Chamber History
Over the years, The Chamber has been behind the creation of a city water system, KC’s parks and boulevards system, construction of Union Station, Liberty Memorial, two airports, KCMO City Hall, and several convention centers.
And we’re not done yet. Not even close. But to know where you’re going, you have to understand where you’ve been.
The Chamber – A Part of Greater Kansas City’s History
It was the first meeting of the “Commercial Club,” a small group of businessmen determined, as businessman Frank Faxon put it that night, “to make Kansas City a good place to live in.” The minutes from that first meeting – written in spidery 1800s penmanship - are still in our archives.
It was the middle of July in Kansas City, so we can figure it was probably hot and humid. The year was 1887, ten days following annual Independence Day celebrations.
The men met at the Brunswick Hotel, making their way along warped wooden sidewalks, dodging mudholes, and carrying lanterns to light their way back home. They knew what good could come of collaboration – they’d seen it in action twenty years before as civic and business leaders worked to build the first railroad bridge across the Missouri River; losing towns along the river might have said those leaders conspired.
In its first century, the Commercial Club supported the City Beautiful Movement, resulting in the parks, boulevards, and fountains so carefully placed throughout the city and its suburbs today. In 1900, when the city’s brand new convention hall burned down 90 days before the Democratic Party was to hold its national convention there, the business and civic community collaborated with others to get a new hall built. The convention opened on time.
Changing Times and a Change of Names
In 1916, the Commercial Club changed its name to the Chamber of Commerce. In 1972, as the suburbs grew and businesses from beyond the KCMO city limits joined, the name was changed to the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.
Over the years, the Chamber and its thousands of members have weathered recessions and depressions; we’ve dealt with floods, fires, and tornadoes. Played our part in hot wars and cold. Struggled with a sometimes contentious state line.
But since that hot July day in 1887, Chamber members have also created hundreds of thousands of new businesses – and the jobs that go with them. They brought innovative ideas into the marketplace. And they set an example, with entrepreneurs like Ewing Kauffman, Joyce Hall, Herman A. Johnson, and the Bloch brothers making sure to pass their knowledge and treasure onto others.
The Chamber & Union Station
History can often take an interesting turn. In the early 1900s, business leaders agreed to build a new rail station south of downtown – bigger and better, and above the floodwaters that plagued the original West Bottoms site. The Chamber of Commerce supported that venture, and was there – along with a crowd of 100,000 – when Union Station opened in 1916.
In the 1990s, Union Station’s proud history seemed to be over. It lay closed, in disrepair and near ruin. In 1996, the Chamber led the successful bi-state campaign to renovate Union Station, saving it from the wrecking ball (and the pigeons). Voters on both sides of the state line made history, agreeing to tax themselves 1/8 cent to save the iconic structure.
Here’s the ‘interesting turn’ - the Chamber chose Union Station as its new home and moved in at the end of 2010. The organization that works for regional collaboration moved into the building that best symbolizes it. Our move was followed by other business and civic organizations becoming tenants as well, and now Union Station is consistently at or near full occupancy, which only adds to the vibrancy of this regional asset for future generations to enjoy.
Past KC Chamber Board Chairs
1988-PRESENT
2019 - Gordon Lansford
2018 - Matt Condon
2017 - Karen Daniel
2016 - Terry Bassham
2015 - Terrence P. Dunn
2014 - Roshann Parris
2013 - Russ Welsh
2012 - E. Frank Ellis
2011 - Greg Graves
2010 - Peter J. Desilva
2009 - Anne D. St. Peter
2008 - Robert D. Regnier
2007 - John W. Bluford
2006 - Tom Bowser
2005 - T. Nelson Mann
2004 - Karen L. Pletz
2003 - Terrence P. Dunn
2002 - Jeffrey W. Comment
2001 - G. Richard Hashings
2000 - William P. Lucas
1999 - Peter K. Lemke
1998 - E. Wynn Presson
1997 - H.D. "Harry" Cleberg
1996 - Michael F. Morrissey
1995 - Elizabeth T. Solberg
1994 - Thomas A. McDonnell
1993 - Drue Jennings
1992 - Robert A. Kipp
1991 - W.H. "Bert" Bates
1990 - H. Marshall Chatfield
1989 - Clark G. Redick
1988 - Richard C. Green, Jr.
1938-1987
1987 - David A. Rismiller
1986 - Charles W. Battey
1985 - Michael F. Mayer
1984 - Jack W. Steadman
1983 - Daniel J. Watkins
1982 - Gil P. Bourk
1981 - Robert A. Long
1980 - Ilus W. Davis
1979 - Jerome H. Scott, Jr.
1978 - William H. Dunn
1977 - Robert K. Zimmerman
1976 - Henry W. Bloch
1975 - Charles E. Curry
1974 - Don L. Smith
1973 - Dutton Brookfield
1972 - Don R. Armacost
1971 - James W. Stephens
1970 - Donald M. Grant
1969 - E. Bertram Berkley
1968 - John S. Ayres
1967 - Robert P. Ingram
1966 - Richard C. Green
1965 - John Latshaw
1964 - Kenneth Krakauer
1963 - Byron Spencer
1962 - J. R. Dominick, II
1961 - Paul L. Willson, Jr.
1960 - Herbert M. Wiggs
1959 - Carl B. Rechner
1958 - Cliff C. Jones, Jr.
1957 - Jay B. Dillingham
1956 - Robert L. Sweet
1955 - F.J. Fitzpatrick
1954 - Karl Koerper
1953 - J.C. Higdon
1952 - C. J. Kaney
1951 - J. C. Williams
1950 - Albert R. Waters
1949 - Herbert H. Wilson
1948 - Albert F. Hillix
1947 - Kearney Wornal
1946 - E. F. Pierson
1945 - F. A. Theis
1944 - R. L. Mehornay
1943 - Ward C. Gifford
1942 - W. T. Grant
1941 - Mortan T. Jones
1940 - Grant Stauffer
1939 - Ralph J. DeMotte
1938 - A. E. Bettis
1887-1937
1937 - D. Bruce Forrester
1936 - Fred Goldman
1935 - J. E. Woodmansee
1934 - Conrad H. Mann
1928 - Arthur Hardgrave
1927 - Lou E. Holland
1925 - Jas. McQueeny
1924 - F. J. Bannister
1923 - N. N. Dalton
1922 - Edw. O. Faeth
1921 - F. C. Sharon
1920 - W. S. McLucas
1919 - B. A. Parsons
1918 - F. D. Crabbs
1917 - Chas. E. Faeth
1917 - Fed L. Dickey
1916 - Chas. Butler
1915 - Chas S. Keith
1914 - H. A. Fitch
1913 - John H. Wiles
1912 - H. G. Moore
1911 - J. C. Lester
1910 - W. T. Bland
1909 - Leon Smith
1908 - H. B. Topping
1907 - O. V. Dodge
1906 - J. D. Robertson
1905 - L. M. Miller
1904 - C. D. Parker
1903 - J. F. Richards
1902 - W. B. Thayer
1901 - C. J. Schmelzer
1900 - U. S. Epperson
1899 - H. W. Evans
1898 - WM. Barton
1897 - M. V. Watson
1896 - A. R. Meyer
1895 - Geo W. Fuller
1894 - J. C. James
1893 - Chas. Campbell
1892 - G. F. Putnam
1891 - J. M. Patterson
1890 - F. A. Faxon
1889 - L. E. Irwin
1887-88 - W. B. Grimes