< Previous8 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 Rank Employer Number of Employees Type of Business 1 Spirit Aerosystems 10,700 Aircraft Systems Manufacturing 2 Textron Aviation 9,300 Aircraft Manufacturing 3 Sprint Corp. 6,000 Telecommunications 4 Garmin International 3,384 GPS Device Design & Manufacturing 5 Koch Industries 3,240 Chemical Technologies 6 Tyson Fresh Meats (Holcomb) 3,200 Meat Product Manufacturing 7 Black & Veatch 3,029 Engineering Consulting 8 General Motors – Fairfax plant 3,000 Automobile Manufacturing 9 Cargill Meat Solutions 2,700 Meat Product Manufacturing T10 BNSF Railway 2,500 Freight Railroad T10 National Beef Packing (Dodge City) 2,500 Meat Packers Manufacturing T10 National Beef Packing (Liberal) 2,500 Meat Packers Manufacturing T10 UnitedHealth Group 2,500 Direct Insurance Carriers 14 United Parcel Service 2,000 Package Delivery and Logistics 15 Quest Diagnostics 1,833 Testing laboratories T16 Bombardier Learjet 1,700 Aerospace Manufacturing T16 Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co 1,700 Rubber Product Manufacturing 18 Johnson Controls 1,600 HVAC Manufacturing T19 Kiewit Engineering 1,500 Energy-sector Engineering T19 General Dynamics 1,500 Information Systems Technology T21 Schwan's Consumer Brands 1,300 Packaged Frozen Food T21 Bayer Corporation 1,300 Life Sciences 23 Cigna HealthCare 1,296 Health Services/Insurance T24 Honeywell Aerospace 1,200 Aerospace Product & Parts Manufacturing T24 AGCO Corp. 1,200 Farm Machinery ManufacturingTop Employers in Kansas, 2016Educational Attainment8.82%8.30%8.15%9.04%1.33%1.16%19.05%20.66%1.95%1.99%39.31%41.15%AssociatesMastersDoctorateBachelorProfessionalTotalKansasUSSource: Kansas Department of CommerceSource: U.S. Census BureauK 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 9Aerospace$7.1B annual economic impact, leading the nation with Regulatory EnvironmentGross Domestic ProductBusiness Firms$158Billion13thin the NationSources: KS Aviation Mfg Report CEDBR 2008, Alliance for Aviation Across America, Aviation Week$2,561 per capita contribution (twice that of the next most competitive state)Source: U.S. Census BureauSource: Bureau of Economic AnalysisSource: Forbes Best States for Business (2017)239,118Total Number of FirmsWomen-OwnedVeteran-OwnedMen-OwnedMinority-Owned125,16926,12777,19421,61010 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 ASystemwide Percentage of Completion by Credit TypePer Capita Real GDP (chained 2009 dollars)Short Term Certificates6,609Certificates4,286Associate’s Degrees9,350Bachelor’s Degrees15,366Master’s Degrees5,625Doctoral Degrees1,45855,00052,00049,00046,00043,00040,000 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017KansasUSSource: Kansas Board of RegentsSource: Bureau of Economic AnalysisCertificates4,2862018 Highway ReportSource: Reason FoundationOverall2Total Disbursements per mile18 Capital & Bridge Disbursements per mile21 Maintenance Disbursements per mile13Administrative Disbursements per mile16Rural Interstate Pavement Condition 10 Urban Interstate Pavement Condition6 Rural Arterial Pavement Condition22 Urbanized Area Congestion15 Deficient Bridges6 Fatality Rate24Narrow Rural Arterial Lanes12 12 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 AI N T ER V I E W W I T H GO V . C OL Y ERsurgeon by trade, Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer knows the value of exactness. He brings that same approach to running his state.Raised in Hays, he also knows the value of hard work and preparation — a lesson he’s putting to good use in his new job.In the following interview, Gov. Colyer discusses his approach to economic development and his priorities for improving the fortunes of Kansas.Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer wastes little time in improving state’s business climate.by R O N S TA R N E RAWhat are the policy changes that you have enacted to make Kansas a more attractive business destination?GOV. COLYER: We are doing a lot of things. First, we are providing a low tax and low regulatory state. That is very consistent for us. Second, we have dramatically changed our workforce training in the state to be ready for the jobs of tomorrow. For example, we added over $500 million to K-12 education and millions more to higher ed over the next few years without raising taxes. We are refocusing on worker training and getting the skill sets that Kansas workers need to be productive. We have the best workforce in the world. They show up to work on time and consistently demonstrate that they are the best workers in America.What are the location assets that make Kansas a good place to do business?COLYER: Kansas thinks very strategically. There is a strategic advantage to being in the exact center of the U.S. — at the crossroads of America at Interstate 35 and Interstate 70. Next-day service is available to 75 percent of the country. We are truly an inland port with very easy access to either coast and our NAFTA trade partners. We have one of the best road systems in the U.S. We rank third largest nationally in road mileage. We are also a very large rail hub, ranking top ten in rail mileage and ranking first in annual rail tonnage in Kansas City. We have a new intermodal facility in the Kansas City area with BNSF, with easy access to 35 and 70. We have several million square feet of rail-served property. Businesses are taking advantage of that. Plus, we have good air service in Kansas City and Wichita and multiple regional airports. We are unique. We also have several Foreign Trade Zones that are duty-free entry points for goods. That is a huge opportunity in Kansas City and Wichita. Companies are not restricted. This approach allows a company to choose any site in the region. We have just instituted 74 opportunity zones across Kansas — both in metro areas and in smaller communities across the state. That allows capital appreciation on several property investments. It helps companies on their bottom line.How does Kansas stack up from a tax and regulatory standpoint as a competitive business climate?COLYER: Kansas is a very competitive state and will continue to be so. We offer several financial incentives and tax credits. The tax base is very fair for all industries with a very low tax burden. We are competing with anybody in the world. The other side of that is that while we are very competitive, we have a very stable state budget situation. We are putting more money into workforce training and education, and Standard & Poor’s just upgraded our credit outlook.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 13“We added over $500 million to K-12 education and millions more to higher education over the next few years without raising taxes. We are refocusing on worker training and getting the skill sets that Kansas workers need to be productive.”— Kansas Gov. Jeff ColyerDo you plan to push for any more policy changes to further enhance Kansas’ standing as a business destination?COLYER: Absolutely. This is the way I operate as a governor. We are tenacious with our business partners. We do not stand pat. We will work hard to reduce regulations and streamline the regulatory process. We make very rapid decisions on very specific projects. We help businesses make decisions quickly. They will know that the certainty is there with a very stable situation. We work with companies on how to be efficient. They can see the regulatory burden going down, and that we are continuously improving our educational system. We are now fully funding anyone who needs a certificate. We have fully funded all our technical colleges. The bottom line is that we are a low-tax state and a simple-tax state.What role do colleges and universities play in economic development in Kansas?COLYER: We have one of the best education systems in the country. We want our kids to see their future here in Kansas. We now have in the Commerce Department an educator who is out visiting businesses every day. She is the former commissioner of education in Kansas. We are partnering with business. I formed a Governor’s Education Council. I am pulling together leading businesses — from small companies to large — and matching them up with our K-12, our technical education system, and our colleges and universities. We have brought everyone together. We have our workforce programs aligned with industry demand. When companies need very specific training, we can get them the skilled and certified workers they need. We have a workforce navigation website. We are pushing this all the way down to high schools and colleges and universities.How does your state support innovation and entrepreneurship?COLYER: I was an entrepreneur. It starts with Kansas being one of the most dynamic and innovative states. We have several programs. Network Kansas is a non-profit, business-building resource. We have more than 500 resource partners statewide. It focuses on the entrepreneurial environment. We have a long history in being entrepreneurs with our health care industries, ag businesses, software development, aerospace, etc. We also have a capital multiplier 14 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 Afund. These are low-interest matching loans for up to 90 percent of the private investment. We have an innovation growth program that helps speed up processes to bring ideas to marketable products. They prepare entrepreneurs and work with capital partners and partnerships with state universities and business planning and development. Entrepreneurship has been at the heart of Kansas.What have been some of Kansas’ biggest wins over the past year in economic development?COLYER: The outlook overall for the state is huge and very positive. Amazon has added 6,000 new jobs in the state. Many of these are high-tech jobs involving robotics. We partnered with Spirit AeroSystems to build major structures for 737 and 787 Boeing jets. They are creating 1,000 jobs and over a billion dollars in investment. The new Cadillac SUV is being built from the ground up in Kansas at our GM plant. Kiewit invested $130 million in its facility. A major pet food firm is investing $100 million in Emporia. Pfizer is investing millions here. And our renewable energy portfolio is growing. More than 30 percent of our electricity comes from solar and wind energy. We are one of the most aggressive states in the country when it comes to renewable power.What is your state’s best-kept secret?COLYER: The people of Kansas. Kansas truly is the intersection of smart and nice. Our people work hard, and they are committed. They are the best people in the world. When young families come to Kansas, they love it and they don’t leave. Sometimes, Kansas gets overlooked. But once you get here and see the great education and quality of life and great workforce and business opportunities, you see that Kansas is a great place to be. 16 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 AEN ER G Yhe continued growth of wind energy in Kansas has resulted in one of the lowest-cost sources of energy in the United States.”That August 2017 statement from California-based Infinity Renewables (now ENGIE) was made on the occasion of Target Corporation agreeing to purchase 100 megawatts (MW) of output from Infinity’s forthcoming 474-MW Solomon Forks wind farm on 50,000 acres in northwestern Kansas near Colby.Solomon Forks — employing up to 300 during construction and up to 20 in permanent positions upon completion — will be the fourth project that Infinity has developed in Kansas. It is also one of several wind projects proposed to be constructed in Kansas in 2018, which is currently ranked fifth in the nation for installed wind capacity, as one of only five states to surpass the 5,000-MW mark. Infinity operates three wind farms in Kansas (totaling 259 turbines) with three others in development, for a grand total of more than 2,600 MW (2.6 gigawatts or GW) of power generation capacity in the state.The central swath of the United States has been described as the Saudi Arabia of onshore wind. If that is the case, then Kansas is its fastest-growing refinery. According to WINDExchange, an online resource of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Energy Technologies Office, Kansas as of the first quarter of 2018 was home to 5,100 MW (5.1 GW) of installed wind power. The number pales next to the nearly 22.8 GW in Texas, but “Tby A DA M B R U N SKansas’ renewable energy sector is growing fast.Waverly wind farm in Coffey County, Kansas.Photo courtesy of EDP Renewables North AmericaK 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 17it’s gaining rapidly on the 7.3 GW in Iowa — long regarded as the per-capita U.S. leader in wind power generation. And it’s been a rapid rise from only 112 MW in 2001.How much wind power potential is there in the state? About 10 times the currently installed amount, says WINDExchange. Potential wind power capacity at 80 meters of altitude is 506 GW — good for fourth in the nation.So it’s no surprise that wind farms in the state are on the radar of corporations looking to improve their renewable energy profile. In addition to Target, T-Mobile also has bought into Solomon Forks, to the tune of 160 MW, as it aims to shift to 100-percent renewable energy by 2021. Kentucky-based distilling giant Brown-Forman has signed up for 30 MW per year for 15 years from Solomon Forks. Other corporations hooked into the Kansas wind pipeline include Microsoft & Allianz, Yahoo, Google and MGP.Tradewind Energy was founded in Kansas, and has developed more than 1,300 MW of wind power across seven projects in the state. In March it sold the 300-MW, 95-turbine Diamond Vista project on 55,000 acres not far from Salina — to Enel Green Power North America. Among its PPA signees are three out-of-state entities: a power cooperative in Oklahoma; the city utility department of Springfield, Missouri; and Wisconsin-based plumbing fixture giant Kohler, which will buy 100 MW a year from the project.“The wind resource in Kansas continues to produce some of the country’s lowest cost power, which is a tremendous value for our customers,” said Rob Freeman, CEO of Tradewind Energy, Inc. In April, Tradewind earned the No. 1 ranking in the nation for wind energy developed and installed during 2017, according to the U.S. Wind Industry 2017 Market Report from the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), developing 1,247 MW of the more than 7,000 MW of utility-scale wind projects completing during the year.Another wind developer making multiple bets in Kansas is EDP Renewables, which in February 2018 secured a 20-year PPA with Great Plains Energy for power from EDP’s 200-MW Prairie Queen wind farm, expected to launch generation in 2019 in Allen County. That project brings EDP’s wind footprint in Kansas to 600 MW across four sites.Rorik F. Peterson, director of development — Central Region for EDP Renewables North America, has seen a lot of action in his 10 years in Kansas for the Houston-based company. And corporate end users are a growing part of it. Commercial and industrial customers are becoming “a significant component of our business,” he says. In Texas the firm’s farms serve the power needs of GM and Home Depot, among others, while Amazon is a major customer in Ohio. “In Kansas that possibility exists as well,” he says noting that Yahoo is the main power purchaser from a wind farm in west-central Kansas.“As far as attracting business to Kansas, that certainly is relevant and applicable as well,” he says from his office in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, Kansas. “One of the big stories over the past 10 years was in Topeka, where Mars Inc. constructed a large Hear the Wind BlowThese figures from the American Wind Energy Association tell you all you need to know about the force of the wind power sector in Kansas:Wind ProjectsInstalled Wind Capacity (MW) 5,110 MW State Ranking for Installed Capacity 5thUnder Construction Wind Capacity (MW) 740 MW Wind Projects Online 35Number of Wind Turbines 2,7952017 Wind GenerationPercentage of In-State Energy Production 36 %Equivalent U.S. Homes Powered 1,719,0002017 Economic BenefitsWind Industry Employment 4,001 to 5,000Wind Manufacturing Facilities 4Total Project Investment $9.4 billionAnnual Land Lease Payments $15 - $20 millionNext >