Players

By m. steele brown

Brad Douglas

As the U.S. Small Business Administration's Region VII Administrator and Acting Regional Advocate for Small Business, Brad Douglas is excited about his role as a pioneer.

Douglas is the first person in the history of both organizations to hold each of the positions simultaneously. This level of challenge might prove a stumbling block for many a careerist, but for Douglas it is pure stimulus.

What excites Douglas about his appointment is that he represents an agency that assists in what he feels is arguably "the most important part of our economy." What pleases him even more is that he is allowed to do this work and raise his family in Kansas City, the city in which he was raised and where his extended family still lives.

As an administrator, Douglas represents the administration and the SBA in overseeing the SBA's financial assistance, business development and management and counseling programs. These are administered more directly by the Region's seven field offices, located in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri. As priorities for the regional office, Douglas sees strengthening of the ties with the region's policymakers and congressional leaders and increasing the SBA's assistance to new markets, particularly women and minority small business owners.

In his other role, that of Advocate, Douglas feels confident he can help the Office of Advocacy establish itself as a primary resource for issues and regulations affecting small businesses in Region VII. While it is possible that the Office of Advocacy could be at odds with the current administration and the SBA on many issues, Douglas has, by all accounts, the smarts and the ethical standards to stand up for what's right. To be sure, the challenge is a formidable one. That's why the position is unique, and why Douglas has been so singularly chosen to assume

Tom McKenna

Tom McKenna is helping to put Kansas City International Airport more visibly on the map. After all, that's his job.

As the Director of Marketing for the Aviation Department of the City of Kansas City, Missouri, McKenna's mission is to increase air traffic to and from Kansas City.

A native of New York City, McKenna has been working in the aviation industry for 27 years. Before moving his family to Kansas City, he worked for 12 years with SwissAir in their North American marketing department.

While the move to the Midwest has meant an obvious transition from the hustle and bustle of New York, McKenna sees great opportunities in this community.

"It was a bit of an adjustment for us, but we're settling in fine," McKenna says. "I had been looking for a change in my career having worked for 27 years for airlines in New York. I came upon this position through word-of-mouth, and it has worked out very well for me."

McKenna will grow business for KCI by encouraging expansion among the airlines currently using the airport and by finding new carriers to utilize KCI. Since coming on board with the city in October of 1998, he has done both.

Beginning in July, Denver-based Frontier Airlines will begin operating three daily flights between KCI and their hub in Denver. According to McKenna, this will create 15 new jobs, with more to come as the company increases the number of flights.

As for existing business, Midwest Express has decided to increase its presence at KCI by opening a reservation center here -- its first outside of Milwaukee -- creating 60 new jobs.

"We're even working on a new car rental facility in conjunction with a light-rail system here," McKenna says. "With the right support from the voters, we'll be moving in the right direction."