Kansas receives Gold Shovel Award for the second, consecutive time
The state won this prestigious award for economic development excellence
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - For the second year in a row, Kansas has won the Gold Shovel Award, from Area Development magazine, to recognize Kansas’ excellence in economic development.
According to Governor Laura Kelly’s office, the annual, national award is given to the states that attract high-value investment projects, which results in a job market increase.
Governor Kelly’s administration states that since it began, Kansas has received $8.8 billion in new business investments, created and retained 43,000 jobs, and had been home to 645 new economic development projects.
“For the second year in a row, Kansas has been recognized as one of the nation’s leaders in job creation and business investment,” Kelly said. “There’s a reason why: Our track record of fully funding schools, investing in infrastructure, and expanding broadband access has resulted in more businesses choosing to call Kansas home.”
As stated by Governor Kelly’s office, Kelly signed the Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion (APEX) bill into law to strengthen the state’s economy, but also to give the state additional tools to compete for the significant economic projects the nation has to offer.
“Under Governor Kelly’s leadership, the Kansas economy has transformed into one of the most dominant states for economic development,” Lieutenant Governor and Commerce Secretary David Toland said. “Our aggressive approach to bringing new, quality jobs and investment to the state has led to back-to-back years of record-breaking success. As a result, the world is taking notice.”
The Kansas Department of Commerce worked with multiple organizations and partners to select some successful projects for award submission. Here is a list of the top projects:
| Company Name | Total Capital Investment | City | County | New Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilmar Cheese Company | $459,206,226 | Dodge City | Ford | 247 |
| Bartlett Grain Company, LP | $322,750,000 | Cherryvale | Montgomery | 50 |
| Hill’s Pet Nutrition | $251,500,000 | Tonganoxie | Leavenworth | 85 |
| Summit Sustainable Ingredients, LLC | $251,386,056 | Phillipsburg | Phillips | 55 |
| TriRx Pharmaceutical Services | $70,000,000 | Shawnee | Johnson | 250 |
| Torch Research, LLC | $55,000,000 | Leawood | Johnson | 490 |
| Charter Communications, Inc. | $18,919,072 | Overland Park | Johnson | 510 |
| Netsmart Technologies | $11,435,000 | Overland Park | Johnson | 425 |
| WellSky Corporation | $9,926,000 | Overland Park | Johnson | 593 |
| MCI BPO | $1,500,000 | Wichita | Sedgwick | 500 |
Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved.
