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 attracted projects representing $6.9 billion in capital investment, over 9,400 jobs and 14 million square feet of space to the KC region. | OneKC.org/KCSmartPort
Media Assets
The KC SmartPort Team
Chris Gutierrez
President, KC SmartPort
Chris serves as President of KC SmartPort, an affiliate of the Kansas City Area Development Council that positions the KC region as a premier North American manufacturing and logistics hub. With nearly 30 years of experience spanning public and private sectors, he has an extensive background in international business and global logistics strategy. Under his leadership, KC SmartPort advances the region’s reputation as a top-tier destination for industrial investment and supply chain operations. Chris contributes to the broader industry as a board member of the World Trade Center – Kansas City, and he serves as President of the KC Foreign Trade Zones.
Elli Houston
Vice President, KC SmartPort
Elli serves as Vice President of KC SmartPort, an affiliate of the Kansas City Area Development Council that positions the KC region as a premier North American manufacturing and logistics hub. She leads industrial corporate attraction efforts for the region, providing thought leadership on manufacturing and logistics competitiveness both locally and nationally — work that has helped advance Kansas City’s reputation as a leading industrial hub. Her expertise has earned recognition from the Kansas City Business Journal as a NextGen Leader and internationally as a “40 Under 40 in Economic Development.”
Josie Calkins
Director, KC SmartPort
Josie serves as Director of KC SmartPort, an affiliate of the Kansas City Area Development Council that positions the KC region as a premier North American manufacturing and logistics hub. She leads strategic business development initiatives, guiding industrial attraction prospects through site selection, supply chain optimization, and workforce alignment. Josie launched her career with the organization as an intern before rising to Project Manager and ultimately Director. She is actively engaged in regional thought-leadership networks and holds a business degree from Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business.
Get in touch
Our media team is here to answer any questions.
Site Selection
Data & Resources
KCADC Newsroom
KCADC Events
About KCADC
© 2026 KCADC. All rights reserved.