Kansas Chamber Announces Ad Astra Honoree
The Kansas Chamber recently announced BKD CPAs & Advisors is the Chamber’s 2022 Ad Astra Award honoree.
Each year during the Kansas Chamber’s annual dinner, the Chamber and its members recognize a Kansas company with the Ad Astra Award. The award identifies a Kansas business for its unique contributions to the economic health and welfare of the state. This honor is presented to a business that exemplifies both business and civic excellence within the state.
“For nearly 100 years, BKD CPAs & Advisors and its employees have had a tremendous impact on our state," said Chamber President and CEO Alan Cobb. "Its continued focus on being a trusted advisor built on a strong character, respect for all, and no-hold barred standard of excellence are why the organization is among the country's best tax, accounting, and advisory firms."
Cobb continued, “Additionally, the BKD team demonstrated its commitment to its customers and communities during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. It provided hundreds of hours of valuable information at no cost to companies and organizations while supporting community organizations that focused on feeding and providing health care and shelter to those who had been furloughed or lost their jobs. The Kansas Chamber and its members are thrilled to recognize BKD and its employees for their contributions to Kansas with the 2022 Ad Astra Award.”
BKD sprang from it’s roots in Wichita in 1914 when a CPA, Clinton H. Montgomery, arrived from Philadelphia. He choose to stay, establishing the first public accounting firm in Kansas with an office at the corner of Douglas and Market in downtown Wichita.
After opening branches in Kansas City and Joplin, MO, Montgomery sold the firm in 1923 and it became Baird, Kurtz & Dobson. The CPA firm grew steadily before a merger in 2001 created BKD, LLP and doubled it size. BKD is now a national accounting firm with 42 offices in 19 states and more than 3,000 employees.
"BKD is humbled to be recognized by the Kansas Chamber as the 2022 Ad Astra Honoree. Since our inception, BKD has served the industries and the people who have built Kansas into a top 20 state for doing business," said Bill Pickert, BKD Managing Partner-Wichita. "As BKD begins our second century with our planned merger with peer firm DHG, we look to continue our legacy of hiring top tier talent from local universities and serving our clients with outstanding service and innovative ideas. We appreciate the opportunity to work with the Kansas Chamber to influence local and state public policies which are positive for Kansas businesses.”
BKD's culture of giving allows it and its employees to make a difference in their local communities through financial donations and volunteerism. The BKD Foundation made its first donation in 2000 and has contributed more than $19 million to date.
BKD Foundation is unique in that each BKD office has its own BKD Foundation with money raised by contributions from local partners and employees. This ensures the money stays in their local communities and goes to offer support to fill local needs. Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters, Habitat for Humanity, Envision and Junior Achievement of Kansas are just a few examples of the Kansas organizations supported by BKD and its Kansas employees.
The 2021 Kansas Chamber Annual Dinner is Wednesday, April 27th at the Stormont Vail Events Center in Topeka. The dinner is one of the largest annual statewide gathering of business and political leaders in Kansas.
This year’s keynote speaker is national pollster, author, and commentator Kristen Soltis Anderson. You can learn more about the annual dinner at KansasChamber.org/AnnualDinner/.
