Kansas, Inc.'s mission is to strategically build a strong, diversified economy that promotes new and existing industries. To attain that goal, we undertake these primary activities:
- Identifying, building, and promoting a Strategic Plan for economic development efforts in the State of Kansas;
- To complement the Strategic Plan, Kansas, Inc. develops and implements a proactive and aggressive research agenda, which is used to identify and promote sound economic development strategies and policies;
- Through collaboration and outreach with economic development entities and other potential partners, Kansas, Inc. conducts evaluation reviews and provides oversight of economic development programs to benchmark economic development efforts in the State of Kansas.
To accomplish these tasks, Kansas, Inc. provides a respected forum for business and industry, local leaders, and state executive and legislative officials to debate issues directly with one another. Our privately funded research program provides the facts and information essential for sound decisions. Since 1986, Kansas, Inc. research reports have covered such diverse topics as: aviation, value-added agriculture, business taxation, interstate banking, oil and gas, business financing, job training, rural development, workforce training, education, worker productivity, and the film industry. Through analysis and open dialogue, Kansas, Inc. identifies policy options and builds the consensus essential for concerted action on vital economic issues. Kansas, Inc. is designed to be a public-private partnership with expectations that the state investments are leveraged with other funds to maintain a strong research portfolio.
Board of Directors
Co-Chaired by the Governor, Kansas, Inc. is governed by a 17-member Board of Directors. Board members, as mandated by legislation, include four members of Legislative leadership, a representative from the Board of Regents, the Secretary of Commerce, the Commanding General of the Kansas Cavalry, a representative from labor, and eight other members from the private sector representing key Kansas industrial sectors. Private sector members are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Kansas Senate.
- Gov. Mark Parkinson, Co-Chair - Governor, Topeka*
- Donna Johnson, Co-Chair - Pinnacle Technology, Inc., Lawrence*
- Gene Argo - Mid-America Rodeo Company, Hays*
- Patti Bossert - Key Staffing, Topeka
- Rep. Tom Burroughs - State Representative, Kansas City
- Secretary David Kerr - Kansas Department of Commerce, Topeka*
- Rep. Lana Gordon - State Representative, Topeka
- Sen. Tom Holland - State Senator, Baldwin City
- Don Landoll - Kansas Cavalry, Marysville
- Wil Leiker - AFL-CIO, Topeka
- Lawrence L. McCants - First National Bank, Goodland
- John Pilla - Spirit AeroSystems, Wichita
- Reginald L. Robinson - Kansas Board of Regents, Topeka
- Donald P. Schnacke - Donald P. Schnacke, P.A., Topeka
- Stephen L. Waite - Waiteco, El Dorado*
- Sen. David Wysong - State Senator, Mission Hills*
- Agriculture - Vancant
- * Indicates on Executive Committee