Banking on KC - Jan Kreamer
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Kelly Scanlon
Welcome to Banking on KC. I'm your host, Kelly Scanlon. Thank you for joining us.
On this episode, we're talking with Jan Kreamer, a longtime Kansas City business, civic, and philanthropic leader. She currently serves as Board Chair of KC Scholars.
Welcome, Jan.
Jan Kreamer
Thank you. It's great to be with you.
Kelly Scanlon
You have been so involved in Kansas City over the years, and it's a pleasure to talk with you and get your perspective on how far we've come and where we can go.
But first, I'd like to start here. Many people know you as the former Chair of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Board of Trustees. Others know you as the former President and CEO of the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, or through your work with the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.
One of the most fascinating things I've learned about you is that you helped create Exchange City.
Jan Kreamer
Yes, and I love that we're starting there because that was actually the first thing I worked on in the community back in 1978.
At the time, I was Executive Director of the Learning Exchange. The business community wanted students to be better connected to the worlds of business and economics, so we brought together a talented group of teachers to explore ways to make those concepts come alive.
Concepts like supply and demand, opportunity cost, and scarcity can feel abstract and, frankly, sometimes boring to students. We asked ourselves: What if we could create an experience that would allow students to actually live those concepts?
Exchange City was the result.
With support from Hallmark, including Bill Hall, Jean Bates, and their talented artists, we built a model city where students could role-play careers and civic leadership positions. Once the program was fully established, approximately 20,000 students a year participated.
Students became business owners, mayors, police officers, and community leaders. They experienced firsthand what it meant to make decisions, solve problems, and contribute to a community.
It was exciting to watch it all unfold.
Kelly Scanlon
I remember serving as a parent chaperone when my daughters visited Exchange City. The immersion and hands-on learning really brought the concepts to life.
Thank you for creating that experience.
Jan Kreamer
One of the things I've always found fascinating is that no matter what role I held afterward, people always remembered Exchange City first.
I could be introduced for my work at the Community Foundation or the Kauffman Foundation, but once people learned I was involved with Exchange City, that became the most important credential.
What was especially fun was asking people about their experience years later. Some of them were 20 or 25 years removed from the program, yet they could still describe exactly what job they held, what decisions they made, and how successful they thought they were.
That told me the experience truly made an impact.
Kelly Scanlon
You've played an instrumental role in shaping many of Kansas City's most important institutions. Let's start with the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation.
You became nationally known among community foundation leaders for your pioneering work around donor intent. Today that sounds commonplace, but it really wasn't at the time.
Why was it such a game changer?
Jan Kreamer
It absolutely was a game changer.
Community foundations had existed long before Kansas City entered the picture, and most operated under a traditional endowment model.
The message was essentially, "Give us your money. We'll provide good service and tax advantages, and our board will decide how the funds are distributed."
When we presented that model to prospective donors, many responded with a simple question: "Why would I want to do that?"
In an interesting way, my experience with Exchange City helped shape my thinking. Watching students become actively engaged in their own learning led to an important insight.
Instead of saying, "Give it to us, we know best," what if we created a model that encouraged donors to remain actively involved?
We wanted to connect people to the causes and organizations they cared about. We would make giving easy, effective, and flexible, but we wanted them to stay engaged.
That became the donor-advised fund model.
The results were extraordinary.
Over a twenty-year period, the Community Foundation grew from approximately $10 million in assets to more than $1 billion. Today, the Foundation manages more than $4 billion in assets.
When I left, there were approximately 2,000 funds. Today there are more than 5,600.
Annual grants grew from roughly $100 million to nearly $700 million.
Those numbers are impressive, but the real success story is the engagement.
Donors didn't simply make grants. They became informed about issues facing the region. They learned where opportunities existed and how they could help address them.
That level of participation has strengthened the fabric of our entire community.
Kelly Scanlon
Kansas City consistently ranks among the top community foundations in the country despite being a relatively mid-sized metropolitan area.
What role has philanthropy played in the overall vibrancy of Kansas City?
Jan Kreamer
The financial impact alone is significant.
Over the years, billions of charitable dollars have been invested in organizations and institutions throughout the region. That support has helped build and sustain everything from social service organizations to arts institutions and educational initiatives.
In many ways, philanthropy functions as a community savings account.
It gives us the ability to weather difficult periods when economic conditions change or unexpected challenges arise.
COVID-19 was a perfect example. Donors, corporations, and the Community Foundation came together to support organizations and individuals who needed immediate assistance.
But philanthropy does much more than provide capital.
It provides confidence.
When Kansas City decides it wants to accomplish something meaningful, whether it's building a world-class performing arts center, strengthening our educational system, or developing regional trail systems, people believe it can happen.
We've demonstrated repeatedly that this community has the generosity and willingness to make big things happen.
That confidence is incredibly valuable.
Kelly Scanlon
Let's stay with the Kauffman Foundation and one of its major focus areas: entrepreneurship.
Do you see entrepreneurship as a key driver of economic growth in Kansas City? And how does Kansas City compare when it comes to supporting entrepreneurs?
Jan Kreamer
I certainly think entrepreneurship is a key driver of Kansas City's economic growth, but I'd go even further and say it's critical to the economic vitality of the entire country.
When you look at the role small businesses and startups play in creating jobs, generating new ideas, and contributing to economic growth, their importance becomes very clear.
For communities like Kansas City, entrepreneurship is especially important because it helps diversify and strengthen the local economy. As industries evolve and companies come and go, entrepreneurship provides a pathway for creating new opportunities and building future economic strength.
One of the things I admire about the Kauffman Foundation's approach is that it remains rooted in Ewing Kauffman's original belief that anyone can turn an idea into an economic reality if they have access to the right tools and support.
The Foundation has focused on helping entrepreneurs succeed by providing resources, removing barriers, and creating opportunities that allow businesses to grow.
One of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face is access to capital.
That's particularly true for women entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs of color.
The Foundation has worked hard to identify those barriers and create ways to help talented individuals gain access to the resources they need to launch and grow successful businesses.
We're seeing real progress.
I also want to recognize the banking community in Kansas City. Financial institutions have become increasingly engaged in understanding the needs of entrepreneurs and exploring ways to expand access to capital.
That's another example of Kansas City listening, learning, and working together to solve problems.
Kelly Scanlon
Earlier, you talked about Kansas City's ability to bring big ideas to life.
One example you mentioned was the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. You played a role in fundraising for that effort.
Tell us about your involvement and how the Kauffman Center has raised Kansas City's profile not just locally, but nationally and internationally.
Jan Kreamer
Of all the projects I've been involved with, the Kauffman Center may have been my favorite.
When I first learned about Muriel Kauffman's vision, and Julia Irene Kauffman's commitment to carrying it forward, I was truly inspired.
Most people naturally focused on the building itself, and rightly so. Everyone knew it would be an architectural landmark and a source of pride for our community.
But what impressed me most was the vision behind it.
Mrs. Kauffman didn't simply want to build a beautiful performing arts center.
She wanted to strengthen the performing arts ecosystem throughout Kansas City.
The vision was to create a world-class venue that would attract world-class talent, support resident arts organizations, and elevate the cultural experience throughout the region.
The Kansas City Symphony, Kansas City Ballet, Lyric Opera, and the Harriman-Jewell Series would all benefit from a facility that performers wanted to visit and audiences wanted to experience.
But perhaps the most remarkable part of the vision was this:
The Kauffman Center would not simply provide the venue. It would also make that venue affordable for resident arts organizations.
The performing arts organizations that use the facility receive access at rates that allow them to flourish rather than struggle under excessive operating costs.
That strategic decision has had an extraordinary impact.
We've seen the Symphony thrive.
We've seen the Ballet thrive.
We've seen Lyric Opera thrive.
Attendance has been strong, performances have expanded, and the arts have become an even more important part of Kansas City's identity.
To me, it remains one of the most thoughtful philanthropic visions I've ever encountered.
I was honored to play a small role and even more honored to witness it become a reality.
Kelly Scanlon
One thing that always impressed me was the commitment to accessibility.
From the very beginning, there was a deliberate effort to ensure the arts center would be welcoming to everyone, not just traditional arts patrons.
School groups, community groups, visitors from across the region, they were all invited to experience it.
Jan Kreamer
Absolutely.
Mrs. Kauffman felt strongly about that.
She wanted young people to experience the building.
She wanted students to walk through the doors, attend performances, and feel connected to the arts.
She believed that even a single experience inside that building could spark a lifelong appreciation for the arts.
And we've seen that happen.
The same thing has occurred with community programming.
The Kansas City Presents series, along with other programming initiatives, has worked hard to ensure that people from every part of the community can find performances and experiences that resonate with them.
That's been incredibly rewarding to watch.
The Kauffman Center isn't just a building.
It's become a gathering place and a symbol of what's possible when a community comes together around a shared vision.
Kelly Scanlon
Speaking of students, that's a perfect segue into another area you care deeply about: education.
What are some of the most important investments Kansas City is making, or should be making, in education and workforce development?
Jan Kreamer
I believe we're making meaningful progress in creating pathways that connect people to training, skills, and ultimately careers.
One example is KC Scholars.
In just a few years, KC Scholars has developed an extraordinary track record. By 2027, our goal is to have helped more than 20,000 students and adults pursue a pathway that includes a two-year degree, four-year degree, credential, certification, or other form of workforce training.
What's especially important is that we're not simply helping people access education. We're helping connect them to opportunities and careers that can support themselves and their families.
That connection matters.
Another promising initiative is the work being done around Real World Learning. The goal is to help school districts rethink education so students gain not only knowledge, but also practical skills and experiences.
Students can participate in internships, job shadowing, and workplace experiences that help them understand career opportunities while developing the skills employers need.
Those kinds of experiences can be transformative.
Kelly Scanlon
You've also been involved in discussions around technology and workforce readiness.
What are you seeing in that area?
Jan Kreamer
One of the initiatives I'm particularly excited about is RECODE KC.
It's a collaborative effort focused on preparing thousands of students and adults for careers in technology and related fields.
The program combines training, skill development, and internship opportunities that connect people directly with employers.
That's the key.
It's one thing to train someone. It's another thing entirely to help them build relationships, gain experience, and enter a professional network.
Technology careers are some of the fastest-growing and highest-paying opportunities available today.
If we can help more people gain access to those careers, we can create significant economic mobility while also helping employers meet their workforce needs.
It's a win for individuals, businesses, and the region as a whole.
Kelly Scanlon
As promising as those initiatives are, there are certainly challenges ahead.
What concerns you most when you think about education?
Jan Kreamer
Without question, it's the teacher shortage.
We've only begun to feel its effects here in Kansas City, but if we don't address it, it has the potential to become a much larger issue.
When I look at what states like Minnesota and Wisconsin are doing, I see a level of urgency that I think is appropriate.
They're aggressively addressing teacher recruitment and retention because they understand something fundamental:
If you don't have teachers, you don't have a talent pipeline.
And if you don't have a talent pipeline, you don't have a vibrant economy.
We should think about investing in teachers with the same seriousness and determination that we apply to major civic projects.
Teachers are essential to everything else we hope to accomplish.
Kelly Scanlon
Given everything you've been involved with over the years, what does the future of Kansas City look like to you?
Jan Kreamer
I think the future is very bright.
The encouraging thing is that many of the solutions we need are already in front of us.
Through KC Scholars, workforce development programs, educational innovation, and partnerships among business, civic, and community leaders, we're building pathways that help people succeed.
I'm also encouraged by the work being done around diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Those efforts are important not only because they reflect our values, but because they help ensure that every resident has the opportunity to contribute and thrive.
Recently, we saw reports indicating that much of the region's population growth is coming from diverse communities.
That's an opportunity.
Those individuals and families are now part of Kansas City's future.
Our responsibility is to ensure they have access to education, training, skills, and meaningful careers.
When we connect people to opportunity, we strengthen the entire region.
That's how we create long-term economic vitality.
That's how we remain competitive.
And that's how we build the future Kansas City deserves.
Kelly Scanlon
Jan, thank you so much for everything you've done to help shape Kansas City and for sharing your perspective and insights with us today.
Jan Kreamer
Thank you. It's been a pleasure.
Joe Close
This is Joe Close, President of Country Club Bank.
Thank you to Jan Kreamer for joining us on this episode of Banking on KC.
Jan has played an instrumental role in shaping many of Kansas City's most important institutions, including the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, and many others. Today, she continues that impact through her leadership with KC Scholars.
One of the most important lessons Jan shared is that people become invested when they are actively engaged.
Whether it's deciding how charitable dollars are distributed, participating in the arts, helping build community assets like trails and parks, or gaining the education and skills needed for a rewarding career, engagement creates ownership.
And ownership creates confidence.
When people feel connected, when their ideas matter, when their voices are heard, and when they have the opportunity to succeed, communities thrive.
Kansas City has demonstrated time and again that when we come together around a common goal, remarkable things can happen.
Let's continue building on that momentum.
Thanks for tuning in this week.
We're banking on you, Kansas City.
Country Club Bank. Member FDIC.