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In this section
Industry Profiles
-- POLICOM
KC Careers
Financial Services
Kansas City’s financial services and accounting industries account for 12.5 percent of the region’s economy—that’s 1.5 percent higher than its share of the US economy.
Major players like H&R Block Inc., the world’s largest tax services provider, and American Century Investments, a leading investment manager with a 50-year history, call Kansas City home. American Century also is one of Fortune magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work for in America.
KC has a robust banking industry with more than 35 serving the 1.8 million-person metro. The area is also home to one of the 12 U.S. Federal Reserve Banks, serving portions of a seven-state area.
Made in KC
- H&R Block
- Dual ATM/Credit Cards
- Online mutual fund account management
Professional Organizations
| Advanced Degrees and Certifications | |
| DeVry University |
Masters of Accounting & Financial Management
Graduate Certificates: Accounting, Business Administration, Financial Analysis |
| Kansas State University |
Accountancy
Economics Finance Mathematics Applied Statistics (Grad. Cert.) Personal Financial Planning (Grad. Cert., Distance Learning) |
| University of Kansas |
Master of Accounting (MAcc)
Master of Science in Business with a Finance Concentration (MSB-FIN) |
| University of Missouri-Columbia |
Accountancy (MAcc)
Accountancy (PhD) Applied Mathematics (MS) Economics (MA, PhD) Finance (PhD) Mathematics (MA, MST, PhD) Personal Financial Planning (MS, PhD) Statistics(MA, PhD) Statistics (Graduate Minor) Taxation (Accountancy Graduate Certificate) Taxation (Law Graduate Certificate) |
| University of Missouri – Kansas City |
Accounting (MS)
Economics (MA, PhD) Mathematics (PhD) Mathematics and Statistics (MA, MS) |
| Webster University |
Finance (MS)
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MBA programs are offered at most colleges in the KC area. Visit Higher Education for a list of schools.
| Select Financial Employers | ||
|
Firm Name
|
Office Type
|
Contact
|
| Accounting CBIZ Companies |
2 Tax Advisory Branches
|
|
| American Century Investment Services Inc. |
Headquarters Office
|
|
| Americo Financial Life & Annuity Insurance Company |
Headquarters
|
|
| Arvest |
Home Office &
11 Branches |
|
| Bank of America |
52 Branches
|
|
| Bank of Blue Valley |
Headquarters
|
|
| Bank Midwest |
6 Branches
|
|
| BKD, LLP | Accounting Firm | Career Center |
| BMO Harris Bank |
13 Branches
|
|
| Capitol Federal |
Headquarters &
17 Branches |
|
| Citi Cards |
Customer Service
Center |
|
| Commerce Bank |
Headquarters &
53 Branches |
|
| CommunityAmerica Credit Union |
Home Office &
18 Branches |
|
| Country Club Bank |
Headquarters
|
|
| Deloitte |
Branch Office
|
|
| Ernst & Young LLP |
Accounting Firm
|
|
| First National Bank |
Headquarters &
7 Branches |
|
| George K. Baum & Company |
Kansas City Office
|
|
| Grant Thornton |
Accounting &
Advisory Offices |
|
| H&R Block Inc |
World Headquarters
|
|
| INTRUST Bank |
15 Branches
|
|
| KPMG LLP |
Business Unit
|
|
| Midland Loan Services |
Headquarters
|
|
| National Bank of Kansas City |
3 Mortgage Facilities &
6 Branches |
|
| RSM McGladrey |
Office
|
|
| RubinBrown |
Satellite Office
|
|
| State Street |
Investment Bank
|
|
| UMB Bank |
Headquarters
|
|
| U.S. Bank |
40 Branches
|
|
| Waddell & Reed Financial Inc. |
Headquarters &
23 Branches |
|
History
Kansas City has a long history in the financial industry. In 1865, Kansas City’s first bank, the Kansas City Savings Association, was founded by Francis Reid Long. By 1890, the bank quickly expanded to become the largest bank west of Chicago and was renamed the National Bank of Commerce. Since then, Commerce Bank has led the way in banking innovations by introducing the 24-hour transit system and dual ATM/Credit Card.
It can also be said that Kansas City’s financial industry comes from a “little pamphlet.” In 1944, Henry Bloch, a student at Harvard business school, stumbled upon a speech given by a former business professor. The speech stated that “small business is the true backbone of this country, and the future is in helping small business.”
Inspired, Henry Bloch and his brother Richard borrowed $5,000 from an aunt and began the United Business Company. The United Business Company soon employed 12 men and offered a list of more than 100 financial services.
The Bloch brothers could only offer $5 taxes for so long, and established H&R Block, Inc. in 1955 with only one service – tax return preparation. This transition came at the perfect time, as in 1955 the IRS phased out its free income tax preparation services. Henry Bloch figured that clients would prefer to pay for a tax return preparation if the preparer assumed responsibility for penalties resulting from his error. H&R Block, Inc. went public in 1962 with the help of George K. Baum & Co.
Today, Kansas City has a thriving financial industry, and is home to one of 12 U.S. Federal Reserve banks serving 7 Midwest and Western states.
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