By Murrel Bland
Antonio Soave, the Kansas Secretary of Commerce, visited Kansas City, Kansas, recently to speak at the monthly meeting of the Congressional Forum, a division of the Kansas City, Kansas, Area Chamber of Commerce. About 50 persons attended the meeting at the Reardon Convention Center.
The Commerce Department ‘s primary function is keeping existing businesses in Kansas and attracting new firms. That is quite a challenge during an era when three of the state’s major industries—agriculture, aircraft and gas and oil–are suffering. But Soave remains optimistic as he explained during his presentation.
Soave told the wind farm industry that generates electricity and provides income in areas traditionally supported by agriculture. The Kansas Energy Information network list 24 wind farms that have come into operation since 2001. There are eight others under construction. He said that Kansas was able to attract a $610 million investment from Enel, a major international wind-energy company based in Italy.
Soave also told of the work of Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, which is building 70 percent of the airframe of the 737 and then ships it by rail to Boeing’s plant in Renton, Wash.
He also told of the new fulfillment warehouses for Amazon, including one in the Turner community.
Soave had high praise for the public-private partnership which developed Village West. He commended leadership for the proper use of sales tax bonds which helped pay for the infrastructure. Those bonds were paid off last year–four years early.
It is important to help those areas of the state that have challenges, Soave said, including urban and rural areas.
Soave also complimented Dr. Doris Givens, the President of Kansas City, Kansas, Community College, for helping train the necessary workforce.
Governor Sam Brownback appointed Soave to the Commerce Department in the fall of 2015. The Kansas Senate confirmed his appointment in January of 2016. Soave is the former chairman of
Capistrano Global Advisory Services, an international business transaction firm in Overland Park. He was a White House intern under President Ronald Reagan.
Murrel Bland is the former editor of The Wyandotte West and The Piper Press. He is the executive director of Business West.