edu


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kansans form strong ties to the sunflower state

t hat famous Kansan, Dorothy, knew why she wanted to get home so badly.

Beyond its highly advantageous cost of living and nationally ranked schools, Kansas is the true heartland, offering an authentic American experience, from the hometown feel of small communities to the cosmopolitan amenities of urban areas that rival those in any large city.

The state’s quality of life is gaining national notice. Forbes named Johnson County the third-best place in the nation to raise a family, citing its affordability and accessibility.

Overland Park and Shawnee were ranked No. 7 and 17, respectively, on CNNmoney.com’s Best Places to Live list for 2010.

RelocateAmerica.com named Overland Park among its Top 100 Places to Live for 2010. The community excelled in categories such as employment opportunities, quality of K-12 education, crime rates, median housing costs and real estate appreciation. Topeka made Kiplinger magazine’s Top 10 Cities for the Next Decade list for 2010. The report cited quality schools and hospitals, a stable job market, municipal university and low housing costs.

home is Where the heartland Is


Livability

Clockwise from top: commercial Street in downtown emporia; Oldtown Wichita; Outdoor dining in lawrence

kansas Cost of lIvInGDodge City, 89.8Garden City, 87.6Hays, 89.2Hutchinson, 94.3Lawrence MSA, 98.9Manhattan, 96.3Salina, 88.1Topeka, 90.7Wichita, 91.0U.S. Average=100Source: ACCRA Cost of Living Index


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GOOd medICIneThe state is a leader in quality

health care, offering a variety of services that typically cost below national averages. The state boasts 4.9 community hospitals per 100,000 residents, which is nearly three times the national average.

“The only way we know that people get truly healthy is by having more family physicians, and Kansas is really a leader in that area” says Dr. Robyn Liu, a family physician in Tribune. “I just found the perfect practice opportunity here.”

extra CredItOne of the state’s major quality of

life attributes is its highly rated education system. Kansas boasts an impressive roster of higher education institutions that include seven major universities, 19 community colleges and 11 technical schools.

The state devotes 37 percent of its annual budget allocation to education, and nearly 90 percent of Kansas adults have earned at least a high school diploma. ACT scores for Kansas students are above the national

Clockwise from top left: Newly renovated buildings in downtown Junction city; Bartlett Arboretum in Belle plaine; diners at cafe tempo at the Nerman museum of contemporary Art on the campus of Johnson county community college; Biking in the gypsum Hills

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Western Kansas … Where life works!

What you know about us …Western Kansas, there is space to breathe and freedom to thrive here.

It’s a great place to grow up or raise a family, to be a part of a neighborhood.

Children receive personalized education through some of the best schools in the

nation, and they are raised in safe, affordable surroundings. Find peace in the

beautiful, clear, star-filled skies.

What you may not know about us is …Western Kansas, even today, is full of unique and plentiful job opportunities.

In addition to the traditional industries, there are a host of new businesses that

will surprise you. New technologies and ideas have transformed your possibilities.

What you will find in Western Kansas …The quality of life is better than ever, even with the sagging national economy.

There is a lot to do, short commutes, the cost of living is lower than many other

places, housing is affordable, the entrepreneurial environment is inspiring, and

the workplace needs you and appreciates you!

Visit WesternKSjobs.com to learn more aboutthe jobs and lifestyle of Western Kansas.

WesternKSjobs.com


average and pupil-teacher ratios at Kansas schools are in the top 10 among states.

Pretty aS a PICtureIt is a hometown f lavor that gives

Kansas such appeal, but it is also a state that offers cosmopolitan cultural amenities in abundance.

Wichita is a center of art that includes the recently refurbished Wichita Art Museum with its highly regarded collection of American works and the breathtaking Dale Chihuly Persian Seafoam Installation hanging in its lobby.

In Lawrence, the Spencer Art Museum at the University of Kansas, which counts among its collection works by Chihuly, Claude Monet, Jean Fragonard, Georgia O’Keeffe and Ansel Adams, is considered one of the

kansas lIvInG By� the numBers

2.8 million Population of Kansas

8.5% the cost of living in Kansas is 8.5 percent lower than the national average

35% Kansas housing costs are 35 percent lower than the national average

18 minutes average commute time in Kansas, fourth lowest among states

56.4average daily temperature

From top: Keeper of the plains statue in Wichita; Nerman museum of contemporary Art at Johnson county community college in Overland park


best university art museums in the country. The Prairie Museum of Art and History in Colby includes an international collection of porcelain, rare dolls, antique furniture and textiles.

And Kansas is a state with of unspoiled natural beauty and boundless outdoor possibilities, from hiking, camping and wildlife watching to horseback riding and hunting. The Sunflower State includes 14 state parks, 24 major reservoirs and 40 public fishing lakes.

David Toland, an outdoor enthusiast and executive director for Thrive Allen County-Iola, used to live in Washington, D.C.

“The best things in Kansas are access to the outdoors and the ability to experience small-town life, but yet be close to larger cities,” he says. “I’m interested in having the chance to live my life and thrive – not spend my time pushing onto the last subway car at midnight after a 14-hour day.”

cottage House Hotel, built in 1867, in downtown council grove

Calling all site selectors!

Andover is situated just outside Wichita with quick access to the Kansas Turnpike, US-54 and K-96. Check out the Andover Industrial Park!* With 72 acres and fiber optic lines already installed, this location offers your business a competitive edge. Your employees will be delighted to relocate to this community of choice!*All issues related to Industrial Park land cost, development fees, and property tax abatements are negotiable depending on the client and their financial commitment.

City of Andover 1609 E. Central

Andover, KS 67002 (316) 733-1303, Ext. 412

Visit us at: www.andoverks.com

It’sHome to …

Business

Recreation

Community Involvement

First-Rate Schools

You!


Grape days aheadrAise A glAss to kAnsAs’ growing winery business

While Kansas is rightfully known for its beef and wheat production, there’s a lot more “growing on” around the state. And some of these crops are raising eyebrows – and wine glasses.

Kansas is home to 19 wineries, producing around 50,000 gallons of wine annually with locally grown grapes, berries and fruits. And the wines produced in Kansas are gaining a reputation beyond the state’s border to the tune of more than 300 international awards just in the last few years alone.

the family-owned and -operated Wyldewood cellars, which opened in 1994, produces more than 40 different varieties of grape, elderberry

and other wines. the mulvane-based winery has won more than 400 international awards for its wines.

Kansas wineries are an important part of the state’s agritourism efforts, and many of the wineries feature tasting rooms, tours and visitor-related events, from mystery dinner theater to jazz in the vines.

the Kansas grape growers and Winemakers Association works to give the wineries and vineyards a unified voice, and also spread the word out about tours, tastings, party rentals, special events and other features of the facilities.

the association, which was formed in 1987, also sponsors a conference every January as well as a

competition, and looks to further drive wine-related tourism with a growing roster of activities around that event. the association sponsors the annual grape Stomp and wine tasting at the Kansas State Fair.

As a measure of how serious winemaking is becoming in the state, the association requested and received a uSdA value-added grant to help develop a wine-quality program. called Kansas Quality certified, the program is open to any winery in the state that can meet certain criteria, and provides each member winery with feedback on their wines, while also helping to boost consumer confidence in the wines that are produced here. – Joe Morris

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visitors share a bottle of wine and a relaxing evening on the deck at Holy-Field vineyard & Winery in Basehor.

50,000Gallons of wine produced

annually in Kansas

19number of wineries

in Kansas

1987year the the Kansas Grape Growers and Winemakers association was formed

the tallgrass Prairie national Preserve once stretched 140 million acres; now only 4 percent remains, mostly in the Flint hills of Kansas. Photo courtesy of Kevin Sink

Gallery

116 K a n S a S

the Kansas State Capitol in topeka Photo courtesy of meredith Corp./michael C. Snell


the fan in a wind tunnel at the national Institute for aviation research in Wichita Photo by todd Bennett

Gallery

118 K a n S a S

Kayaking at Wilson State Park Photo courtesy of meredith Corp./michael C. Snell


a sunflower field in full bloom near Wichita Photo by Jeff adkins

Gallery

120 K a n S a S

120 K a n S a S

www.greatbend.org


major employ�ers

Spirit AeroSystems 13,000

Fort Riley 12,500

Sprint/Nextel 12,500

cessna Aircraft 9,000

Hawker Beechcraft 6,700

Black & veatch 3,800

examOne Worldwide 3,000

Boeing 3,000

Koch Industries 3,000

tyson Fresh meats (Holcomb) 3,000

Farmers Insurance 2,900

general motors (Fairfax) 2,850

embarq 2,800

cargill meat Solutions 2,700

tyson Fresh meats (emporia) 2,700

united parcel Service 2,650

Bombardier Aerospace 2,500

National Beef packing (dodge city) 2,500

National Beef packing (liberal) 2,500

yRc Worldwide 2,400

garmin International 2,370

BNSF Railway 2,300

premier Blue 2,050

BuSIneSS SnaPShOtWichita is the aviation capital of the world, with 50 percent of domestic commercial aircraft and 40 percent of global aircraft produced in the city. Northeast Kansas is home to a burgeoning animal health corridor, with 40 percent of global animal health and veterinary science interests converged in the region.

eCOnOmIC PrOFIle

POPulatIOn

2010: 2,853,818

2000: 2,688,816

change: 6.1%

maJOr POPulatIOn CenterS (2010)

Wichita: 382,368 (mSA – 623,061)

Overland park: 173,721 (mSA – 2 million)

Kansas city, KS: 145,786 (mSA – 2 million)

topeka: 127,473 (mSA – 233,870)

hOuSInG marKet

median house or condo value (2009)

topeka: $95,400

Kansas city: $96,700

Wichita: $115,800

Overland park: $226,900

Kansas: $125,500

COSt OF dOInG BuSIneSS Index

Kansas: 94

california: 117

Illinois: 99

missouri: 92

Oklahoma: 90

New york: 111

u.S. average: 100

laBOr FOrCe

2009: 1,503,300

2008: 1,496,900

2007: 1,478,800

change: 1.7%

InCOme

per capita personal income (2008)$38,820median household income (2009)$47,709

What’s Online for more in-depth demographic, statistical and community information on kansas go to kansaseconomicdevelopment.com.


Location & TransportationCenter of the United States

US Hwys. 183, 50 & 56 intersect here

BNSF Rail, Airport

IncentivesEnhanced enterprise zone

Neighborhood revitalization

Community highly motivated to recruit new business

A Great Place to LiveSmall-town living

30 miles from entertainment hub of Southwest Kansas

Low crime rate

Great schools

Stand-alone medical community

Low-cost property

Midwest work ethic

Thriving agriculture, manufacturing and retail

Edwards County Economic Development 108 E. 6th St. • Kinsley, KS 67547

Toll-free: (877) 464-3929 E-mail: [email protected]

Visit us online at: www.edwardscounty.org

We’re in the middle of eVerything.

•y•

tranSPOrtatIOn

COmmerCIal ServICe aIrPOrtS

dodge city regional airport www.dodgecity.org/ index.aspx?nid=60

forbes field (topeka) www.mtaa-topeka.org

garden city regional airportwww.fly2gck.com

hays regional airport www.haysusa.com/ html/airport.html

liberal mid-america regional airportwww.cityofliberal.com/ c_airport.htm

manhattan regional airport www.flymhk.com

Salina municipal airportsalinaairport.com

Wichita mid-continent airport www.flywichita.org

aIr CarrIerS In KanSaS

Air canada

Airtran

Allegiant

American

continental

delta

delta/Atlantic Southeast

Frontier

great lakes

midwest

Sea port

Southwest

united

united express/Sky West

uS Airways

www.dodgecity.org/index.aspx?nid=60

www.haysusa.com/html/airport.html

www.cityofliberal.com/c_airport.htm

www.kansasgasservice.com


hIGhWayS

Interstate 70 provides east-west access to major markets on both coasts. Interstate 35 runs north and northeast to the Kansas/missouri border. I-35 connects with I-135 in Wichita and runs south to north connecting Oklahoma with Nebraska. I-29, heads north from Kansas city, and I-44 offers east-west, four-lane access close to communities in southeast Kansas. there are 65 intrastate contract carriers, more than 2,400 intrastate common carriers, 1,600 Kansas-based and nearly 2,900 interstate exempt carriers licensed in Kansas.

raIlrOad (ClaSS I)

burlington northern Santa fe corporation www.bnsf.com

kansas city Southern www.kcsouthern.com

norfolk Southernwww.nscorp.com

union pacific www.up.com

In-tranSIt raIl ShIPPInG tImeS tO maJOr CItIeSAtlanta: 5 daysBoston: 6 dayschicago: 2 dayscleveland: 5 daysdallas: 3 daysdenver: 2 daysdetroit: 5 daysKansas city: 1 daylos Angeles: 5 daysmemphis: 3 daysNew york: 7 daysOmaha: 2 daysOklahoma city: 2 daysphiladelphia: 6 daysphoenix: 3 daysSt. louis: 2 daysSeattle: 5 days

WaterAccess 122 miles of the missouri River along the northeast corner of the state. Kansas ports are at Atchison, leavenworth and Kansas city. the shipping season generally lasts between eight and nine months.

InCOme

medIan hOurly WaGeS FOr manuFaCturInG, dIStrIButIOn and ServICe OCCuPatIOnS

engineering managers: $50.74computer & information systems managers: $45.26Industrial production managers: $34.53computer programmers: $32.47computer systems analysts: $31.72Aircraft mechanics & service technicians: $25.33tool & die makers: $23.95

www.lvcountyed.org


visit ouradvertisersCity of Andoverwww.andoverks.com

City of Chanutewww.chanute.org

City of Derbywww.derbyweb.com

City of Iolawww.iolaks.com

City of Kinsleywww.edwardscounty.org

City of Liberalwww.chooseliberal.com

City of Osbornewww.discoverosborne.com

City of Parsonswww.growparsons.com

City of Pratt www.prattkansas.org

El Dorado Inc.www.360eldorado.com

Emporia Regional Development Associationwww.emporiarda.org

Emporia State Universitywww.emporia.edu

Fort Hays State Universitywww.fhsu.edu

Great Bend Chamber of Commerce & Economic Developmentwww.greatbend.org

Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce/Go Topekawww.gotopeka.com

Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition www.gwedc.org

Harvey County Economic Development Council Inc. www.harveycoedc.org

Hiawatha Foundation for Economic Developmentwww.cityofhiawatha.org

Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce www.hutchchamber.com

Iola Industrieswww.iolaindustries.com

Kansas Association of Community College Trusteeswww.kacct.org

Kansas Bioscience Authoritywww.kansasbioauthority.org

Kansas Department of Commercewww.thinkbigks.com

Kansas Gas Servicewww.kansasgasservice.com

Kansas State University www.ksu.edu

Lawrence Chamber of Commercewww.lawrencechamber.com

Leavenworth County Development Corporationwww.lvcountyed.org

Manhattan Area Chamber of Commercewww.pickmanhattan.org

Montgomery County Action Councilwww.actioncouncil.com

Olathe Chamber of Commercewww.olathe.org

Osborne Industries Inc. www.osborne-ind.com

Ottawa Area Chamber of Commercewww.thinkottawa.org

Overland Park Economic Development Councilwww.opedc.org

Phillips County Economic Developmentwww.discoverpced.com

Pottawatomie County Economic Development Corporationwww.ecodevo.com

Rice County Economic Developmentwww.ricecounty.us

Russell County Economic Development & Convention & Visitors Bureau www.russellcoks.org

Shawnee Economic Development Councilwww.goodstartshere.com

The University of Kansaswww.rgs.ku.edu

WKREDAwww.discoverwesternkansas.com

Wyandotte Economic Development Councilwww.wyedc.org

First-line supervisors/managers of production & operating workers: $23.23Avionics technicians: $23.07Numerical tool & process control programmers: $22.72First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers & material movers, hand: $20.02Assemblers & fabricators, all other: $19.95Industrial machinery mechanics: $18.50truck drivers, heavy & tractor-trailer: $17.15Welding, soldering & brazing machine setters, operators & tenders: $16.25computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal & plastic: $15.90machinists: $15.89

Services: 21.4%government: 18.2%Wholesale & retail trade: 15.6% manufacturing: 12.5%All Other: 12.4%mining: 6.2%Finance, insurance and real estate: 5.4%construction: 4.7%transportation & utilities: 3.6%

21.4%

18.2%

15.6%

12.5%

12.4%

6.2%

5.4%4.7% 3.6%

maJOr InduStry SeCtOrS (2009)

Sources:www.city-data.comthinkbigks.comKansas Data Book 2011Kansas Department of Commercequickfacts.census.gov


An entrepreneurial-driven county on Hwy. 183, halfway between I-70 in Kansas and I-80 in Nebraska; highly dedicated and educated workforce; multiple, rural bedroom communities with great living environments; short and scenic commutes for workforce; designated as an e-community in 2010; special article presented in Entrepreneur magazine – Feb. 2011 for the county’s development incentive programs and its businesses proactive approaches for growth. A destination for business start-ups.

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

Home of the many niche businesses and generational businesses. Phillips County offers Kansas and central United States, the only fiber mill, The Shepherd’s Mill. Manufacturing employers in our area include: TAMKO Building Products, Goddard Manufacturing, Odor-Z-Way, Mineral Right Inc., Prairie Horizon Agri-Energy.

LOCAL INCENTIVES

★ Fiber optics to locations in county★ Entrepreneurial business enhancement program – “Local Grant Assistance” ★ Entrepreneurial training center; business incubation facility workforce training lab ★ E-Community RLF; “enhanced” enterprise zone; Phillips Co. revolving loan fund

ENTERTAINMENT

Dane G. Hansen Museum & Foundation; Huck Boyd Center; longest continuous operation entertainment venue in the state of Kansas; Majestic Theatre; Kansas’ biggest rodeo; the Kirwin Wildlife Federal Reserve.

TRANSPORTATION

US Hwy. 183 & 36 intersect at county seat in Phillipsburg; Kyle Railroad; Municipal Airport; 60 miles to regional airport.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Jeff Hofaker – Executive Director Phillips County Economic Development [email protected] www.DiscoverPCED.com

greatschools.org

cityofhiawatha.org

hiawathaeconomicdevelopment.org


hutchinson, kan., is the most unlikely place to find a museum dedicated solely to space exploration. though kansas is the home state of three astronauts – joe engle, ron evans and steve hawley – it’s never been a launchpad of space exploration. not even close. it’s 651 miles from johnson space center in houston, texas, and 1,446 miles from kennedy space center on merritt island, fla.

but, hutchinson is where you will find the kansas cosmosphere and space center. the museum boasts the largest collection of u.s. space artifacts outside the smithsonian’s national Air and space museum, and the largest collection of russian space artifacts outside of moscow.

FrOm Our PhOtO BlOG: KanSaS

POSted By tOdd Bennett

more Online see more favorite photos and read the stories behind the shots at kansaseconomicdevelopment.com.

Boot hill museum’s long Branch Saloon

Putting the Squeeze on the Grapes in Kansas

now that you’ve experienced Kansas through our photos, see it through the eyes of our photographers. visit kansaseconomicdevelopment.com to view our exclusive photographers’ blog documenting what all went in to capturing those perfect moments.

Get the Story Behind the Photo

Through the Lens

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Ad Index 114 CityofAndover

128 CityofChAnute

31 Cityofderby

16 CityofiolA

123 CityofKinsley

84 CityofliberAl

63 CityofPArsons

78 CityofPrAtt

15 eldorAdoinC.

8 emPoriAregionAl

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106 emPoriAstAteuniversity

102 forthAysstAteuniversity

121 greAtbendChAmber ofCommerCe &eConomiCdeveloPment

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2 greAterWiChitAeConomiC develoPmentCoAlition

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126 hiAWAthAfoundAtionfor eConomiCdeveloPment

48 hutChinson/renoCounty ChAmberofCommerCe

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Ad Index (cont.)28,C4 KAnsAsdePArtment ofCommerCe

123 KAnsAsgAsserviCe

4 KAnsAsstAteuniversity

1 lAWrenCeChAmber ofCommerCe

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90 ottAWAAreAChAmber ofCommerCe

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22 PottAWAtomieCounty eConomiCdeveloPment CorPorAtion

71 riCeCounty eConomiCdeveloPment

57 russellCountyeConomiC develoPment&Convention &visitorsbureAu

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107 theuniversityofKAnsAs

112 WKredA

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Date post:	29-Mar-2016
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Kansas Economic Development Guide 2011

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