Leavenworth Area Development Corporation (LAD) is a private, nonprofit corporation with the purpose of promoting the growth and development of Leavenworth County. Explore LAD's homepage and then give us a call if we can help you with a business expansion or new business location.
1298 Eisenhower Road
P.O. Box 151
Leavenworth, Kansas 66048
Voice: 913-727-6111 Fax: 913-727-5515
E-Mail:
[email protected]
An Emerging Metropolitan Frontier
Who is LAD?
Established in 1981, Leavenworth Area Development Corporation (LAD)
is a private non-profit corporation with a full-time professional
staff, with the purpose of promoting and assisting the location of
new and expanding business in Leavenworth County. LAD is governed
by a board of directors from the public and private sectors.
Funding for operations comes primarily through financial support
from the Leavenworth County Commission, the cities of Leavenworth,
Lansing, Tonganoxie, Basehor, other private organizations and a
number of businesses throughout the county.
There are many roles and aspects to economic development. LAD is
just one of many groups engaged in economic development activities.
Like private business, each group has its own "specialty" or role
in economic development. Some of these organizations besides LAD
include: 1) the Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau; 2) the Main
Street Program; 3) the Leavenworth County Port Authority; 4) the
Kansas Department of Commerce and Housing; 5) the U.S. Small
Business Administration; and 6) the Kansas City Area Development
Council to name just a few.
For example every city has a chamber of commerce, with or without
professional staff. The general public often sees little
difference between a chamber of commerce and the economic
development role of an organization such as LAD. The local chamber
tends to be an association of businesses that promotes the specific
interests of all businesses including promotional events or being
the advocate of tax laws and regulations favorable to business.
The Leavenworth County Port Authority is a public economic
development organization that has limited governmental powers to
own and develop land for business development. The Leavenworth
County Port Authority currently owns two areas, the Leavenworth
Area Business Center on Eisenhower and the Urban Hess Industrial
Park on U.S. Highways 24/40 near Tonganoxie.
LAD provides the necessary "link" between the federal, state and
local assistance and business desiring to locate or expand in
Leavenworth County. LAD also serves as the facilitator,
coordinator and many times partner in many development projects.
In Leavenworth County, LAD is the only group that provides the
traditional economic development activities. These traditional
activities include the gathering, maintaining, packaging and
distribution (marketing) of a wide range of current information, as
well as, providing confidential and highly technical professional
assistance needed by business and industry desiring to locate or
expand a business in Leavenworth County. Without an organization
such as LAD, businesses would not be aware and thus would be
unlikely to take advantage of the federal, state or local programs.
For more information or assistance contact:
Gary E. Carlson, CED, EDFP
Executive Director
Leavenworth Area Development Corporation
1298 Eisenhower Road
P.O. Box 151
Leavenworth, Kansas 66048
Voice: 913-727-6111 Fax: 913-727-5515
E-mail: [email protected]
or visit LAD's Home Page at
http://www.lvarea.com/.
