The KC Chamber’s Annual Dinner is the unofficial opening of the holiday season. Held every November – usually the Tuesday night before Thanksgiving – the Annual Dinner is Kansas City’s premier business networking event.
The Dinner features music and entertainment, honors the incoming and outgoing Chairs of the Chamber, and, as the highlight of the evening, the surprise announcement of the Kansas Citian of the Year. The award is the Chamber’s highest honor, presented to a person whose civic contributions and achievements reflect the insight, creativity, and consciousness necessary to build and maintain a quality urban community.
2025 – Cliff Illig and Kathy Nelson
2024 – Peggy and Terry Dunn
2023 – Charlie Shields
2022 – Bill Berkley
2021 – John Sherman
2020 – David Warm
2019 – Al Brooks
2018 – Kay Barnes
2017 – Dr. Roy Jensen
2016 – Don Hall, Jr.
2015 – Greg Graves
2014 – Leo Morton
2013 – Phil Kirk
2012 – James B. Nutter, Sr.
2011 – Robert D. Regnier
2010 – Tom Watson and Buck O’Neil
2009 – Jeannette Nichols
2008 – Beth Smith
2007 – Bill Hall
2006 – Drue Jennings
2005 – Carol Marinovich
2004 – Jim and Virginia Stowers
2003 – Tom McDonnell
2002 – Lucile Bluford
2001 – Shirley and Barnett Helzberg
2000 – Robert A. Kipp
1999 – Emanuel Cleaver II
1998 – Jerome Cohen
1997 – R. Crosby Kemper
1996 – Ollie W. Gates
1995 – Richard C. Green, Jr.
1994 – Richard L. Berkley
1993 – Lamar Hunt
1992 – Anita Gorman
1991 – David Stanley
1990 – Adele Hall
1989 – Jay B. Dillingham
1988 – Jack W. Steadman
1987 – Irvine O. Hockaday, Jr.
1986 – Ewing M. Kauffman
1985 – William N. Deramus III
1984 – Paul H. Henson
1983 – Rev. M.E. VanAckeren, S.J. and John H. Kreamer
1982 – William H. Dunn
1981 – Robert A. Long
1980 – Robert H. Gaynor
1979 – William P. Harsh
1978 – Henry W. Bloch
1977 – Charles E. Curry
1976 – Jerome A. Smith and Everett P. O’Neal
1975 – Morton I. Sosland
1974 – Dutton Brookfield
1973 – Charles N. Kimball
1972 – Donald J. Hall, Sr.
1971 – Bert Berkley
1970 – Ilus W. Davis
1969 – Miller Nichols
1968 – John A. Morgan
1967 – George E. Powell, Jr.
1966 – Elmer Pierson
1965 – Frank A. Theis
1964 – Arthur Mag and John B. Gage
1963 – J.C. Higdon
1962 – William N. Deramus, Sr.
1961 – Joyce C. Hall
1960 – Roy A. Roberts