The Building Owners and Managers Association of Kansas City held its regular monthly luncheon meeting recently at the KC Club featuring speaker Jim Peck (above), chair and chief elected officer of BOMA International. The mission of this association is to promote realization of the full value of the human, intellectual and physical assets of the commercial real estate industry through advocacy efforts, educational opportunities, information exchange and professional alliances.
Before Peck spoke, several new members were recognized including Nicholas Lamb – Georgia Pacific; Michael Jones – True North Snow; Al Stokes – G4S Wackenhut; Junior Thomason – Oliver Electric; Bob Kunze – Cates Service Co.; Kyle Kiekel – Cates Service Co.; David Elmore – Metro Air; Christy Ford – ThyssenKrupp; Mike Schwartz – ThyssenKrupp; and Nicole Buland – Regents Flooring.
Peck talked about many issues affecting the industry, including the roll out of the development of the BOMA 360 Performance Program, a groundbreaking new program designed to validate and recognize commercial properties that demonstrate best practices in all major areas of building operations and management. A BOMA 360 Performance Building designates that a property is being managed to the highest standards of excellence.
The Building Owners and Managers Association of Metropolitan Kansas City (BOMA Kansas City) was established in 1926 as the trade association for the areas office building industry. BOMA Kansas City is made up of the companies and individuals who own, manage, supply and provide services to the metropolitan area’s commercial, corporate and government office buildings. BOMA Kansas City offers a year-round schedule of services, programs, and activities designed to support the professional development of its members, represent their common interests, and provide them with a means of building and maintaining industry business relationships.
Power Partners bring unparalleled value to construction industry 
Recently we met with NECA/IBEW Power Partners (above from left: Terry Akins, Roger Beach, Kevin Head, K.C. Borden, Travis Ragan and Jerry Root) at their Labor Management Cooperation Committee (LMCC) meeting. The Power Partners is a unique alliance between the Kansas City Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union No. 124 (IBEW). Representing 72 electrical contractors and over 2000 skilled workers, the Power Partners specialize in industrial, commercial and residential installations, renovations, design-build and maintenance for the Greater Kansas City Area.
Attending the meeting were board members Kenneth C. “K.C.” Borden, Executive Director, NECA; Jerry Root, President, Broadway Electrical Construction, Inc.; Bob Blake, President, Shaw Electric Co.; Kevin Head, President, Superior Electrical Construction; Terry Akins, Business Manager, IBEW Local Union No. 124; Roger Beach, President, IBEW Local Union No. 124; Bryant “BZ” Parscale, Business Representative, IBEW Local Union No. 124; and Travis Ragan, Executive Board, IBEW Local Union No. 124.
We talked to LMCC members about what they believed were hot topics for the local electrical construction market. Energy management and green building efficiencies are at the forefront of the news these days, but for the Power Partners, that’s the way they’ve been doing business all along. “Renewables, energy management, LEED Certified projects, retrofits—we were all on board long before it was considered new,” said Terry Akins, business manager for IBEW Local Union No. 124. Power Partners’ members have been professionally installing state-of-the-art building energy management systems, high-efficiency lighting and environmental systems, renewable energy solutions and retrofitting buildings with energy-saving technology for over a decade. Because the industry is ever changing, training is key in keeping current and meeting the needs of an expanding field of work. At the Power Partners Joint Apprenticeship Training Center (JATC), apprentices work full-time and take classes in the evenings during a five-year program. Journeymen also participate in continuing education to stay abreast of the latest technologies. In addition, Power Partners’ electrical contractors have LEED Accredited Professionals (APs) available that have gone through training and accreditation in order to help support the many LEED Certified projects in and around Kansas City. “Our contractors provide progressive power solutions and can assist during the building design process, adding expertise and innovative answers that can help control costs and ensure LEED certification requirements are met,” said K.C. Borden, executive director of the Kansas City Chapter of NECA.
In Kansas City, the Power Partners have worked on many LEED Certified projects, including Gold LEED Certified Johnson County Emergency Communications Center, Gold LEED Certified Johnson County Sunset Drive Office Building, Silver LEED Certified Grand Ballroom at the Kansas City Convention Center, Silver LEED Certified Applebee’s Support Center, and the LEED Certified IRS Processing Facility.
They strive to bring unparalleled value to the construction industry in the Kansas City area through their experienced contractors and highly-trained workforce. They’re committed to providing innovative solutions and lasting, quality installations. Year-round community involvement is also an important focus for the Power Partners. Most recently, they were sponsors of the holiday lighting at the Ronald McDonald House Charities at Longfellow Park, located at 25th and Cherry. This was their fourth year stringing lights for the enjoyment of the children and families staying over the holiday season. This is only one of the many worthwhile charitable events sponsored by Power Partners every year. For more information, please visit www.thepowerpartners.com.