Brand Toolkit
Welcome to the KC SmartPort Brand Toolkit
This toolkit is designed to help you share the KC SmartPort story with clarity and consistency. Here you’ll find logos, messaging, brand guidelines and other resources to support your communications and reinforce the strength of Kansas City’s industrial advantage.
Short Description
Promoting the KC market’s status as a leading North American manufacturing and logistics hub, KC SmartPort is the region’s industrial business attraction organization, representing 18-counties in Kansas and Missouri.
Boilerplate
About KC SmartPort
An affiliate of the Kansas City Area Development Council, KC SmartPort is the authority on industrial operations in the 18-county, two-state Kansas City region. The nonprofit economic development organization promotes and enhances the Kansas City region’s status as a leading North American manufacturing and logistics hub, attracting industrial investment into the market. In the last five years, KC SmartPort has contributed to the attraction of nearly 12,000 jobs, more than $575 million in payroll and $5.8 billion in capital investment to the KC region. | www.kcsmartport.com
Media Assets
The KC SmartPort Team
Chris Gutierrez
President, KC SmartPort
Chris Gutierrez is the President of Kansas City SmartPort, Inc., a nonprofit economic development
organization that promotes and enhances the Kansas City region’s status as a leading North American logistics hub. SmartPort is an affiliated group of the Kansas City Area Development Council (KCADC).
Chris has been active in logistics and international business for more than twenty-five years. He has worked in the public and private sector in international business and logistics.
Chris’ community involvement includes his positions as a board member of the following
organizations: Board of Advisors of the University of Kansas Supply Chain Management Program, CSCMP, and the World Trade Center – Kansas City and Feed Northland Kids. He is also alumni of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Centurions.
Elli Houston
Vice President, KC SmartPort
Elli Houston is Vice President of KC SmartPort, a nonprofit economic development organization that promotes and enhances the Kansas City region’s position as a leading North American logistics hub. KC SmartPort is an affiliated organization of the Kansas City Area Development Council (KCADC).
Elli leads industrial attraction efforts across the region, supporting companies through site selection, workforce strategy, and supply chain analysis. She has helped secure major investment and job creation through projects with global brands including Chewy, Amazon and Hostess.
Elli’s community involvement includes support for local workforce development programs and student scholarships in supply chain and logistics. She was named to the Kansas City Business Journal’s NextGen Leaders class and recognized among the “40 Under 40 in Economic Development” by DCI and Jorgenson Pace.
Josie Calkins
Director, KC SmartPort
Josie Calkins is Director of Business Development for KC SmartPort, a nonprofit economic development organization that promotes and enhances the Kansas City region’s position as a leading North American logistics hub. KC SmartPort is an affiliated organization of the Kansas City Area Development Council (KCADC).
Josie joined KC SmartPort after interning with the organization, returning in a full-time role as Project Manager focused on sourcing new industrial and logistics attraction opportunities for the Kansas City region. In her current capacity as Director, she oversees business development initiatives, working closely with prospects to facilitate site selection, logistics optimization and workforce alignment.
Josie is actively engaged in the professional community, representing KC SmartPort at events like NextGen Talks in Kansas City, where she participates in networking and thought‑leadership discussions with industry peers. She earned her degree from Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business.
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