Kadean Construction Names New Leader for KC Office
With 15 years of experience in the construction industry, Jon Runyan joined Kadean Construction as vice president of the Kansas City office.
In his new role, he will help the company grow and expand, as well as provide companywide leadership support as a member of Kadean’s executive team.
“Jon’s management skills, executive leadership presence and entrepreneurial spirit will be a great asset to our people and a key component to our continued growth plan and success in Kansas City,” President Mike Eveler said in a release. “He will also help us optimize our company-wide business strategies and cater to the needs of our growing list of national clients.”
St. Louis-based Kadean opened its Kansas City office in 2018 with veteran construction professional Roy Boyd at the helm locally.
Before entering the construction industry, Runyan worked in the restaurant business. He decided to switch tracks when a mentor began working at North Kansas City-based Barsto Construction Inc.
He worked his way up to president of Barsto and guided the company through 2008 recession, the release said. There, he refocused the company’s business model from hard bid projects to negotiated work. He also led a dedicated team that raised revenue to $45 million and oversaw Barsto’s sale to a new ownership group in 2015.
Most recently, he worked for the Riverside-based Luke Draily Construction, where Runyan led the land acquisition, the entitlement process, and the financing structure of a $56 million development at the Legends Outlets.
Runyan told the Kansas City Business Journal it would take a special situation to lure him to run an office, and Kadean sealed the deal for him.
“Construction is a tough business,” Runyan said. “You either need to love the people you’re working with and really enjoy it, or you shouldn’t be in it.”
He said it was a “resounding yes” to accept the position after he evaluated whether he would want to be associated with the company on all levels: development, design, subcontracting and as a rank-and-file employee.
“(Kadean) is a large contractor with a nationwide reach, but does business with Midwest values and without ego,” Runyan said. “That to me is a big deal. They’re committed to Kansas City market and given me the resources and the ability to build this team out to be able to make an impact here.”
Runyan has a degree in supply chain management from Arizona State University.
