BLACK & VEATCH SELECTS OVERLAND PARK FOR WORLD HEADQUARTERS

Black & Veatch company officials announced today the selection of Overland Park, Kansas for the location of its world headquarters, ending a two-year analysis of prospective sites.

“This is great news for our local economy,” said Tracey Osborne, Overland Park Chamber of Commerce President. “Black & Veatch has been a mainstay of the Kansas economy for over nine decades, investing in communities across the state and around the world. Their selection of Overland Park for this monumental decision speaks highly of the company’s commitment to Kansas and of the quality of our local workforce.”

The project includes the company’s purchase and enhancement of its existing 600,000 square-foot building at 11401 Lamar, and a long-term expansion plan that includes an additional 250,000 square feet on the site as needed for future growth. When complete, the world headquarters could accommodate a total workforce of more than 3,400.

Len Rodman, Chairman, President & CEO of Black & Veatch, said, “The State of Kansas and city of Overland Park were immensely helpful in working collaboratively with Black & Veatch to make this visionary plan a reality.”

Lavern Squier, the Chamber’s Sr. Vice President of Economic Development, commented, “This decision constitutes one of the largest real-estate transactions in the region, as Black & Veatch enhances the largest office building in Kansas into a campus-setting that becomes a world headquarters for professionals whose work on vital infrastructure has a global impact.“

With $3.2 billion in revenue, the employee-owned company has more than 100 offices worldwide and has completed projects in more than 100 countries on six continents. Long known for commitment to community service, in 2007 the company received the Governor’s Award of Excellence, which is presented annually to the Kansas business that best represents the state’s ideals of leadership, service and contributions to the economy.