For an industry to thrive and win big business, it takes collaboration across various conditions and stakeholders: state and local leadership, a pro-business environment, supportive communities, utility partners, a dynamic innovation ecosystem, and a highly skilled workforce. This month’s blog discusses the secret sauce for lasting growth in an industry.

Here’s how to level up your talent strategy this year.

One of the most significant economic development projects in Kansas history and the largest to date for Merck Animal Health, the 200,000-square-foot expansion includes an $860 million investment in the site’s existing manufacturing facility and a $35 million investment in its research and development laboratories.

Congratulations to our partners in De Soto, Kansas, on the selection of Merck Animal Health’s announcement to invest $895 million in the expansion of its manufacturing and R&D operations, creating 200 jobs and 200,000-square-feet of new space.

KC SmartPort’s 2025 Annual Industry Briefing gathered 650 industry leaders to share insights into transformations underway in the automotive sector — from electrification and advanced manufacturing to rapidly evolving supply chains, shifting trade policies and rising foreign investment.

In a time when international companies are navigating unpredictability in trade policy, energy prices and supply chain, Kansas City is proving why it’s one of the most strategic Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) markets in the U.S.

The new strategic hub is the largest office project ever recruited from outside the market and marks a major milestone in the Kansas City region’s rise as a national tech and fintech leader.

Congratulations to our partners in Overland Park, Kansas, on Fiserv’s selection of the Aspiria Campus for its new strategic fintech hub.

As a unified collective of business and civic organizations across Greater Kansas City, we are united in a singular mission: To keep the Chiefs and Royals in our region. We strongly advocate for swift action to ensure these teams remain vital regional assets.

Business consolidation in the Animal Health industry has reshaped the landscape, influencing not just the size and structure of companies but also the nature of leadership within the sector. The merging of smaller, specialized companies into larger multinational corporations has created a more complex dynamic where a diverse range of thought leaders now play key roles in shaping the industry's direction.