Business Images Metro Wichita, KS: 2008 by Journal Communications

2008 | IMAGESWICHITA.COM | VIDEO TOUR ONLINE TM

OF THE GREATER WICHITA AREA, KANSAS

Old Town, New Vibe Evolving downtown scene draws new developments

SPLENDOR IN THE TALLGRASS Annual film festival develops into blockbuster event

EAT WHERE THE FOODIES EAT Restaurant insiders reveal their top picks for dining out

SPONSORED BY THE WICHITA METRO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Andrea Attwater Dawn Phillips Theo Hanson Joey Kate Laurie 807-1259 DawnPhillips.com 686-7281 Ext. 3292 JoeyKateLaurie.com

Julie & Scott Stremel Kelly Watkins

518-9083

518-2224

Jo Alonso

Jim Crawford

Sherrie Bieberle

JimCrawfordListens.com sbieberle@weigand.com

Cindy Carnahan

JoAlonsoRealtor.com TheCarnahanGroup.com

Noma Issa 516-4136

Carolyn Bell 706-9504

Jessika & Justin Mayer Connie Olfather

650-8370

648-8817

Tracie Miller 807-7014

Janet Foster 371-3920

Joseph Myers Cathy Clausen 734-2980 686-1537 Ext. 3297

UNRIVALED SALES SUCCESS

Kelley Naron Kelly Kemnitz 686-7281 Ext. 3279 312-2970

Lindi Lanie LindieLanie.com

Nothing speaks louder than results. For generations, J.P. Weigand has been the market leader and has sold more volume than any other real estate company in the state of Kansas. In 2006, we averaged one home sale every two hours. We know Wichita. Where you want to live, work and play!

Sarah Olson 686-7281 Ext. 3260

Kathy Blanchat 519-9909

Katie Frank 990-7119

RELOCATION AND CORPORATE SERVICES Tom Scanlon Tom-Scanlon.com

Kim Brace 250-0919

Danielle Wildeman

Karen Hall

SoldOnWichita.com ShowYouHome.com

Jill Bell 461-5501

We are committed to providing the utmost satisfaction for companies seeking to place transferees here in the Wichita Area. Let us share our expertise with you! (800) 689-6683

Astrid Mena Monica Miller Patty Fraley 992-2099 MonicaMillerHomes.com 461-8244

Karen Wilkins Jody Briceland Bonnie Sue Hultgren jody.briceland@ karenwilkins2.com parkstoneliving.com 207-6033

Beth Devins 655-7896

Robert Hessman 250-0533

Alissa Unruh Donna Miller Mary Leistiko AlissaUnruh.com 686-1537 Ext. 3280 371-6764

Sandie Pasik 304-3235

Chad Oldfather 207-9022

www.Weigand.com The best address in town!

Lance Deen 253-3151

Glenda Kenney Mary & Jerry Devore 841-5640 gkenney.com

Stacey Bilson 841-2582

Melissa Tran 519-0702

Carole Morriss

Olive Brollier 650-2590

Debbie Snider 258-4674

Becky S. Turner

CaroleMorriss.com BeckyTurner.Realtor.com

Carl Hinote

carl.hinote@ parkstoneliving.com

Julie Nelson Kim Powers Bud Huffman 390-6888 kpowers@weigand.com 200-5980

Linda Pfeifer 258-5472

Carol Carpenter 648-7797

East (316) 686-7281 • West (316) 722-6182 • Andover (316) 733-7400 • East Harry (316) 687-0077 Augusta (316) 775-0222 • Commercial (316) 262-6400 • Relocation (800) 689-6683 • Derby (316) 788-5581 Wellington (800) 377-2785 • Belle Plaine (800) 377-2785 • Hutchinson (620) 663-4458 • Corporate (316) 262-6400

RELOCATING? Make the SMART MOVE to Coldwell Banker Stucky & Associates, REALTORS .

Whether you’re moving across town or across the country, our Relocation Department has the knowledge and expertise you need to make your relocation as stress-free as possible. Call us today at (316) 686-9700 or (866) 696-7653.

WICHITA EAST 7309 E. 21st St., Ste. 200 Wichita, KS 67206 (316) 686-9700

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400 S. Main (316) 283-1330

2008 EDITION | VOLUME 3 TM

OF THE GREATER WICHITA AREA, KANSAS

CO NTE NT S

22 JUST KIDDING AROUND There’s no shortage of activities in Wichita that will interest the whole family.

F E AT U R E S 14

UPWARD MOBILITY Wichita’s low cost of living attracts and retains young professionals.

If you are looking for a meal in Wichita that won’t disappoint, who better to ask than those who know great food best?

VITAL STATISTICS The region’s medical community is second only to the aviation industry in terms of employment ﬁgures.

24 EAT WHERE THE FOODIES EAT

29 THEATRE TOWN Wichita is home to a superb collection of venues for both live theatre and ﬁlm.

OLD TOWN, NEW VIBE From a distance, downtown Wichita may look unchanged. But get in a little closer, and you’ll see a lot of activity.

SPLENDOR IN THE TALLGRASS Independent ﬁlmmakers gather in Wichita each October to celebrate the visionary art of ﬁlmmaking.

ON THE COVER Photo by Wes Aldridge Pedestrian Bridge spanning the Arkansas River

G R E AT E R W I C H I TA A R E A

I M AG E S W I C H I TA . C O M

ACTION! ADVENTURE! “IT KEPT ME ON THE EDGE OF MY LAPTOP!”

“THE GREATER WICHITA AREA LIKE IT’S NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!” Images of the Greater Wichita Area

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O F TH E G R E ATE R WI C H ITA A R E A , K A N SA S

BUSINESS IN THE GREATER WICHITA AREA 32 Heads in the Clouds The aviation industry here comprises ﬁve major aircraft manufacturers and numerous ancillary aviation companies.

34 Biz Briefs 37 Chamber Report 38 Economic Proﬁle

D E PA R TM E NT S 10 Almanac: a colorful sampling of culture in the Greater Wichita Area

26 Portfolio: people, places and events that deﬁne the Greater Wichita Area

39 Education 42 Sports & Recreation 45 Health & Wellness 47 Community Proﬁle: facts, stats and important numbers to know

Inside:

GREATER WICHITA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COALITION SPECIAL SECTION

Inside:

WICHITA AVIATION ENGINEERING SPECIAL SECTION

G R E AT E R W I C H I TA A R E A

I M AG E S W I C H I TA . C O M

What’s Online

More lists, links and tips for newcomers

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SEE HOW THE GARDENS GROW The Greater Wichita Area’s temperate climate makes it easy to grow a wide range of vegetables, plants and ﬂowers, including some tropical varieties. Find out more at imageswichita.com.

FARM FRESH IN THE MIDWEST Traditional Midwestern cuisine can be summed up in two words: simple and hearty. Popular dishes include macaroni and cheese, meatloaf, mashed potatoes and pork chops. Get a taste of regional cuisine at imageswichita.com.

A B O U T T H I S M AG A Z I N E Images of the Greater Wichita Area is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is sponsored by the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce. In print and online, Images gives readers a taste of what makes Greater Wichita Area tick – from business and education to sports, health care and the arts.

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Almanac

Batters Up Since 1935

Barking Up the Right Tree

The National Baseball Congress World Series tournament has been a hit in Wichita since it was established in 1935. Ever since Satchel Paige played in the NBC tourney that first year, thousands of young prospects and ex-Major Leaguers have played in the annual event. Today, the two-week summer competition involves amateur teams from more than 20 states, with the championship held at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. Wichita also is home to the Wichita State University Shockers baseball team. The squad won the College World Series in 1989, and was runnerup in 1982, 1991 and 1993.

Sit up, and take notice that the 2006 Woofstock festival for the Kansas Humane Society raised more than $176,000. The annual fundraiser that has been held in Sedgwick County Park is now 10 years old, or 70 in dog years. More than 3,000 dogs and 10,000 people attend the event to raise money for the 14,500 homeless pets that the humane society has taken in. Activities at Woofstock include a one-mile mutt strut dog walk, two-mile fun run and pet contests. The 2008 dog-fest is scheduled tentatively for Oct. 4.

They Deserve This Salute Attenhut: Veterans Memorial Park pays homage to the men and women who have gone to war for this nation. The most recent memorial erected at the park was in 2001 to Kansans who served in Korea. Besides the Kansas Korean War Memorial, the park also is home to the John S. Stevens Veterans Memorial, Pearl Harbor Memorial, U.S. Submarine Veterans of World War II Memorial, U.S. Marine and Navy Corpsmen Memorial, POW/MIA Monument, U.S. Merchant Marine Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The centerpiece of the park is the John S. Stevens Memorial Flag Pavilion, which features 14 display cabinets tracing the evolution of Old Glory from colonial times.

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G R E AT E R W I C H I TA A R E A

Riverfest Floods Banks With Fun When Riverfest began in 1972, it was a one-day event with an attendance of a few thousand people. Nowadays, the annual May attraction that celebrates the Arkansas River occurs over nine days and draws as many as 350,000 people. The extravaganza in downtown Wichita features more than 100 bands, a sundown parade, ethnic food booths and a multitude of childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities. The estimated economic impact of Riverfest on the Wichita area is more than $25 million a year.

Put the Wind Back in Your Sails One of the finest sailing lakes in the country is in Kansas. Cheney Reservoir is situated 25 miles west of Wichita and has become a destination for sailing and sailboarding competitions. The waterway also is ideal for swimming, fishing and wildlife viewing, including a waterfowl refuge that is open to the public from March to mid-September. The reservoir is in Cheney State Park, which features 185 electric campsite hookups, 22 boat launching lanes and a marina. Woodallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Camping Life magazine has ranked Cheney among its top 10 state parks in the country.

Greater Wichita Area | At A Glance POPULATION (2006 ESTIMATE) Wichita: 360,410, Sedgwick County: 474,500 Wichita MSA: 592,126 (2006)

Wichita Hutchinson

LOCATION Wichita is in south-central Kansas, at the junction of the Arkansas and Little Arkansas rivers, about 60 miles north of the Kansas-Oklahoma state line.

96 96

BEGINNINGS Wichita was named for the Wichita Indians, who originally inhabited the area. The first white settlers came to the region in the 1850s and 1860s. Wichita was incorporated as a village in 1870. FOR MORE INFORMATION Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce 350 West Douglas Avenue Wichita, KS 67202 Phone: (316) 265-7771 Fax: (316) 265-7502 www.wichitachamber.org www.ventureboldly.com

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135

254

Benton

296

SE D GWI C K

Wichita

Andover 54

235 2

15 77 49

Wellington

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Wichita ... HIGH QUALIT Y OF LIFE … ENJOYED DAILY There are over 350,000 people who call Wichita home. The City of Wichita prides itself on the high quality of services delivered to our citizens ranging from: • public improvement projects • public safety • parks and recreation • water and sewer • environmental services • airport and more!

Together with citizens, businesses and community partners, Wichita enjoys a high quality of life. Wichita is a great place to live, work, play, visit and raise a family. For City of Wichita information, contact the City Manager’s Office at City Hall 455 N. Main, 13th Floor • Wichita, KS 67202 (316) 268-4351 • Fax: (316) 268-4519 www.wichita.gov

Almanac

All Signs Point To Shopping In Wichita, shopping opportunities abound in every direction. To the west, you’ll find many national retailers and restaurants at NewMarket Square, Wichita’s largest outdoor shopping center. To the northeast, you'll find delight at the lifestyle center, Bradley Fair, which has a mix of 52 national and local retailers and restaurants. In the heart of College Hill resides an unusual blend of shops in a 19th-century setting at Clifton Square shopping village, which is housed throughout a converted Victorian home and boarding house. The city's newest developments are The Waterfront in East Wichita, an attractive development with many upscale retailers and restaurants, and the WaterWalk, a complex boasting a variety of shopping and entertainment options near the city's center. The city also has two shopping malls, Towne East Square, with more than 130 specialty stores, and Towne West Square, which has 95 stores.

The Wright Stuff An afternoon stroll in Wichita’s in-town neighborhoods like College Hill and Riverside can provide an architectural history lesson. In fact, College Hill on the northeast side of town is home to the only Kansas residence designed by legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Located at 225 N. Roosevelt St., the Allen-Lambe House is considered to be the last example of Wright’s Prairie House architectural style and one that Wright counted among his finest. Each year more than 2,000 visitors tour the home, which was built for Henry J. Allen, a former Kansas governor, U.S. senator and newspaperman. Design concepts for the famous structure began in 1915, and the family occupied it by early 1918 – just in time for Allen to begin his term as governor in 1919. Visitors may tour the home, but reservations are required 10 days in advance.

Fast Facts ■ Wichita has museums to suit just about every interest, including the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, the Mid-America All-Indian Center, Kansas Aviation Museum, the Great Plains Transportation Museum, the Kansas African American Museum and the Museum of World Treasures, just to name a few. ■ Worldwide ERC and Primacy listed Wichita second in the nation in its 2007 report on the best cities for relocating families. ■ Koch Industries, the largest privately held company in the world, was founded and headquartered here. ■ “American Idol” 2007 Top 10 finalist Phil Stacey is from Wichita, as are actors Kirstie Alley, Annette Bening, Don Johnson, Shirley Knight and Vera Miles. ■ Wichita has many cultural events each year, such as MultiCultural Celebration Week, the Cinco de Mayo Celebration, the Wichita Black Arts Festival, the Wichita Asian Festival and the Mid-America AllIndian Center Intertribal Powwow.

SEE MORE ONLINE | For more Fast Facts about the Greater Wichita Area, visit imageswichita.com.

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I M AG E S W I C H I TA . C O M

Upward Mobility WICHITA’S LOW COST OF LIVING ATTRACTS AND RETAINS YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

STORY BY VALERIE PASCOE PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES ALDRIDGE

hen Rene Campirano decided to leave Seattle in 2005 in search of a smaller city and a better quality of life, his nationwide search led him to Wichita. Campirano, a 29-year-old mechanical designer for the aerospace industry, says Wichita’s employment opportunities, low cost of living and welcoming atmosphere made it the clear first choice for this Los Angeles native. “I was moving into the next phase of my life and wanted to live in a town that gave me all of the big-city benefits

without the big-city problems like traffic and crime,” Campirano says. Not only did he find that Wichita meets these criteria, but he says the friendliness of the people here also heavily influenced his decision. “It struck me immediately how friendly and courteous everyone here is, even when they’re driving. My commute is less than 15 minutes each way, and it’s stress free,” Campirano says. He recently made his move more permanent by purchasing a new home in the southeast section of town. “That’s another big thing that stands

Rene Campirano says Wichita’s affordable real estate was a major factor in his decision to relocate here from Los Angeles nearly three years ago.

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out about Wichita, you can get so much more for your money in real estate. There’s no way I could have the same house I own in Wichita on the West Coast,” Campirano says. With housing costs at 48 percent below the national average, an overall cost of living at 6 percent below the national average, and an abundance of arts, culture, dining and recreation opportunities, Wichita is attracting a growing number of young professionals like Campirano who are choosing to call the city home. Sommer Miller, a 25-year-old human resources information systems coordinator for Via Christi Health System, moved to the area from South Dakota in 2003 as a student. She has stayed on to begin building her career. “There’s a real commitment in Wichita to improving the community and creating more professional and recreational opportunities for young residents,” says Miller, an outdoor enthusiast who volunteers for the Wichita Recreation Alliance, part of the Quality of Life Foundation for the Visioneering Wichita task force. Miller currently is working with the group on a comprehensive recreation plan that includes connecting several south-central Kansas counties with canoeing routes on the Arkansas River. Along with Campirano, Miller also is part of the Young Professionals of G R E AT E R W I C H I TA A R E A

Wichita group, a business and civic networking organization that was launched in 2005 by the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce. With nearly 2,000 members, the group’s mission is to help make Wichita the heartland's destination for young intellectual capital. Angie Begley, who serves on the organization’s diversity action team, moved to Wichita from California with her family in 1993. She says the area’s tightly knit business community and supportive organizations such as the Young Professionals of Wichita help up-and-coming workers advance more rapidly in their careers. “Career opportunity combined with down-to-earth, friendly people and the low cost of living is what has kept me here,” says Begley. “Wichita is also a great place to raise a family.” Michal Emory, a 30-year-old trust investment officer for TCK Trust &

Financial Advisors, says Wichita’s future plans for development and urban renewal are major factors in the area’s current ability to retain its existing base of young professionals. “The city is bringing in new businesses and restaurants downtown and renovating buildings everywhere. There’s also the new arena breaking ground this year and the WaterWalk area in the works,” Emory says. “They’re creating a thriving downtown, and it speaks volumes about the city for visitors and people moving here.” Emory points to the city’s progressive leadership and engaged business community as driving forces behind these successful projects. “There is such a sense of vision and leadership in this community,” Emory says. “For me, as a young professional, seeing that vision being realized for Wichita is very inspiring.”

Michal Emory, a trust investment officer with TCK Trust Financial, says the same progressive leadership that is drawing development to Wichita is responsible for attracting young professionals. Below: Members of the Wichita Young Professionals, from left, Nick Aliaga, Meg Sytnick and Angie Begley enjoy sushi and cocktails after work at Sumo.

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I M AG E S W I C H I TA . C O M

Growing Healthier by the

Day

THRIVING HEALTH-CARE COMMUNITY PROVIDES MORE OPTIONS TO RESIDENTS AND BOOSTS AREA ECONOMY

STORY BY JIM ELLIOTT

Wesley Medical Center, a leader in pediatric care, is among 17 acute care and specialty hospitals from which residents of the Wichita area may choose.

I M AG E S W I C H I TA . C O M

hile Wichita is best known as the Air Capital of the World, another segment of the economy is growing healthier by the day. The regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s medical community is second only to the aviation industry in terms of employment figures, providing jobs for some 37,000 professionals. With such a thriving health-care environment, residents here are ensured access to many services and technology that are not available elsewhere in the state. The city is home to Kansasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; only heart, kidney and bone marrow transplant program at Via Christi Regional Medical Center, which also is known for its stroke, cancer and burn centers. Wesley Medical Center has made its name as a leader in pediatric care, with two pediatric intensivists, a pediatric sedation team and an emergency pediatrics specialist. In addition to these special features, both hospitals offer comprehensive, high-quality healthcare services to patients. Other major players include Wichita Clinic, the largest multi-specialty clinic in the state; the Robert J. Dole Department of Veterans Affairs Medical and Regional Office Center; and the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita. Altogether, the city has 17 acute care and specialty hospitals licensed for about 3,100 G R E AT E R W I C H I TA A R E A

Making the Grade KANSAS SURGERY & RECOVERY CENTER CONSISTENTLY RECEIVES TOP RANKING

or the sixth year in a row, the Kansas Surgery & Recovery Center, an elective surgery specialty hospital in Wichita, has been ranked No. 1 in the state for joint replacement surgeries. “They’re just doing an exceptional job,” says Lauren Galloway, a representative of HealthGrades, the nation’s leading independent health-care rating organization. “It’s really rare to

G R E AT E R W I C H I TA A R E A

executive vice president and chief operating officer. That translates to $244.4 million per year, plus generous benefits. And none of these numbers include dollars spent by people coming to Wichita for care, Labarca says. “One-third of the patients seen at Wichita Clinic come from outside Sedgwick County,” says Kimberly T. Shank, executive director for Wichita Clinic. “When these people visit our clinics, they have the opportunity to access the other services and amenities offered by our community, including

shopping, dining, entertainment, recreation and so forth.” Labarca says Wichita is a “great place to live, work and raise a family.” That quality of life helps them recruit and keep top-notch physicians, which in turn makes the community even more attractive to others. “Wichita is becoming more attractive for people to relocate, and health care is a major reason,” says Hugh Tappan, president and CEO of Wesley Medical Center. “I’m proud to say we’ve got truly great health care here.”

WES ALDRIDGE

beds, more than 50 nursing homes and assisted living facilities, and a host of specialty clinics and physicians’ offices. Connecting these entities is the Medical Society of Sedgwick County, which was founded in 1903 and is 1,200 members strong today. The society offers a number of important services to its member physicians but perhaps is best known for Project Access, says Jon Rosell, the society’s executive director. “We currently have more than 500 physicians who volunteer a portion of their time to care for underinsured or uninsured individuals in the community,” Rosell says. With hospitals also contributing to the effort, the program has delivered nearly $59 million worth of health care to more than 7,000 people. The society serves another 200 people who are eligible for Medicaid through its Medicaid Health Connect program. A 2004 study showed that, in 2000, health care in Wichita created 48,205 jobs in Sedgwick County, paying more than $1 billion. Adding in the “ripple effect” of this money re-circulating in the community, health care had a total economic impact that year of more than $1.5 billion. Via Christi Wichita Health Network alone now employs more than 4,700 people who are earning an average wage of more than $25 per hour, according to Laurie Labarca,

Dr. Jon Rosell is the director/CEO of the Sedgwick County Medical Society.

have a hospital ranked No. 1 so many years in a row.” HealthGrades bases its assessment on outcomes of procedures for Medicare patients – the only nationally available dataset – and ranks every hospital in the country according to its findings. The study takes into account the level of complication for each patient’s procedure, and compares actual complication rates against those predicted for that procedure. A five-star rating means the hospital is above expectations for that procedure. A threestar rating means it meets expectations, and a one-star rating means it is below expectations.

“That makes it easy for consumers to understand,” Galloway says. “Our goal is to drive Americans to better health care, so we want to show consumers which hospitals are performing best.” Dr. Ely Bartal, CEO of KSRC, attributes the ranking to the diligence of the center’s staff. “Patient safety and quality is No. 1,” he says, noting the center’s infection rate is 0.07 percent, compared to the national average of four to six percent. “That really tells the story of what quality is.” Galloway says KSRC’s five-star ratings for total knee, total hip, and back and neck surgeries place it in the top 5 percent in the nation. – Jim Elliott

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Downtown Dynamic NEW DEVELOPMENTS REINVIGORATE CITY’S HISTORIC CENTER

Various cultural offerings and new living spaces are drawing more people to the Old Town district. PHOTO BY WES ALDRIDGE

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G R E AT E R W I C H I TA A R E A

STORY BY JOE MORRIS

rom a distance, downtown Wichita may look unchanged. But get in a little closer, and you’ll see a lot of activity, both in existing buildings and new construction. The downtown area has always been a hub of activity, and with some 21,000 people working there, it’s the biggest employment district in the region. Besides serving as an active business and finance center, the area is home to many churches and nonprofit organizations. But things are happening now – including new residential and entertainment development – that will take downtown to the next level, says Ed Wolverton, past president of the Wichita Downtown Development Corp. “We’re emerging as a center of housing,” Wolverton says. “We’ve added 400 housing units in the last five years, with more on the way. We’ve added our first condo units ever, with more on the way, in the last three years. We’re seeing downtown as a place to live becoming a growth area, which will reinforce downtown’s position within the community.” According to Wolverton, $480 million in projects are under way downtown, with $294 million in development already completed within the last five years. Major components of the downtown renaissance include the $200 million Sedgwick County Arena and WaterWalk, a $130 million, 30-acre mixeduse planned community on the Arkansas River. Developments like these have spurred increased interest in downtown as a viable work/shop/play destination, bringing in major players such as Minnesota’s Real Development Partnership. Since first visiting Wichita in September 2004, Real Development leaders have snapped up more than 1 million square feet of space downtown, most recently the SC Telecom building at 125 S. Market. The landmark local building joins holdings that include The Lofts at

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St. Francis and Exchange Place. The combination of affordable real estate and the major projects to come within a few years was a strong lure, says Michael Elzufon, chief executive officer of Real Development. “There was quite a bit of time where we were known as the ‘Minnesota guys,’ but now that people have seen that we’re not short-term real estate raiders, they’re supportive of our efforts, and that’s key,” Elzufon says. “Now and going into the future, we’re transitioning to having enough others believing in what we’re doing to make commitments to come and live downtown. We’ve been doing things in a grassroots way, and those roots are solidifying very well.” More people coming downtown to live, or even staying longer when they visit, is important to members of the Old Town Association, a coalition of businesses in and around the Old Town Wichita District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. For those who’ve been around a while, the new activity is welcome, says Chris Arnold, owner of the River City Brewing Co., which opened in 1993. “We are very excited about everything going on,” Arnold says. “We love the arena, we love WaterWalk, and the more really great retail shopping we can get down here, the more attractions, it’s better for all of us. We’re ‘the more the merrier’ kind of guys, and the more good reasons there are to come downtown, and get in the habit of parking and taking off walking to see what there is to see, the more excited we are.”

Sparkling, newer development in the outer reaches of the city is undeniably diversifying the economy in Wichita, but its downtown district is experiencing exciting growth of its own. One example is Exchange Place, located at the corner of Market Street and Douglas Avenue.

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Experience Old Town’s New Vibe MORE EXPOSURE FOR HISTORIC DISTRICT EXCITES BUSINESS OWNERS

“It’s so nice to see people get involved, from residents to property and business owners. It’s really been quite refreshing and such a great thing.” The association, which has 48 retail and personal-service shops, three museums, three theaters, 17 restaurants, 15 bars/clubs, 49 offices, six apartment projects, two hotels/conference centers and two

condominium buildings among its current members, stands ready to meet that traffic head-on. “When I see people walking up and down the streets, jumping on the trolley, grabbing lunch, I just want to pinch myself,” Ward says. “I can’t wait to see what happens when even more people are exposed to Old Town.” – Joe Morris

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wo years ago, the Old Town Merchants Association dropped the “Merchants” from its name. Obviously, its members knew what the future held for downtown Wichita’s historic business district. “There are so many entities involved now, from residents to commercial property owners to merchants, we felt we needed to expand our reach,” says Redstone Design Development’s Whitney Vliet Ward, Old Town Association’s current president. “There have been a lot of changes over the life of the association.” Ward has been there for a lot of them. Her parents owned and operated businesses in downtown Wichita in the 1970s and 1980s, so she’s able to take the long view when looking at Old Town’s vibrant growth. “One of the biggest changes has been the involvement of the residents, who have been very involved and supportive,” she says.

New development in Old Town is designed to complement the district’s historic architecture.

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Learning to

Have Fun

EDUCATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT ABOUNDS FOR FAMILIES

STORY BY JOE MORRIS

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rom exploring the world of science to hanging out with penguins, there’s no shortage of activities in Wichita that will interest the whole family. And there’s plenty of education mixed in with the fun, so a day visiting one of the city’s many family attractions is a day well spent all around. Consider the Sedgwick County Zoo, for example. Since opening in 1971, the facility has been adding exhibits and exotic critters at a rapid pace, most recently opening the Cessna Penguin Cove, which features Humboldt penguins in a setting that resembles the wild Pacific coast of South America. The zoo also has the Koch Orangutan and Chimpanzee Habitat and the Downing Gorilla Forest. It recently revamped its restaurant to offer indoor, climatecontrolled seating, and a tiger exhibit is in the works as well. “We opened the penguin exhibit Memorial Day [2007] weekend and

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Sedgwick County Zoo opened its Cessna Penguin Cove in 2007.

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ANTONY BOSHIER

the world, Bluml says. Hands-on activities are the order of the day at the Wichita Center for the Arts, which has many activities for the entire family to explore creativity. “We break them up into age groups and disciplines,” says Pam Bugler, director of education for the Mary R. Koch School of Visual Arts at the center. “If you’ve got a 3-year-old, we can offer the primary color class, where they learn every color in the rainbow and create their very own masterpiece. If you’ve got a 6-year-old who loves clay, then we have the basic clay class. When they’re 11 years old, they can get on the potter’s wheel.” Summer camps are hugely popular, as are programs where parents and children work on projects together. “We have a class where the parent makes the bowl, the child makes the lid, and everything has to come together at the end,” Bugler says. There also are photography and even cooking classes, so that new pot can get some use right away. “I don’t think anyone will ever be bored coming out here,” Bugler says.

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have had a very good reaction,” says Christan Baumer, marketing and public relations manager for the zoo. “We had 114,640 guests in May, which set an attendance record.” With major new exhibits up and running, Baumer says the zoo requires more time to tour fully these days, but it is well worth it. “It’s not a two-hour trip any more, but more like a four-hour tour to see everything,” she says. “But we do have our tram, which is free, and our boat tour, which gives visitors another perspective of the zoo. It goes right by a couple of islands where lemurs are living, so visitors can see them up close, much better than from land.” Wichita families also may learn about the wildlife and plant varieties native to the region at the Great Plains Nature Center, which is a partnership between the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, the Wichita Department of Park and Recreation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The center features the Koch Habitat Hall, which is a collection of displays that recreate environments such as the prairie, streams and wetlands, the woodlands and lakes – the latter of which includes a 2,000-gallon aquarium. For more educational entertainment, Exploration Place is a natural. The hands-on science center is located on a 20-acre site in downtown Wichita’s Museums on the River district. According to Christina Bluml, communications manager, the museum has five major areas, each with a specific focus: flight, Kansas, medieval life (in a three-story castle, no less), a toddler area and traveling exhibitions. “We are a science center for all ages, not just a children’s museum,” she says. Exploration Place features Kansas’ largest domed theater, the CyberDome, a picnic grove and adventure play yard, an 18-hole MiniGolf course and WaterWay Café and Terrace. The facility also has a carousel produced by master carver Bruce White, whose carousel horses are featured in more than 1,000 Applebee’s restaurants, as well as in museums and private collections around

The “Exploring Flight and Design” exhibit is one of the permanent exhibits on display at Exploration Place. Top: Families may learn about Kansas’ native wildlife and plant varieties at the Great Plains Nature Center.

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Eat Where the

Foodies Eat RESTAURANT INSIDERS REVEAL THEIR TOP PICKS FOR LOCAL DINING

David Wirebaugh is the executive chef at the Hyatt Regency Wichita’s Southwinds Bar & Grill and White Rock Café. Southwinds provides a fine dining experience, consistently garnering Wine Spectator “Quality of Excellence” awards.

STORY BY JESSICA MOZO | PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES ALDRIDGE

f you are looking for a meal in Wichita that won’t disappoint, then who better to ask than those who know great food best? Owners and chefs at some of Wichita’s most-loved restaurants are sharing their top picks for breakfast, lunch and dinner – when they make a rare trip outside of their own highly regarded kitchens, that is. Combine their advice with the well-researched guidance of The 24

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Wichita Eagle’s food editor, and prepare for many days of delightful dining. “My family likes to go to the Beacon Restaurant [on East Douglas Avenue] for breakfast,” says David Wirebaugh, chef at the Hyatt Regency Wichita’s Southwinds Bar & Grill and White Rock Café. “The food is hot and fresh and rarely takes long, and their French toast is excellent. My kids get pancakes, G R E AT E R W I C H I TA A R E A

and one order could feed the whole family.” When Chester’s Chophouse & Wine Bar owner Bobby Lane goes out to breakfast, he prefers The Good Egg at Bradley Fair. It’s open for breakfast and lunch seven days a week and serves up egg dishes, skillet meals with potatoes and other mix-ins, and 15 kinds of pancakes. “When I have time, I like to go to Bella Luna Café [on North Rock Road] for lunch,” Lane adds. “I order the hummus, and they also have a very good turkey on pita sandwich.” Lane’s Chester’s Chophouse on North Webb Road is a comfortable upscale restaurant that’s known for serving adventurous foods and unusual appetizers. Its warm interior features rich mahogany, oak flooring, leather booths and stone fireplaces. “We’re a softened version of a steakhouse, and we incorporate chef-driven specialties,” Lane says. “We’re well-known for our steaks, and locals also know us for our seafood.” As food editor at The Wichita Eagle, Joe Stumpe always has his finger on the pulse of the local dining industry. He says some of the best lunch spots in Wichita are quirky places you might not even notice if you didn’t know they were there. “Wichita has a lot of great little burger joints that have managed not to be put out of business by McDonald’s. One is Jack’s Coffee Shop at 61st and Hydraulic Street,” he says. “The funny thing is there’s no coffee and no one named Jack there, but they do have great handmade burgers. In fact, the only thing they do is burgers, and they have a very loyal following.” Stumpe also likes to grab lunch at some of the authentic Mexican food stands along North Broadway. “There are five or six of them, and they sell tasty burritos and tacos,” he says. Wirebaugh enjoys Mexican fare too, though his favorite place is La Mesa on 21st Street. “It’s a great little place, and they have eight or 10 types of tacos,” Wirebaugh says. “They also serve fresh roasted jalapenos and a great salsa.” Two local Vietnamese restaurants draw large crowds for lunch. Pho Hot on East Pawnee Street specializes in 15 varieties of pho – big bowls of soup with rich broth, Asian noodles and beef. Da Nang on North Broadway features spring rolls and Vietnamese-style sandwiches. “They’re both very healthy, cheap and good,” Stumpe says. “Wichita has some of the best ethnic food I’ve encountered in a city this size – really good Vietnamese, Mexican and Lebanese in particular.” Byblos on West 13th Street and N&J Café on East Lincoln Street are Stumpe’s top picks for Lebanese cuisine. Dinner options in Wichita run the gamut from casual to fine dining. “Piztros [on North Webb Road] is a nice place that’s not too G R E AT E R W I C H I TA A R E A

formal,” Wirebaugh says. “They have a great Caesar salad pizza – a Caesar salad served on a warm pizza crust. Also for dinner, I like to go to Red Rock Canyon Grill on Rock Road for their roasted chicken.” Ty Issa, owner of Larkspur Restaurant and Grill on East Douglas Avenue, says when he eats out, he frequents hotel restaurants such as Wirebaugh’s Southwinds, which is open for dinner only and specializes in steaks and salmon. “The hotel restaurants make you feel like you’re out of town,” Issa says. “It’s exclusive dining.” Wichita welcomed yet another enticing dinner option in July 2007 when Lane opened a new Italian restaurant, Bella Donna, on Webb Road. “It’s northern Italian-style Tuscan food,” Lane says. “We use fresh imported cheeses from Italy.”

Delightfully presented entrees and a variety of enticing desserts await diners at the Southwinds Bar & Grill, located in the Hyatt Regency in downtown Wichita.

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Portfolio

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Karen Dobbins is the director of development for Inter-Faith Ministries, an organization that has brought together diverse faith-based congregations since 1885, uniting them in the common goal of improving the lives of others.

Faith on a Mission INTER-FAITH MINISTRIES VOLUNTEERS SHARE COMMON BELIEF IN HELPING OTHERS

t Wichita’s Inter-Faith Ministries, volunteers may differ in political affiliation, religious belief or race, but they share at least one commonality – a desire to help their fellow man. That’s how the nonprofit organization has been able to continue its mission of providing hope, healing and empowerment worldwide since 1885. “Inter-Faith Ministries represents the diverse faith community and helps meet human needs from the faith perspective,” says Karen Dobbins, director of development for the organization. Inter-Faith Ministries’ dynamic mission has led to the development of programs designed to promote anti-racism; stop local childhood hunger; strengthen relationships between area congregations; promote independence among the aged, sick and disabled; provide after-school tutoring; implement mother-to-mother programs; assist those in need during the holiday season and beyond; encourage disaster relief preparation and support the community of Lambert, Haiti. 26

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Still, Dobbins says a main focus of Inter-Faith Ministries is a 10-year mission to end homelessness in Sedgwick and surrounding counties. Working alongside national advocates in Washington, D.C., Inter-Faith Ministries is committed to building 40 new units for permanent, affordable and community-based housing for the area’s homeless. “The biggest misconception surrounding the homeless is that they don’t work,” says Dobbins, who estimates that 90 percent of the area’s homeless hold jobs. “Many have two or more jobs, but still have a low income and no benefits. One major illness can destine them for failure.” Once completed, Inter-Faith Ministries’ low-income housing will assist a total of 105 families, who pay their own rent and work with Inter-Faith staff to pay utilities, find jobs, learn to care for themselves and their families, and learn to live in a community. “What makes us unique is that we provide supportive services which help families readjust to society,” Dobbins says. G R E AT E R W I C H I TA A R E A

ichita native Dan Carney is anything but ordinary. The entrepreneur who co-founded the world’s largest pizza chain in 1958 also is known as a humble humanitarian dedicated to improving the quality of life for others. That commitment to the community – including a history of service on more than 20 charitable boards – earned the Pizza Hut co-founder the “Uncommon Citizen of the Year” award from the Wichita Chamber of Commerce in 2007. “If you’ve been given a gift from God and are successful, you owe something back to the community and to those less fortunate,” Carney says. Today, the father of six, stepfather of three and grandfather of 17 serves on three local boards: the Guadalupe Clinic, which provides medical care to Wichita’s low-income residents; the Opportunity Project, devoted to early

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education for children living in poverty; and the Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation, which he helped found with childhood friend Jack Jonas Jr., in 1972. Their passion for helping the disabled soon led to the development of Center Industries Corporation, an independent manufacturing facility that now employs more than 200 people with disabilities. From license plates for the state of Kansas to magazine clips for the Department of Defense, Center Industries continues to win bids for local and national contracts without reference to the fact that 75 percent of the production work force is severely disabled. “To me it’s a very worthwhile project,” says Carney, who has served as chairman of the board since CPRF’s inception. “So many handicapped CP victims have no place to go after they get an education. We want to help them become active citizens who participate in society.” CPRF also provides disabled individuals with customized services, supports and technologies to facilitate

economic and personal independence. Despite his many professional accomplishments, Carney hopes he will best be remembered for giving back to the community that gave him a start 50 years ago. “My legacy will be cerebral palsy and charity work,” Carney says. “That part is important to me.”

PHOTOS BY WES ALDRIDGE

Sharing the Dough

Entrepreneur Dan Carney is the 2007 “Uncommon Citizen of the Year.”

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Portfolio

Final Fridays Showcase Vibrant Arts Scene

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n the last Friday night of each month, downtown Wichita’s museums, galleries and restaurants buzz with the latest in visual and performing arts.

Wichita Center for the Arts features both visual and performing arts.

Final Fridays – the free after-hours event sponsored by Wichita’s CityArts program – draw hundreds and even thousands of art lovers to the Old Town and Delano districts each month. The events highlight the strength of the cultural scene here. “On any given day, you can find an art exhibit, concert, event or cultural institution to go to,” says Charla Sanderson, assistant director for Wichita’s CityArts Program. Sanderson says that more than 30 galleries, a strong music scene and low cost of living have made Wichita a draw to artists from all genres. The city is home to impressive art museums as well as a number of theaters and art schools. The recently renovated Wichita Art Museum houses one of the country’s premiere collections of American art, including works by Georgia O’Keefe and Edward Hopper. Also in Wichita, the contemporary Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State University features cutting-edge exhibits, including a dynamic out-

Heartspring of Hope

ew things touch a parent’s heart more than the immeasurable love of a child with special needs. That’s why Heartspring has continued its mission of helping kids with disabilities reach their potential since 1934. “Heartspring is the pioneering program for children with special needs and multiple disabilities,” says Katie Bishop, director of marketing. “We were the first organization in the world to serve the number of children we serve under one roof.” More than 100,000 children have received care at Heartspring since it opened more than 70 years ago. The organization serves children of all ages with its three specialty programs: The Heartspring School, a day and residential school for children nationwide with multiple disabilities including autism; Heartspring Pediatric Services, helping children with developmental disabilities; and Heartspring Hearing Center, helping individuals of all ages with hearing loss. “Wichita has truly embraced Heartspring and the children we serve,” Bishop says. “We have the support of the community, which allows our children to experience life outside of our campus – shopping at the mall, playing in local parks, eating out at restaurants and visiting the zoo. We are able to provide these children with opportunities they may not otherwise experience.”

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door sculpture collection. Artists can broaden their creative horizons at CityArts or at the Wichita Center for the Arts, the latter of which includes a gallery and 484-seat theatre for performing arts. Thespians also will be delighted by the professional, Broadway-quality performances at The Music Theatre of Wichita. Stage One, the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and the Wichita Grand Opera are just a few more of the many outlets for creative expression and appreciation within the community. With so many options, it’s no wonder that more than one million people attended an arts or cultural event here in 2006. Sanderson says that equals $50 million in local economic activity – money used to support jobs, generate government revenue and lay the cornerstone for tourism. “There has always been a strong presence of the arts in Wichita,” Sanderson says. “That translates into a very good quality of life in the middle of Kansas.”

Heartspring also reaches out to special needs children worldwide, with programs in China, Croatia, Romania, Malawi, India and Myanmar. Heartsping is a nonprofit organization, with the majority of its $12 million budget coming from area school districts and social service agencies of enrolled children. “To see first-hand the difference we make in the lives of these special children is truly remarkable,” Bishop says. “To watch these families grow together as a result of their interaction with Heartspring is even more moving.” – Stories by Melanie Hill

Since 1934, Heartspring has served more than 100,000 children with special needs.

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Photo Essay

Theatre

Town VENUES SET STAGE FOR WORLD-CLASS ENTERTAINMENT PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES ALDRIDGE

The 13th Avenue Warren Theatre

ere’s to a city that takes dinner-and-a-show way beyond the ordinary. From artfully restored historic theatres to state-of-the-art motion picture complexes that are earning global recognition for their many creature comforts, Wichita is home to a superb collection of venues for both live theatre and film. Providing the best places to see Hollywood’s latest releases is Warren Theatres LLC. The company is headquartered here and operates 34 screens at three locations bearing the company name throughout the city: Old Town Warren, 13th Avenue Warren and 21st Street Warren. The design of all three locations evokes memories of cinema’s Golden Age with art deco architectural features – including fine details such as terrazzo floors, etched glass and countertops and flooring made of marble and granite. The theatres also offer state-of-the-art amenities that exceed moviegoers’ expectations, G R E AT E R W I C H I TA A R E A

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Photo Essay

such as plush, recliner-style seats and even push-button food and beverage service in the balcony of the 13th Avenue location. The company recently earned recognition in Flaunt Magazine as the top theatre builder in the world. For those preferring live theatrical performances, the city offers a couple of beautifully restored venues, the Orpheum Theatre on the corner of Broadway and First Streets, and the Crown Uptown on East Douglas Avenue. Restoration is under way while performances continue at the Orpheum Theatre. The theatre was built in 1922 and is considered to be one of the finest examples of

the atmospheric school of theatre architecture. The creator of the atmospheric school, architect John Eberson, designed the interior of the Orpheum to replicate a palace courtyard in Andalusia, Spain, and it features a blue ceiling with stars and a cloud machine that creates the feeling of viewing performances beneath the heavens. Stars also twinkle in the ceiling at another atmospheric theatre in town, the Crown Uptown, which was designed by the Boller Brothers and built in 1928. At the Crown, theatre lovers enjoy Broadway-style shows and an allyou-can-eat buffet provided by the Crown Uptown Professional Dinner Theatre, which was founded in 1977.

Orpheum Theatre

The 13th Avenue Warren Theatre

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Crown Uptown

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Business

Heads in the

Clouds

AVIATION INNOVATION BOLSTERS WICHITA’S STATUS AS ‘AIR CAPITAL OF THE WORLD’

STORY BY JIM ELLIOTT

lyde Cessna, Walter Beech and Lloyd Stearman started something here in the 1920s that remains to this day: Wichita’s status as the “Air Capital of the World.” The aviation industry here comprises five major aircraft manufacturers and numerous ancillary aviation companies, and is the area’s largest employer. Cessna Aircraft Co. alone employs 11,000 workers here,

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while Hawker Beechcraft Corp. – originally Beech’s company – employs an additional 6,500 people. Stearman sold Stearman Aircraft to Boeing, but his Wichita legacy continues in the form of Spirit AeroSystems. Sold by Boeing in 2005, this Wichita-based company is today the world’s largest independent supplier of large component parts and assemblies for commercial aircraft. Along the way, Bombardier Learjet and Airbus North America have

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Big on Service CESSNA OPERATES ITS LARGEST CITATION SERVICE CENTER IN WICHITA

come to establish major presences in Wichita as well. Bombardier delivers 300 jets per year and debuted its newest Learjet model with a state-of-the-art avionics suite in 2007. Cessna, which produces nearly 400 planes per year, has its corporate headquarters in Wichita. Hawker Beechcraft makes everything from the Beechcraft Bonanza, a single-engine piston plane now in its 60th year of continuous production, to business jets, and was the first manufacturer to produce a business aircraft plane out of all composite material, according to Mike Turner, senior manager of public relations. “We use composite as a sandwich, with graphite epoxy strands wound around layers of a honeycomb Nomex material,” Turner says. “The real advantage for us is that it is lighter and stronger than aluminum, which allows us to build an airplane of a given size with a larger interior cabin.” Composites also allow fabrication of extremely aerodynamic forms that can’t be made of aluminum, Turner says. Composites of a different sort are used by Spirit AeroSystems Inc., which is the largest content supplier for the 787 Dreamliner, Boeing’s next-generation twin-aisle aircraft. The composite design of that plane’s fuselage, the first of its type for an airliner, consists of layer upon layer of graphite tape impregnated with fibers of carbon that give it tremendous strength with low weight. The structure is cured in a giant autoclave, an oven measuring 70 feet in length and 30 feet in diameter. “It’s 15-20 percent lighter than aluminum, which reduces the amount of fuel burned,” says David Walker, Spirit’s senior vice president of sales and marketing. “Carbon also eliminates corrosion. Normally, the airlines bring in a plane every five to 10 years for a heavy check because aluminum does corrode, but with this corrosion-free material they can eliminate a lot of those expensive corrosion checks.” That explains why Boeing had 650 firm orders for a plane that, as of June 2007, had not yet flown. “We think composites are going to be more important in the future as other airplanes evolve and come on line,” says Debbie Gann, senior marketing manager. In the meantime, Spirit continues to build aluminum fuselages and other parts in Wichita for every other Boeing jetliner in production. The aviation presence in Wichita has also made it the home of support companies like Burnham Composite Structures Inc., which designs and fabricates composite tooling for the aerospace industry. Burnham’s products are utilized in support of space, defense, commercial and general aviation aircraft throughout the country.

Spirit AeroSystems leads the industry as the largest content supplier for Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner.

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ou’d expect a city of Wichita’s stature in the aviation industry to have plenty of aircraft manufacturing and service capacity, but few can imagine the size of Cessna’s Citation Service Center, a 477,000-square-foot behemoth that can fit 100 of these slick business jets inside it. “It’s longer than the Empire State Building is tall,” said Pia Bergqvist, manager of media relations & editorial services for Cessna Aircraft Company. Cessna operates a total of 10 service centers, with nine of them in the U.S. and the 10th in Paris. Yet, the Wichita facility is by far the largest, befitting its location at the company’s hub. “Our objective is to provide value, dependability and an exceptional customer experience through delivery of quality service,” the company says. “That includes on-time delivery, careful handling, fast response, fair treatment, no surprises, work done right the first time, and personalized service.” Once the company issues an airworthiness certificate for a particular Citation, the service center provides comprehensive maintenance, inspection, modification services and spare parts support. Most customers bring their own aircraft in for these services and often stay in Wichita during the entire time the aircraft is in for service. With the added convenience of a FlightSafety International learning center located at the airport, customers may fulfill recurring training requirements during their stay. While the company won’t name its customers due to its privacy policy, locals say that on some occasions, celebrities are among those bringing their planes to the Wichita Service Center. So if you happen to recognize a superstar from the silver screen or professional sports around town, chances are they are here for service work on their Citations. – Jim Elliott

Cessna has produced more than 4,000 Citation business jets since its prototype flew in 1969.

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Business | Biz Briefs

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Fortunately for both communities, Viega isn’t satisfied with a simple change of address. The company has announced plans to build a 450,000square-foot manufacturing facility in McPherson, replacing the existing 135,000-square-foot plant. At the same time, the corporate office in Wichita will relocate from its Epic Center location to a new, 75,000-square-foot building at 13th and Webb. The company will add employees at both locations when construction is complete. “We will continue to grow here,” says Bonnie Mason, corporate recruiter for Viega NA. “We’ll eventually be the same size as our German operation.” About one-third of Viega NA’s corporate personnel made the move from Boston to Wichita, where the transplants are enjoying the lower cost of living and greater living space. “It’s a big difference for families. They’re extremely happy,” Mason says.

Sand Creek Station Golf Course is located in Newton, just outside of Wichita.

A WEE BIT OF SCOTLAND Sand Creek Station Golf Club is delivering a wee bit of Scotland to the Wichita area. The golf course borrows not just the links style from courses across the Atlantic but entire holes. The green of the famed Road Hole at St. Andrews is replicated at Sand Creek’s No. 16, as is the Redan from Royal Prestwick on the course’s 13th. A third hole, No. 12, is a replica of the fourth hole at the National Golf Links in the United States. The overall effect is a layout Golf Magazine declared one of “the top 10 courses you can play” in 2006. Part of the appeal is the service available at Sand Creek Station. The course promotes itself as a “public course [with a] private experience.” 34

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“We like to provide the amenities you see at a private course,” says General Manager Chris Tuohey, listing parking services, single fees and, soon, GPS in all carts. “Our belief is to kill them with service.” The first phase of a plan to build up to 560 homes around the course is already under way. GUTEN TAG, WICHITA A century-old German company is now making its North American home in Wichita. Viega NA, a manufacturer of plumbing and heating products, relocated its corporate office from Boston to Wichita in 2006. The move followed the company’s 2005 purchase of Vanguard Piping Systems in McPherson, Kan.

LINKING TO THE MAJORITY The MidAmerica Minority Business Development Council helps minorityowned businesses by bringing them together with majority-owned ones. The Wichita council, founded in 2006, is a satellite to the Kansas City office and one of 39 regional affiliates of the National Minority Supplier Development Council. It serves more than 200 certified Minority Business Enterprises in the Wichita area. “Our specific mission is to link minority- and majority-owned companies together for sub-contracting opportunities,” says Barbara Wright, vice president of the local council. The council accomplishes its mission in a variety of ways, including educational workshops, corporate roundtables, buyer/supplier forums and as a resource for other agencies. And though minorityowned businesses are the focus, the council assists all small business owners in achieving their aims. The local council also serves as a certifying agency for minority businesses, ensuring qualified companies complete the necessary due diligence to become eligible for Minority-Owned Business Enterprise status. The council office is located at 209 E. William, Suite 104 in downtown Wichita. G R E AT E R W I C H I TA A R E A

OFFICE SPACE INSPIRES Office This is removing the drudgery from a trip to the office. The Wichita complex is a step up from the home or small office, delivering technology and amenities in an attractive, professional setting. Office This offers 260 work stations, conference rooms, receptionists, computers or laptop connections, IP phones with voice mail, copy and fax services and every other convenience of a larger office space. Clients can reserve all of this for only $250 per month. “People can come into our place and compete with the big boys,” says Max Cole, owner. Office This opened in February 2007 and already has 60 clients signed up through its time-share-styled arrangement. But word is spreading quickly about the benefits of this new idea in business. “Our members love it,” Cole says. “They’re the ones who bring us all our new business.”

Office This LLC operates on the concept of providing all the necessary amenities to offer clients the conveniences of a much larger office.

SHOOTER’S PARADISE Flint Oak calls itself “Disneyland for Shotgunners.” The private hunting preserve, located 75 minutes east of Wichita in Fall River, provides 4,800 acres of pristine Kansas ground to its nationwide roster of members. Those members fly or drive in during a seven-month stretch to hunt game over the rolling natural grasses, oak savanna and 600 acres of uncultivated food plots. From Sept. 1 to March 31, pheasant, quail and partridge hunting is available to Flint Oak’s 330 members. In-season deer and turkey hunting also is offered. A kennel of hunting dogs completes the experience. In addition, Flint Oak offers the complete range of shooting opportunities, including clays, five stand, skeet, trap and a rifle range. Those options, plus fishing on one of four lakes, hiking and mountain biking, are available to members and non-members from April 1 to Aug. 31. The facility can sleep up to 140 guests. “It’s not uncommon to have 60-70 people on site during any given day in hunting season,” operations manager Jeff Oakes says. – Dan Markham G R E AT E R W I C H I TA A R E A

I M AG E S W I C H I TA . C O M

Residence Inn by Marriott • Wichita East 411 S. Webb Rd. • Wichita, KS 67207 (316) 686-7331 • (316) 686-2345 wichitagm@ih-corp.com

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G R E AT E R W I C H I TA A R E A

Business | Chamber Report

Chamber Launches Bold Venture WEB SITE PUSHES MEMBER BUSINESSES TO EXPAND HORIZONS AND POSSIBILITIES

t may sound a bit like the intro to Star Trek, but the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce’s new Web site, www.ventureboldly.com, does share a little of that show’s bent toward exploring new worlds. Touted as a way to do “business without cubicles, without board rooms – without rooms,” the site is meant to provide new ways to share information, including blogs, podcasts and videos. The main goal is enhanced communication by, between and for members, says Ryan Entz, director of marketing and communications for the chamber. “The vision for this site originated from the very essence of our brand, ‘Venture Boldly,’” Entz says. “Growing a business and transforming a community demand revolutionary thinking and extraordinary vision, and we set out to create a Web site that reflected this philosophy.” The chamber debuted the site in April 2007 during a community roundtable on the state of the arts in the region. According to Entz, the reaction has been positive, even though many of the various components, such as the blogs, were a new effort for all parties involved. “The use of blogging and podcasting in business is a reasonably new concept, so our membership is sort of riding along beside us with the initial phase of getting used to the idea,” he says. “We do feel our members will benefit from the content on the site. What’s more, we believe it will help increase member participation and involvement by allowing them to benefit from our unique programming; even if they can’t get away from the office at the time of the event, they will be able to listen to many of the speakers and leaders when and how they want to.” Once members become accustomed to the site, they’ll expect to see fresh content coming in a steady stream, so Entz says the challenge now is to keep up. The chamber will continue to add additional event recordings and podcasts featuring panel discussions, G R E AT E R W I C H I TA A R E A

as well as business and community leaders speaking on important issues. RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds will be developed to enhance content distribution as well. If all this sounds like it’s aimed at a very tech-savvy audience, well, it is. While the site’s goal is to bring value to all chamber members, Entz says the organization hopes it really will catch fire with younger ones. “We hope to engage the young professionals in our community with this new media and attest to the fact that the chamber is relevant to them as

they begin to become leaders in our community,” he says. “Plus, we believe this will help small businesses make better uses of the resources we offer by bringing it to them on their own time.” – Joe Morris

In April 2007, The Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce debuted its new www.ventureboldly.com site.

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Business | Economic Profile

THE GREATER WICHITA AREA BUSINESS CLIMATE Wichita, the largest city in Kansas, is the economic hub of the region. The city has a strong manufacturing base, most of which is related to the aircraft industry.

TRANSPORTATION Airports Colonel James Jabara Airport (corporate), (316) 636-9700 Wichita Mid-Continent Airport (316) 946-4790 Highways Wichita is conveniently situated on Interstate 35, which connects to nearby Interstates 70 and 40. The area is also served by Interstate 135, U.S. 54 and other state highways. Ports Port of Kansas City (200 miles northeast) Access to the Mississippi River via the Missouri River Tulsa Port of Catoosa (170 miles southeast) Access to the Mississippi River via the Arkansas River Rail PassengerAmtrak (Newton, Kan. – 30 miles north), (316) 283-7533 or (800) 872-7245 Freight (Class 1) Burlington Northern Santa Fe (800) 795-2673

Specialty Trade Contractors 9,385

Terminal Railroad

Professional and Technical Services, 8,817

Wichita Terminal Association (316) 262-5081

FACTS/STATISTICS Population, 592,126 (MSA) Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2006)

Merchant Wholesalers, Social Assistance, 6,330

Unemployed, 14,868

National average, 100%

Unemployment rate, 4.7%

Dallas, 92.5%

Source: Kansas Department of Human Resources, fourcounty MSA (June 2007)

Denver, 102.3%

Average annual pay (all sectors), $35,760

Kansas City, Mo./Kan., 95.1%

Source: Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2006)

Omaha, Neb., 89.0%

Commute – The Wichita metro area average one-way travel time to work is about 18 minutes – 28 percent shorter than the national average of 25 minutes.

Wichita, 90.4%

MAJOR INDUSTRIES Wichita MSA Private Industries (www.gwedc.org) Industry, Average 2005 Employment

Union Pacific (316) 268-9400

Food Services and Drinking Places, 21,137

Shortline

Administrative and Support Services, 15,578

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General Merchandise Stores 7,145

COST OF LIVING

Kansas City Southern (816) 983-1303

Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad (316) 261-6144

Nursing and Residential Care Facilities, 7,402

Civilian Labor Force, 319,176

Manufacturing – Transportation Equipment (Primarily Aircraft), 34,937

Kansas South Western (316) 263-3240

Southern Kansas & Oklahoma (316) 231-2230

Ambulatory Health Care Services, 12,336 Hospitals, 9,551

Des Moines, Iowa, 90.5% Indianapolis, 95.5% Oklahoma City, 91.1% St. Louis, 96.1% Source: ACCRA Cost-of-Living Survey, 1st quarter 2007

FOR MORE INFORMATION Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce 350 W. Douglas Ave. Wichita, Kan. 67202 Phone: (316) 265-7771 www.wichitachamber.org www.ventureboldly.com Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition (GWEDC) is a regional public/ private partnership that is housed at the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce. Phone: (316) 268-1133 www.gwedc.org

Sources: www.gwedc.org www.wichitachamber.org

G R E AT E R W I C H I TA A R E A

Education

Winning Aces EAST HIGH SCHOOL PRODUCES MANY NOTABLE ALUMNI

Wichita High School East is the state’s largest high school.

PHOTO BY WES ALDRIDGE

IB Program Yields Honors for WHSE NEWSWEEK: HIGH SCHOOL EAST AMONG NATION’S BEST

college prep program for Wichita High School East’s most motivated students is one big reason Newsweek has ranked it among the nation’s top 1,200 high schools for the last four years. One of only four International Baccalaureate programs in Kansas, and one of 1,900 worldwide, East’s IB pro gram has trained first-rate scholars since 1990; today, more than 400 students in grades nine-12 take part in the challenging program that consists of special coursework that is graded according to IB’s international standards. “It’s a very rigorous college preparatory program that’s very focused and demanding,” says Wendy Johnson, marketing and communications division director for USD 259. “But there is a lot of support from the school, from one another and from the parents. The strength of the program is that it prepared them to take on any challenge when they get out of school.” Rising ninth-grade students are accepted into the IB program based on grades, teacher recommendations, tests of critical thinking and writing and standardized test scores. The first two years of the program are considered preIB preparation; the diploma program comprises the junior and senior years. Students take special courses and G R E AT E R W I C H I TA A R E A

must score at IB-set levels in order to receive the coveted IB diploma. They also must complete a 4,000-word research essay and earn 200 hours of Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) experience over their four years in the program. Work and test scores are evaluated by external graders. Students in the IB program come from 30 public middle schools around the region, including some private schools. “We have folks who come into our district from private schools and parochial schools, or who move here specifically to apply and be part of the program, which tells you something about how successful it is,” Johnson says. The program’s IB diploma rate in 2006 was 97 percent; it has been 95 percent for the past five years, especially impressive compared to the U.S. average of 73 percent and the worldwide average of 85 percent. Many IB students earn college credit, scholarships and admission to elite colleges thanks to their participation in the program. “You have to be very dedicated and willing to work like crazy to succeed in the IB program, but there is tremendous support for students who choose it,” Johnson says. – Laura Hill

aybe there’s something in the water fountains, or maybe it’s knowing you’re part of a proud tradition, but a number of East High Aces have gone on to fame and glory. For example, there’s Jim Ryun, the first high school student to run the mile in under four minutes. He went to the Olympics in 1964 while still a student at East, and again in 1968 and 1972. Remembered as one of the world’s great runners, he also served in Congress from 1997 to 2007. Robert Gates, class of 1961, also made his mark in Washington, as director of the CIA under former president George H.W. Bush and in December of 2006 was sworn in as U.S. Secretary of Defense. Diane Bish learned to play the organ at East and is now an internationally known artist. Her TV show, “The Joy of Music,” is seen and heard by more than 300 million people weekly. Writer Teresa Riordan, class of 1978, wrote the “Patently Weird” column for The New York Times. Gary M. Adamson, class of 1954, founded Air Midwest Airlines. Michael McClure was one of the major Beat Generation poets. Astronaut Charles (Chuck) Jones, class of 1970, was among those who perished on Sept. 11, 2001. Alafair Burke has authored several crime novels and is a radio and TV commentator. She is the daughter of crime writer James Lee Burke and a radio and TV commentator. Kevin Kastning, class of 1978, is an internationally recognized classical composer and recording artist. – Laura Hill

I M AG E S W I C H I TA . C O M

Education

New Alliance Will Enhance Education

ith a strong public school system and thriving postsecondary choices, Wichita is cultivating a crop of lifelong learners. High school students and their families may choose from a wide variety of opportunities in the city’s public school system, from strong comprehensive high schools with their rich array of arts, athletics and music programs to alternative schools, magnet schools and technical training. Private and parochial schools offer other choices still. “There are so many options for families in Wichita,” says Wendy Johnson, marketing and communications division director for USD 259. “We’re very fortunate that our public schools present such a strong option – something a lot of urban areas don’t have.” After high school, students of all ages and interests can find educa-

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tional options at any of the Wichita area’s 20-plus colleges and postsecondary institutions. In fact, plans are under way to develop Wichita as a “College Mecca,” which is an outgrowth of the city’s Visioneering Wichita process. “Two important things in the visioneering document were focusing on jobs that drive the economy and young people,” says Suzie Ahlstrand, vice president of community advancement with the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce, which launched Visioneering Wichita. The College Mecca Strategic alliance is one of 15 that grew from the visioning process. Its goal has been to increase communication among leaders of the area’s post-secondary schools with an eye toward building Wichita as a center for education. – Laura Hill

ANTONY BOSHIER

VISIONEERING WICHITA AIMS TO DEVELOP CITY INTO ‘COLLEGE MECCA’

Wichita State University is among more than 20 colleges and postsecondary institutions in the area.

G R E AT E R W I C H I TA A R E A

WES ALDRIDGE

Arts & Culture

Splendor in the Tallgrass WICHITA ASSOCIATION OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS’ FILM FESTIVAL GROWS IN POPULARITY

wo time zones and 1,300 miles from the million-dollar movie sets of Hollywood, independent filmmakers gather in Wichita each October to celebrate the visionary art of filmmaking. Sponsored by the Wichita Association of Motion Picture Arts, The Tallgrass Film Festival showcases both feature length and short films covering a variety of genres, including narrative fiction, documentary, animation and experimental, at venues throughout the city. “Many of these films would not otherwise be screened here, so it gives the Wichita community a chance to see the world or subjects through a different and interesting viewpoint,” says Lee Whitman, co-producer and director of marketing for the festival. “I think Wichitans, and Americans in general, are really hungry for something different from this art form, and we provide that.” The weekend-long festival, started by the late Timothy Gruver in 2002, now draws a crowd of more than 4,000 locals and tourists. According to Shan Jabara, director of programming, the popular event also

has grown in refinement, adopting a “quality over quantity” principal. More than 10 of the festival’s featured films have been nominated for or received Sundance or Independent Spirit Awards, while two films featured in 2006 went on to contend for the much-coveted Oscar. Others have earned national distribution and theatrical release, or are featured on independent television film channels or programs. The festival has grown in its level of involvement with the community as well. Area non-profits are invited to co-sponsor or introduce films that relate to their mission, while programming and events are designed to reflect the region’s diverse audience. Wichita’s 21st century position as a haven for arts and culture has been molded by innovative visual and performing artists driven to create their own scene. “Whereas there has been a worldclass symphony in Wichita for many years, some other art forms are just now coming into their own,” Jabara says. “This produces an environment ripe for appreciation of events such

as an international film festival like Tallgrass.” Supported by major national sponsors and more than 100 local businesses, WAMPA has provided countless filmmakers a creative outlet since 2002. The 501(c)(3) cinematic arts organization fosters community appreciation by offering art-related programs to showcase the city’s venues, cultural attractions and artistic communities. WAMPA also promotes artistic expression through a diverse offering of workshops, educational film classes, lectures and screenings. One of the organization’s most popular events is the Cinema Al Fresco Series, which brings weekly outdoor film screenings to the community during summer and fall months. “WAMPA is always looking for new and exciting events to further the art of filmmaking in the greater Wichita area,” Whitman says. “People are always looking for ways to express themselves and experience other people’s emotions. WAMPA holds these events so people can do that.” – Melanie Hill

The Warren Old Town Theatre is among several venues throughout Wichita that host screenings during the annual Tallgrass Film Festival, which began in 2002 as a program of the Wichita Association of Motion Picture Arts.

G R E AT E R W I C H I TA A R E A

I M AG E S W I C H I TA . C O M

Sports & Recreation

Life in the Fast Lanes WICHITA STATE’S BOWLING TEAMS CONSISTENTLY EMERGE TOP IN THE NATION

ichita State University’s bowling program has a reputation of global proportions. Timur Madaminov, an 18-year-old Russian student and member of Russia’s Youth National bowling

team, says he knew Wichita State was the place to come to pursue his goals – among them, a business degree and growth as a sportsman through the Shocker bowling program. Apparently, a lot of people agree with

him. Some 50-plus students from 20 states and several countries come to WSU every year to vie for a spot on the elite men’s and women’s bowling teams. And no wonder. The Shockers are the best in the country, with 15 National Championships and consistent top poll ratings to prove it. Since the national tournament began in 1975, the Shocker men’s team has earned seven national championships. The Shocker women garnered their eighth championship in April 2007. The women’s team has ranked in the top 10 in every national poll for 28 years running, and the men have ranked No. 1 an impressive 38 times. Their records stand unmatched among U.S. collegiate teams. In addition, six National Bowlers of the Year and 159 All-Americans have come out of the Shocker bowling program. Twenty-five of the school’s bowlers have gone to international

Wichita State bowling coaches Mark Lewis, at far left, and Gordon Vadakin, at far right, along with the men’s and women’s teams, represent a program that has gained global recognition for its excellence. Top: The Wichita State women’s bowling team huddles prior to winning its eighth national championship.

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G R E AT E R W I C H I TA A R E A

Jesse Buss delivers a shot as teammates watch during the 2007 Intercollegiate Team Championships.

competition with Team USA. Bowlers at WSU encounter competition for a spot on the team long before going up against another school. About 65 students try out annually, including past team members, who must try out each year, says coach Gordon Vadakin. Those who don’t make it can participate in the skills development program. Its rigorous classes and training ensure that aspiring players gain “the resources to be able to contend for a spot on the selected team,” Vadakin says. Every athlete must commit to learning and hard work, anchors of the Shocker bowling program philosophy. “It’s pretty simple, really,” Vadakin says. “We have a highly educational bowling program. We teach a lot. Players at an elite level have a lot to learn to be able to compete successfully. It’s no coincidence that the best students we have make the best bowlers, and vice versa. We feel that success in the classroom translates to success in the lanes. And it’s well known that if you want to bowl at this school, you’d better be interested in working hard.” The Shocker program is good bowling and good business. Its charted economic impact for the 2006-07 academic year – from things like media exposure, out-of-state tuition and sold-out summer bowling camps for up-and-coming athletes – totaled $2.5 million. Ultimately, Shocker success has helped collegiate bowling everywhere. “Someone has to get out front and figure things out,” Vadakin says. “In the beginning, we were that program. What we’re trying to do now is continue to evolve, not sit back and rest.” – Carol Cowan G R E AT E R W I C H I TA A R E A

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Health & Wellness

The Greater Wichita YMCA serves approximately 160,000 people annually through its seven branches. Its newest location is the 102,000-square-foot Northwest Branch, which opened in June 2006 on 21st Street North. PHOTO BY MICHAEL W. BUNCH

Strength in Numbers GREATER WICHITA YMCA RANKS AMONG TOP IN COUNTRY FOR BUDGET AND SIZE

very day, the Greater Wichita YMCA finds new ways to strengthen area kids, families and communities. The program’s recreational centers, classes, childcare programs and day camps rank among the top 30 in the nation in terms of operating budget and size, and serve a diverse population of 12,000 men, women and children each day. “Our mission is what sets us apart from other athletic facilities,” says Shelly Conrady, communications director for the Greater Wichita YMCA. “As a nonprofit, we’re focused on giving back to community and doing what we can to help members and non-members develop healthy lifestyle choices.” That commitment to serving all individuals regardless of ability to pay is what has distinguished the YMCA for more than 100 years. The organization offers financial assistance programs with discounts of up to 90 percent off monthly membership rates and other classes. With seven branches and more than 100 total locations throughout the city, G R E AT E R W I C H I TA A R E A

the YMCA is doing its part to educate and care for residents in middle Kansas. The organization is the largest child care provider in the Wichita area, providing award-winning child development centers in several local high schools. Latchkey before- and afterschool programs also are available in several middle schools, where field trip and homework assistance is provided to more than 6,000 students each year. Meanwhile, the SPLASH program ensures every area secondgrader has the opportunity to swim and provides transportation to and from the YMCA’s water parks and indoor and outdoor pools. Conrady says the popular aquatic facilities provide more than a place to cool off during the long, hot days of summer. “Many people overlook the health benefits of swimming, but the water parks provide a great opportunity for families and kids to stay fit together,” she says. The three water parks feature high and fast slides, diving boards and

climbing walls designed to help kids combat obesity and provide a safe and healthy place to hang out. Members of all ages will enjoy the YMCA’s new Indoor Sports Center, located on the South Branch campus. The facility features hardwood courts, gymnasiums, spectator and concession seating, a performance training center and more. The center also will host large-scale clinics and tournaments as well as competitive sports leagues. Health screenings, fitness classes, marathons, family centers, corporate health programs, adult sports leagues, certified personal trainers and community outreach programs are just a handful of the many services available to the more than 160,000 members and residents served by the YMCA. Conrady says the program’s incredible growth is made possible by enormous community support. “We have strong volunteer and professional support, from fundraising and creating new facilities to general membership, “ she says. “You can’t do it without that.” – Melanie Hill I M AG E S W I C H I TA . C O M

Haysville HealthCare Center Caring in a Better Way Day by Day

• 24-hour Licensed Nursing Care • Physical, Occupational & Speech Therapy in a Newly Renovated Clinic • A Trailblazer in the Advancing Excellence National Campaign • One of the NHC Healthcare’s 4-Star Centers of Excellence

215 N. Lamar • Haysville, KS 67060 (316) 524-3211 • Fax: (316) 524-7470

Community Profile

THE GREATER WICHITA AREA SNAPSHOT Wichita, located in south-central Kansas, has been named an All-America City three times. It is recognized as one of the major mid-size cities in the United States and boasts 225 sunny days a year.

WICHITA SUPERLATIVES Money magazine, the Top 10 Best Big Cities, 2006 Wichita is one of the best big cities in the nation. According to Money magazine, Wichita is No. 9 (just above New York City) in the list of the Top 10 Best Big Cities.

What does it cost to live well? In 2005, Forbes.com looked at a major metro region in each of the 50 states and estimated such expenses as primary and secondary homes, private education, taxes, utilities and more, to find out what it costs to live the good life. Wichita ranked No. 1.

Wichita Convention & Visitors Bureau 100 S. Main St., Suite 100 Wichita, KS 67202 265-2800 or (800) 288-9424 www.visitwichita.com

QUALITY OF LIFE

$105,900 or 48% below the national median price of $219,300

Wichita offers many amenities, including:

HOUSING COSTS Existing Single-Family Home Median Sale Price $113,400

Source: National Association of Realtors (4th quarter 2006)

America’s Smartest Cities, Bizjournals.com

low cost of living

How does Wichita rank in brainpower with some of America’s biggest cities? According to a recent study by Bizjournals.com, Wichita ranked No. 23 on America’s brainiest big city list.

excellent education

14 musical organizations

Source: National Association of Realtors (2006)

Bizjournals.com analyzed the educational levels of adults in nearly 16,000 cities, towns, villages, boroughs and unincorporated areas. Communities were ranked in three population categories, based on a formula that rewards places with heavy concentrations of college graduates. The rankings reflect each community’s collective brainpower, which is tied to its residents’ abilities to innovate, create, compete – and make money.

two professional dance companies

Two-Bedroom Apartment Average Rent $605

annual events like the Wichita Jazz Festival, Wichita River Festival and Wichita Aviation Festival

$175 or 22% lower than the national average of $780

Bizjournals.com also ranked Wichita No. 2 among its top 10 most affordable markets in which to own a home. Forbes.com ranks Wichita as the Best Place to Live the Good Life Cheaply.

The area code for Wichita is 316.

low crime rate

dozens of cultural, recreational and entertainment possibilities 40 museums and galleries 10 performing arts theaters

collegiate and semipro sports teams in soccer, golf, hockey, basketball, volleyball, baseball, tennis and football 18 golf courses for public play and nine private courses

Newly Built SingleFamily Home Median Sale Price $170,000 $71,600 or 30% below the national median price of $241,600

Unfurnished 950 sq ft, 1 1/2 or 2 baths, stove, refrigerator, water/sewer in rent Source: ACCRA Cost of Living Survey 3rd quarter-2006

FOR MORE INFORMATION

outdoor recreation

Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce 350 W. Douglas Ave. Wichita, KS 67202 Phone: 265-7771 www.wichitachamber.org www.ventureboldly.com

For a full listing of cultural, recreation and entertainment opportunities, contact:

Sources: www.wichitachamber.org

90 denominations/500 places of worship thriving downtown, Old Town (premier entertainment district) and upscale shopping

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Visit Our Advertisers

OF THE GREATER WICHITA AREA, KANSAS

BlueCross BlueShield of Kansas www.bcbsks.com

Intrust Bank www.intrustbank.com

Botanica the Wichita Gardens www.botanica.org

J.P. Weigand & Sons, Inc. www.weigand.com

Boynton & Boynton Family Dental www.boyntondentistry.com

Medical Community Credit Union www.medicalcomcu.org

Butler Community College www.butlercc.edu

Newman University www.newmanu.edu

Carolyn French Team, Inc. www.carolynfrenchteam.com

Plaza Real Estate www.plazare.com

City of Derby www.derbyweb.com

Preferred Health Systems www.phsystems.com

City of Rose Hill www.cityofrosehill.com

Residence Inn by Marriott www.residenceinn.com/ictee

City of Wichita www.wichita.gov

Sedgwick County Zoo www.scz.org

Coldwell Banker Stucky & Associates

The Coleman Company, Inc. www.colemancareers.com

Delta Dental of Kansas, Inc. www.deltadentalks.com Friends University www.friends.edu Greater Wichita CVB www.visitwichita.com

University of Kansas http://wichita.kumc.edu Via Christi Wichita Health Net www.getgreatcare.com

Haysville Healthcare Center

Webster University www.webster.edu

Home Technology Systems, Inc. www.hometechnologysys.com

Wichita Collegiate School www.wcsks.com

Hyatt Regency Wichita www.hyatt.com

Wichita Public Schools www.usd259.com

SENIOR EDITOR LISA BATTLES COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS ASSOCIATE EDITORS SUSAN CHAPPELL, KIM MADLOM, ANITA WADHWANI ASSISTANT EDITOR REBECCA DENTON STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN, JESSICA MOZO DIRECTORIES EDITORS AMANDA MORGAN, KRISTY WISE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS JIM ELLIOTT, LAURA HILL, MELANIE HILL, DAN MARKHAM, JOE MORRIS, VALERIE PASCOE INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER SUZI M CGRUDER INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER JOE THOMAS ONLINE SALES MANAGER MATT SLUTZ SALES COORDINATOR SARA SARTIN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, WES ALDRIDGE, ANTONY BOSHIER, MICHAEL W. BUNCH, IAN CURCIO, BRIAN M CCORD PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT JESSY YANCEY CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR SHAWN DANIEL PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS ASST. PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN PRE-PRESS COORDINATOR HAZEL RISNER SENIOR PRODUCTION PROJECT MGR. TADARA SMITH PRODUCTION PROJECT MGRS. MELISSA HOOVER, JILL WYATT SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER, KRIS SEXTON, VIKKI WILLIAMS LEAD DESIGNER LINDA MOREIRAS GRAPHIC DESIGN JESSICA BRAGONIER, CANDICE HULSEY, JANINE MARYLAND, AMY NELSON, CARL RATLIFF WEB DESIGN RYAN DUNLAP, CARL SCHULTZ WEB PRODUCTION JILL TOWNSEND DIGITAL ASSET MANAGER ALISON HUNTER COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN CORY MITCHELL AD TRAFFIC MEGHANN CAREY, SARAH MILLER, PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN SR. V.P./PRODUCTION & OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER V.P./SALES HERB HARPER V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER V.P./TRAVEL PUBLISHING SYBIL STEWART EXECUTIVE EDITOR TEREE CARUTHERS MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS MAURICE FLIESS PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA MCFARLAND, LISA OWENS, JACKIE YATES RECRUITING DIRECTOR SUZY WALDRIP COMMUNITY PROMOTION DIRECTOR CINDY COMPERRY DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH MARKETING COORDINATOR AMY AKIN IT SYSTEMS DIRECTOR MATT LOCKE IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR NICOLE WILLIAMS SALES SUPPORT MANAGER/ CUSTOM MAGAZINES PATTI CORNELIUS

Images of the Greater Wichita Area is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce and its member businesses. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at info@jnlcom.com. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce 350 W. Douglas Ave. • Wichita, KS 67202 Phone: (316) 265-7771 • Fax: (316) 265-7502 E-mail: info@wichitachamber.org www.wichitachamber.org VISIT IMAGES OF THE GREATER WICHITA AREA ONLINE AT IMAGESWICHITA.COM ©Copyright 2007 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent. Member

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I M AG E S W I C H I TA . C O M

G R E AT E R W I C H I TA A R E A

Gaining the Competitive Edge

Success in Retention, Recruitment, Expansion Special Advertising Section Special Advertising Section

Business at

Full Throttle ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COALITION SUCCEEDS AT RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND EXPANSION

WES ALDRIDGE

ZTM President Brad Julius praises GWEDC for its support.

Special Advertising Section

he Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition is committed to building business success. A typical day finds the dedicated staff doing everything it can to help build or recruit business – from working with a major aviation manufacturer on a new facility to helping a small supplier with training programs so it can grow its workforce. As the one-stop economic development agency, GWEDC can coordinate through all public entities on behalf of new or existing business. The team works closely with clients to create an incentive package that meets the individual business needs. “We are all about customer service,” says J.V. Lentell, GWEDC Board Chairman. “Whatever the business needs for expansion or relocation, we will work with all the tools at our disposal and work closely with our public partners to help business of all types and sizes succeed.” Wichita has a well-deserved recognition as a business-friendly city. “The ‘Made in Wichita’ label has been synonymous with quality products for more than 100 years,” Lentell says. And those products have a long – as in global – reach. Between Boeing, Bombardier-Learjet, Cessna Aircraft, Hawker-Beechcraf t and Spirit AeroSystems, more than 50 percent of all aircraft are manufactured in Wichita, earning it the reputation as the aviation-manufacturing capital of the world. Other manufacturers continue to

expand their business as well, and GWEDC works to continually expand the area’s economic success. Johnson Controls recently announced a $45 million to $50 million investment in its factory, which manufactures York heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. And Burnham Composite Structures, which builds composite tooling for the aerospace industry, is in the process of building a new corporate headquarters and adding 60 employees. In both cases, the GWEDC helped create an individualized economic incentive package that included forgivable loans and employee training funds to help seal the deals. Another local success story is ZTM Inc., a manufacturer of large, complex precision-machine parts and assemblies for the aerospace industry. From a 17,000-square-foot facility it opened in 1996, the company has grown

into a second facility twice the size of the first. Now, with a new contract from Boeing-Seattle under its belt, ZTM has just spent $3.2 million on its original plant, a move that is expected to create 40 additional jobs. ZTM’s President Brad Julius says providing good service and on-time delivery has helped ZTM be successful in a very competitive industry. “We’re in it for the long haul,” he says. “We really partner with these companies, and we feel that if we take good care of them, they’ll remember us. They want to go with a supplier that’s reliable and stable.” Julius says he feels he gets that kind of treatment from the GWEDC. “Everything from equipment to buildings to additions is so expensive, and when the GWEDC helps us obtain tax breaks, training, anything like that, it’s huge,” he says. “It really is the difference

between being able to do it and being afraid to do it. When someone kicks in with money, and you feel like you’ve got good people on your side who believe in you and are backing you, it gives you the confidence to take the next step and add those 40 jobs, or however many you’re going to add.” This special section is published for Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition by Journal Communications Inc.

For more information, contact: Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition 350 W. Douglas Ave. • Wichita, KS 67202 Phone: (316) 265-1133 • Fax: (316) 265-7502 www.gwedc.org ©Copyright 2007 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this special advertising section may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.

The Place To Be and Grow Convergys plans new support center in Wichita

s a global leader in customer care, human resources and billing services, Convergys Corp. had its pick of locations when it decided to open new facilities. But very few people in Wichita were surprised when the company announced that it would locate one of its new operations here. The company is growing its customer care services, and the Wichita facility will supplement locations in North Carolina, New Mexico and Texas. The contact center, set to open in fall 2007, is expected to have 600 agent and management jobs, including customer service technicians, supervisors, training personnel, human resource officers and network management personnel. The company chose Wichita for a variety of reasons, says Marsha Etheridge, director of recruiting. “There were many factors involved in the site selection process, including availability and skills of workforce, and the technology infrastructure,” Etheridge says. The new facility is equipped to provide support ranging from customer service and advanced technical help desk support to a variety of Convergys clients via traditional voice calling,

e-mail and Web chat. In addition, Convergys provides back office applications such as correspondence and processing. Vertical industries that can be supported at this location include telecommunications, healthcare and financial services. Convergys has clients in more than 70 countries, speaking 35 languages, so the Wichita facility will quickly become part of a global network.

www.gwedc.org

WES ALDRIDGE

Living on the (Competitive)

Edge

WORKFORCE, SUPPLIERS AND EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS GIVE WICHITA A STRONG RECRUITING ADVANTAGE

usiness owners and managers know what drives a successful company is a highly competent workforce. No matter what the industry, the Greater Wichita region has it covered. Add to that a strong supplier base, a range of convenient transportation options, local economic development partners to help with financing and other issues, and an ever-increasing array of job training options, and it’s no wonder Wichita continues to see its existing business base grow and new businesses continually enter the market. “Local employees’ hard work and commitment to quality make our workforce a major competitive advantage,” says J.V. Lentell, chairman of the Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition board. “Today when we recruit

companies, the quality and availability of the workforce are prime factors in the decision-making process.” The area’s workforce, particularly in its aviation cluster, has been so solid and dependable for so long that it’s almost taken for granted, adds Keith Lawing, executive director of the Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas. “We have a very skilled and talented workforce, not only at the big companies, but the suppliers, too” Lawing says. “We have high-quality people, from engineers to production workers.” Advanced planning is taking place to assist local companies with workforce needs as baby boomers near retirement. “We’re making sure that the training dollars we have are getting to the people who need them the most, so we can continue to improve those skill sets,” Lawing says. “We’re

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working with nontraditional populations. And we’re working with young people so we can develop a pipeline. If we do it right, we’ll be able to see the results in five and 10 years down the road.” Some of the area’s higher-education institutions also provide research and development that enhance area companies. At Wichita State University, the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) has been providing hands-on research since 1985, and has evolved into a major player in the industry, as well as a strong recruitment tool. “If you look at some of the things companies like to see if they’re considering Wichita as a possible location for a future site, they want to see an application research university very near to where they’re going to locate their company,” says Dr. John Tomblin, executive director of NIAR. “That’s one thing that we do bring to the equation.” The Institute is seen as a vital link in the chain of product development, Tomblin adds. “We’re seen as essential, as opposed to a basic research unit that produces a report that may or may not be incorporated into the final product,” he says. “These product development efforts keep Wichita positioned on the leading edge of aviation manufacturing, while also helping the region to grow its other businesses, Lentell says. “We really feel that the Wichita area is one of the world’s foremost clusters for aviation manufacturing, and because of that, we’ve developed competitive advantages in manufacturing that transcend the aerospace sector,” Lentell says. “We have some of the most unique metal and advanced material fabrication capabilities in the world here in Wichita. Couple that with the research and development support from the National Institute for Aviation Research and our worldclass workforce, and you have a community where advanced manufacturing thrives.”

Hot-WIRED for Success Grant will enhance development activities in 10-county region

WES ALDRIDGE

The Wichita Workforce Center helps give Greater Wichita a competitive edge in attracting new investment and jobs. Left: Virtual Reality Center Manager Fernando F. Toledo uses Virtual Reality simulation as a teaching tool at the National Institute for Aviation Research.

he workforce of the future is being developed today for area businesses, and a new $5 million federal grant will speed up the effort in South Central Kansas. The 10-county area is the recipient of a Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) grant, which will be used to promote and develop the composites and engineered materials industries. The money, which will be distributed over a three-year period, will benefit Butler, Cowley, Harper, Harvey, Kingman, Marion, McPherson, Reno, Sedgwick and Sumner counties, and is expected to have a positive impact on economic development efforts in the aerospace and medical device industries, among others. Wichita’s position as a world leader in aviation manufacturing and development was a key factor in the award of the WIRED grant, but the wide distribution of funds will help the entire region, says Keith Lawing, executive director of the Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas. “Local workforce boards were a part of the leadership in putting the grant application together, so everyone has been involved in strategies to get the public workforce system more directly engaged in economic development, and creating linkage between them for education and other common strategies,” Lawing says. A primary focus for the grant funds will be to study how to continue transforming the region’s economy to capitalize on new players, such as the booming composites industry. “The trend toward using composites in plane manufacturing has been going on for a number of years, and the industry is increasingly moving in that direction,” Lawing says. “Our focus will be to look at how we can do a better job of integrating composites use in all of our major manufacturing clusters, including health care medical devices, building materials and others. The potential is just incredible.”

www.gwedc.org

Butler County

Wide-Ranging Growth EFFORTS ON MULTIPLE FRONTS EXPAND COUNTY’S ECONOMY

he energy horizon is expanding, and Butler County is positioned to reap the benefits. Petroleum production and refining are substantial contributors to the county’s economy. As national interest grows in alternative and renewable energy sources, Butler County Economic Development (BCED) is prepared to capitalize on that trend. “One of our target markets is the oil and suppliers industry, because we have a lot of resources here that they can utilize,” says David A. Alfaro, director of BCED. “Now we’re targeting biofuels as well.” Going after energy-related industries has already resulted in some major successes for BCED, most notably the recent expansion of BG Products into the county. The $2 million first phase of the company’s expansion will mean between 40 and 50 new jobs, and ultimately bring an estimated $32 million into the area. That’s on top of last year’s announcement of a 3-year, $359 million expansion project by Frontier El Dorado Refining Co., making Frontier the largest refinery in Kansas. Frontier employs 400 full-time workers and 100 contractors. The Frontier expansion, Alfaro says, is a good sign for the future of Butler

County. “It signals the company plans to be around for a while, and is taking steps to make sure it stays competitive.” These developments are helping on the biodiesel front. The companies Alfaro and his staff are targeting will have the benefit of connecting at some point with existing industries to complete the blending process that creates the fuel. “There are definitely some marriage possibilities between companies that are here and those we are talking to,” Alfaro says. Butler County’s industrial base reaches beyond energy-related firms. Industries related to planes, trains and automobiles keep unemployment figures low. The county also has firms involved in plastics, agriculture and other forms of manufacturing. The county boasts six large business parks, allowing prospective companies an opportunity to choose from a comprehensive array of available sites. Ease of access is also a plus, as the county has airports in Augusta, Benton and El Dorado, as well as rail service from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific railroad lines. Getting on the road is easy, with U.S. 54 and 77 coming through the county, as well as four

Butler County

Butler County Economic Development 121 S. Gordy, Suite 102 El Dorado, KS 67042 Phone: (316) 322-4242 Toll Free: (800) 794-6907 Fax: (316) 322-4245 www.bucoks.com

Special Advertising Section

Walter’s Pumpkin Patch in Butler County is fun for the family.

entrances onto I-35. In addition, Butler County has created an aggressive and creative incentive package to assist industry start-ups and expansions. Another arrow in BCED’s quiver is the county’s highly skilled workforce, which is enhanced by programs at Butler Community College aimed specifically at supporting the needs of existing industry, as well as a traditional curriculum in business and health care. “The college is a great recruiting tool because their training programs tie into our workforce development center,” Alfaro says. “They have excellent programs in composites, and they are getting into almost every facet of the aircraft industry. “What we’re seeing is the expansion of large companies, and of one-man operations,” he says. “But who knows, today’s ‘mom and pop’ operation could turn into tomorrow’s Boeing.”

Cowley County

Growing From Within COWLEY FIRST NURTURES EXISTING FIRMS ATTRACTS NEW JOBS

ith four major industrial parks, one already at capacity, it’s clear that businesses consider Cowley County a great place to locate — and grow. “Our emphasis has been on growing from within,” says Debra Teufel, director of Cowley First – Cowley County Economic Development Partnership. “We have a lot of expansion under way right now within our major manufacturing sectors, especially our plastics cluster.” Much of that growth was born out of Newell Rubbermaid’s decision to expand its existing Winfield, Kansas location, which has now grown to more than 1,000 employees today, Teufel says. Mead Westvaco Calmar, Winfield Consumer Products and Western Industries’ Plastic Products Group are also all strong contenders in the local plastics cluster. The healthy state of existing companies, as well as new entrants into the

area, is evidenced in Cowley County. Schwan’s recently completed a $2.2 million sales and distribution center in the Utt Business/Industrial Park in Winfield. Others like Fluid Kinetics, Galaxy Tool, Webster Engineering and Robot Zone are perfect examples of the success possible in this rural/suburban community just 45 minutes from Wichita. Take S and Y Industries, a circuit board company that Sandy Foust began as a home-based business. Today, S and Y has grown into a large manufacturing facility, allowing Foust to branch out into the retail sector with trendy offerings in the community like the two new stores, Posh and Josephine & Co. located in Winfield. Northern Contours recently located in the Goff Industrial Park in Arkansas City, where Creekstone Farms Premium Beef also continues to grow with over 800 employees. One drive through Ark City’s downtown, and the transformation is evident — perfectly mainscaped streets adorned with benches and lighting which invite folks to stop and stay a while. A new program aimed at technical training is expected to further enhance growth in the manufacturing sector.

P.O. Box 832, Winfield, KS 67156 (620) 221-9951 or (620) 442-3094 Fax: (620) 221-7782 www.cowleyfirst.org

Printed circuit board manufacturer S and Y Industries is just one of Cowley County’s high tech companies.

www.gwedc.org

Cowley County

Cowley First – Cowley County Economic Development Partnership

Cowley County Community College recently launched the Cowley County Center for Technical Excellence, a mechatronics training facility to train individuals for skilled positions within the area. “Any business that can utilize mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, robotic and pneumatic skills will be able to tap into these workers,” Teufel says. “This will allow us to train a workforce pool not only for companies choosing to locate here, but those who are looking to grow from within. We think this center will be a real launching pad for success, and Cowley College has the track record with their history in aviation skills training to put this mechatronics facility on the map.” Recognizing the importance of access to capital for growing businesses, Cowley First is launching a new venture capital fund, so when an entrepreneur is ready to introduce a product to market, or a small business is ready to expand, ready capital will be within reach. “Our economy is built on a strong industrial base,” Teufel says. “We’re making sure that we have the innovation, the trained workforce and the source of capital to build on that success.”

Harvey County

Connecting All Parties EDC SUCCEEDS IN FINDING SOLUTIONS FOR LOCAL COMPANIES

here are many pieces to the economic development puzzle: Can the area supply a highly skilled workforce? What about employee

Representatives from IMF, located in Newton, and ICM, located in Colwich, Kansas, appreciate the support of Newton and Harvey County officials.

training? Are there tax incentives? Are transportation corridors nearby? The Harvey County Economic Development Council helps put those pieces together in a way that helps local businesses grow and new businesses put down roots. “We work hand in hand with the companies that are here,” says Mickey Fornaro-Dean, executive director. “We give them everything we possibly can, and we give it to them up front.” That approach has been helpful to one of the county’s newest residents, Industrial Metal Fab Inc. (IMF), a steel fabricator supplying the growing ethanol industry. Since relocating to Newton two years ago, the company’s workforce has grown from 12 employees to around 165, with an expected 70 more people needed by early 2008. With that kind of growth, having a partner to help with recruitment efforts has been key to the company’s success, says Renee Dalrymple, co-owner with husband Carl. “The EDC put on a job fair for us because we were concerned about whether we could hire all these additional people

Harvey County

Harvey County Economic Development Council 500 N. Main Street 109 Newton, KS 67114 Phone: (800) 648-7759 info@harveycoedc.org www.harveycoedc.org

Special Advertising Section

here,” Dalrymple says. “They advertised it, and helped us with the applications, and the first day we had 52 people apply for positions. We really couldn’t have done it without them.” IMF was able to secure tax incentives and training funds, another area where the EDC’s expertise came in very handy. As the company explores further growth, including expanding its physical plant, the partnership between the two is likely to continue expanding. “We lean on them very heavily,” Dalrymple says. “We call in the evening — we have Mickey’s cell phone number. We’ve found that anything we need, if we call they’ll make it happen.” Being able to provide that kind of 24/7 service to its existing industry base is a key element of the EDC’s efforts, as well as informing companies looking at the area about such important factors as Harvey County’s access to I-135 and U.S. Highways 50 and 96, the capabilities of the Newton City/County Airport and the rail service provided by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Kansas & Oklahoma railroads. On the workforce side, the EDC works closely with Hutchinson Community College, Newton’s Entrepreneurial Charter School, Bethel College and Hesston College to make sure that there’s a steady stream of job-ready employees available. Fornaro-Dean says these services are just part of the package. “We’re there for them in the beginning, when the recruiting is going on and everybody’s excited,” she says. “But we’re also here for them 10 years down the road, when they need something else. I think that’s our strength.”

Kingman County

Land of Opportunities NO SHORTAGE OF AMENITIES AND ASSISTANCE FOR BUSINESSES

and the Kingman County State Lake offer walk-in hunting, fishing and bird watching. One company that’s taken full advantage of what the county has to offer is Cannonball Engineering LLC, a manufacturer of agricultural bale beds with hydraulic lifts. The patented Cannonball bed has a dumping feature, and the company has been steadily growing since making its first flatbed in 1999, says Debora Schrag, majority owner, who runs the operation with her husband, Terry. “We have about 2,500 units out now, and we’re nipping at the heels of competitors who’ve been around for more than 20 years,” Schrag says. “The idea has really taken off.” So well, in fact, that the Schrags knew early on that they’d have to get off the farm and get into a full-scale manufacturing and shipping facility. What’s telling is that they never looked outside Kingman County. “My husband grew up here, and even though I have 50 dealers nationwide, we’re right on the highway, so we never have to worry about getting things shipped,”

Kingman County Economic Development Council Inc. 324 N. Main Kingman, KS 67068 (620) 532-3694

www.gwedc.org

The Cannonball bale bed is the only hydraulic flat bed that allows handling of large round bales of hay and offers access to the patented dump feature.

she says of Cannonball’s renovated 1950s facility. “And Jane and her staff have just been awesome. She’s really not working just for me, but for a lot of the other smaller manufacturing plants here to help us see what’s available. Most of us are stubborn enough to try to do it on our own, and we don’t take the time to think about what kind of economic development help is out there. It’s been great to have them working with us.”

Kingman County

hen Jane Wallace says that Kingman County is serious about economic development, she has good reason to make that claim. As the new full-time economic development director for the city and county, she’s a one-person symbol of the area’s commitment to growth. “This is a new endeavor for us, and it really does say something about how the city and county of Kingman feel about economic development,” says Wallace, who heads the Kingman County Economic Development Council. “We have low-cost land, the Kingman Industrial Park with existing buildings and a lot of shovel-ready land for development, and we’re making sure we get the word out.” With the newly renovated Kingman Municipal Airport-Clyde Cessna Field that can now handle jet traffic, as well as easy access to I-35, U.S. 54 and state routes 14 and 17, the county is well positioned to serve as a hub for businesses looking to move products by air, road or rail. In addition, Kingman County is situated just far enough outside of the metro Wichita area to offer small-town amenities. “We have open-minded, progressive business people who welcome new business, and we have a family-oriented lifestyle,” Wallace says. “We’re in the middle of three major cities, so you can quickly drive to any sort of activity, but we’re far enough out that there’s abundant, affordable land.” Kingman County also is a growing agritourism destination, with more than 400 events a year, including rodeos, horse shows and the Kingman County Fair, at the Kingman County Activity Center. The Byron Walker Wildlife Area

Marion County

Pro-Business Attitude EXCELLENT QUALITY OF LIFE AND ROOM TO GROW

usinesses looking to locate in an area expect good schools, a skilled workforce, affordable housing and an excellent overall quality of life. Marion County delivers all of that and something more. Customer service. The ‘customers’ of the Marion County Economic Development Council (MCEDC) are the businesses located in the community — and the businesses considering Marion County as a home. From incentives to assisting with workforce development, the MCEDC stands ready to work for business. “We offer our assistance to each company, whether it’s a new company considering locating here, or growing existing businesses,” says Teresa Huffman, the council’s director. “We spend a lot of time with small businesses that are interested in expansion. They need to focus on their business, and they don’t have time to go out and do all the legwork. They tell me what they need, and I locate the resources.” That pro-business attitude is appreciated. Just ask the leadership of Golden Heritage Foods, which recently grew its operations in Marion County. Golden Heritage employs approximately

90 people in its Hillsboro facility and recently expanded with a 41,000-squarefoot distribution center for its various lines of honey and other products. Additional jobs may be created as Golden Heritage moves into new product lines, says Dave Mathis, senior vice president of marketing and sales. “We’ve had increased business with our traditional product offerings, and we’re expanding our product line into organics, and honey that will increase the sustainability of beekeepers and help protect the honey bee,” Mathis says. “We have some quite exciting new product launches coming.” Marion County is a natural location for the company. “We enjoy being here, and we enjoy having Teresa and her staff as a resource right here in the county,” Mathis says. In addition, Container Services, Inc., which manufactures the plastic, bear-shaped containers used for some honey products, is located in the same industrial park. Another asset: Marion County is easy come, easy go. With US-50, US-77, and US-56 crossing through the county, business and industry have access to employees and customers. Products can also be moved by rail, thanks to the

Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific railroad lines, and by air due to the close proximity of MidContinent Airport. In addition, the county is home to two airports that can handle small aircraft. Tabor College, a four-year Christian liberal arts institution, and Butler of Marion, an extension of Butler Community College, offer quality higher education opportunities, which are vital to developing a competitive workforce. With industries including Hillsboro Industries, Inc., Wheatbelt, Inc., Donahue Corporation, Prairie Products, Goodwin Enterprises, Marion Manufacturing, Marion Die & Fixture, Inc., GMLS Industries, Inc. and Mid-America Marble and Granite in the county, Huffman says her goal now is to continue recruiting businesses of all sizes, while also sharpening the MCEDC focus on workforce recruitment. “We are looking for sustainable businesses that we can help grow,” says Mathis. “Marion County is poised for growth and open for business.”

Marion County

Marion County Economic Development Council P.O. Box 219 Marion, KS 66861 Phone: (620) 382-8830 Fax: (620) 382-8835

Golden Heritage continues to expand.

Special Advertising Section

Reno County

Ready To Do Business GREAT LOCATIONS COMPETITIVE INCENTIVES ENTICE INDUSTRY

ALCOA is one of several aviation companies in Reno County.

“We’re excited to support increased build rates in the aviation industry,” says Ray Gilkey, plant manager for ALCOA Aerospace. “Our excellent workforce in Hutchinson positions us for that task. We have the support of the Chamber and an excellent relationship with Hutchinson Community College and the Workforce Development Center as well.” Companies such as ALCOA benefit both from Reno County’s highly skilled

Hutchinson/Reno County Economic Development Department 117 N. Walnut, P.O. Box 519 Hutchinson, KS 67504-0519 Phone (620) 662-3391 Fax (620) 662-2168

www.gwedc.org

Reno County

he welcome mat is out in Reno County for industrial investment and job creation. With four shovel-ready industrial parks, competitive incentives, quality workforce training and excellent transportation, Reno County is positioned to build on its already diverse economic base. “We are working with expansions at our existing companies and with prospects who are interested in our community,” says Dana Regehr, coordinator of economic development for the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce. With major employers ranging from agriculture to aviation, Reno County officials know how to respond to the needs of industry. Regehr says city and county leaders are devoted to helping businesses stay and grow. Take ALCOA Aerospace, which located in the Airport Industrial Park II in 1994. The company, which does aluminum polishing for airliner skins, has more than 100 employees.

workforce and the proximity to major transportation routes such as the K-96 Expressway and U.S. Highway 50. “One of our advantages is our industrial parks,” Regehr says. “We have a 33-acre industrial park situated right off the runway at the Hutchinson Municipal Airport. That kind of location is hard to find. The airport has three runways capable of handling corporate aircraft. We also have a 200-acre, shovel-ready business park less than a mile from the airport and major transportation routes.” The general aviation manufacturing field is growing, and Wichita is a center for that industry. “We’re close to Wichita, we have available space, and we’ve got a good workforce, so we have a lot to offer.” An important aspect of what Reno County offers is a quality lifestyle, one that is affordable, safe and filled with opportunities for recreation, entertainment and education. The presence of Hutchinson Community College is a major asset for Reno County, both for residents seeking higher education and for businesses in need of high tech workforce training. For information on sites available for development in Hutchinson and Reno County, www.hutchecodevo.com.

Sedgwick County

Covering the Bases FEEDING THE AVIATION INDUSTRY ATTRACTING NEW PLAYERS

Sedgwick County

PHOTO COURTESY OF CESSNA AIRCRAFT VISUAL MEDIA GROUP

ven as its aviation manufacturers enjoy a boom period, Sedgwick County economic development officials are working hard to ensure not only that industry’s continued success, but also continued growth for all the county’s businesses. To that end, the Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition partners with local officials, education partners and other entities to recruit new businesses and to develop programs and incentives to help existing industries stay strong and expand. The result of those efforts is visible. Take the York project, for example. In April 2007, Johnson Controls chose Wichita as the manufacturing site for a new York Unitary Product Line. Johnson, which manufactures heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems for the residential and light commercial markets, already had a presence in Wichita, but the new lines mean a nearly $50 million investment in new and upgraded equipment, and more than 300 new jobs over the next few years. The York announcement, like similar successes in the Greater Whicita area, resulted in part from a combination of incentives from the city, county and

Cessna aircrafts are manufactured in Sedgwick County, Kansas.

Kansas Department of Commerce. GWEDC plays a major role in uniting the various entities to attract and retain businesses with deals such as this, says Dave Unruh, chairman of the Sedgwick Board of County Commissioners. “They are focused on both supporting aviation and attracting a diversified manufacturing component to our community,” Unruh says.

Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition 350 W. Douglas Ave. • Wichita, KS 67202 Phone (316) 268-1133 • Fax (316) 265-7502 www.gwedc.org

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The more than 600 manufacturers include many which feed major aircraft companies. Aviation is a big part of the GWEDC’s motto, “Business at full throttle.” And that means supporting every aspect of the business, including preparing future employees. The county is working with GWEDC and other partners to establish a center for aviation training. Created in conjunction with Wichita Area Technical College, the planned facility will provide technical training and education to ensure a steady stream of skilled workers for the area’s aircraft and manufacturing sectors. Support remains strong for research and development in composites, often the material of choice for new airline construction. Education partners like the National Institute for Aviation Research ensure that research and development are as much a part of the support structure as education and training.

Sumner County

Aviation and More BUSINESS BASE CONTINUES EXPANDING IN EVERY DIRECTION

n Sumner County, it’s not hard to find new and exciting business ventures. There are so many, in fact, that it’s sometimes a challenge for economic development officials to remember them all. “We always have so much going on, I sometimes don’t know where to begin,” says Janis Hellard, director of the Sumner County Economic Development Commission. “We’re an aviation cluster, but agriculture is also a big focus for our area. We have businesses ranging from our major manufacturers all the way to

entrepreneurs in music recording.” Music recording? Yep. It may not be Nashville, but Sumner County has a strong player in the recording industry with Greenjeans Studios, which has produced music heard on national television network shows, and has picked up awards in major production competitions. “We have quite a few recording artists coming to town to use Greenjeans Studios, and they do a lot of work for artists over the Internet,” Hellard says. “We are very proud of and excited about this studio.” That entrepreneurial spirit is carried over into a new youth restaurant entrepreneur program the commission is developing in partnership with the Oxford School System, the City of Oxford and Cowley County College. Another education asset is the Challenger Learning Center of Kansas, a living memorial to the astronauts who died in the Challenger explosion. The Learning Center educates schoolchildren and the general public through curriculum-based, corporate leadership and team-building programs. “We’re definitely seeing a lot of diversification,” Hellard notes.

123 N. Jefferson, P.O. Box 279 Wellington, KS 67152 Phone: (620)326-8779 Email: scedc@co. sumner.ks.us

Sumner County’s Greenjeans Studio is a player in the recording industry.

www.gwedc.org

Sumner County

Sumner County Economic Development Commission

“We have a manufacturing company, K. Doll Koatings, owned by Kevin and Gina Doll, which makes bombproof offices. With all that’s going on these days, their business is expanding, as airport security people and others are looking to install safe rooms. Two of our cities, Wellington and Caldwell, are acquiring property and creating spec buildings for entrepreneurs and manufacturers to start businesses. Both have created some good incentives to go with those. “Oxford has had some new businesses open recently, which is very exciting for a small town, and all of our communities have new housing developments going,” Hellard says. “We really are seeing a boom in Sumner County and are very excited about it. It bodes well for our future.” Add to that a new super Wal-Mart and a Holiday Inn Express under way in Wellington, and it’s easy to see how the county’s business base is not only keeping is core components, but spreading out in all directions. With an attitude of “nothing too big, nothing too small,” all shapes and sizes of businesses are finding support and assistance when they want to get up and running in Sumner County.

The Wichita Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) encompasses Sedgwick, Butler, Harvey and Sumner counties and is the largest metro area in Kansas, with 2005 population of 587,055 persons residing in 226,554 households. About 86 percent of metro residents live in an urban setting. It is a relatively young population with a median age of 35.5 years (national median age is 36.4 years). More than 7 percent hold associate degrees, 17 percent hold bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degrees and 8 percent have advanced degrees. Another 24 percent have some college credit. Metro area population grew by 8 percent from 1995 to 2005.

Labor Force

Wichita MSA Employment Total Nonfarm Wage & Salary Employment 293,000 Government 40 ,000 Manufacturing 63,000

Retail Trade 30,500 Finance-InsuranceReal Estate 11,200

Knowledge and Skill Base

Services 106,800

Wholesale Trade 11,100 TransportationWarehousing-Utilities 8,200 Natural Resources and Construction 16,200

Information 5,800

Source: Kansas Department of Labor (Average 2006)

PORTION OF TOTAL EMPLOYMENT IN MANUFACTURING SECTOR 21.4%

Wichita, KS

13.4%

Kansas Tulsa, OK

11.9% 10.4%

Dallas, TX National

10.3%

Kansas City, KS/MO

8.4% 7.2%

Omaha, NE Oklahoma City, OK

6.6%

Des Moines, IA

6.4% 5.9%

Denver, CO 0

10%

15%

20%

The four-county Wichita metro area civilian labor force is approximately 319,200 persons. As of June 2007, the preliminary unemployment rate was 4.7%, representing about 14,900 persons.

25%

Source: Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics March 2007

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The GWEDC area has the second-highest concentration of manufacturing jobs and skilled labor in the country. Manufacturing accounts for roughly 21 percent of employment roughly double the national percentage. The labor force is highly skilled, in large part due to the concentration of manufacturing firms in the area using high technology design and production methods. According to a Milken Institute study, Wichita has the highest concentration of aircraft and aircraft parts manufacturing employment (skills) in the nation. Wichita area manufacturers also utilize these precision production skills to produce high value-added products such as industrialcommercial machinery, computer equipment, fabricated metal products, instrumentation and controls, photographic equipment, plastic and composite products, chemicals, petroleum refining equipment and electronic equipment.

OVERALL COST OF LIVING Omaha, NE

Overall Cost of Living

89.4

Des Moines, IA

90.6

Wichita, KS

94.1

Dallas, TX

94.2

Kansas City, KS/MO

94.4

Oklahoma City, OK

Even with its many amenities, Wichita’s overall cost-of-living index is a very moderate 90.4, almost 10% below the national urban area average of 100.

94.5

Indianapolis, IN

98.4

National

100.0 100.1

St. Louis, MO/IL Denver, CO

102.5

Tacoma, WA

108.4 0

Source: ACCRA Cost-of-Living Survey (Q3/06) Average of 289 participating urban areas – 100 ff f

Highways and Motor Freight Wichita is located directly on Interstate I-35, the only midwest interstate corridor in North America to connect Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. Under NAFTA this route has become crucial as trade increases with our northern and southern neighbors. Interstate 35 connects with major east-west interstates I-70 via I-135 about 90 miles to

100

120

the north and I-40 about 150 miles to the south. Expansion Management magazine includes Wichita among “Five Star Logistics Metros” (October 2006). If you are looking for a central location with superb links to the rest of the nation, then you need to examine this area. This location is ideal for businesses serving national as well as regional markets. Companies involved in international trade benefit from the Sedgwick County Foreign

www.gwedc.org

Trade Zone and the Kansas World Trade Center. Sixteen national and regional interstate common carriers have local terminal facilities. Due to Wichita’s proximity to major markets and multitude of carriers, transit times and shipping rates are very competitive. Wichita has access to the U.S. Inland Waterway System via interstate highway and rail at the Port of Kansas City located 200 miles northeast and Tulsa Port of Catoosa, located 170 miles southeast of Wichita. Kansas is within “next-day” freight delivery of nearly 70 percent of the U.S.

Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition 350 W. Douglas Ave. Wichita, KS 67202 Phone (316) 268-1133 Fax (316) 265-7502 www.gwedc.org info@gwedc.org Butler County Economic Development 121 S. Gordy St., Suite 102 El Dorado, KS 67042 Phone (316) 322-4242 or (800) 794-6907 Fax (316) 322-4245 www.bucoks.com

Cowley County Economic Development Partnership P.O. Box 832 Winfield, KS 67156 Phone (620) 221-5402 Fax (620) 221-5498 www.cowleyfirst.com

Harvey County Economic Development Council

Kingman County Economic Development Council 322 N. Main St. Kingman, KS 67068 Phone (620) 532-1853 Fax (620) 532-2147 kingmanchamber@copper.net

Marion County Economic Development Council P.O. Box 219 Marion, KS 66861 Phone (620) 382-8830 Fax (620) 382-8835 www.marioncountyks.org

Hutchinson/Reno County Economic Development P.O. Box 519 Hutchinson, KS 67504 Phone (620) 662-3391 Fax (620) 662-2168 www.hutchecodevo.com

Sumner County Economic Development Commission P.O. Box 279 Wellington, KS 67152 Phone (620) 326-8779 Fax (620) 326-6544 www.gosumner.com

500 N. Main St., Suite 109 Newton, KS 67114 Phone (800) 648-7759 Fax (316) 283-8732 www.harveycoedc.org

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The

Wichita Equation:

Engineering Careers + Quality of Life

Sunny Forecast for Aviation Industry Fostering Talent, Forging Connections: Keeping the region on the cutting edge SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

The Wichita Equation: Engineering Careers + Quality of Life

Sunny Forecast for

Airborne Economy WICHITA IS WELL POSITIONED AS THE GLOBAL AIRCRAFT LEADER

“What we’re doing now is taking advanced research and pushing it into products as quickly as possible. We’ve matured our research, and now are working to help turn it into a product and commercialize that product.” The fast pace of development and production only cements the aviation industry’s place as the major player in town, says Janet Harrah, director of the Center for Economic Development and Business Research, which like the NIAR is located at Wichita State University. “If you ask anybody what drives Wichita’s economy, they’ll tell you it is aviation manufacturing,” Harrah says. It’s important to note that the aviation industry’s salaries are high, which translates into employees pumping money into the local economy as well. According to data from the CEDBR, the

combined payroll of Boeing, Cessna, Raytheon, Bombardier Learjet and Spirit AeroSystems is almost $2 billion. The total industry – with 48,000 employees, including a broad array of subcontractors – has an estimated payroll of around $2.7 billion. The numbers are impressive, and Harrah says that the recent entry of private-equity firms into Spirit AeroSystems and Hawker Beechcraft bode well for the industry going forward. “Private equity companies don’t buy into companies and spend the kind of money they’re spending here in Wichita unless they think there is money to be made,” Harrah says. “It helps that it’s a high-profile industry, and a high-paying industry, which also translates into good jobs that continue to bring people into the community.”

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ow more than ever, Wichita is earning its reputation as the “Air Capital of the World.” And that’s no empty claim. From business jets and military trainers to fuselages for some of the world’s largest civilian planes, aircraft of nearly every stripe are built in Wichita. Led by Cessna Aircraft Co. and Hawker Beechcraft Co. in Wichita, Kansas delivers more than 50 percent of all U.S. general aviation aircraft – 1,263 aircraft valued at $3.7 billion in 2002. Wichita is also home to Airbus, which has an engineering facility here, and Spirit AeroSystems. Spirit is the world’s largest tier-one supplier of commercial airplane assemblies and components. Spirit does design and build for a variety of customers, including Boeing and Airbus. For engineers, this abundance of design jobs in Wichita means career opportunities and multiple venues for career advancement on the cutting edge of the aviation industry. In fact, major manufacturers and the various companies that contribute products and services are ramping up production as the industry is in a growth period. That translates into jobs at the large airplane manufacturers, and the positive effect ripples throughout the entire South Central Kansas region. As research and development continue at a rapid pace, the forecast is for blue skies and unlimited visibility. “The aviation industry is in an upswing, and all of our aircraft manufacturers are designing and producing aircraft at a rapid pace,” says Dr. John Tomblin, executive director of the National Institute for Aviation Research.

Spirit AeroSystems is one of several major aviation manufacturers in Wichita.

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Forging Connections

t’s a problem a lot of the country would like to have. With the aviation industry booming, Wichita employers need skilled workers – and they often recruit from out of the area. The Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas is helping with that, but it’s also making sure that plenty of homegrown talent is available now and in the future. The organization covers Sedgwick, Butler, Kingman, Harvey, Cowley and Sumner counties, and it has a wide variety of programs in place – or in the works – to help with workforce training and development. “Our primary focus is on how we can help transform our economy and job market through the innovations driving major employers,” says Keith Lawing, exec utive director of the Workforce Alliance. “What we want to do is enhance South Central Kansas’ position as a

leader in research, production and manufacturing,” Lawing says. “We’re helping support a mature industry, but we’re also helping other industries and employers, which will bring diversity to our economy and secure our job base.” One avenue being pursued to achieve those goals is education and outreach, which Lawing says is key to creating a steady pipeline of qualified employees, no matter what the industry. “We have a very skilled and talented workforce here, and in the past we’ve taken that for granted,” he says. “But what you’re seeing now is that 25 percent to 40 percent of the workforce will be eligible for retirement in the next five to 10 years. We are working with educators, trainers and our employers so that our status as the ‘Air Capital of the World’ remains strong, and other sectors of our economy grow as well.” For more information, visit www. wichitaworkforcecenter.com.

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WORKFORCE ALLIANCE KEEPS REGION ON THE CUTTING EDGE

Workforce Alliance is helping to diversify the region’s economy.

TECT: At the Top of Its Game T

ECT Corporation is a privately held, custom manufacturing services supplier of semi-finished and finished components and assemblies, including airframe structures, fabricated and machined components and complex assemblies, solid and hollow fan blades, compressor blades and vanes, blisks, IBRs, impellers, diffusers, turbine airfoils, rotor shafts and hubs, disks, oversized and precision forgings and other hardware. Headquartered in Thomasville, Georgia, TECT serves the aerospace, power generation, rail, off-highway, automotive and other industries from its operations in Cleveland, Ohio; Everett, Wash.; Kent, Wash.; Newington, Conn.; Santa Fe Springs, Calif.; Thomasville, Georgia; Utica, New York; Wichita, Kansas; and Wellington, Kansas. TECT Aerospace, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, grew out of the recent acquisitions of Tru-Circle Aerospace –

Wichita and the Aerostructures Division of Neuvant Aerospace – Everett, Wash., and the more recent acquisition of BAE Systems – Wellington, Kansas. In addition, TECT has experienced continued growth in the aerospace and industrial gas turbine industry. The acquisitions and organic growth led to the formation of two business units, TECT Power and TECT Aerospace. The formation of these business units allows TECT to provide additional customer focus in these key markets and serves as the platform for future growth in its core markets. While not a design house, but rather build to print, the corporation does have ongoing needs for manufacturing, industrial, quality and process improvement engineers as it continues to grow the business. For more information, visit www.tectcorp.com.

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The Wichita Equation: Engineering Careers + Quality of Life

Growing With the Aviation Industry NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR AVIATION RESEARCH EXPANDS RESEARCH AND TESTING CAPABILITIES

ith several additional labs and a new facility to further expand its research and testing capabilities, the National Institute for Aviation Research at Wichita State University continues to be an integral component of Wichita’s aviation community. Since opening its doors in 1985, NIAR has made a worldwide name for itself while enhancing the competitiveness and innovation that have made Wichita a world leader in aviation. The organization continues to track and test cutting-edge technology, expanding its lab services as well as building a new, 14,000-square-foot testing facility to do so. “As the industry grows, we add new labs and new clients, and we work to make sure our research dollars grow along with the industry,” says Tracee Friess, marketing and communications associate. Nine new labs are dedicated solely to research in the area of environmental testing, some of which will be housed in the new building. They will join the 16 labs that NIAR already operates on the WSU campus and at Hawker Beechcraft. The new environmental test labs will provide a full range of RTCA DO-160 certification. These will tie into research and development already being done in the areas of advanced joining, aerodynamics, aging aircraft, crash dynamics, composites and advanced materials, human factors, fatigue and fracture, virtual reality and computational mechanics. “We will be opening up all the new labs over the next year,” Friess says. “We always are working to be flexible and responsive to the industry’s changing needs, and the environmental testing labs were a direct result of our industry advisory council’s recommendations.” NIAR’s chief focus is aviation – and it has been recognized by the FAA as a center of excellence in the research areas of general aviation, composites and airworthiness assurance – but many other industries also benefit from the work being done by the 300 employees at the facility.

While NIAR is ready and able to provide technical research and support to any organization, its heart and soul is the aviation industry. “We are here for them. We get recommendations from an advisory council made up of the vice presidents of engineering of Wichita’s largest aviation manufacturers,” Friess says. “They tell us what we’re supposed to have here – what kind of technologies we need to have, and what kind of labs. Our services are based on their needs.” For more information, visit www.niar.wichita.edu.

Research engineer Anthony Alford inspects an F-16 for cracks and corrosion in NIAR’s Aging Aircraft Laboratory.

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Great Quality of Life?

You’ll Find It Here Beechcraft, the road to Wichita ran through France and Montreal, where he completed his undergraduate and doctoral work, respectively. He arrived in Wichita in May 2007 with his wife and young son in tow, and he says the city has impressed his entire family. “My son is 4 years old, and there are a lot of activities for young children here,” Woodcock says. “My wife likes that a lot, and we are enjoying the family life. It’s a very peaceful place with a very good quality of life.” In addition to his years in Montreal, Woodcock has spent time in Michigan and Connecticut, so he admits to another plus – Wichita’s weather. “It’s definitely milder here,” he says. “It’s warm during the summer, and I like that. I know during the wintertime it will be milder than where I have been living before. That’s a plus.”

Tom Ditchfield, an engineer for Spirit AeroSystems, lives downtown.

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ith its combination of amenities and challenging, high-paying jobs, Wichita is well positioned as the place to be for aviation-minded engineers – young engineers just starting their careers as well as older engineers with families and years of experience. The industry is in rapid-growth mode, with production going full tilt and with research and development operations that continually need new employees. Add to that a revitalized downtown, a lively artsand-culture scene and reasonably priced housing, and you’ve got a city that has no trouble adding to its workforce. For Tom Ditchfield, a young and single stress engineer who moved to Wichita and joined Spirit AeroSystems, it’s been a great ride. “I didn’t realize that Wichita is Kansas’ largest city,” says Ditchfield, who joined Spirit in November 2004 after graduating from Vanderbilt University in Nashville. “I grew up in the St. Louis area, so I thought Wichita was going to be a smaller town than it is.” Ditchfield quickly acclimated, taking up residence in Wichita’s fast-growing downtown residential community, and he says what he has seen over the past three years has been very exciting. “They’re doing a lot of things to develop the downtown area, which is important not just for the city, but also for the companies here,” he says. “Old Town is one of the coolest parts of the city. You want to be in a place that’s always looking to be better, and Wichita is doing that. The aviation industry is hiring and is projected to be doing so for a long time, so a lot of younger people are coming in and there’s a good group of people to network with.” For Roland Woodcock, an experienced acoustical engineer with Hawker

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WICHITA IS JUST RIGHT FOR SINGLE ENGINEERS OR FAMILIES

Roland Woodcock, left, an acoustical engineer for Hawker Beechcraft Corp., enjoys a walk with his son, Isaac, and his wife, Anne-Marie.

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The Wichita Equation: Engineering Careers + Quality of Life

Beyond

Networking YPW HELPS ATTRACT AND RETAIN YOUNG TALENT

ven though the Young Professionals of Wichita organization is, well, young, it’s already having quite an impact in the community. At two years old, YPW has seen its membership swell to around 1,800. And with a broad slate of programs and activities aimed at connecting young professionals with the community at large, it’s poised to keep growing. “In 2004, the Chamber recognized the value of young professional talent, and it began an aggressive investigative process,” says Jessica Rajtar, director of YPW. “At the same time, Visioneering Wichita, a 20-year plan to improve South Central Kansas, was doing extensive research to identify the needs of our community, and what they found echoed the Chamber’s direction. Keeping and retaining young talent in our community was a major issue that had to be addressed to move Wichita forward.” From that realization came the formation of Young Professionals of Wichita in June 2005, and from the outset things moved fast. “At our launch event we had more than 400 young professionals,” Rajtar recalls. “There was a lot of excitement, and it was obvious that this was something the community needed.” The group works to connect young professionals with each other through social and networking events, and there’s also a strong emphasis on leadership development and community involvement. While the organization’s age range is 21 to

40, there’s no set-in-stone cutoff for anyone who wants to be involved. That involvement can be as much, or as little, as each member wants. “We have at least two or three events every month, and there are six different action teams that our members can be involved in,” Rajtar says. The rapid growth of YPW and the sheer enthusiasm of its members has been astounding, Rajtar says, and in a very positive way. “When people jump in with both feet and get involved, they are amazed at the professional and social connections that they make, and with all the great things they discover Wichita has to offer,” she says. And YPW’s core mission, helping to attract and retain young, diverse talent, is being accomplished. “We have one individual who moved here from New York, and his main reason for remaining in Wichita two years later is his involvement in YPW. He has met so many people, and he’s seen what a great community we have here,” Rajtar says. “When you have mobile professionals saying things like that, then we count what we’re doing as a success.” For more information, visit www.ypwichita.org. Above: From left, Heather Arreguin and Jessica Rajtar, director of YPW, are active in the popular organization.

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An Initiative of the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce

As manager of talent acquisition and development at the Chamber, Julie Boucard heads up the Red Carpet Program.

Rolling Out the

Red Carpet BUSINESS RECRUITS GET STAR TREATMENT WITH CHAMBER’S NEWCOMER PROGRAM

hen new or existing businesses are looking to relocate professionals to the Wichita area, they can expect the star treatment. The Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce takes its role as community representative seriously – so much so that it has created the “Red Carpet Program” to help businesses recruit new talent into the area and to help professionals assimilate into the community once they’re on the ground. “We provide tours, materials, information and ambassador support to prospects, and beginning in February 2008 we’ll be providing regular networking and orientation events for

newcomers and their families,” says Julie Boucard, manager of talent acquisition and development at the Wichita Chamber. The program’s specific services also include the Spouse Career Network, which connects recently relocated spouses to the local job market. Helping spouses and families get assimilated into the community is a very important part of both the recruitment and retention process. From jobs to sports to schools, their needs must also be met. “We understand what prospects and newcomers go through when making the decision to relocate, and what are the best ways to get settled into our

community,” Boucard says. “We have community orientation, great materials, and tailored services for this audience.” To make all this happen, Boucard partners with the Wichita Convention and Visitors Bureau, and she also involves local business and community leaders when prospects and newcomers are in town. “Our volunteers, the voices of whom speak louder than my own, are anxious to share their Wichita experiences,” she says. “Wichita is not only rich with great job opportunities, but it also is a regional hub for culture, creativity and a great place for both singles and families. The chamber is a one-stop resource for our member businesses and particularly for the new employees they seek to attract and retain. “It has been said that newcomers take up to two years to become acclimated to a community,” Boucard adds. “My job is to ensure that newcomers feel comfortable in calling Wichita home within months, not years.”

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The Wichita Equation: Engineering Careers + Quality of Life

An Airbus A380 flies over the Washington Monument. ANAE’s Wichita branch focuses on designing aircraft wings.

Airbus Takes to the Skies WICHITA OFFICE IS PRIMARY DESIGN CENTER FOR THE A WING

hile Airbus is rightfully known for its commercial airliners, its North America Engineering operation in Wichita is a little more specialized. The Wichita branch of the global company focuses its attention on aircraft wings, more specifically those of the A380, a multi-deck commercial transport aircraft. Wichita is now the primary design center for the A380 wing, says William James, director of engineering. “Previously we participated as part of the engineering team, with the core of the A380 wing project managed out of the Airbus Filton, UK, office,” James says. “But as of June 2007, ANAE has taken on full engineering and project responsibility, including all structural and systems integration engineering activities.” The move is part of an ongoing strategy to build and strengthen ANAE as an integral part of Airbus engineering, and to put the Wichita office in a position to lead future development work on the A380 wing, including such projects as the A380-800 freighter as well as future passenger configurations like the A380-900, James adds. ANAE is gaining a heightened profile within Airbus for other projects as well. The office is supplying a dozen engineers to participate on the A350 XWB engineering plateau, or integration team, to develop composite aerostructures, James says. “The ANAE Wichita office has the luxury of being located in the heart of experienced aerospace engineering talent, many

with exceptional backgrounds in composite materials and structures engineering,” he adds. “We’ve sent some of our very best engineers to Filton to be involved in one of Airbus’ most important engineering programs of this decade, the result of which will mean more engineering jobs at ANAE in composites and advanced structures for the latest Airbus products.” ANAE’s Wichita office also supports the ongoing development of many Airbus legacy aircraft, developing – among other things – updates to the A330, including a freighter version. The operation also has been designated as an Airbus Proximity Center, used as the hub for developing North American suppliers. Airbus also is working on research and development for aerostructures and advanced materials, and James has personally put together a top research team to help build this line of business. He and his staff now are developing a partnership with the National Institute for Aviation Research at Wichita State University and, along with Virginia Polytechnic University, have applied to NASA to perform testing and studies in its Aeronautics Directorate research program to investigate failure modes of composite structures. “More proposals are being developed in cooperation with EADS, our parent company, and our internal Airbus engineering constituents around the globe,” he says. “I see this as being a very important and vital part of expanding the footprint of the ANAE business model going forward.” For more information, visit www.airbusnorthamerica.com.

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Leading-Edge Technology? We’ve crossed the line

ead your future in the right direction. Aeroflex Inc. designs, manufactures and markets a diverse range of microelectronic, avionics and test and measurement products. Go leading edge with a career opportunity at either the Wichita or Kansas City facilities. Aeroflex Wichita is highly involved in three product markets. The Wichita facility manufactures radio test sets, avionics, and military communications products, while New Century’s focus is in avionics. “Aeroflex recently launched several products that have revolutionized the avionics testing industry,” says Jeff Gillum, vice president and general manager of Aeroflex Wichita. “For example, our new IFR 4000 and IFR 6000 ramp test sets both have a lightweight size of less than 8 pounds, a long-run-time battery of six hours and ergonomic design.” Ramp test sets provide the stimulus and signals necessary for certification, verification, fault finding and diagnosis of airborne systems on the ground. They can be used on the tarmac or even in an airplane cockpit and help provide a safe flying environment. “Aeroflex also has a long-standing relationship with the United States Air Force for our testing of life-support radios,” Gillum says. “Air Force pilots in combat rely heavily on their radios in case of emergency, and our equipment ensures that the radios are operational before critical flights.” Aeroflex also provides a wide range of products for commercial applications use, as in the public sector. Aeroflex engineers design innovations for the future, such as a next-generation portable test set platform for digital radio communications. “The 3900 Series Digital Radio Test Set is designed to test two-way radio communications for emergency workers, not only on communications systems here in the United States, but all over the world,” Gillum says. “It is a product our team has worked hard on, and it has a very sustainable future.” For more information, visit www.aeroflex.com.

Jesse Chavez works on a composite part at PlasticFab.

PlasticFab Ensures Highest Quality in Composite Structures

or more than 60 years, PlasticFab has been the aviation industry’s go-to supplier for composite components, composite/metal assemblies and structures. And as the company continuously upgrades its equipment and services, that’s not likely to change any time soon. “We’re the premier composite company of Kaman Aerostructures,” says Jeff Masonhall, marketing manager. “We do a number of things: leading edges, composite floor panels, composite floorboards and structures.” The increasingly active aerospace industry has led to an employee boom at PlasticFab’s 145,000-square-foot facility, further evidence of the company’s quality reputation in the industry. “We had 116 employees two years ago, and we’re up to 220 employees now with continued growth planned,” says Kathy Smith Falk, human resources manager. “We’re rapidly growing and the future is very bright. The overall increase in the aerospace industry, as well as us being considered one of the premier composite manufacturers, along with more structures being made of composite, means that people are coming to us for work all the time.” PlasticFab is in the midst of a major equipment expansion, upgrading its 5-axis numerically controlled machining cell. NDI (non-destructive inspection) capabilities will be enhanced by an upgrade to an 8-axis capability soon. PlasticFab has also purchased a laser projection system and laser tracker, and an automated tape-laying machine is scheduled for delivery in the coming months. That kind of commitment to the most up-to-date machinery only enhances PlasticFab’s reputation in the aviation industry, Masonhall says. “Soon we’re going to be able to do so much more than we’re currently capable of,” he says. “We’re making better use of our facility through lean manufacturing processes, but we do have additional property available for expansion if that needs to happen in the future.” For more information, visit www.pfabks.com.

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The Wichita Equation: Engineering Careers + Quality of Life

Bombardier Learjet 60XR

Flying High With Bombardier Learjet F

asten your cufflinks. Bombardier Learjet has introduced a fast new business jet that debuted in mid-2007. The aviation company known for its easy-on-theeye airplane designs has rolled out the Learjet 60XR model, which features a new state-of-the-art avionics suite and restyled interior with the option of a six-, seven-, eight- or nine-passenger cabin plan. The jet is capable of reaching normal cruise speeds of over 500 mph. The 60XR joins the Learjet 40XR and 45XR models, along with Bombardier lines of Challenger jets and Global 5000 and Global Express XRS aircraft. Bombardier also manufactures a CRJ Series of regional jets that can accommodate up to 90 passengers, and a Q Series of turboprop planes that can carry 37 to 78 passengers. “I work at the Bombardier Flight Test Center, where our work is very technically challenging and rewarding,” says Mark King, senior engineer of flight sciences at Bombardier Learjet. “We explore new technologies being developed and incorporate them into our future products. From the perspective of having worked at other aircraft companies prior to Bombardier, I am proud to be a part of the great team here at Bombardier. This is a great place to work.” All Bombardier jets are tested at the Flight Test Center prior to going on sale to the public. “My job in flight test is to perform flight data analysis

to define the operating limits of every model that the company produces,” King says. “It is exciting work for an aviation engineer.” In 1962, U.S. entrepreneur and inventor William P. Lear Sr. formed this company under the moniker of Swiss American Aviation Corp. and headquartered his operations in Wichita. In 1963, the company was renamed Lear Jet Corp. and was ultimately purchased by Bombardier in 1990. Today, the aviation innovator delivers 300 jets per year and has developed 13 new and successful high-tech aircraft programs in the past 15 years. King says that besides being a leading-edge company, Bombardier also provides a friendly atmosphere for its engineering workforce. “In my personal situation, I have four young children – with three of the four born while I’ve been here at Bombardier Learjet,” he says. “After each birth, I was given extra time off with pay. Bombardier Learjet takes care of its people, which just adds to the many reasons why it’s a great company.” King, who originally hails from Tennessee, also likes the environment of living and working in Wichita. “Wichita is a nice, family-friendly city, and I feel lucky that my career path brought me to this part of the United States,” he says. “Life is very good these days.” For more information, visit www.learjet.com.

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An Initiative of the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce

Steady Stream NEW MODELS PRODUCT ENHANCEMENTS KEEP CESSNA’S ENGINEERS HOPPING

ost 80-year-olds tend to move a bit slowly, but that’s not the case with Cessna Aircraft Company. The company, which was founded by Clyde Cessna in 1927, continues to roll out new airplanes on a steady basis, and it constantly works to enhance and upgrade models that are in the air today. As the largest employer in the state of Kansas, and with more than 187,000 aircraft, including 5,000 Citations, that’s plenty of work for everybody. “We’re very busy these days,” says Jayme Buzard, an engineering business partner who works in Cessna’s advanced design and program development division. In her position, Buzard is responsible for working on new models early in their development, pulling all parts of the company together for input and feedback before the new plane is greenlighted for further development or production. “I work with all the different areas of the company, including marketing, manufacturing and customer support,” she says. “We make sure that if we’re going to build ‘Airplane X,’ that manufacturing has had their say in what they’d like to see, marketing has told us what the customers will want to see in it, and customer support has told us what they want to see changed or updated from the previous model. We have to make sure that all the different areas, not just engineering, have had their voice heard in the design of this airplane.” On the other side of the equation, flight engineer Caleb Quick works to make sure that Cessna’s existing airplanes remain safe for use, working to certify and flight-test all of the com-

pany’s current product lines. He joined Cessna in April 2007 after two summerintern stints, and he says the company’s commitment to ongoing design and service is a real plus for its customers. “If a customer is having a plane built and they want a new entertainment system, then the engineers will install it and I work out a test plan,” Quick says. “One of our pilots will fly the airplane and bring some data back to me, and then we do a lot of tests to make sure that system will work and not interfere with any of the plane’s operations.” And as planes such as the SkyCatcher,

a light sport aircraft, debut and reach $75 million in sales and 270 orders in only two weeks, the workload’s definitely not going to get lighter. “We’ve got a lot of airplanes on order, so we’re not going to run out of things to do anytime soon,” Quick says. Buzard agrees. She has been with Cessna since 1991, first as an intern and eventually going full time, so she has seen the company through strong growth periods as well as some downtime. “Cessna’s always stable because of its commitment to advanced design and because it continues to develop aircraft, evening during downturns,” she says. “We’re continuing to invest in new products all the time.” For more information, please visit www.cessna.com.

Cessna’s Citation Mustang is a fully certified, entry-level business jet.

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The Wichita Equation: Engineering Careers + Quality of Life

Staying the Course

STEADY GROWTH IN SALES SERVICE KEEP HAWKER BEECHCRAFT CORP ON THE MOVE

ts name alone stands for a history of quality airplanes, but Hawker Beechcraft isn’t resting on its laurels. The company continues to produce innovative aircraft, and it stays on top of the latest research and development as the fast-paced industry moves forward. “We design, build and service Hawker and Beechcraft-branded jets, piston and turboprop aircraft,” says Thom Anderson, director of talent acquisition. Hawker Beechcraft also produces trainer and special-mission aircraft for the U.S. Department of Defense, bolstering its ongoing private-sector production. “Our focus is on producing, servicing and maintaining the airplanes that we build,” adds Mike Turner, senior manager of public relations. “The defense side was always there. We’ve actually had government contracts for work since before World War II.” The company relies on its groundbreaking work in composites for its multiple lines of aircraft, using the technology to do more with less. With a global workforce of around 8,500 – and 6,500 of those people in Wichita – the effort now is on updating processes and streamlining production rather than

physical expansion. “We pioneered the use of composites in airplanes,” Turner says. “Back in the early 1980s we developed the Beech Starship, the first certified composite business aircraft. And we took the technology from there to develop two new airplanes, the Beechcraft Premier IA and the Hawker 4000, with completely composite fuselages. We have people coming to us to learn about the processes we use to enhance their own operations.” “We’re also leveraging six sigma and lean principles to optimize the effectiveness of the entire organization,” Anderson says. Being able to integrate technology and process improvement into its manufacturing processes, as well as continuing to produce new aircraft to meet demand, will be keeping Hawker Beechcraft busy well into the future, Turner and Anderson say. “Right now, our impetus is really to get all of the models we’ve introduced over the past year to market,” Turner adds. “That’s our real driver right now – get those aircraft into the market and meet the orders that have been placed for them.” For more information, visit www.hawkerbeechcraft.com.

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Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita designs and builds part of every Boeing commmercial aircraft currently in production.

In the Spirit of Things S pirit AeroSystems is responsible for designing and building part of every Boeing commercial aircraft currently in production. Formerly part of The Boeing Co., Spirit AeroSystems Inc. was formed by Onex Corp. of Canada to acquire Boeing’s commercial operations in Kansas and Oklahoma. Today, Spirit AeroSystems is an independent supplier of structures for commercial aircraft and participates in various military programs.

Wichita Operations

Spirit’s Wichita facilities house the company’s headquarters and production facilities for fuselages, engine nacelles and pylons for Boeing 737 aircraft, and nose sections, nacelles and pylons for Boeing 747, 767 and 777 aircraft. In addition, Spirit builds the forward section and propulsion systems for Boeing’s new 787. Spirit’s Wichita operation also designs and builds aircraft production tooling and has design and manufacturing responsibilities for the forward section and pylons for Boeing’s 787 airplane. In addition, Wichita is home to the company’s aftermarket business, including sales of spare parts, MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) services, and fleet support services.

Tulsa Site

Spirit AeroSystems facilities in Tulsa and McAlester, Okla., provide components and assemblies for the commercial and government aerospace industry. On the commercial side, Tulsa produces Boeing 737 horizontal stabilizers, vertical fins, slats, flaps, forward trailing and leading edges; 777 slats and f loor beams; 747 fixed leading edge wing and forward section; and replacement components for various out-of-production aircraft, including 757 and B-1B and 737 Classic models. Tulsa also is responsible for designing and building the

787 fixed and moveable wing components. Additionally, it is authorized by the FAA for repair and overhaul of various components for airlines. On the military side, Tulsa produces various components and assemblies for the C-130 Gunship, E-6 radomes and control surfaces; E-3 engine cowls; V-22 Osprey VTOL low observable components; AWACS radome spares; B-52 spares; KC-135 spares; and components and assemblies for the F/A-18E/F, the RAH-66 Comanche and the joint unmanned Combat Air System (J-UCAS).

McAlester Site

For commercial programs, McAlester provides detail parts, subassemblies, the torque box and fairing assemblies for the Boeing 747. McAlester also builds wing leading edge slats, flaps/slats and vertical and horizontal subassemblies.

Spirit AeroSystems (Europe) Limited

Spirit’s facilities in the United Kingdom are based at Prestwick in Ayrshire, Scotland, and Samlesbury in Lancashire, England. Spirit’s European operation produces wing components for the Boeing 767 and 777, and the Raytheon Hawker 800XP. The facility in Prestwick produces structural components, chiefly on wings, for the Airbus A320, A330, A340 and A380 families of aircraft. Other airframe structures include leading and trailing edges for Airbus and Boeing wing assemblies. Prestwick also provides the tailplane (the horizontal tail surfaces), ventral tanks and other items for the Raytheon Aircraft Co. For more information, visit www.spiritaero.com.

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The Wichita Equation: Engineering Careers + Quality of Life

WES ALDRIDGE

The Old Town Warren Theatre includes five theater auditoriums. Old Town is in the heart of the city. Below: Housing is a particular bargain in the Wichita market.

Wichita Metro Area Facts at a Glance Population: 592,126 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, four-county MSA (July 2006)

Manufacturing Employment Manufacturing employment is 66,200 or 22 percent – double the national manufacturing percentage of 11 percent. According to Industry Week magazine (April 2001), Wichita ranks No. 1 in manufacturing among metro areas with populations under one million, and 13th overall among the top manufacturing cities in the United States. Much of the workforce is accustomed to shift work due to the industrial history of the area. Source: Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, four-county MSA (August 2007)

Educational Attainment More than 87 percent of residents age 25 and over are high school graduates. About 7 percent hold associate degrees, 17 percent hold bachelor’s degrees and 8 percent have advanced degrees. Another 24 percent have some college credit. Wichita public schools are among the first in the United States to incorporate workplace skill standards into curriculum development and graduation requirements. In April 2000, Wichita voters approved (by a 2-to-1 margin) a $284 million school bond issue to fund new school buildings, modernization and

expansion of existing schools and enhanced student computer facilities. The funding also provided for installation of air conditioning in every school facility. As of August 2006, all bond projects are substantially completed. Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2005)

Overall Cost of Living Even with its many amenities, Wichita’s overall cost-ofliving index is a very moderate 90.4, almost 10 percent below the national urban area average of 100. Source: ACCRA Cost of Living Survey (Q1-2007)

Housing Costs Housing is a particular bargain in the Wichita market. The median selling price of existing single-family homes in the Wichita metro area was $108,400 in the first-quarter 2007 survey by the National Association of Realtors. Wichita’s median selling price is $103,900 (49 percent) below the national median price of $212,300.

Existing Single-Family Home Median Sale Price: $108,400 $103,900 or 49 percent below the national median price of $212,300 Source: National Association of Realtors (Q1-2007)

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Newly Built Single-Family Home Median Sale Price: $170,000 $71,600 or 30 percent below the national median price of $241,600 Source: National Association of Realtors (2006)

NEWLY BUILT MODEL SINGLE-FAMILY HOME AVERAGE SALE PRICE Wichita, KS

$220,772

Dallas, TX

$226,414 $246,760

Oklahoma City, OK Omaha, NE

$255,321

St. Louis, MO/IL

$266,620

Kansas City, MO/KS

$271,279

Des Moines, IA

$275,700

Indianapolis, IN

Two-Bedroom Apartment Average Rent: $645

$298,854

National

$312,006

Denver, CO

$356,705

Tacoma, WA

$150 or 19 percent lower than the national average of $795 (Unfurnished 950 square feet, 1-1⁄2 or 2 bath, stove, refrigerator, water/sewer in rent) Source: ACCRA Cost of Living Survey (Q1-2007)

Low Violent Crime Rate Wichita’s violent crime rate is 926 per 100,000 population – about half the average for cities of comparable population. Source: FBI Uniform Crime Report (2006)

Average One-Way Commute Time: 18.0 minutes This commute time is approximately 28 percent shorter than the national average of 25.1 minutes. Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2005)

$357,943 $0

$100,000 $200,000 $300,000 $400,000 $500,000

Source: ACCRA Cost-of-Living Survey (Q1/07)

OVERALL COST OF LIVING INDEX Omaha, NE

89.0

Wichita, KS

90.4

Des Moines, IA

90.5 91.1

Oklahoma City, OK Dallas, TX

92.5

Kansas City, MO/KS

95.1

Indianapolis, IN

95.5

St. Louis, MO/IL

96.1

National

100.0

Denver, CO

102.3

Tacoma, WA

110.8 0

100

120

Source: ACCRA Cost-of-Living Survey (Q1/07)

Wichita Tops ‘Best Places’ Lists housing payment as a percentage of income, average monthly mortgage payment and median household income per month, Wichita soared to the top. According to the survey, this city is nearly $400 below the national average on total monthly housing payments. Money magazine named Wichita among the nation’s Top 10 Best Big Cities, and Kiplinger’s places Wichita on its Top 50 Places to Live listing, which recognizes cities that are fun, vibrant and affordable. But there’s more. The median purchase price for an existing single-family home in the Wichita metro area was only $108,400 for the first quarter of 2007 – 49 percent below the national median price, according to the National Association of Realtors. For business commuters, Wichita has one of the shortest work drives in

the country, averaging 18 minutes. Did we mention the good schools, excellent health-care providers and a strong pro-business climate? Of course, having a bright outlook in Wichita is easy – Kansas is among the Top 10 sunniest states in the country.

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WES ALDRIDGE

ngineers who live and work in Wichita already know it’s an amazing place, but don’t take our word for it. With accolades from national magazines rolling in regularly, it’s just a fact that the area’s affordable cost of living, fast commutes and sunny skies make Wichita one of the best metro areas in America to live, work and play. In 2007, Wichita ranked second on a national Best Cities for Relocating Families list for medium-sized markets. The 2007 report from Worldwide ERC and Primacy Relocation emphasized home prices, appreciation rates, property taxes and other real-estate concerns, along with economic, educational, quality-of-life and climate factors. Wichita also ranked No. 2 in Bizjournals.com’s ranking of the 10 Most Affordable Markets to Own a Home. With criteria such as total

The Wichita Equation: Engineering Careers + Quality of Life

Flying In Formation, an initiative of the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce, is a unique collaborative enterprise involving the major aviation manufacturers in Wichita, Kansas. These partners collectively employ more than 30,000 talented people, including thousands of aerospace engineers working on some of the most exciting projects in the world. Flying In Formation’s priority is the attraction of new and experienced engineers to Wichita, where the diversity of opportunities for aerospace professionals is unequalled.

Aeroflex Inc. 10200 W. York St., Wichita, KS 67215 (316) 522-4981 or (800) 835-2352 www.aeroflex.com

Airbus North America Engineering Inc. 213 N. Mead St., Wichita, KS 67202 (316) 299-0100 or (316) 264-0552 www.airbusnorthamerica.com

Bombardier Aerospace Learjet Inc. One Learjet Way, Wichita, KS 67209 (316) 946-2000 www.learjet.com

Cessna Aircraft Co. P.O. Box 7706, Wichita, KS 67277 (316) 517-2772 or (800) 4-CESSNA www.cessna.com

Hawker Beechcraft Corp. 9709 E. Central, Wichita, KS 67206 (316) 676-7111 www.hawkerbeechcraft.com

Spirit AeroSystems P.O. Box 780008 Wichita, KS 67278 (316) 526-9000 www.spiritaero.com

TECT Aerospace 2424 South Sheridan Street Wichita, KS 67217 or 3130 West Pawnee Street Wichita, KS 67213 (316) 529-5000 www.tectcorp.com

Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas 150 N. Main St., Ste. 200 Wichita, KS 67202 (316) 771-6600 www.wichitaworkforcecenter.com \

Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce 350 W. Douglas Ave. Wichita, KS 67202 (316) 265-7771 www.wichitachamber.org

This special section is published for Flying In Formation by Journal Communications Inc.

PlasticFab 1650 S. McComas, Wichita, KS 67213 (316) 942-1241 www.pfabks.com

For more information, contact: Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce 350 W. Douglas Ave. • Wichita, KS 67202 Phone: (316) 265-7771 • Fax: (316)265-7502 www.wichitachamber.org

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