siteselection.com/cc/kansas | Kansas Department of Commerce | 2018 K A N S A S — F R O M T H E H E A R T O F A M E R I C A 1From the Heart of America2018Economic DevelopmentGuideKANSAST A B L E O F CO N TE N TS 4 Business ClimateThe Sun ower State’s ability to grow and sustain business just might surprise you. 6 Kansas By the NumbersThe story of Kansas as told in facts and gures. 12 Interview With Gov. ColyerKansas’ governor — a surgeon by trade — is on a mission to make the state’s economy as healthy as ever. 16 EnergyThe renewable energy sector nds fair winds on the prairie. 20 InfrastructureThe heart of America moves big and small products to market in record time. 24 AviationAerospace is one of the state’s largest employment sectors, and its workforce is reaching new heights. 28 ManufacturingWhether it’s aircraft components, tires or storage products, the world’s most useful products are manufactured in the heart of America. 30 Food ProcessingMars Chocolate landed a sweet deal when it chose Topeka for its newest plant. 32 AgtechThe nation’s Bread Basket is going high-tech. 35 Higher EducationBringing industry and education together is key for Kansas as it develops its workforce for the future. 40 Education ReformWhen Kansas set out to reform its education system, it took inspiration from NASA’s journey to the moon. 42 Workforce – AIDEmployers and education have joined hands and are on a mission to ll the talent pipeline needs for today and tomorrow. 2 K A N S A S — F R O M T H E H E A R T O F A M E R I C A 59 Quality of Life – Tallgrass PrairieSee the Sunflower State as it was in millennia past at the expansive Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Central Kansas. 61 Quality of Life – Biking in KansasFrom the Dirty Kanza to exploring the Flint Hills, cyclists love rolling around Kansas. 64 Photo GalleryTake a peek at the eight wonders of Kansas. 72 Index to Advertisers 44 Workforce – VeteransVeterans often make the most reliable workers, which is why Kansas makes them a top priority. 46 Mayor Interview – Dodge CityWhy this mayor wants businesses to “get the heck into Dodge.” 48 Mayor Interview – ManhattanThe Little Apple is where businesses go to grow. 50 Mayor Interview – PittsburgA prime example of how town and gown lead to growth and opportunity. 52 EntrepreneurshipWhen Topeka-based business leaders get together, amazing opportunities arise. 55 ExportsDon’t call Kansas “fly-over country.” Aerospace and aviation are at the heart of Kansas’ export market. 57 Quality of Life – Historic TheatersHistoric theaters find new life thanks to communities around the state. K A N S A S — F R O M T H E H E A R T O F A M E R I C A 3ON L I N E ED I T IONTAKE THIS GUIDE WITH YOUENJOYRead the digital edition on your tablet and phone. Click on links for even more information.SHAREShare the magazine on social media with your friends and community.LINKSFeature the magazine on your blog, website or newsletters with a link or one of our easy-to-use tools. siteselection.com/cc/kansasThe publishers believe that the information contained in this publication is accurate. However, the in formation is not war ranted, and neither Conway, nor Kansas Department of Commerce, assumes any liability or responsibility for actual, consequential or incidental damages re sulting from inaccurate or erroneous information. PHONE: (770) 446-6996 • FAX: (770) 263-8825 • TOLL FREE: (800) 554-5686 email: editor@conway.com web: siteselection.com/cc/kansas Indiana: A State That Works is published annually by Conway, 6625 The Corners Parkway, Suite 200, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 USA. PRINTED IN USA. ©2018 Conway CEO LAURA LYNE President & Publisher ADAM JONES-KELLEY Executive Vice President RONALD J. STARNER VP of Publications & Editor in Chief MARK AREND Managing Editor of Custom Content SAVANNAH KING Managing Editor ADAM BRUNS Senior Editor GARY DAUGHTERS Art Director SCOTT LARSEN Production Manager BOB GRAVLEE Lead Designers SEAN SCANTLAND, RICHARD NENOFF, NEGIN MOMTAZ Jr. Graphic Designer JONATHAN THERRELL Vice President of Sales CHARLES FITZGIBBON Vice President of Corporate Development PAUL TARRANTS Regional Director Custom Content MARGARET ROSE Marketing Manager STEPHANY GASPARD Circulation Manager JULIE CLARKE DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY TE AM Webmaster BEN YAWN Database Administration Manager DANIEL BOYERCover design by Negin Momtazhe success of Kansas companies usually boils down to this: the success of Kansas itself.While the Sunfl ower State is widely thought of as an agricultural state that is as American as Superman himself, people who are not from Kansas tend to underappreciate the state’s vibrant business climate.Success doesn’t happen by accident in Kansas, or as a byproduct of the state’s American Heartland motif. It happens because the state continually invests into its core infrastructure: its people, its transportation byways, and its educational systems.Did you know, for example, that Kansas has the eighth-highest two-year college graduation rate in America, or that the state ranks 15th for most bachelor degrees or 19th overall in higher-education attainment?Did you know that Kansas ranks 21st in economic opportunity, seventh in overall affordability, and eighth in ultra-fast Internet access?Or did you know that Kansas ranks No. 8 in community engagement, sixth in urban air quality, and No. 12 in the overall quality of its transportation systems?Companies that invest into business operations in Kansas know these things. They also know that an investment in Kansas pays great dividends.In 2017, the Kansas Department of Commerce worked with 118 different companies that chose to invest into capital facility projects in Kansas. Their combined investment of $2.275 billion will result in an annual payroll of $1.13 billion and 10,106 new jobs.These investors include household names like Kiewit Corp., which is investing $130 million to retain 1,300 jobs and create 268 new jobs in Lenexa and Overland Park; Mars Chocolate North America, which is spending $50.5 million to create 85 new jobs in Topeka; and Spirit AeroSystems, which is committing over a billion dollars to create 1,000 new aerospace assembly jobs in Wichita.Smaller employers are getting in on the act too, as companies like WindRiver Grain, WestPro Construction Solutions and Actavi Engineering Services commit to build new plants or expand existing facilities in the state.BU S I N ES S C L I M A T E O V E R V I E Wby R O N S TA R N E RTKANSAS’ SECRET WEAPON:Do the math, and one factorthe workforce of Kansas.trumps all:Its People4 K A N S A S — F R O M T H E H E A R T O F A M E R I C AK A N S A S — F R O M T H E H E A R T O F A M E R I C A 5Whether large or small, these fi rms choose a Kansas location because they know they will generate a solid return on their investment due to the people, infrastructure and value they fi nd in Kansas.The bottom line is that the dollar stretches a lot farther in Kansas. With a cost of living index of just 86 (100 equals the U.S. average), companies extract great value by hiring Kansas workers. For example, the average management professional in the U.S. makes $65,643 a year. In Kansas, the average annual wage for this worker is $57,502. Likewise, the average annual wage for a healthcare practitioner in Kansas is $54,797, compared to the U.S. average of $64,417.And if you want to buy a house, guess what — that’s a lot cheaper in Kansas too: just $124,000 for the average home, compared to the U.S. average of $185,800.Other factors contribute to the success of companies in Kansas, for sure, but one thing keeps employers coming back for more: the people of Kansas. They are honest, hard-working, loyal, and committed to family and community.In Kansas, employers call that a recipe for sustained success. 6 K A N S A S — F R O M T H E H E A R T O F A M E R I C AS T A T I S T ICA L P R OF I L EKansas by the NumbersMedian AgeMedian Home CostPopulationAverage Salary by IndustrySource: Forbes Best States for Business, 2017Source: Sperling’s Best PlacesSource: Sperling’s Best PlacesSource: Sperling’s Best Places Kansas United States Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting $31,836 $24,135 Mining, Quarrying and Oil & Gas Extraction $48,089 $62,204 Construction $34,581 $35,300 Manufacturing $41,557 $42,158 Wholesale Trade $41,665 $41,714 Retail Trade $21,713 $21,666 Transportation and Warehousing $42,002 $40,449 Utilities $56,137 $62,996 Information $45,176 $48,512 Finance and Insurance $42,377 $50,584 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing $31,581 $36,265 Professional, Scientific and Technical Services $53,072 $59,897 Management of Companies and Enterprises $73,194 $61,392 Administrative, Support and Waste Services $22,313 $23,873 Educational Services $33,814 $37,346 Health Care and Social Assistance $30,655 $33,234 Arts, Entertainment and Recreation $16,153 $21,042 Accommodation and Food Services $11,417 $14,790 Other Services $22,755 $22,627 Public Administration $42,364 $51,719 $124,00036 years2,911,641K A N S A S — F R O M T H E H E A R T O F A M E R I C A 71009080706050869291678895100Overall Grocery Health Housing Utilities Transportation Misc.National AverageCost of LivingEconomic StatisticsSource: Sperling’s Best PlacesSource: Sperling’s Best PlacesSource: Forbes Best States for Business (2017) Kansas United StatesRecent Job Growth 0.70% 1.59%Future Job Growth 36.99% 37.98%Sales Taxes 7.50% 6.00%Income Taxes 4.60% 4.60%Income per Capita $27,367 $28,555 Household Income $51,872 $53,482 Family Median Income $65,804 $65,443 Statewide living costs are lowest in the nation. at 11% below the national average.2ndNext >