Friday and chat with Kennedy to catch up. BLOK helped Kennedy get a leg up where, if he needed to involve their state or federal legislators, he had that relationship already established. Kennedy stepped down from mayorship in 2021, he currently serves on the KBA Trust Committee as Vice President and has been asked by KBA’s Alex Orel, SVP — Government Relations, to come to speak to current BLOK classes the last several years during one of the sessions. Kennedy and his wife, Emily, have one daughter Patton and another on the way! Three-Legged Stool Michael “Mike” A. Boehm SVP — Commercial Banking, Commerce Bank, Lenexa Michael “Mike” A. Boehm, SVP of Commercial Banking at Commerce Bank in Lenexa, is now the longestserving mayor in Lenexa’s history and has run unopposed in all subsequent elections since 2003 until he is set to retire his position on Dec. 5, 2023. After graduating from the University of Kansas in 1982 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, Boehm started his banking career at First National Bank of Olathe as a teller, loan clerk, consumer loan collector, and finally as an assistant loan officer of consumer loans. He then moved to the Lenexa National Bank (which was acquired by Commerce Bank effective Jan. 1, 1993) in September of 1985 as an AVP in the commercial loan department. From July 1991-April 1995, Boehm served on the Lenexa Planning Commission and then served on the Lenexa City Council from April 1995-January 2003. Boehm, a lifelong Lenexa resident, was initially appointed mayor when Joan Bowman was elected to step down due to health issues. The council retained him for the remainder of her term before he sought his next term in April 2003. According to Kansas City NBC affiliate 41 KSHB, during Boehm’s time as mayor, Lenexa has grown by an estimated 50% surpassing 50,000 residents and approaching approximately 60,000, to become the eighth largest city in Kansas. During his mayoral tenure, the city has built a rec center and public market; expanded City Center, adopted bodyworn cameras for police in 2009; opened a new fire station; improved the city’s financial rating to Triple-A (or AAA), upgraded Lenexa’s parks and roads; and broke ground on a new justice center among other accomplishments. “We are indebted to Mayor Boehm for his amazing contributions to Lenexa,” Lenexa City Manager Beccy Yocham said in a statement to 41 KSHB. “He is a visionary leader who inspires the best in the people, and our community has grown immensely under his leadership.” His experience in banking helped with managing the city’s multi-million-dollar budget, projected to be $224.8 million in 2024, which is adopted every year. The knowledge of how he finances bank deals and how deals need to make sense has helped him with the designing, negotiating, and approving economic development incentive packages to encourage growth and development of the city. He said the budget is the most important thing that mayors and their councils along with staff do every year, and it applies to whether you’re a small town or a large city, whether you’re expanding or contracting. “If you’re a growing community, understanding how that works and having relationships with developers, attracting businesses and incoming development is very important,” Boehm said. “If you’re not helping grow your community, your bank opportunities are limited as well.” Boehm said it is very rewarding to be a part of a great team and that it’s like a three-legged stool. They have the elected, the staff and the voters, and they all must get along and listen and work hard together for the good of everybody. “Every mayor you talk to will have that same thought process; the council and the mayor are representing the community, and the staff implements the vision,” Boehm said. “If you’re not all working together, then one is going to fall.” Michael Boehm receives an award for being the longest-serving mayor for the city. Boehm gives a speech at a city presentation. Michael Boehm, SVP of Commercial Banking at Commerce Bank and Lenexa Mayor. 18
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTg3NDExNQ==