A N N U A L R E P O R T

M I S S I O N S T A T E M E N T

To facilitate the creation and

retention of jobs and capital investment

in Leavenworth County

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O V E R V I E W

LCDC works with four communities, three chambers, the county, and nearly 70 private sector members to market the county to new companies and assist those businesses who are already here. We all worked together throughout the year to increase job opportunities for our citizens, increase the tax base, and improve the quality of life for citizens throughout the county. Thanks to all our stakeholders, who each had a role in what was a very successful effort in 2015.

The year ended with economic indicators showing strong improvement in the Leavenworth County economy over 2014. According to the Kansas Department of Labor, employment in the county expanded between November 2014 and November 2015. Jobs grew from 31,492 to 34,093, an increase of 2,601. This nearly 8.3 percent increase in employment is more than 11 times the statewide increase of just 0.7 percent.

LCDC contributed to growth in economic activity by recruiting new companies and investment to the county as well as nurturing existing businesses. In 2015, LCDC

facilitated the creation or retention of 218 JOBS and

CAPITAL INVESTMENT OF $20.2 MILLION. Additionally, LCDC saved local companies $1,525,181 through tax credits, tax reductions and grants for those firms investing in building improvements, new equipment and/or workforce training. We look forward to continuing the effort in 2016.

BL AINE WEEKS, LCD C PRESIDENT

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L E A V E N W O R T H C O U N T Y P O R T A U T H O R I T YThe Port Authority (LCPA) continued its partnership with LCDC to market properties in two industrial parks owned by the Authority. In 2015, the Port Authority negotiated a land-for-jobs agreement with Cereal Ingredients, who are adding

at least 32 NEW JOBS AS A PART OF THEIR 81,000 SQUARE FOOT EXPANSION in the Gary Carlson Business Park. The company will employ more than 135 workers once the expansion is complete. Nearly 400 people go to work every day in the business park.

In 2015, the Port Authority began to study the location of a new business park in the northern part of Leavenworth County. Existing industrial space is becoming limited. The board also investigated strategies on how to improve the competitiveness of the Tonganoxie Business Park, which was shown to several industrial prospects throughout the year, including companies from Canada and Japan.

C O M M U N I C A T I O N A N D N E T W O R K I N GMORE THAN 100 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE LCDC ANNUAL MEETING on January 16th. Dave Kerr, former State Senate President and Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce President, spoke about his community’s successful efforts in developing a business park. Throughout the year, volunteers and staff served on several committees, including the LCDC Executive, Membership, and Infrastructure Committees as well as the LCPA Trails Committee. The LCDC Golf Tournament in September raised $5,500 for LCDC. As the year ended, LCDC thanked its members, partners, and other stakeholders at our annual V.I.P. Event. LCDC staff also reached out to other local, regional, and state business and development groups by serving on boards and participating in more than 200 affiliated partner meetings and events.

BL AINE WEEKS, LCD C PRESIDENT

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M A R K E T I N GFor the past several years LCDC has utilized a balance of social media, networking, and print advertising to reach businesses, site location consultants, commercial realtors, and potential residents interested in opportunities within the county. 2015 began with a Kansas Dept. of Commerce-organized trip to San Francisco to meet with West Coast site consultants. That was followed by consultant events in Kansas City co-sponsored by LCDC in partnership with the Dept. of Commerce and the Kansas City Area Development Council (KCADC). Leavenworth County was featured in the national publication, Business Xpansion Journal, with an ad and an article. LCDC continued to reach out to millennials with an ad in KC Options, our tenth straight year in the publication. An LCDC media release regarding Cereal Ingredients’ expansion RECEIVED NATIONAL COVERAGE in Area Development, Manufacturing Business Technology, Milling & Baking News, along with regional coverage in the Kansas City Business Journal and MetroWire. LCDC sent out 10 e-blasts to commercial realtors featuring available properties in the county. Blogs, news stories, and updates to the two websites maintained by LCDC and our Facebook pages drove viewers to our social media tools.

W O R K F O R C E D E V E L O P M E N TLCDC, in partnership with the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC), released the Docking Institute’s Leavenworth County Labor Shed Survey in 2015. The study and additional workforce data are available online at www.LVCountyED.org. LCDC also held two Classroom to Career events this year. In the spring, St. Luke’s Cushing Hospital hosted 40 students from Leavenworth, Immaculata, Pleasant Ridge, Basehor-Linwood, and Lansing high schools. Students observed and interacted with professionals in several health care occupations. The fall session was hosted by the Leavenworth Justice Center. The 30 students who participated learned about occupations in law enforcement and corrections. LCDC also assisted four local companies in obtaining workforce training funds through the Kansas Industrial Training (KIT) and Kansas Industrial Retraining (KIR) programs.

“Thanks to LCDC and to everyone involved in Classroom-to-Career. The students felt like they learned a lot on the tours and from the college reps.” – Nancy Silverforb, Basehor-Linwood High School

R E C R U I T M E N T , R E T E N T I O N A N D E X P A N S I O N2015 saw several exciting announcements from new and expanding businesses assisted by LCDC. These companies will add 124 new jobs, retain 94 jobs, and invest more than $20.2 million in new equipment and facilities. The largest expansion is by Cereal Ingredients in the Gary Carlson Business Park. The company is investing more than $12 million and adding 32 new jobs. Genco, a third-party logistics company headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, moved into 40,000 square feet in the First City Center in Leavenworth. Genco has hired 28 new employees. Grinders High Noon bought the former High Noon Saloon, made a significant investment in the property, and opened with a net increase of 35 new jobs. Miss Anne’s Daycare & Preschool recently opened in the Gary Carlson Business Park. The facility provides employees in the park, as well as others in the community, an easily accessible childcare option. City Electric also opened in the business park. Mid Star Lab is seeing orthotic patients in a new retail location in Leavenworth. Chapman Services in Tonganoxie and Canaan Stone Works in Leavenworth each added 4 new jobs.

LCDC made 100 formal business visits with existing, local companies in 2015 to find opportunities for removing barriers to retention and expansion. The assistance provided by LCDC staff resulted in four state job training grants worth $29,316, city grants of $28,992, utility savings of $40,920, sales tax exemptions of $384,588, and tax credits for new investment of $671,365. Armed Forces Insurance, Marlow White, Zephyr, and Geiger Ready-Mix in Leavenworth, Record News & Printing in Basehor, Probilt and Biomedical Devices in Tonganoxie, and McDonald Marketing in Bonner Springs made significant investments in their facilities and retained 94 existing employees. Capital investment of both new and existing companies assisted by LCDC in 2015 totaled $20.2 million.

$20.2 MILLION

$1,525,181

“Because of LCDC we have been able to take advantage of two significant grants along with utility tax savings. These programs and the resulting savings will be a real benefit and allow us to continue to grow our business.”

– JERRY LEE, CANAAN STONE WORKS, LLC

LCDC’S IMPACT ON THE LEAVENWORTH COUNTY ECONOMY IN 2015

IN GRANTS AND TAX SAVINGS

124 NEW JOBS

94 RETAINED JOBS

IN CAPITAL INVESTMENT

Successful economic development can only be accomplished by a strong team and that team starts with our membership. Thanks to all our investors and volunteers for your time, dedication, and support in 2015! - STEVE JACK, EXECU TIVE DIRECTOR

2015 MEMBERSPL ATINUM LEVELFirst State Bank & Trust

GOLD LEVELCitizens National BankCitizens Savings & LoanCommerce BankCountry Club BankExchange National Bank & TrustGeiger Ready MixGreat Western ManufacturingMather EnterprisesMutual SavingsSaint John Hospital

SILVER LEVELArmed Forces InsuranceCereal IngredientsCommunity National BankCorrections Corporation of AmericaFalcon Lakes Golf ClubGeorge Butler AssociatesGreenamyre RentalsHallmark CardsKaaz ConstructionKansas City Kansas Community CollegeKansas Gas ServiceKramer & AssociatesLeavenworth County CooperativeLeavenworth Water DepartmentLexecoManaged Energy SystemsNational Bank of Kansas CityReilly & Sons/Coldwell BankerS.I. Property InvestmentsTranSystemsUniversity of Saint MaryVI Marketing and BrandingZephyr Products Inc.

BRONZE LEVELAdvantage PrintingBG ConsultantsBooz Allen HamiltonCanaan Stone WorksCentral Bag CompanyCentury Van LinesCorporate Record SystemsCSE Inc.Evans Real EstateHeatronJC Tibbetts AgencyJF DenneyKC ConstructionLeavenworth-Jefferson Electrical CoopLeavenworth TimesLGL Leadership, LLCMary R. Scott CPA, LLCMcCaffree-Short Title CompanyPeruvian ConnectionSaint Luke’s Cushing HospitalSchlagel & Associates, P.A.Storage Box, Inc.Time Warner CableU.S. EngineeringWestar EnergyYoung Sign CompanyZimmer Company

SUPPORTER LEVEL27 CommitteeBasehor-Linwood USD #458Cecilia HarryLeavenworth County Humane SocietyMarcia McCownTom MeierCarl ReedDavid Waters

Leavenworth County Development Corporation 1294 Eisenhower Road, Leavenworth, KS 66048

P 913-727-6111 | F 913-727-5515 | LVCountyED.org

facebook.com/LVCountyED facebook.com/LVCountyTrails facebook.com/MyLVCo MyLVCo.com

TO VIEW THIS YEAR’S ANNUAL REPORT ONLINE, VISIT US AT LVCountyED.org

O F F I C E R S & E X E C U T I V E C O M M I T T E EPRESIDENT

Blaine Weeks

VICE PRESIDENT

David Schroeder

TREASURER

Josh Hoppes

PAST PRESIDENT

Mike Nixon

AT-LARGE

Harland Russell

B OARD OF DIRECTORSSteve ChristensenMarisa GrayJeremy GreenamyreBrian HabjanRobert HatchJosh HoppesTony KramerMike NixonPete PayneChuck PetersonMike ReillyGayle RunnelsHarland RussellRick SchneiderDavid SchroederBlaine WeeksLloyd Martley, City Administrator, BasehorTim Vandall, City Administrator, LansingJ. Scott Miller, City Manager, LeavenworthNathan McCommon, City Administrator, TonganoxieTeresa Commerford, Leavenworth County Port Authority

EX-OFFICIO B OARD MEMBERSBlake Waters, Basehor ChamberBrandon Johannes, Leavenworth-Lansing ChamberWendy Scheidt, Leavenworth Main St.Steve Christensen, Tonganoxie Chamber

STAFF Steve Jack, Executive DirectorAshley Hardin, Economic Development CoordinatorMary Mack, Office Manager