Leawood Magazine Fall/Winter 2023

Page 1

growing with distinction

Peggy Dunn

MAYOR

As Leawood celebrates its 75th anniversary, the long-serving mayor prepares to step down.

Leawood Turns 75!

New Administrator Takes Her Place Leaders Talk About Leawood

fall/winter 2023
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President and CEO

Stephanie Meyer

Vice President of Programming & Communications

Taylor Limoges

Vice President of Operations

Alan McGrew

Director of Membership

Melisa Cull

Dear Leawood Residents and Business Associates,

a hello from us.

Hello Leawood Residents and Business Partners,

Editor

Jean Teller jteller@sunflowerpub.com

Designer/Art Director

Shelly Bryant

Advertising Executive

Angie Taylor ataylor@sunflowerpub.com

Copy Editor

Leslie Clugston Andres

Contributing Writers

Jill Dutton

Jackie Hostetler

Bob Luder

Kari Williams

Contributing Photographers

Kevin Anderson

Ryan Coody

Strauss Peyton Portrait Studio

Publisher

Bill Uhler

Director

Bob Cucciniello

Please enjoy this new edition of our Leawood Chamber of Commerce publication, Leawood Magazine. It’s full of important information regarding Leawood’s 75th anniversary. In addition, Diane Stoddard, our new city administrator, is featured as well as other members of our Leawood professional team.

It has been my distinct honor to serve as mayor of Leawood for the past 26 years, over a third of the lifespan of our incorporation as a municipality. Working with dedicated elected officials, highly skilled staff, involved residents, and our business partners has provided me incredible memories that I will forever cherish.

I hope you will join us during the weekend of October 6–8 for a variety of anniversary celebrations. Friday evening, October 6, the Leawood Chamber will host its “Taste of Leawood” fundraiser. On October 7 and 8, our Parks, Recreation and Arts Department has planned myriad family-friendly events that you won’t want to miss.

Again, thank you all for your tremendous commitment to make Leawood a truly outstanding community!

Most sincerely,

Welcome to your newly redesigned Leawood Magazine! We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase so much of what makes our city great (hint: it’s the people!) while also highlighting a significant milestone for our city partners in this premiere issue.

In the 75 years since Leawood’s founding, we’ve experienced a great deal of change and growth, led by thoughtful planning and resident feedback. This work has made our city a regional destination to live, work, and play—and we’re just getting started! As areas like Town Center and Park Place continue to grow and flourish, we’re also seeing exciting redevelopment in other parts of the city, like Ranch Mart, and the continuing work to complete and fill the 135th Street corridor. It’s an exciting time to be in Leawood, no doubt.

As your business advocate, the chamber and Economic Development Council are working hard, in partnership with the City of Leawood, to ensure this well-measured growth continues and residents and businesses alike have everything they need to succeed in our city.

I hope to see you at one of the wonderful anniversary celebration events the first weekend in October— or at a local business soon!

Best,

On the Cover Peggy Dunn has served as Leawood’s mayor for 26 years.
leawood magazine | 7
Photo by Strauss Peyton Portrait Studio, www.strausspeytonkc.com

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10 Changing Hats

Leawood’s long-serving mayor plans to set down the gavel in January.

16 A Look at Leawood’s Leaders

Hear from the chamber president, the chief of police, the fire chief, and the city clerk.

26 Celebrate Leawood!

City’s history is on display as officials and residents plan events in honor of the 75th anniversary.

34 Walking to Learn

New city administrator brings plenty of experience to the job, and she plans to walk every street in Leawood.

38 Building a Better Leawood

Economic Development Council puts its efforts into the growth of the city.

45 Leawood Chamber Staff

Meet your Chamber of Commerce.

46 Leawood EDC Investors

EDC sets sights on Leawood’s future.

PHOTO Zach Hake Photography, www.zachhake.com leawood magazine | 9
inside the pages.
Peggy J. Dunn, Mayor, City of Leawood

Changing Hats

Leawood’s

Leawood mayor Peggy Dunn wears many hats. This is evident the moment you pass through her office door and into her tidy space located on the first floor of Leawood City Hall.

Framed certificates hang on the walls, indicating various certifications or her service on any number of different committees and boards. The large desk holds what anyone might expect to see on a mayoral desk, but scattered among the computer and the file folders are photographs of sweet babies and embracing loved ones. Thoughtfully placed keepsakes are also displayed. At the forefront is a glittering pair of ruby slippers. Each of these special belongings serve as a symbol of a role fulfilled by Mayor Dunn, some professional and some personal.

Perhaps the most prominent role fulfilled by Dunn, at least to the public, would be that of mayor. Dunn has served 26 years as the mayor of Leawood. She began her time in office in 1997 after serving four years on the Leawood city council.

“I was actually talked into running for the city council when I was finished with another nonprofit board in the community,” Dunn says. “A gentleman who had worked closely with me happened to serve on the City Council. He knew there would be an open seat. He thought all I had to do was file and then I’d be elected. That wasn’t the case. There was someone who had planned on that seat for themselves, and they immediately filed to run against me. He, along with others, helped me learn how to run a campaign. It was a little more work than I realized.”

“A little more work” turned in to a lot more work as Dunn transitioned into the role of mayor. In total, Dunn has worked as a Leawood elected official for the past 30 years.

This winter will mark the final phase of Dunn’s tenure as a mayor. As of January 2, 2024, Mayor Dunn will officially be passing the gavel.

“It was a big decision because I’ve really, really enjoyed my time in office. It was difficult to decide not to move forward, but the 75th anniversary year seemed like perfect timing,” says Dunn of her decision to depart office as Leawood celebrates its 75th anniversary.

Dunn admits her time as mayor came with a big, but exciting, learning curve. A graduate of University of Missouri-Kansas City, Dunn received her degree in sociology with an emphasis in social work. This seems a fitting field of study for a mayor, a role that relies heavily on people skills and properly reading the dynamics of a room.

However, she soon found out that the role entailed a lot more than she’d learned in her formal education. Storm water systems? Corrugated metal pipes? Faulty concrete aggregate materials? Zoning and rezoning?

“When I was elected the very first time, I felt like I’d gone back to school because I really didn’t know any of this,” she says, “but it was so interesting!”

According to Dunn, there have been a number of interesting facets to the job, including the hustle and bustle.

“I think one of the things that has made the work so

People are really willing to roll up their sleeves and help with projects. All in all, there are about 300 professional staff and 300 volunteers. To me, that’s a bit unusual. To have that number of folks willing to raise their hands and help? It is so rewarding.

Photos by Strauss Peyton Portrait Studio,
leawood magazine | 11
long-serving mayor plans to set down the gavel in January.

and Present)

The Mayor’s Other Hats (Past

Kansas Girl

“I’m a native of the greater KC Metro. My husband and I met when I was senior in high school and he was a freshman in college. We dated for four years and got married. We both went to Bishop Miege. He was a year older, and I didn’t really know him until I was a senior and he was already attending college at Rockhurst.”

Temporary Jayhawk, Permanent Roo

“I went off to KU as a freshman and then I transferred to UMKC. I’m a UMKC graduate with a degree in sociology with an emphasis in social work.”

Music Teacher

“I also studied at the Music Conservatory, and I taught piano in my home for 10 years.”

Leawood Chamber Board of Directors advisory member

“Our business community has really grown and expanded over the past 25 years. I’ve had the privilege of being an advisory board member on the Leawood Chamber Board of Directors. I have seen the very strong leadership of the board and the professionalism of the staff. It’s a great partnership with the city, having not only the support of the residents but also support of the business community.”

enjoyable is the pace. It’s been very fast paced with dramatic change. I’ve seen Leawood transform from just a bedroom community to its current state—lots of mixed-use developments and a diversified tax base that wasn’t here before the retail sales tax and commercial additions.”

The mayor also counts the people of Leawood high on her list of favorite things.

“Certainly, working with the people, residents, and council members has been exceptional. I’m so fortunate to have great colleagues that I’ve been blessed to work with. And our professional staff is truly outstanding. They are talented and responsive to the citizens. Our citizens are very demanding. They expect great service, and they expect it immediately. Our staff does their very best to deliver that.”

In addition to colleagues, Dunn also holds the residents of Leawood in the highest esteem.

“I have what I call an army of volunteers that I have had the privilege of either appointing or reappointing on an annual basis,” she says. “People are really willing to roll up their sleeves and help with projects. All in all, there are about 300 professional staff and 300 volunteers. To me, that’s a bit unusual. To have that number of folks willing to raise their hands and help? It is so rewarding.”

With such a lengthy tenure, Dunn has had the opportunity to work with residents of the community in a number of different capacities, both professionally and personally.

Megan Barr Jennings, a longtime Leawood resident, speaks fondly of her interactions with the mayor through the years.

“Most of my memories of Peggy are as a mom. And doesn’t that make sense? In a lot of ways, the roles of ‘mom’ and ‘mayor’ are one in the same. I was fortunate to have Peggy as a role model when I was younger, both as an excellent mom and an excellent mayor!”

With all the accolades and kind remembrances, Dunn admits her time in office hasn’t been without its challenges. She says it can be difficult to keep everyone happy all of the time. One of the

most prominent examples often has to do with housing and development.

“I would say the biggest challenges occur when beautiful residential developments are built next to green spaces and open fields. These fields are then later proposed for development. In these instances, residents typically become very involved. It’s a good thing. Developers have to actually meet with the neighboring home owners’ associations and residents to lay out plans before they go through the process with the city. Often the developer changes their plans due to the input from the residents. Those situations sometimes don’t make everyone happy. There’s a lot of give and take, but the projects are always better due to the citizens’ involvement.”

Dunn will soon leave many of these challenges behind as she enters her next season. Her top priority? Family.

“I have four children and I had them in a six-year period. My youngest child was 13 when I ran for city council the first time. They’re all grown and married with children now. We have 14 grandchildren. We spend a lot of time with them because they are all within 10 minutes.”

She also considers herself fortunate to have extra time to spend with other loved ones.

“My mother is still living. It’s so wonderful. She’s in very good health, but she will be 98 in November, so it will give me more time with her,” Dunn says.

And those ruby slippers? A memento from a dear friend.

Dunn and five other moms became close when their children attended elementary school together years ago. They’ve remained friends, affectionately calling themselves The Rubies and celebrating birthdays and holidays together.

In terms of her continued career, Dunn plans to continue to serve her community in nonprofit work in conjunction with social service agencies.

When asked of any other specific plans she might have in her retirement, Dunn’s response is simple.

“I don’t plan to be bored.”

It certainly doesn’t sound like it.

12 | leawood magazine
PHOTO Ryan Coody, www.ryancoody.com

Welcome to Leawood

Organization has welcomed newcomers for 65 years.

In 1958, when Leawood was a decade old, a group of women joined forces to welcome newcomers to the nascent city. Known as the Leawood Welcomers, the social organization now includes more than 150 members.

Laurie Luongo, publicity chair, says, “It started out with (welcoming people) and then blossomed and continued and keeps getting more robust. The question was, what can we do beyond welcoming people?”

That prompted them to form a nonprofit social group comprising about 14 smaller clubs focused on a variety of different interests. Luongo says, a recently added club takes a closer look at health and wellness. “There’s always something going on. It just keeps getting better and better,” she says.

Within the last few months, the Welcomers have welcomed almost 20 new members, mainly due to the interest surrounding the group’s 65th anniversary. To mark that milestone, Leawood Welcomers donated a white bud tree planted at the Leawood City Hall. A plaque dedicated to the Welcomers’ anniversary was placed at the base of the tree. Mayor Peggy Dunn, a member of the Welcomers, attended the event.

Luongo says the Welcomers is a great way to make new friends and get involved in the community.

The group gathers for luncheons three times a year; the fall, holiday, and spring luncheons feature speakers and special guests. Coffees and other events are held throughout the year. In September, Vivian Jennings of Rainy Day Books and author and Leawood resident Candice Millard talked about writing and the author’s journey; also in September, the Leawood Fire Department gave a presentation on safety and CPR.

Of the current list of clubs, the book club is the biggest draw, Luongo says. Other clubs include bridge, canasta, crafts, mahjongg, dominoes, potlucks, lunch and dining out, and travel. “There are two different dining-out groups and one dining-out group for single women. A person could do something weekly, if they wanted to,” she says.

To become a member, complete the form found on the Welcomers’ webpage (www.leawood.org/service-groups/leawoodwelcomers), then mail it and $35 to the membership chair. The annual dues help defray the cost of a year’s bound directory, a monthly newsletter, and refreshments at meetings and events.

Luongo says the group is talking about a Welcomers-only website, and they have branched out into social media as well. On Facebook and Instagram, look for “Leawood Welcomers.”

“I think the fact that we’ve been around for 65 years is a testament to the authentic nature of the group, that we’re involved. It’s a very vibrant organization,” Luongo says.

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A Look at Leawood’s Leaders

Hear from the chamber president, the chief of police, the fire chief, and the city clerk.

In every great city, community pillars provide a foundation of services. For Leawood, these departments and their leaders enhance the city’s thriving neighborhoods, community spirit, and local businesses.

With growth comes change, and these changes lead to key responsibilities within each organization. Whether it’s the president of the Chamber, the chief of police, the fire chief, or the city clerk, each is dedicated to the city and to shaping the future of Leawood.

Through the following interviews, each key member offers insights into the inner workings of our city, allowing us to take a closer look at the individuals who dedicate their time and efforts to ensure Leawood remains a community of progress.

leawood magazine | 17

Dale Finger Chief of Police

For 17 years, Finger has been with the Leawood Police Department, the past two years proudly serving as the police chief.

What do you like most about your job? There are several aspects of my job that bring me great satisfaction. First and foremost, like many in law enforcement, I find immense fulfillment in helping others and serving our community. As police chief, I also appreciate the opportunity to witness the community’s gratitude for the dedicated service provided by our officers, dispatchers, records specialists, and animal control officers. This gratitude and overwhelming support from the citizens and businesses of Leawood make my job very rewarding.

Another significant aspect is working with enthusiastic employees who are dedicated to providing exceptional service. Witnessing their professional growth and commitment to treating everyone with compassion and respect, regardless of the circumstances, is very fulfilling. Additionally, the camaraderie with colleagues from other local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies is much appreciated and invaluable as we collaborate to support one another when needed.

What are the top challenges for your department? The Leawood Police Department faces challenges that are common among law enforcement agencies in Johnson County, particularly regarding the recruitment, hiring, and retention of police officers. However, we are optimistic about the future as we see a positive shift in public perception of law enforcement and the crucial role we play in serving our citizens. Moreover, enhanced pay and benefits are attracting more applicants than in the recent past, which is encouraging.

What do you see for the future of your department? Any changes? Looking ahead, I envision several important developments for our department. With the growth of Leawood, I anticipate the need for additional police officers to effectively maintain the safety and security of our community.

We are experiencing an increasing number of calls for service related to mental

health incidents and crisis intervention. To address this, we are in the process of acquiring a second mental health co-responder to assist both our officers and the community during such situations.

Advancements in specialized police equipment will also continue to be a priority. We are currently testing the capabilities of electric vehicles in our patrol and traffic units, as well as expanding our drone program to enhance crash scene photography, locate suspects and missing persons in real-time situations, and improve overall efficiency and safety for both officers and the public.

We are committed to providing our officers with the best training possible. This includes using virtual reality training systems to improve their de-escalation skills and prepare them for high-stress incidents via a realistic learning environment.

Furthermore, we recognize the importance of staying ahead of emerging technologies. With the rise of cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence, we are proactively preparing to respond to potential future crimes associated with these technologies.

And of utmost internal importance, we will need to continue building our employee wellness and peer support programs so they experience a healthy work/life balance that will extend throughout what we hope to be a lengthy career with the Leawood Police Department.

What would you like the residents of Leawood to know about your department? I want to assure the residents that they can always rely on us for any public safety assistance they may need. We are committed to providing professional and caring service to our community at all times. The overwhelming support we receive from the residents is deeply appreciated, and it motivates us in our dedicated service.

Finally, I want the community to know that the Leawood Governing Body plays a crucial role in ensuring our department receives the necessary funding to provide exceptional service. Their support is instrumental in maintaining the safety and well-being of our community, and we are grateful for their partnership.

18 | leawood magazine
Dale Finger Chief of Police Leawood Police Department 4201 Town Center Drive Leawood, KS 66211 913-663-9301 dalef@leawood.org
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Stephen Powell City Clerk

Powell began his duties as city clerk in March 2022 and has worked in local government for more than 20 years.

What do you like most about your job? Every day is different, and I get to work on a variety of projects and initiatives. This keeps it interesting and challenging. I love a good challenge! The employees and Governing Body members are also incredible to work with. It’s really nice to be part of a team that truly cares about the City and each other.

What are the top challenges for your office? Communications have become a priority for our office. The Governing Body approved a new communications manager position earlier this year. This position will be responsible for developing a strategic communications plan and rolling out new communications initiatives to better connect with residents and businesses.

What do you see for the future of your office? Any changes? We’re starting to implement new technology initiatives throughout the City. These will most likely affect every department. Change management will be important because change can be difficult. The good news is that we have excellent leaders throughout the organization to ensure that the needs of the City are being met and balanced with the needs of the employees and the organization. I’m excited to see these changes come to fruition because they will help us provide better and more efficient services to our residents and business owners.

What would you like the residents of Leawood to know about your department? The City Clerk’s Office consists of a dedicated team of servant leaders who are passionate about public service. We’re here to help our residents and businesses in any way we can. Whether it’s a dog tag, alcohol license, or records request, we pride ourselves in providing quick, friendly, and comprehensive services to the public.

Stephen
City
4800 Town Center Drive Leawood, KS 66211 913-339-6700 (office) 913-663-9103 (direct) leawood magazine | 21
Powell
Clerk

Celebrating 75 Years!

SATURDAY

OCTOBER 7

Tomahawk Creek Parkway

9:00A - 10:00P

SUNDAY

OCTOBER 8

Tomahawk Park

12:00P - 5:00P

FRIDAY

OCTOBER 27

Ironhorse Golf Course

10:00A

Parade of Fun on the Parkway

Start the day with a bike parade for the kids, TouchA-Truck, kids concert and more! The day will end with a FREE concert featuring Twice on Sunday and performances by Kansas City Aerial Arts.

*Limited VIP tickets ($75) are available for the evening.

Kids Karnivale

Come one, come all to Tomahawk Park for a variety of entertaining activities designed for youngsters! Inflatables, rides, and FUN will take over the park for the day! Wristbands $8 in advance/$10 day-of

75th Anniversary Golf Tournament

Don't miss the chance to be part of this special four person scramble tournament! Celebrate Leawood's 75 years as you play one of the best courses in the state! Registration fee is $75 per person.

VIP tickets, Kids Karnivale wristbands, and Golf Tournament registration are available online and at the Parks & Recreation window inside Leawood City Hall.

For more details, please visit www.leawood.org or call 913.663.9154.

facebook.com/cityofleawood

President & CEO of the Leawood Chamber & EDC

Meyer says one thing that helps to make the Leawood Chamber so unique is the quality mix of high-end retailers—and the diversity of businesses—providing some of the most prominent shopping districts in the county.

“Leawood is a destination site for the county, and really, all of the metro. In addition, the high mix of locally owned businesses blends to provide something for everyone.

“Someone can shop the national retailers at Town Center, or go to Ranch Mart Center and shop locally owned businesses, depending on their desires. Leawood is really an entertainment and shopping destination.”

What would you like people to know about the chamber? Where is it going? The Chamber is in transition; I’ve been in my role for about 10 months now—only the second CEO we’ve ever had, so I’m looking at ways to evolve. We’re excited to take the chamber to the next level. We’re looking for ways to get our members more engaged, get them involved. One way is through a new small business series that launched earlier this year. Then a Leadership Leawood program that starts in January. We’re really focused on providing a variety of programming that is relevant and appeals to all businesses.

What challenges are you facing in your new position? We’re looking at ways to be more flexible; first we must be approachable for everyone.

What’s your favorite aspect of working as the chamber president? I come from a city background, so it’s really fun for me to watch all these incredible projects as they’re initiated. I’m passionate about the Chamber, which makes it such a joy to come to work every day. Truly.

Stephanie Meyer, MPA
Stephanie
President
13451 Briar, Suite 201 Leawood, KS 66209 913-498-1514 (office) 913-356-6432 (direct) 913-626-5916 (cell) stephaniem@leawoodchamber.org leawood magazine | 23
Meyer, MPA
& CEO, Leawood Chamber & EDC

Colin Fitzgerald

Fire Chief

Since March 2020, Fitzgerald has served as Leawood’s fire chief. He has a total of 28 years in the fire service, 12 years of it with Leawood.

“I got my start as a firefighter in the Air Force,” Fitzgerald says, “and did some contract firefighting for the DOD overseas and also worked for the City of Lenexa Fire Department for 11 years.”

He says one fun fact is that he took over as fire chief one week before the City went into COVID lockdown.

What do you like most about your job? It’s a combination of things. I really enjoy the people I work with here at the City of Leawood, and the citizens we serve are awesome. I also like the fact that every day is different with a unique set of challenges. Being the fire chief for a smaller city brings all the same responsibilities as a chief at a bigger city as all the same services are required, but it also adds additional duties as there are fewer staff members overall to take on specialized roles.

What are the top challenges for your department? The biggest challenge right now is our need for growth. The Leawood Fire Department has not added new personnel or facilities since 2002. In those two decades, call volume has approximately doubled and demand for special services has increased considerably. We don’t have room to add personnel or additional equipment and there are areas of the city where travel times exceed industry best practices.

We have also run out of places for training, especially in the high risk/low frequency specialties such as fire suppression. So, we are working with city administration and the Governing Body to plan for both the short term, immediate needs, and also future growth to continue to meet the needs of the City of Leawood.

What do you see for the future of your department? Any changes? I believe in the next few years we will add another fire station and new fire administration headquarters in the center of the City, close to City Hall and the Justice Center. We’ll begin adding

personnel and equipment, initially for EMS quick response units (squads) and also administrative support personnel. We will also add a training center and begin planning for the demands that development of the 135th Street corridor will bring.

What would you like the residents of Leawood to know about your department? We are a high-performing and progressive department. We’ve been internationally accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) since 2015. We have had an ISO (Insurance Services Office) rating of 1 since 2016. This is on a 1-10 scale where a rating of 1 is considered superior, while 10 is considered without fire protection. Only 114 fire departments in the United States—out of 29,452 recognized departments—meet both of those criteria. Additionally, all LFD officers are professionally credentialed through the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) Commission on Professional Credentialing (CPC). This program requires proof of continuous improvement in multiple areas, including education, training, community service, and professional contributions to remain credentialed. We are the only department I know of in the region with that accomplishment.

Additionally, we offer a lot of public services that many people are not aware of, including:

• Blood pressure checks

• CPR/AED/first aid classes

• Hands-on CPR training

• Fire extinguisher training

• Fire inspections

• Fire investigations

• Firefighter visits

Fire station tours

• Juvenile fire setter intervention

• School programs

Car seat installation

• Home safety surveys

• Detector assistance

Community presentations

More information can be found on our website: www.leawood.org/fire

24 | leawood magazine
Fitzgerald
Chief Leawood Fire Department 913-266-0601 (office) 913-235-3046 (cell) colinf@leawood.org
Colin
Fire
26 | leawood magazine
leawood magazine | 27 City’s history is on display as officials and residents plan events in honor of the 75th anniversary.
PHOTO Zach Hake Photography, www.zachhake.com

he year 1948 was historic. It was a time of change and growth throughout the world. In May of that year, the United Nations declared Israel an independent state. Just prior to that, on April 7, the World Health Organization (WHO) was established; that date became a worldwide day of awareness known as World Health Day. In September 1948, North Korea was established.

A bit closer to home in the U.S., NASCAR held its inaugural race for modified stock cars at Daytona Beach, and the first Polaroid camera was sold for $89.75 at Jordan Marsh Department Store in Boston.

Even closer to home, 1948 was the year the township of Leawood officially incorporated after the establishment of its first housing development. The housing development, which began the first phases of planning in 1937, comprised about 300 homes, with its boundaries stretching between what is now 79th Street and south toward 103rd Street. The city’s namesake, Oscar G. Lee originally purchased the land in 1922, and the Kroh Brothers later developed it.

Not a native Kansan, Lee migrated north to the Sunflower State from Oklahoma. Lee was a police officer and successful oilman, doing business in both Oklahoma and Kansas. Upon his retirement, Lee purchased several hundred acres in what is now Leawood. After Lee’s death, the land was acquired by the

business-savvy Kroh Brothers. Kroh Brothers Development, with contemporaries such as real estate mogul J.C. Nichols, carved out a significant portion of the real estate and development market across the Midwest and beyond. The Kroh Brothers were responsible for that first residential development in Leawood, as well as the original Ward Parkway Shopping Center, the original Leawood Country Club, and the Leawood’s original City Hall.

Due in large part to the efforts of Lee and Kroh Brothers Development, Leawood became a city of the third class on November 30, 1948, with a population of less than 2,000.

The original houses, now located in Leawood’s local historic district, were made of stone, brick, and clapboard. Like most of the Midwest, prior to residential development, the area was made up of farms and small, one-room schoolhouses. As a nod to the not-so-distance past, the streets of Leawood originally did not have sidewalks so they would resemble country lanes. This Leawood was designed to offer a quiet, suburban refuge from the bustling streets of Kansas City, Missouri, about 10 miles north of Leawood.

Pre-dating Lee and Kroh Brothers Development, the land that is present-day Leawood was originally Native American land. Throughout the 1820s and 1830s, the U.S. government moved the Shawnee Indians to 1.6 million acres of land in eastern Kansas. President James Buchanan deeded the land to members of the Shawnee Indian Nation. Six hundred acres of the land became the property of Dr. Greyeyes of the Wyandot tribe, who later sold the land that would be developed into the northern portion of Leawood.

Following the sale of the land, the area became known as Oxford Township in the 1850s. The establishment of Oxford Township coincided with the historical era known as “Bleeding Kansas,” when Missourians and Kansans fought regarding whether Kansas would become a slave state or a free state.

In 1857, the “Oxford Fraud” occurred, a scandal involving voter fraud leading up to the Civil War. As the legend goes, proslavery forces padded election results in the Johnson County precinct of Oxford. When the final votes were tallied, local officials knew something was awry. The 1,628 proslavery candidate votes outnumbered the area’s entire voting population. At that time, only about 500 legal voters lived in the Johnson County area and fewer than 100 of them resided in Oxford. The invalidated votes sent ripples through the Democratic Party as they tried to gain control of the Kansas territorial legislature. Ultimately, the incident helped pave the way for Republican Abraham Lincoln to win the 1860 presidential election.

A Growth Spurt

Indeed, this particular area of northeast Johnson County holds a rich and colorful past, dating back well over a century, but historians understand that Leawood, as it is known today, is still quite young at only 75 years old. Within those 75 years, Leawood has grown from a small housing development with residents numbering 2,000 to its current population of 34,000. In addition to the population growth, Leawood has experienced notable

(continued on page 33)

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PHOTO Zach Hake Photography, www.zachhake.com
leawood magazine | 29
PHOTO Taste of Leawood, photo by Zach Hake Photography, www.zachhake.com

History Timeline History Timeline

1948

1820–1830s

President James Buchanan deeds 1.6 million acres to members of the Shawnee Indian Nation; 600 acres owned by Dr. Greyeyes, a member of the Wyandot tribe, was sold and became north Leawood.

1869

First recorded burial takes place at what is now known as Linwood Pioneer Cemetery, 95th and Mission Road.

1871

1856

Alexander

Majors uses his home at 83rd and State Line as the headquarters for his freight business.

Railroad service begins from Lawrence, Kansas, to Pleasant Hill, Missouri; originally the St. Louis, Lawrence and Denver Railroad, the company was purchased several times and abandoned between 1894 and 1922.

1857

Border Wars come to Oxford Township, then near 123rd and State Line Road in what is present-day Leawood; a local election becomes a national scandal known as the Oxford Fraud when proslavery voters pad election results in the Oxford precinct.

1877

Oxford School built at 135th and Mission Road; the one-room schoolhouse was used until the mid-1950s.

1922

Oscar G. Lee, the city’s namesake, purchases several hundred acres between 79th and 103rd streets from State Line to Belinder.

1946 State Line Airpark operates near 133rd and State Line Road until 1980; an estimated 52 landings and takeoffs are recorded each week.

The City of Leawood is incorporated. Platted in 1937 by Kroh Brothers Realty, the original development—now known as the Historic District—is the first of the Johnson County housing developments to be incorporated.

1950

Learado, aka Sutherland Ranch, built as a replica of a frontier village near 103rd and Mission Road; built by Bob and Barbara Sutherland, the village included a saloon, general store, jail, and fort.

—information from Leawood Historic Commission, leawood.org/committees-and-boards/leawood-historic-commission, the Leawood Chamber of Commerce, leawoodchamber.org, and through conversation with April Bishop.

1923 Herman and Ella Voights build a limestone house that is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Voights was born in 1875 on a farm near 83rd and Mission Road.

1940

Saddle and Sirloin Club, established to support the American Royal, is built near 103rd and Mission Road. The club has indoor/ outdoor show arenas, corrals, exercise areas, and a jumper course.

1951

The first pumper fire truck purchased for the volunteer Leawood Fire Department; the city’s first fire station is built that same year, financed by the city’s first bond issue and built by Kroh Brothers for $19,000.

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1951

The first commercial development— the Somerset Shops—is built at Somerset and Lee Boulevard.

1953

Leawood DriveIn opens and operates until 1976 at 123rd and State Line Road.

1993

Leawood Historic Commission is established to preserve the city’s heritage. Jody Craig serves as the first chair; Alice Hawk is one of the original seven commissioners and is the only member to serve on the commission continuously since.

1971 Leawood elects the first woman mayor in Johnson County; Margaret Jordan serves from 1971 through 1972.

1994

1996

2003

2023

October 6: Taste of Leawood kicks off the City of Leawood’s 75th anniversary weekend. The event returns to its full pre-pandemic lineup with 20 restaurants, live music, a mayoral address, and more!

Oxford School is relocated to Ironwoods Park, 147th and Mission Road, to become the site of a living history program on early 20thcentury life and schooling. 2023

2002

June: first official Taste of Leawood event takes place.

A snowstorm dubbed the October Surprise causes considerable damage to the city’s parks.

2017

A flood along Tomahawk Creek wipes out the Parks Maintenance building.

July 19: 11th annual golf outing, now an 18-hole tournament, takes place at Ironhorse Golf Club and it was a recordbreaking year for the event.

1999

1954

Leawood Country Club built on an 11acre site near 89th and Lee Boulevard; built by the Kroh Brothers, the club is the site of social and athletic events.

1953

Original Leawood City Hall is built—a colonialstyle house rented from Kroh Brothers for $250 a month. The city purchases the property and continues using it until 1994. The first city council is composed of all volunteers.

1957

The Ruskin Heights tornado, which started near Ottawa, Kansas, and headed diagonally through Johnson County, demolishes buildings and trees at 151st and Mission Road. At the east end of Ironwoods Park, visitors can see a Studebaker—now on the ground— that was deposited in treetops during the tornado.

New City Hall opens on Town Center Drive.

1996

The Saddle and Sirloin Club moves to a location near Martin City, Holmes Road and Highway 150.

February 22: Leawood Chamber of Commerce files articles of incorporation (with 53 charter members per January 9 meeting minutes).

2022

October 1: Stephanie Meyer is the first woman to be named chamber president/ CEO.

2012

The first annual chamber golf outing is held at At the Tee.

2023

A new Parks Maintenance building opens at 143rd and Kenneth Road to replace the building lost in 2017.

2023

Diane Stoddard becomes Leawood’s first woman city administrator.

leawood magazine | 31
32 | leawood magazine
PHOTO Taste of Leawood, photo by Zach Hake Photography, www.zachhake.com

expansions in commerce and industry. According to Chris Claxton, director of Parks and Recreation & Arts for the past 25 years, economic development has been booming.

“The development has served the city very well, with many new restaurants and shopping areas over the past years,” says Claxton.

Claxton adds that, throughout its 75-year history, Leawood has seen major growth and improvement in government facilities, such as the three fire stations serving the community, as well as the development of park facilities, including the Aquatic Center, City Park, and Ironwoods Park.

To top it off, Leawood is home to some of the highestranking schools in the state. It seems as though Leawood may have something to celebrate.

This fall, Leawood residents are doing just that. During the first full weekend of October, Leawood celebrates its 75th anniversary.

The three-day event took months of planning by a committee of representatives from each city department and city clerk Stephen Powell. The committee, co-chaired by Claxton, worked diligently to execute the event with the attention and style that a community such as Leawood deserves.

“Time was a real challenge,” Claxton says. “We had several new staff members across all departments, and everyone was extremely busy. However, this group of professionals always comes through.”

A New Brand

In conjunction with the anniversary, the city of Leawood will unveil its new branding and logo design, as well as a new art installation. The proposed sculpture, titled Reaching, is being designed by Leawood native William Nemitoff. It draws inspiration from olive trees and is meant to represent roots reaching down into the community with branches reaching toward the sky. The sculpture honors the past while looking forward to the promise of the future.

It was the hope that the sculpture would be delivered in September, prior to the celebration. Due to supply chain issues, the unveiling has been delayed until winter or early spring 2024. When complete, the clear acrylic and powder-coated aluminum piece will have two bunches of 75 strands in honor of Leawood’s anniversary. It will weigh approximately 12,000 pounds and stand roughly 28 feet tall and 40 feet wide with color-changing LED lights throughout the entire sculpture.

Constant Change

Lots

Not only did the city departments give of their time and resources to make the event a success, but other community organizations helped out as well. The Leawood Foundation provided “swag bags” for the VIP tent during the Saturday Night Concert night. The Rotary Club and Historic Commission also provided volunteers throughout the weekend. The Leawood Chamber of Commerce was also instrumental in planning the celebration.

“We worked with the chamber to make it a weekend event. They also worked with us in lining up sponsors for the events throughout the weekend,” says Claxton.

The celebration will include a kids’ bike parade, a Touch-ATruck Event, a kids’ concert and carnival, food trucks, a Saturday Night Concert with performances by KC Aerial Artists, workshops with KC Aerial Artists, and more. Turn to page 22 for the lineup of events in the advertisement for the City of Leawood.

Claxton notes that her favorite part will be just watching the community enjoy the party.

The new branding campaign was led by local brand design agency, Willoughby Design Group. The new logo design features an updated tree icon with four branches that represent the four brand pillars or shared values of the Leawood Community. These values include Ease of Living, Curated Beauty, Strong Community, and Forward Thinking.

The “City of Leawood” wordmark has been updated to pay homage to the previous logo by using a distinctive “L.”

Leawood mayor Peggy Dunn has been pleased to help usher in the modernized design, in addition to the accompanying modernized sentiment.

“Our motto was always ‘Growing with Distinction,’” Dunn says. “We’ve actually come up with several new taglines, including ‘Living with Distinction’ and ‘Empowered by Community. Inspired by Possibility.’”

Dunn, who has been a part of the governing body of Leawood for 30 years, more than a third of its 75-year history, is optimistic about the next 75 years.

“As I look at the future city council and governing bodies, I hope they continue to serve Leawood with the attitude of a public servant. I hope they continue to do what they believe is best for the broader community. I hope they continue to work toward the common good for all. I feel like that has been something that has been very evident in the previous 75 years. I’d love to see that continue, and I have no doubt that it will,” she says.

leawood magazine | 33
Item Cost in 1948 Cost in 2023 Bottle of Soda $0.05 $1.44 Loaf of Bread $0.14 $3.27 Dozen Eggs $0.79 $4.21 Gallon of Milk $0.34 $3.22 Jar of Peanut Butter $0.31 $3.12 1 lb. of butter $0.41 $3.98 Gallon of Gas $0.26 $3.52 Average Price of a House $30,000 $180,000 Average Price of a New Car $1,400 $46,000
of things have changed since 1948, but maybe nothing so much as the cost of living!
Averages
—U.S.
New city administrator brings plenty of experience to the job, and she plans to walk every street in Leawood.
Walking to Learn
Photos by Strauss Peyton Portrait Studio

Diane Stoddard has plenty of new streets to walk. For the past 15-plus years, Stoddard strolled the streets and neighborhoods of Lawrence, Kansas, a self-imposed tour consisting of hundreds of miles that she felt fit right in with her job as assistant city manager.

“It’s a great way to know the city,” she says.

These days, one will find Stoddard walking the boroughs and avenues of Leawood. Back in January, she became the city’s administrator.

“I will walk all the streets in Leawood,” she says. “I’m looking forward to that in addition to all the other great things that will be taking place in the city in the years to come.”

Stoddard finds herself stepping into the city’s administration as Leawood celebrates its 75th anniversary. As city administrator, she’ll assist Leawood’s Governing Body in implementing policies and ensuring they are carried out. She’ll assist in recommending and overseeing the city’s budget. Working with department heads, she’ll ensure city policies and services are carried out for the Leawood community.

It’s a change of venue Stoddard believes she can fit into comfortably, confidently, and quickly as the city goes about organizing myriad special events for its anniversary.

“There are a lot of similarities,” she says of making the move from Lawrence to Leawood, “but a lot of differences in the population served. Lawrence is a 100,000-population college town. It’s relatively small.

“Being in the (Greater Kansas City) metro is much different. Each city must provide good services to residents. A lot of services we get through other city governments and cooperatives. For instance, we work with the Mid America Regional Council for traffic signal timing. It makes traveling the streets much more seamless when leaving one city and going into another.”

Cooperation with other cities—and, given Leawood’s spot adjacent to the Kansas-Missouri state line, other states—over things such as shared intersections and, most importantly, emergency aid and services, is a major factor in Stoddard’s new duties. That comes as anything but foreign territory for someone who valued collaboration during her time in Lawrence city management, dating back to 2007.

“Diane has proven to be the perfect choice to lead our exceptional community,” says Leawood mayor Peggy Dunn. “She respected and appreciates the strong professional staff that she inherited, and she’s made strategic additions to build an even greater team.

“Her communication skills are terrific, and she enjoys collaborating with residents as well as developers to build consensus and find resolutions for challenging issues.

“Leawood is fortunate to have her leadership.”

A Life in Public Service

Though born and raised in Lawrence, Stoddard can justifiably consider herself a creature of northwest Kansas; Leawood is the fifth city she’s worked for in the area in city management. But it was in Lawrence where her interest and ambition for city government and public service was hatched and fully cultivated.

Her father worked for the University of Kansas (KU) in its buildings and grounds department, working to maintain the campus infrastructure. That seemed to spur young Diane’s curiosity and interest not only in existing infrastructure, but in how it was maintained, improved, and expanded. At Lawrence High School, she participated in Youth in Local Government, which introduced students to all levels and aspects of the city’s government.

One project assigned to students was to attend a city meeting and report back to the group what transpired. Perhaps it was sheer fate that Stoddard was assigned to cover city commission meetings.

“It was a very interesting time (in Lawrence then),” she says. “There was a proposed mall development, and they were discussing whether to place it downtown or somewhere else. A lot of things went over my head, but I found it really interesting.

“I was always interested in government. I liked international politics. But I was a homebody, extremely close to my family.”

Stoddard attended KU, where she earned an undergraduate degree in political science and a master’s in public administration. At the time and in the years since, the university had the No. 1 city management program in the country. And, she says Lawrence’s city manager at the time played a large part in her future.

“Buford Watson took the time to meet with me and talk to me about the role of city manager and city government,” she says. “It inspired me.”

While still at KU, Stoddard worked an internship with the city government in Lenexa. She then served in city administration in Ottawa and was deputy city manager in Manhattan before returning home to Lawrence, where she was assistant city manager for more than 15 years.

“Diane is a great leader because she cares deeply about the people that she leads and the impact of our work on the

36 | leawood magazine
“The future is really bright for Leawood. We’re almost built out. So, we’re going to have to figure out how to maintain the high quality of life that the residents of the city have been accustomed to.”
–DIANE STODDARD

communities we serve,” says Lawrence city manager Craig Owens. “She was an invaluable member of our Lawrence leadership team for many years and helped shape us into the community we are today.

“With her years of experience and expertise in local government, I’m confident she’ll do amazing work for the Leawood community.”

Taking the Next Step

It’s obvious from the amount of time she spent in Lawrence that Stoddard loved her job in her hometown and feels her work— always with the collaboration of many others, she stresses—made a lasting impact on the city.

But she was looking to try something else just when an opportunity presented itself. She had worked in Ottawa with Scott Lambers, Leawood’s former city administrator who passed away last year.

“(Lambers) said to me he loved the job,” Stoddard says. “He’d been there more than 20 years. I was interested in being an administrator. Leawood is a very high-quality community with a great reputation. I looked into it. I saw it as a great opportunity. I knew it was a stable government.”

Stoddard says the first seven months on the job have been everything she thought it would be.

“The job’s been great,” she says. “I’m really pleased with it. There have been lots of tours, lots of meeting people. I’m working on the goals the governing body has set.”

Many of the issues facing the city, she says, revolve around future development, both in the near future and further out. Leawood is fully bordered so undeveloped growth is severely limited, and re-development will have to be in its future.

Of more immediate concern is the city’s 75th anniversary plans that will revolve around the weekend of October 6–8. The Leawood Chamber of Commerce will host a Taste of Leawood event the evening of October 6. During the weekend, events will be held along Tomahawk Creek Parkway, including kids’ events, concerts, and food trucks. Later, a recently purchased signature art piece will be unveiled, and the city released a new city logo earlier this year. Turn to page 22 for the Leawood ad listing all the events.

“The future is really bright for Leawood,” Stoddard says. “We’re almost built out. So, we’re going to have to figure out how to maintain the high quality of life that the residents of the city have been accustomed to.”

In the meantime, Stoddard will continue spending time with her family of four—husband of 30 years, Brian, a high school history teacher in Ottawa, and sons Nathan, a recent KU graduate, and Adam, who just graduated from Lawrence High and will attend KU in the fall.

She’ll also keep walking Leawood’s streets … and blogging about her journey and adventures. Residents can read about them at www.tumblr.com\blog\walkleawood.

“I’m a long way from being done,” she says, “but it’s a great way to learn the community and see things from a different perspective.”

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Economic Development Council puts its efforts into the growth of the city.
Better leawood magazine | 39
Leawood Building a

hough Leawood was established 75 years ago, it wasn’t until the past decade that an economic development council was established.

“Leawood wasn’t the size of city that we thought needed economic development at the time,” says Greg Peppes, who is in his fourth nonconsecutive term as chair of the city’s Economic Development Council. “But what we’ve found out is that all the other communities around us had them, and we were losing businesses to those areas.”

When incorporated in 1948, the city had fewer than 2,000 residents. It now boasts roughly 34,000 people, according to the most recent U.S. Census data.

The Leawood Chamber of Commerce ultimately “spoke up,” established the EDC in 2015, and selected about 10 board members, including city leaders who were in the market for economic development, Peppes says.

Leawood’s

population growth by decade

1970: 10,645

1980: 13,360

1990: 19,693

2000: 27,656

2010: 31,867

2020: 33,902

The council, according to Peppes, actively pursues business retention, speaking with business owners to see what’s working for them, and what the EDC can do to ensure the companies stay in the community. The other aspect, he says, is bringing businesses “that really belong here” to Leawood.

Among the established Leawood businesses is KC Aerial Arts, located in Town Center Plaza. Daniel Parks took ownership of the company in 2016.

“We found that being in Town Center creates a credibility for our business,” Parks says. “It creates, especially us being a circus school, that instant level of association (that) is helpful.”

KC Aerial Arts’ main business is conducting classes out of its Leawood facility, along with offering summer camps.

“Really what we’re doing is creating positive opportunities for growth, to empower individuals … (People) often come to us with hesitation or trepidation if they can really do this,” Parks says. “We’re here to set it up to make them successful from their first day.”

Parks joined the Leawood Chamber of Commerce less than a year ago and says he’s “particularly excited” about the networking events because he wants to increase exposure for KC Aerial Arts.

Plus, KC Aerial Arts, according to Parks, likely has been a beneficiary of the EDC’s efforts without knowing.

“Especially with all the [development that has] happened in recent years,” Parks says.

As the city continues to grow, Parks says he would like to create a brick-and-mortar, family friendly entertainment location.

“We go places all the time,” Parks says. “We’re hired to perform at events. There’s not a lot of opportunities right now for circus entertainment programming geared toward families that is a regular, ongoing opportunity. It’s all special events. That’s something we’re looking to develop.”

EDC Not ‘All about Commercial Development’

When Peppes—a dentist and businessman by profession— joined the EDC, he says 135th and 119th streets still needed to be developed.

“We want to encourage retail, commercial, and, not only that, residential growth too,” says Peppes, a former city council member. “The EDC is not all about commercial development. Residential also. The problem is we have a limited amount of space.”

One project Peppes says he is most proud of over the past decade is the mixed-use development at 135th and State Line Road.

“It took a long time to procure,” Peppes says of the Oddo Development project known as the East Village of Leawood. “The relationship the EDC had with the developer helped with compromising with the neighbors, the city government with getting it passed through government and making the developer happy … We kind of had to change our way of thinking to get this thing passed.”

The East Village of Leawood is expected to have nearly 850 houses and apartments, more than 100,000 square feet of retail space, and more than 250,000 square feet of office space, according to Oddo Development.

If the relationship with the EDC didn’t exist, Peppes says it would have been a “horrible outcome.”

“This is nothing that happens overnight,” Peppes says. “So it took a while, and I think everybody’s happy. The city passed it, the developer’s digging holes in the ground, building structures.”

Relationships, Resources Are Key

Overall, the EDC, according to Peppes, is all about relationships.

“Mainly relationships with developers, our people in that field. Specialists in that field … helping city government understand market values,” Peppes says. “A lot of the times we pass laws that we think are in a certain parameter and do well. But as time goes on the market changes. We used to build shopping centers. We don’t do malls anymore … we do mixed use.”

Elisa Waldman, Johnson County Community College’s vice president of workforce development and continuing education, says one of JCCC’s missions is strengthening communities and being involved with the EDC is “key to accomplishing the mission.”

40 | leawood magazine
SOURCE: U.S. Census data Greg Peppes

An Aerial Celebration

KC Aerial Arts will be among the businesses involved with Leawood’s 75th anniversary celebration. Owner Daniel Parks says they will be conducting workshops and doing community outreach.

“What we’re wanting ... are opportunities to do outreach with underserved communities,” Parks says.

For more information on KC Aerial Arts, visit www.kansascityaerialarts.com.

Contact the Leawood EDC 13451 Briar, Suite 201 Leawood, KS 66209 913-498-1514 (office); 913-491-0134 (fax) www.leawoodedc.org

Email: kevinj@leawoodchamber.org

“We really consider what we do to be part of the economic development engine,” Waldman says.

The college, which is an EDC sponsor, also partners with industry to provide workforce training and development. Waldman says JCCC is a member of every chamber of commerce and EDC in the county.

“We’re very involved in world of economic development … (It’s) much more than dollars,” Waldman says. “It’s connecting our resources at the college to industry and to the city and to the county.”

Liz Albers, JCCC’s business liaison consultant, has represented the college on the EDC for the past year. The council’s role, she says, is to serve the community.

“If a new business is coming to Leawood, we make sure they’re aware we have all kinds of programs and training available to them,” Albers says.

When companies interested in relocating to Leawood conduct site visits, JCCC is “almost always at the table,” Waldman says.

“They want to come to a place that has strong assets that way,” Waldman says. “Also, those companies look at how education is funded and supported at the local, regional, and state level because that’s an indication to them of strength of the community.”

Albers says the EDC’s work is significant for the average community member because the council is “very thoughtful

about development,” bringing in businesses that would be a great fit and serve the community well.

Because there’s “not a ton of room for growth,” according to Albers, the EDC wants to be thoughtful of what’s coming to town. That includes ensuring they’re bringing in a diverse array of businesses, as well as listening to what residents are interested in.

Peppes says the EDC holds a golf tournament every year—traditionally a nine-hole match, but 18 this year—to highlight small businesses.

This year’s event, which sold out in about a week’s time, had sponsors for every hole.

“It’s not a fundraiser for the EDC, but an opportunity for EDC members to specifically have an audience of businesses to talk to on the golf course,” Peppes says.

Visit the Purple Showroom to try out the latest mattress lineup. Purple Showroom - Town Center Crossing 4563 W 119th Street, Set A-107B Town Center Crossing Magazine Ad copy.pdf 1 8/3/23 4:36 PM For more information, visit the directory of EDC members on page 46.
Liz Albers
Find Your Home Away From Home in Leawood, courtesy of Jay Koshiya Conveniently Located near a wonderful selection of restaurants and shops. Discover a new way to relax, refresh and connect with the world around you. 913 -218- 0900 5022 West 137th Street Leawood, Kansas 66224 Element-hotels.marriott.com The Element is the newest hotel in the Overland Park area and offers a variety of modern spacious rooms and suites for a long term or short term stay. AMENITIES: Rooms with full Kitchens Free Wi-Fi Motion Fitness Center Indoor Saline Pool Complimentary daily healthy breakfast Pet Friendly Event/Meeting Room Space

Resurrection joins in celebrating Leawood’s 75th Anniversary.

For 33 years Resurrection, a United Methodist Church, has been a part of the vibrant Leawood community. All are welcome to join us as we continue to follow Jesus and his command to love our neighbors.

Worship Times: Sundays, 7:30 am, 9 am, 11 am and 5 pm

Check us out online at: resurrection.church/leawood

Leawood Chamber Staff

Stephanie Meyer President and CEO Alan McGrew Vice President of Operations Taylor Limoges Vice President of Programming & Communications
leawood magazine | 45 PHOTOS Strauss Peyton Portrait Studio, www.strausspeytonkc.com
Melisa Cull Director of Membership

DIRECTORY

OF

Leawood EDC Investors

AdventHealth www.adventhealth.com/hospital/ adventhealth-shawnee-mission

913-676-2000

Affinis Corp www.affinis.us

913-239-1100

AT&T www.att.com

913-338-1966

BCCM Construction www.bccmconstruction.com

816-659-9115

Block Real Estate Services LLC www.blockllc.com

816-756-1400

CBIZ www.cbiz.com

816-945-5500

City of Leawood www.leawood.org

913-339-6700

Commerce Bank www.commercebank.com

855-659-1656

Contract Furnishings www.contractfurnishings.com

816-931-0900

Country Club Bank www.ccbfinancial.com/countryclubbank

816-931-4060

CrossFirst Bank www.crossfirstbank.com

844-261-2548

DEMDACO www.demdaco.com

888-336-3226

Evergy www.evergy.com

888-471-5275

Hallbrook Office Center LLC www.hallbrookoffice.com

816-831-1405 (property manager)

JE Dunn Construction www.jedunn.com

816-474-8600

Johnson County Community College www.jccc.edu

913-469-8500

Johnson County Management www.jcmre.com/wp

913-649-0123

Martin Pringle Attorneys at Law www.martinpringle.com

913-491-5500

Menorah Medical Center www.hcamidwest.com/locations/ menorah-medical-center

913-498-6000

MOD Architecture www.mod-arch.com

816-898-4097

Oddo Development www.oddodevelopment.com

913-894-6336

Olsson www.olsson.com

913-748-2574

Greg Peppes, DDS www.leawood.dental/landing

913-642-3939 (office)

913-593-6471 (personal)

Polsinelli PC www.polsinelli.com

816-572-4502

Reece Commercial Real Estate www.reececommercial.com

913-652-4300

Rouse Frets White Goss Gentile Rhodes, PC www.rousepc.com

913-387-1600

Saint Luke’s Health System www.saintlukeskc.org

816-932-8160

Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute www.kcoi.com

913-319-7633

Security Bank of Kansas City www.securitybankkc.com

913-281-3165

Superior Bowen www.superiorbowen.com

816-921-8200 (main office)

Town Center Plaza • Crossing www.towncenterplaza.com

913-498-1111

UMB Bank www.umb.com

816-860-7000 (KCMO location)

46 | leawood magazine

Feeding a group? Our Chick-fil-A location also offers a variety of catering options, perfect for your next event!

We’re proud to be your nearest Chick-filA®, serving freshly prepared food, crafted with quality ingredients.

If you’re looking for great food nearby, it’s our pleasure to serve you!

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S t a y u p t o d a t e w i t h p r o m o t i o n s a n d e v e n t s f o l l o w @ c f a 1 1 3 a n d n a l l A s k a b o u t o u r t r a i l e r !
N O W O P E N

KC’s Most Trusted Gynecologic Cancer Team

At AdventHealth, we're proud to be the number one trusted gynecologic cancer team in Kansas City. From next-day appointment times for newly diagnosed patients to state-of-the-art procedures, you can count on KC’s leading cancer care team to be with you every step of the way.

Learn more at CancerCareKC.com

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