Secure Passage LLC, a network security company, has announced their decision to relocate their Headquarters operations from Kansas City, MO to Overland Park, KS. The company will operate in a new 6,100 sq ft space for its growing company of 38 employees. The company also has offices on the East and West coasts and in the Southwest, and plans to expand globally in 2009.

National Seminars Group, has chosen to retain its location in Overland Park, Kansas. The company is one of the nation's leading providers of continuing education and employs over 160 people. The Kansas Department of Commerce worked with National Seminars Group to retain their company in Kansas.

Johnson Controls, (NYSE: JCI) the largest global provider of integrated products, systems and services in the buildings market, expanded its existing air-conditioning and heating equipment facility in Wichita, KS by bringing 200 new manufacturing jobs from their facility in Apodaca, Nuevo Leon, Mexico to the Wichita facility. Johnson Controls has over 500 sales and services offices, over 30 manufacturing plants, and serves in over 125 countries.

McNichols Company, the nation's leading supplier of metal and fiberglass products with holes, recently announced the opening of its newest service center in Lenexa. The company chose Lenexa for its new 24,000-sq.-ft. facility because of the central location and transportation infrastructure. The company will employ ten people and will do both fabrication and distribution of its products.

CertainTeed Corporations, has decided to consolidate and expand their vinyl siding extrusion operation in McPherson. The company had evaluated McPherson and a plant in Texas for continued operation. CertainTeed will retain 45 jobs in McPherson and add 76 new positions over the next year. New and transferred equipment from the Texas facility is valued at over $10,000,000.

The Katz Law Firm, will relocate their operation to Overland Park, Kansas. The Katz Law Firm started in 2000 but Rick Katz, the owner of the company, has been practicing real estate law since 1975. Rick has over 20 years of experience in Power Centers and has extensive track record in Lifestyle Shopping Center development. The company is well known in the real estate industry as retail real estate attorney “deal doers” who routinely complete acquisitions and development, financing, landlord representation and other construction matters.

Embarq Corporation, has decided to retain its corporate headquarters in Kansas. The company signed a new five-year lease that will keep about 1,100 employees on the Overland Park campus of Sprint Nextel Corporation. Another 350 employees will be shifted to Embarq facilities in Gardner, KS. Embarq is a local phone company that spun off from Sprint in 2006. The Kansas Department of Commerce worked with the Embarq team on an incentive offer to retain their company in Kansas. The company looked at a variety of options in the US, and we are very pleased that their decision was Kansas.

Kiewit Power Constructors Co. & Kiewit Power Engineers Co., will build a new 150,000 sf, five story headquarters facility in Lenexa, Kansas. Both are subsidiaries of Omaha-based Kiewit Corp. The Business Recruitment team of the Kansas Department of Commerce worked with the officials of Kiewit and Lenexa over the last six months to bring this project to Kansas. http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/681235.html

Smarter Agent, Inc., has established their first regional office in Overland Park, where they will conduct both software development and marketing. Smarter Agent has innovative wireless technology for providing information on available homes or rentals to interested parties on their cell phones. The company was attracted to Overland Park by available talent formerly associated with Sprint / Nextel. While they initially expect to employ five, future growth should bring additional jobs.

BATS Trading, Inc., will relocate their operations to Overland Park, Kansas. BATS is a market center built for the broker-dealer community with the mission of making markets better. The company was started in 2005 in a time when market innovation and technology leadership were at risk due to over consolidation in the ECN and Exchange industry. The company is primarily engaged in furnishing physical or electronic marketplaces for the purpose of facilitating the buying and selling of stocks, stock options, bonds or commodity contracts. They are a business to business company.

Cretcher Heartland Incorporated, will locate its headquarters for its independent insurance agency and employee benefits office in Overland Park, Kansas. This new office location will employ more than seventy employees and generate over $4.0M in new capital investment.

Endure Energy, L.L.C. (“Endure”), is a newly formed wholesale electricity and natural gas marketing company located in Overland Park, Kansas. With over 60 years of combined energy market experience, Endure Energy’s management will implement a three year strategic growth plan into the electricity and natural gas wholesale markets. Plans call for growth to over 35 employees that will eventually cover markets in the lower 48 states and Canada. Success will be driven by the dedication of Endure’s employees and their relationships with their customers, and a formal commitment to managing risk across the organization.

The Coleman Company, founded over 100 years ago in Kansas, is adding 55 new administrative jobs at their Wichita headquarters after merging with their Stearns, Inc. subsidiary of MN. The positions will include product engineering, design engineering and sales / marketing activities. The company will move existing staff or hire new employees within the first year.

Embarq Corporation, has decided to retain its corporate headquarters in Kansas. The company signed a new five-year lease that will keep about 1,100 employees on the Overland Park campus of Sprint Nextel Corporation. Another 350 employees will be shifted to Embarq facilities in Gardner, KS. Embarq is a local phone company that spun off from Sprint in 2006. The Kansas Department of Commerce worked with the Embarq team on an incentive offer to retain their company in Kansas. The company looked at a variety of options in the US, and we are very pleased that their decision was Kansas.

Columbia Elevator Products, of Port Chester NY has announced the purchase of Elevator Solutions International in Winfield KS. Columbia is a leading manufacturer of elevator cabs, doors and related equipment. They plan to invest up to $1,000,000 to upgrade ESI equipment, retrain workers, and expand operations. The 44 current employees will be retained and 16 workers will be added over the first three years (60 jobs total).

FlightSafety International, Inc, , a world leader in aviation training services, will expand their five facilities at major aircraft manufacturers in Wichita. The expansion will add 250 jobs and double the number of pilots and other professionals being trained for new aircraft at Cessna, Hawker Beechcraft and Bombardier – Lear. The company will invest over $140 million in new simulators and support equipment.

Engineered Air of Canada, broke ground on a new production facility in De Soto, Kansas, where its U.S. headquarters and manufacturing plant are located. The company is planning to add 170 jobs and invest $8.5 million in building and equipment to increase production capacity for HVAC equipment.

United Healthcare Services, Inc./Prescription Solutions, based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, is expanding its Overland Park, Kansas pharmaceutical customer service and distribution center. The company will be investing $25.6 million and adding 1,150 new jobs to its current 850 employee operation.

Hill's Pet Nutrition, has, after an extensive search process, chosen Kansas for another business operation. The company will build a new state-of-the-art dry pet food manufacturing facility in Emporia, KS. This new facility will employ 150 jobs and have a new capital investment of $160M. Hill's is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Colgate Palmolive Company.

OncImmune, an England-based biotech company specializing in early breast cancer detection, announced that it will locate its North American headquarters and a commercial lab in Lenexa, Kansas. The new facility will generate 120 jobs with an investment of $30 million. In addition, the company will partner with the University of Kansas on research projects.

Trimac Industries, is a contract manufacturer of washers and ovens. The company is relocating from out-of-state and leasing a facility in Bonner Springs, KS. They will bring 25 new jobs to Kansas and $1.2M in new capital investment in this new operation for the company.

Kroger Company, of Cincinnati, Ohio announced they will expand their Hutchinson, Kansas operation by bringing in the divisional headquarters’ accounting and human resources processing center. The new operation will bring 75 new jobs to the community and join Kroger’s accounting operations at the facility.

Endres Processing, is a Minnesota-based animal nutrition company that utilizes consumer baking and food products and processes them into animal nutrition products for the livestock industry. They will locate a new operation to Kansas City, Kansas and lease a facility, creating 30 new jobs and $2.0M in new capital investment.

Necessary Oil, of Leawood, Kansas is establishing a new oil recycling facility in the southeast Kansas community of LaCygne. The company will create 30 new jobs when at full operation.

SH3, is a language translation company that works to translate documents in over 30 languages. They specialize in the translation of documents for industrial machinery applications, human resource or training manuals, and pharmaceutical and biomedical communications. They are a new business to Kansas and will bring 22 new jobs and almost $2.0M in new investment to Overland Park, Kansas.

Bus & Coach International, based in Chino, California has selected Jennings in northwest Kansas as the location its new manufacturing and distribution location. The company will have 75 employees when at full operation and invest $1.45 million.

Land o'Lakes/Purina Feed LLC, has purchased an existing feed mill in Russell, Kansas and is planning to create 12 new jobs and $16.61M in new capital investment related to this project. The mill will be dedicated to serving the dairy industry. They will modernize the facility upon purchase. The project was worked through a major site location firm in Chicago.

Focus Printing Group, based in Kansas City, MO will establish a new production facility in Kansas City, Kansas. The new facility will have 30 new employees and invest $1.44 million.

ICAT Logistics, of Linthicum, Maryland has selected Overland Park, Kansas for a new regional office. The company will create 25 new jobs.

US Bank, is constructing a new data center facility in Olathe, KS. The project location was assisted by CB Richard Ellis out of Newport Beach, CA. The new operation will bring approximately 46 new employees to Kansas, along with $100M of new capital investment.

Diversified Services, is establishing a second production facility in Wichita, Kansas with 75 new jobs and $2.1 million in capital investment. The firm is a metal and composite material inspection and processing company.

Geneva Roth Capital, and three other associated companies from Kansas City, Missouri are moving to a new location in Mission, Kansas. The companies will create 89 new jobs and invest $3.0 million.

Kimberly Clark, a leading supplier of paper products, based in Irving, Texas will build a new 450,000 square foot distribution center in New Century, Kansas. The operation will have 60 employees and create $20M in new capital investment.

The Triumph Group, based in Wayne, Pennsylvania, will be expanding their Wichita, Kansas operation. The company will invest $11.8 million and create 90 new jobs at its aircraft component manufacturing facility.

Park Electrochemical Corporation, out of Melville, New York, has chosen Newton, KS for a new manufacturing location of pre-preg composite materials for the aviation industry. This new operation will have 60 employees in two years and a capital investment of $15M.

Affiliated Computer Services, based in Haskell, Texas, is locating a $1.5 million information technology outsourcing operation in Overland Park, Kansas. The facility will have 78 employees.

Iowa Precast Company, based in Des Moines, Iowa is building a new manufacturing facility in Pleasanton, KS. The new operation will manufacture concrete products, specifically bridge beams and building foundations. The operation will employ 100 jobs in five years and create $4.3M in capital investment in the first year.

Ace Mortgage Funding, of Indianapolis, Indiana is opening a regional, mortgage lending and processing office in Overland Park, Kansas. The company will create 40 jobs and invest $2.1 million

Jet Airwerks, LLC, president moved his family and business from Weston, FL to start a new aircraft component remanufacturing facility in Arkansas City, KS. The company will create 35 jobs and install $250,000 of new equipment.

GKN, a British-based aerospace manufacturer, recently established a presence in Wellington, Kansas through its acquisition of U.S. aerospace company Stellex Aerostructures, a manufacturer of complex metal structural components. The Kansas facility employs 200 people.

Hawkeye Material Management, Inc., in Arkansas City, KS is expanding its aircraft parts distribution facility in Kansas. The expansion will bring 10 new jobs and $450,000 in new capital investment.

Pioneer Hybred, based in Ralston, IA, has chosen Lawrence, KS for a new bioscience lab for soybean research. The soybeans for the research will be grown in the Lawrence area.

Encore Receivables Management Inc, a division of Convergys Corporation, has decided to expand their operations in Olathe, KS. The operations in Olathe will add 250 new customer service representatives who will provide comprehensive accounts receivables management utilizing Convergys proprietary technology and analytical tools. The company chose to expand their operations in Olathe over sites in Denver, CO; Austin, TX; Killeen, TX; Salt Lake City, UT.

BioTarget, has partnered with the University Of Kansas Cancer Center, Office of Therapeutic, Development, and Discovery for in vivo diagnostic preclinical studies of encapsulated biomaterials at the University of Kansas Lawrence Campus to identify and characterize cancer biomarkers for in vitro diagnostic applications. This is BioTarget's first operation in the Central U. S. The company will employ 2 employees in R & D facility, such as network engineers, support technicians and traffic operators and make an $500,000 capital investment into the State of Kansas.

The Coleman Company Inc., the Wichita-based manufacturer of outdoor recreation gear will locate a 1.1 million-square-foot distribution center in the Midwest Commerce Center in Gardner, Kansas. The company will be one of the first to benefit from the new BNSF Railway Co. intermodal facility currently in development. The new facility is set to begin operations by the third quarter of 2009. The project will create over 100 jobs and $43 million in capital investment for Kansas.