Latest News

 

Measuring America: County Business Patterns Interactive Map Update - May 1, 2013

In conjunction with the release on the 2011 County Business Patterns, the Census Bureau has updated the Measuring America County Business and Demographics Map. The map provides an interactive, easy-to-understand overview of how many types of businesses are in your community or anywhere else in the U.S. The map includes 2011 County Business Patterns statistics combined with demographic statistics from the 2010 Census.
County Business Patterns provides annual statistics on businesses with paid employees within the U.S. and Puerto Rico. These statistics provide the only detailed annual information on the number of establishments, employees, and quarterly and annual payroll for nearly 1,200 industries covered at the national, state and county levels.For more detailed information on County Business Patterns, including how the data are collected, coverage and methodology, and industry detail, please visit the County Business Patterns website.

U-Haul ranks Kansas City No. 9 destination city - St. Louis Business Journal, April 12, 2013

While St. Louis ranked No. 19 in the 2012 report, it wasn’t enough to beat Kansas City, which ranked No. 9 on the list. The report, titled “The U-Haul 2012 Top U.S. Destination Cities,” uses moving data reflective of nationwide statistics for calendar year 2012. Read more...  

Kansas City Marketing Firm Wins 17 Advertising Awards - Missouri Focus, April 12, 2013

International marketing firm VML, based out of Kansas City, was recently honored with 17 awards at the 11th annual 2013 Internet Advertising Competition (IAC) Awards. These awards, which are announced by the Web Marketing Association, honor excellence in Internet advertising among 96 industries and nine online formats, including online advertisement, video, mobile, newsletter, email and social media. Submissions are evaluated based on creativity, innovation, impact, design, copywriting, use of medium and memorability. Submissions that meet or exceed a standard of excellence are recognized as “outstanding,” while submissions that are considered the best in the industry receive a “best” award. VML received eight “best” awards and eight “outstanding” awards, along with a “Best of Show” award, the highest award given within a category, in the social media campaign category for its work on the Revlon Expression Experiment. A full list of this year’s IAC winners, including an in-depth look at VML’s Best of Show Revlon Expression Experiment, can be found at the IAC website. Read more...  

Adrian Steel to Supply Ford Claycomo Plant - kansascitybusiness, The Kansas City Star, April 9, 2013

The company plans to invest $4.7 million in the facility and hire 39 people to make and install interiors for the new Ford Transit commercial van to be built at the Claycomo plant. Read more...

Flag of Freedom Award Presented to Kansas City-Area Business that Hired Veterans under the Show-Me Heroes Program - Missouri Department of Economic Development, April 3, 2013

The Cartwright Companies, a Kansas City-based transportation company focused on hauling military freight, was recently honored for its commitment to hiring military veterans under the Show-Me Heroes program at the 24th Annual Veterans and Military Personnel Career Fair in Kansas City. 2nd Lt. Jon Barry, Show-Me Heroes program director, made the presentation to officials from the company to help kick off the fair at Kansas City’s Union Station. According to Barry, making the presentation to Cartwright Companies in front of a large audience of employers attending a veterans-focused career fair sends a powerful message about the State of Missouri’s and the program’s commitment to connecting the state’s veterans and current service members with meaningful careers within their communities.. Read more...

Ford, GM sales soar in March...The Ford F-series truck played a huge role in that improvement - Kansas City Business Journal, April 2, 2013

Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co. both recorded their best March sales since 2007. Ford saw sales of 236,160 vehicles in March, up 5.7 percent from last year. Sales for the first three months of the year were up 11 percent. The Ford F-series truck played a huge role in that improvement, with sales up 16.3 percent to 67,513 in March compared with a year ago. The Ford F-150 is produced at Ford’s Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo. It remains America’s best-selling pickup, with 20 straight months of sales increases. Read more...

Ford’s new Transit van debuts at Kansas City auto show - Kansas City Business Journal, April 2, 2013

Governor Jay Nixon recently joined officials from the Ford Motor Co. on March 6 for the unveiling of Ford’s new 2014 Transit commercial van at the Greater Kansas City International Auto Show in Kansas City. The Transit will be produced for the first time in the U.S. beginning next year at Ford’s assembly plant in Claycomo, part of a $1.1 billion expansion at the facility. Read more...

Edward Jones increasing Kansas City employment by 20.5 percent this year - Kansas City Busines Journal, March 29, 2013

“We have a lot of people who are entering the retirement stage or are planning for the retirement stage,” said Matt Knehans, talent acquisition leader for Edward Jones in the metro area. “It creates a lot of opportunity out there. There are a lot of people who don’t necessarily have the services of a financial adviser but need one. That’s the primary driver.” Read more...

Kansas City on "Best Cities for Small Businesses" List - NuWire Investor, March 20, 2013

When it comes to supporting small businesses not all cities are created equal, whether because of more local interest in independent sellers, better tax rates and incentives, or because commercial property is cheaper. Some cities are starting to take their small-business environment more seriously, which means finding ways to attract owners to set up shop. A handful of cities that are making an effort to bring in and retain more small businesses include San Antonio, Miami, Kansas City and Atlanta. For more on this continue reading the following article from TheStreet. Read more...

Census Bureau Releases New Extraction Tool for Local Employment Dynamics Data - US Census Bureau, March 28, 2013

The US Census Bureau has released a beta version of a tool that gives users the ability to access all 30 Local Employment Dynamics Quarterly Workforce Indicators (QWI), including measures of employment, turnover, hiring, job creation, job destruction and average monthly earnings. Researchers and policy-makers use the QWI to study trends in the nation's labor force. Primarily for advanced users, the tool allows extraction of data for specific geographies and industries without downloading large data sets. Visit <http://ledextract.ces.census.gov/> for more information on the extraction tool.

Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbia Among Top 30 Best Cities for Young Entrepreneurs in 2013 - Under30CEO, March 19, 2013

One of the most important things you’ll do when starting your business is to pick where to setup shop. You want to find a place that offers business resources but also the lifestyle and culture that you want. The below list breaks down 30 cities across the United States into three different categories based on the population of the cities. Then Under30CEO readers were asked to vote on the locations they thought were the best places for a new company to open shop based on local resources, culture, atmosphere and overall appeal to a young twenty-something. Did your city make the cut? Read more...

Blockbuster revenue year plays at AMC Entertainment - Kansas City Business Journal, March 13, 2013

AMC Entertainment Inc. celebrated its best year in history in terms of total revenue, thanks to increased attendance. The Kansas City-based company’s 2012 revenue rose 10.8 percent to $2.65 billion, including an 8.8 percent increase in admission revenue to $1.8 billion. Attendance was up 6.8 percent, and average ticket prices increased 1.9 percent. Concessions revenue rose 12.3 percent to $743 million.  Read more...  

Lee’s Summit Hopes to Spur Economic Growth through the Arts - Lee's Summit Journal, March 7, 2013

Lee’s Summit plans to jumpstart economic growth and increase the quality of living by providing a greater community focus on the arts. The city already hosts a number of events and festivals including an Emerald Isle St. Patrick’s Day parade, a summer concert series, and a kite festival. While the existing events tap into the city’s creative vein, city officials hope to strengthen existing events and create new ones to create a bigger draw. As part of the plan to support the arts, the city plans to build museums and a new performing arts center. In addition to increasing economic prosperity, city officials hope that promoting arts will help build relationships and strengthen the community through shared experiences and mutual appreciation. Read more...

Facts for Features

 

 

Older Americans Month - May 2013

A meeting with the National Council of Senior Citizens resulted in President John F. Kennedy designating May 1963 as Senior Citizens Month, encouraging the nation to pay tribute to older people across the country. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter’s proclamation changed the name to Older Americans Month, a time to celebrate those 65 and older through ceremonies, events and public recognition. Full story»

 

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month: May 2013

In 1978, a joint congressional resolution established Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week. The
first 10 days of May were chosen to coincide with two important milestones in Asian/Pacific
American history: the arrival in the United States of the first Japanese immigrants (May 7, 1843)
and contributions of Chinese workers to the building of the transcontinental railroad, completed
May 10, 1869. In 1992, Congress expanded the observance to a monthlong celebration. Per a
1997 Office of Management and Budget directive, the Asian or Pacific Islander racial category
was separated into two categories: one being Asian and the other Native Hawaiian and Other
Pacific Islander. Thus, this Facts for Features contains a section for each. Full story»

2013 Hurricane Season Begins

The north Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1 and lasts through Nov. 30. The U.S. Census Bureau produces timely local statistics that are critical to emergency planning, preparedness and recovery efforts. This edition of Facts for Features highlights the number of people living in areas that could be most affected by these dramatic acts of nature. Full story»

Father's Day: June 16, 2013

The idea of Father's Day was conceived slightly more than a century ago by Sonora Dodd of Spokane, Wash., while she listened to a Mother's Day sermon in 1909. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart, a widowed Civil War veteran who was left to raise his six children on a farm. A day in June was chosen for the first Father's Day celebration, June 17, 1910, proclaimed by Spokane's mayor because it was the month of Smart's birth. The first presidential proclamation honoring fathers was issued in 1966 when President Lyndon Johnson designated the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. Father's Day has been celebrated annually since 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed the public law that made it permanent. Full story»

The Fourth of July 2013

On this day in 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress, setting the 13 colonies on the road to freedom as a sovereign nation. As always, this most American of holidays will be marked by parades, fireworks and backyard barbecues across the country. Full story»