Mayor Sly James today announced three appointments to the Board of Directors of the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri.
Joining the EDC board are Madeline Romious, Regional Vice President of External Affairs at AT&T; Ed Ford, a former City Councilman and a local attorney; and Sixth District At-Large Councilman Scott Taylor, chair of the City Council’s Planning, Zoning and Economic Development Committee.
“Madeline’s leadership will contribute to the EDC’s strength in growing Kansas City’s national and international profile in the telecommunications and high-tech industries,” James said.
“Ed Ford’s institutional knowledge will sustain the EDC’s goals of projecting a strong local identity to developers and corporations and ensuring a competitive and vibrant local economy,” James said. “Scott Taylor’s council role will enable the EDC and City Hall to communicate and cooperate effectively.”
EDC by-laws provide that the chair of the City Council’s Planning, Zoning and Economic Development Committee serve on the EDC board. Taylor, a second-term council member, succeeded Ford in that position.
“I am confident that the board, EDC President Bob Langenkamp and his staff will tap the expertise of all three appointees as Kansas City continues to lead the way into an exciting and entrepreneurial future,” James said.
Bridgette Williams, EDC chair, said the three appointments will invigorate the EDC’s effectiveness in many ways.
“The civic leadership of all three new members will further enable Bob and his staff to grow Kansas City’s economy and embolden the city’s competitive spirit,” Williams said. “I look forward to working with each new member in our development, revitalization, site selection and business incentive efforts.”
Romious is responsible for AT&T’s governmental and external affairs in the Kansas City, Missouri area, working with local and state elected officials and with civic and philanthropic organizations. She currently serves on the boards of the Grandview Chamber of Commerce, Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired, Greater Kansas City YMCA, Rockhurst University, Partnership for Regional Education Preparedness – KC, Associated Industries of Missouri and other civic organizations. She holds a master’s degree in business administration from Rockhurst University and a degree in electrical engineering from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.
Ford has been a partner in the law firm of Ford & Cooper, P.C., (formerly Ramsay, Ford & Hiles) since 1983. He engages in the general practice of law, including law related to small businesses and to setting up corporations and limited liability companies. He served on the Kansas City Council from 2007-2015 and from 1995-2003, as well as on other civic and community boards and commissions.
Taylor has practiced law since 1998 and currently is a partner at Miller & Company, P.C. He was chair of the Kansas City Council’s former Small Business Committee, where he championed many changes to streamline the city’s small-business permitting and licensing process. He also has served on several economic and business development organizations.
