Overland Park, Kan., February 12, 2026 – The Overland Park Chamber Economic Development Council (OPEDC) recognized nine businesses and organizations and a longtime public servant for their contributions to economic growth in Overland Park at its annual EDC Honors Lunch. The lunch program was held at Johnson County Community College.

NOVA awards, which recognize fast-growing and innovative companies, were presented to these Overland Park companies:

• Arise Homes – A builder with a culture centered on integrity, stewardship and serving people, Arise Homes has built more than 500 homes and continues expanding into Johnson County communities, helping meet demand for new construction. Arise’s gross revenue was reported as rising from $9.3 million in 2021 to $26 million in 2024, while building a 20-person full-time team to deliver at scale.
• Ascentist Healthcare – With more than 100 employees, including 30 clinical specialists, Ascentist Healthcare annually supports more than 45,000 patient encounters across twelve locations. A 2019 merger positioned it as Kansas City’s largest physician-owned ear, nose and throat practice. An innovative program it launched in 2022 cut pediatric ear tube surgery wait times from six months to two weeks. Through its rapid expansion, it supports outpatient care closer to where families live and work.
• Integrated Controls & Engineering – Integrated Controls & Engineering ranked 21st on the Kansas City Business Journal’s Fast Fifty list in 2024, underscoring the company’s momentum among the metro’s fastest-growing firms. It boasts 23 years of controls experience across five high-demand verticals: pharmaceutical, food and beverage, automotive, water and wastewater, and warehouse distribution. While expanding, it has successfully maintained its existing client base while securing several high-profile manufacturing plants in the Kansas City area.
• NvisionKC – Founded in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, NvisionKC has more than 10,000 active users today and experience delivering for organizations with up to 120,000 users. When CEO Grace Ahn came to the U.S. from South Korea in 1998, she had $200 to her name. Just last year, her company crossed $1 million in revenue and boasted a 99% client satisfaction rate and a 95% retention rate since founding.

The Commercial Development Award recognizes significant investment and reinvestment in the Overland Park economy. This year, the OPEDC honored:

• Galleria 115 – Developed by Block Real Estate Services, Galleria 115 is transforming the neighborhood at 115^th and Nall streets into a walkable live-work-play district. The development’s density brings more customers to local businesses, more housing options for the workforce and more daytime demand from office users. With investment growing from roughly $253 million to more than $500 million, and a phased completion timeline extending to 2033, the project stands out for both what has already opened and its continued progress toward what comes next.
• Kiddie Academy of Overland Park – TCF Schools Management and Kiddie Academy of Overland Park brought high-quality early childhood education program with a new building in south Overland Park. For more than ten years, TCF has partnered with Kiddie Academy, managing schools with a commitment to excellence, consistency, and child-centered education. Woodmont Development and Fogel Anderson were also partners in this project.
• Stone Manor on 79th – Demonstrating that reinvestment in history can drive reinvestment in the local economy, Stone Manor in the former Strang Line Car Barn has transformed a landmark structure into an event venue expected to bring roughly 10,000 visitors each year into the heart of downtown Overland Park.

Business Hall of Honor inductees for 2026 are:

• The Jewish Community Center Campus – Known affectionately as “The J,” the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City, was recognized for more than 100 years of building community. The J serves every stage of life, from early childhood through older adulthood, with programming in fitness, arts, theatre, learning, youth services and lifelong enrichment. Six years after completing a $13 million expansion, The J is now advancing a $12 million capital campaign to renovate its White Theatre and build a new indoor family recreational aquatics center. When complete, The J will have invested nearly $45 million in campus improvements and expansion over the past 20 years.
• Varnum, Armstrong, Deeter – A commercial investment real estate firm that has served the Kansas City region since 1969, Varnum, Armstrong, Deeter is still managed by a founding principal, Ralph Varnum. Today it focuses on developing and owning smaller retail centers with tenants that provide services to the general public. It continues to be anchored by founder-led expertise with national credibility and hands-on local impact.

The Ben Craig Vision Award honors the memory of one of the Chamber’s co-founders and one of Overland Park’s early community leaders who laid much of the groundwork for the success we enjoy in our city today. Receiving this year’s Ben Craig Vision Award is Kristy Stallings who has contributed more than 35 years of public service and leadership at the City of Overland Park. Stallings has been central to the execution of high-quality economic development throughout the city, guiding governance and financial tools to move projects from concept to completion. She has been a trusted advisor to elected officials, city managers, civic leaders and the development community for more than three decades. During her tenure, Stallings has guided projects, protected taxpayers’ investments, and helped expand Overland Park’s economic base through public/private partnerships such as the Sprint Campus, Prairiefire, CityPlace and BluHawk, redevelopment projects like Cherokee South, OPx, Aspiria, Downtown Overland Park and Shamrock, as well as critical public investments that include the Sheraton Overland Park Hotel, Overland Park Convention Center and the Scheels Soccer Complex.

Also recognized at the EDC Honors Lunch was Courtney Kounkel, founder and owner of Monarch Build, for serving as 2025 Chair of the Economic Development Council. Sponsors of the lunch event were ALLO Business, Asset Acquisitions, Harmon Construction and Hunt Midwest.