30th Annual Business Excellence Awards
The Platte County Economic Development Council celebrated its 30th Annual Business Excellence Luncheon virtually on Friday, March 5th, 2021, in conjunction with the first quarterly luncheon of 2021. Since 1991, the Platte County EDC has given 189 Business Excellence Awards.
The theme for this year’s event was “Pioneering Forward,” which highlighted how Platte County led the way to push through and rise above 2020 and into 2021.
Five Platte County communities honored local businesses with the Community Development Award, celebrating their achievements within the area. Additionally, six Platte County companies received Business Excellence Awards for their contributions to job creation, significant expansions, and investment projects. Awards were hand-delivered to recipients after the virtual luncheon.
2020 Community Development Awards
The Community Development Award recognizes civic and business leadership in five Platte County communities. Each of the businesses recognized is a successful and integral part of Platte County, capturing the spirit of community far beyond serving their customers’ needs.
Weston Award: Cactus Creek
Weston has benefited from Cactus Creek for the past 19 years, which spurs innovation and growth to our community. Owner Fancy Taylor has created a loyal customer base in the community with a sense of value and identity.
As the COVID-19 pandemic began last year, the need to create new sales channels incentivized many businesses' creativity in keeping customers engaged. Cactus Creek was no exception. Necessity thus became the mother of the invention of their "VIP Club." What began as merely a $10 monthly subscription service for leggings has since evolved into a full loyalty program, complete with a 20% storewide discount and other perks.
What they're most proud of as far as expansion of the program is the integration of the Treasure Chest. The Treasure Chest is a non-profit in Platte County that provides for the basic needs of students and their families. Club members can choose to donate their leggings to Treasure Chest as often as they wish. It's a great way for Cactus Creek to facilitate our customers' sense of community involvement.
Riverside Award: Renaissance Infrastructure Consulting
Renaissance Infrastructure Consulting was one of the pioneering businesses in the Horizons Office Park, locating their headquarters there in 2014. Since that time, RIC has assisted with the design of several infrastructure and development projects in Horizons. Their ability to coordinate with multiple contractors working on adjacent projects and to meet extremely ambitious deadlines is a testament that RIC helps make Riverside "Upstream from Ordinary."
Platte City Award: Consentino's Price Chopper
Cosention's Price Chopper has been a strong and consistent partner with the City of Platte City and the larger Platte City community since taking ownership in 2016. Consentino's as a company and many great Price Chopper staff have supported nearly every City, Chamber of Commerce, school district, and community event, including the Police Department's annual Cops and Kids event, the Christmas Shop with a Cop project, the Downtown Holiday Lighting Ceremony, and other community projects. In 2020, Cosentino's was instrumental in the ability of the Mayor's Christmas Tree Fund, donating over $3,200 to the Hope Lodge Cancer program.
In addition to participating in large community events, Cosentino's assists an endless number of smaller community building events, including Prescription Drug Take Back events, Lions Club community fundraisers, Girl Scout fundraisers, Youth Recreation Family Days, and a multitude of school district clubs, organizations, and events.
Parkville Award: Main Street Parkville Association & Parkville Area Chamber of Commerce
The Main Street Parkville Association (MSPA) is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Historic Downtown Parkville. MSPA focuses on design, organization, economic vitality, promotion, and events/festivals. They are also responsible for hosting several community eents throughout the year, including Parkville Microbrew Fest, Parkville 4th of July Celebration, Parkville Days festival, and Christmas on the River.
The Parkville Area Chamber of Commerce (PACC) advocates, promotes, and protects business interests and the relationships of its members. Its members are community promoters, fully engaged and actively involved in the Parkville area. The Chamber serves its members by building business and community relationships through social events, networking opportunities, and community service.
Small businesses were greatly impacted by COVID-19. During the time of phased public health orders, the Chamber and MSPA provided support to businesses to help them navigate health restrictions, guidance designed to keep their customers and employees safe, and other resources to help them through the economic impacts. They advocated with Public Health officials to keep businesses open, allowing reasonable regulations that would allow businesses to safely operate.
During the reopening phases, the Chamber bad MSPA partnered with the City of Parkville in providing graphically designed promotional posters to help businesses announce they are "open for business" and help adopt safe practices. The organizations promoted community-wide campaigns to "Support Your Local Business," which were particularly critical during these times. The organizations also assisted businesses with the Paycheck Protection Loan Program, which brought hundreds of thousands of dollars to Parkville businesses that were adversely impacted by the pandemic. In a crticial time of need, MSPA and the Chamber stepped up for businesses and the community.
Kansas City Award: Pure Fishing
KCI Intermodal LogisticsCentre V(LC5) has been leased to Pure Fishing. This represents a relocation within the Northland for Pure Fishing and a facility expansion for their growing worldwide business. LC5 is a 542,640-square-foot cross-dock warehouse and distribution center representing the 5th Class A industrial building to be built and leased at KCI Intermodal.
Pure Fishing is proud of its investment in a new multi-million-dollar, state-of-the-art distribution center that keeps it rooted in Kansas City. This is the ideal location for their national distribution hub, and they appreciate their 200 workers who call Kansas City home.
2020 Business Excellence Awards
The Business Excellence Awards are an honor roll of businesses that have made significant investments in the creation and retention of jobs and quality of life in Platte County.
Park Hill School District - LEAD Innovation Studio
The Park Hill School District's LEAD Innovation Studio opened in the fall of 2020 on the 272 acres where Hopewell Elementary is also located. The LEAD Studio is a high school program that offers personalized, project-based learning with hands-on professional experiences for all kinds of students from all over the district who decide to enroll.
Park Hill's Support Services facility and Transportation Center opened in the winter of 2020. The Support Services building allows Park Hill to more efficiently store and distribute supplies needed to run and maintain its schools, and the Transportation Center allows the district to house its vendors' buses, which means more competitive bids for transportation services. Through these new facilities, Park Hill created 103 new jobs.
Trammell Crow Company & Clarion Partners
Starting construction of the first building in 2011, KCI Intermodal is a master planned industrial park being developed by Trammell Crow Company & Clarion Partners. Conveniently located in Platte County just south of the Kansas City International Airport, KCI Intermodal enjoys superior access to I-29, I-435, and I-35.
LogisticsCentre V(LC5) is a 542,640-square-foot cross-dock warehouse and distribution center. LogisticsCentre VI (LC6) at the entry to the park is a 350,000-square-foot rear-load warehouse and distribution center currently under construction with substantial completion scheduled for October 2020. There are five additional buildings planned at KCI Intermodal, which when fully developed, will total over 4,000,000-square-feet of Class A industrial warehouse, distribution, and light manufacturing space.
Tutera
Founded in 1983 by Dominic Tutera, with a vision of offering seniors a lifestyle based on physical, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual well-being. The staff continues the mission and values of integrity, accountability, and commitment to this day.
Tutera completed the construction of their brand new Tiffany Springs location along Ambassador Drive north of 152 Highway in 2020.
Creekside Development
Since its groundbreaking in 2019, Creekside has transformed the western boundary of Parkville. The 300-acre development located at I-435 and 45 Highway has been a flurry of activity, and hundreds of jobs created in southern Platte County. In progress or nearing completion are a brand-new gas station, Johnny's Tavern, and Ten & Two Coffee. New construction this year will be the Creekside Hotel, Taco Bell, twin mixed-use building with an additional 44,000-square-feet of retail and restaurant space, and the town square, which features almost an acre of artificial turf, a stage, an LED tree, music, and yard games.
Burger King is already open, and the Creekside Baseball Complex opened with six tournament-quality baseball fields in June of 2020. This complex will host over 1 million visitors in 2021. Also completed are 364 Class A townhomes and apartments in the Thrive at Creekside community, a maintenance-provided single-family apartment and townhome complex. Creekside has alreadt created hundreds of jobs in the Parkville area.
doorLink Manufacturing
doorLink Manufacturing provides top-quality materials and construction for a dependable product. Their quality garage doors (options for both residential and commercial) have a combined total of over 100 years of engineering, sales, and customer support experience.
6@Park
6@Park is a 56,000-square-foot build-to-suite office building. Delivered in close partnership with Park University and the City of Parkville, the Foutch Brothers brought purpose back to this vacant corner.
Once the street widening is completed, 6@Park will be part of the City's north/south trail experience, connecting pedestrians from 64th Street down to English Landing Park. The shift in office climate has brought another opportunity to the building in the form of residential units. By August 2021, Foutch plans to open 28 apartments geared towards the students of Park University.
This unique solution is possible due to the building's design flexibility and connection to both Park University and Downtown Parkville.