News Release

For more information:
Shelby Hentges
Hagen and Partners
913-642-5489
shentges@hagenandpartners.com

Kansas City Transportation Association Hosts Record Turnout for

Industry Day Expo

Kansas City, Mo. (February 28, 2007) – The Kansas City Transportation Association (KCTA) held its annual Industry Day Expo on Thursday, February 22, 2007. The event – Kansas City’s largest trade show for transportation services – was held at Harrah’s Convention Center with 47 companies exhibiting.

Prior to introducing the featured speaker, the KCTA’s new Board Members were announced. 2006 KCTA President Tim Basler with Hunt Midwest Enterprises passed the gavel to incoming president Dave LaMothe with Mid-West Terminal Warehouse.

Keynote speaker at the luncheon was Scott Durban of Musician’s Friend, a division of Guitar Center Inc. headquartered in Medford, Ore. Durbin told the crowd why the company chose to invest $45 million in a new 702,000 square foot distribution center in Kansas City. He also discussed the processing methods and new automation of the new facility, which will allow Musician’s Friend to offer more than 36,000 products and will mean the addition of 130 staff positions.

Other speakers included:

Skip Kalb, Director of Strategic Development of BNSF Railway Company;
Chris Gutierrez, President of KC SmartPort; and
James Burr, Vice President of FC Stone Trading.

John Wagner Jr., President of Wagner Industries was honored with KCTA’s 2007 Person of the Year Award. Wagner is currently Chairman of Kansas City SmartPort, President of the Heartland Chapter of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, and President of the Central Industry District Association. Wagner Industries is a leading super regional third party logistics company providing distribution warehousing, fulfillment, contract packaging, and transportation management with multiple locations across the United States.

The KCTA also announced its ongoing support for Operation Breakthrough, a non-profit organization providing day care and social services to central city youths and their families. The mission of Operation Breakthrough is to help children living in poverty develop to their fullest potential by providing them a safe, loving and educational environment.