Their engineering firm built a legacy in KC; why these KC Chamber winners are rebranding
June 17, 2025 | Startland News Staff
A streamlined brand identity for one of the Midwest’s most influential engineering firms positions “T&B” as one of the secret weapons behind the evolution of Kansas City, the company announced, just moments after earning a top small business award from the KC Chamber.
Taliaferro & Browne — the first minority-owned engineering firm to receive a prime contract on a $1 billion construction project in Kansas City — will now be known simply as T&B.
The company was named winner of the Legacy of Kansas City Award Tuesday at the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Celebration Awards Luncheon at the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center.
“This rebrand is more than a logo — it’s a legacy, reimagined,” said Hagos Andebrhan, CEO and co-owner, of Taliaferro & Browne. “We’ve been a quiet force behind some of Kansas City’s most transformative projects. We’re not changing who we are — we’re elevating how we show up and making sure our name reflects the caliber of the work we do.”
Founded in 1968 by the late Will Taliaferro and Bruce Browne, the firm was acquired in 1992 by long-time friends and engineers Andebrhan and Leonard J. Graham, both graduates of the University of Missouri. Under their leadership, Taliaferro & Browne restored financial stability, expanded its staff, and grew into a powerhouse behind some of Kansas City’s most iconic infrastructure and community development projects.
Leonard Graham, president of Taliaferro & Browne, right, speaks about businesses helping fellow businesses during an entrepreneur panel for the 2025 Top 10 Small Business of the Year finalists hosted by the KC Chamber; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
T&B was named a KC Chamber Top 10 Small Business in 2024 and 2025, as well as previously winning the chamber’s Small Business Equity Award.
“It takes vision, grit and purpose to build something that lasts,” said Peter Flynn, director of investor relations for Evergy, who presented the Legacy award at Tuesday’s luncheon. “This year’s recipient has been serving Kansas City for decades as one of the region’s largest minority-owned, multidisciplinary firms offering expertise in civil and structural engineering, landscape architecture and construction inspection.”
The firm’s updated identity reflects its long-standing commitment to equity-driven infrastructure, landmark design, and transformative impact in the built environment, Andebrhan and Brown said.
T&B made history by leading all of the landside civil engineering responsibilities with eight minority- and women-owned companies working under their guidance for the new terminal at Kansas City International Airport, the largest infrastructure investment in the city’s history.
Hagos Andebrhan and Leonard Graham, T&B, Taliaferro & Browne; courtesy photo
The firm also serves as the civil engineer of record for 98 percent of the development along Berkley Riverfront, including the KC Current Soccer Stadium, the world’s first purpose-built stadium exclusively for women’s professional soccer.
Recently, T&B was announced as the civil engineer of record for the Nelson-Atkins Museum, marking the firm as the only local company beating out more than 200 competitors.
Additional landmark projects include the Power & Light District, Kauffman Performing Arts Center, Beacon Hill Urban Renewal District, One Light, Two Light, and Three Light, and the $400 million Revive the Vine initiative, to name just a few, the firm said.
From the archives: Global talent builds success for Taliaferro & Browne
“For decades, we’ve been a steady, humble force behind Kansas City’s transformation,” said Graham, president and co-owner at T&B. “We’ve always let the quality of our work speak for itself—and that won’t change. But as we evolve, we’re stepping forward with purpose, clarity, and a renewed commitment to empowering our team to carry this legacy of excellence forward. This is what it means to work with Taliaferro & Browne — or simply, T&B.”
Click here to read more about the Small Business of the Year winner and other Small Business Celebration awards.
Featured Business
2025 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Startup: Holiday season gift card boom needn’t skip small biz; this discrete digital wallet-ready option keeps giving local
Gift cards are convenient — and the No. 1 most-requested present — Nicole Glass said, but there’s frequently just something impersonal and disconnected about them that makes many people feel bad about slipping one into a card or gift box. “It’s like, ‘I didn’t really know what you wanted. Here’s Starbucks,’” said Glass, president of…
Beadwork maker thankful for Native heritage, crafting pieces that honor her lineage (not just what will sell)
Komina Guevara’s hands are rarely still. Through intricate beadwork and crafting leather, her art tells a story deeply rooted in cultural heritage, family traditions, and personal evolution. As the creative force behind KomGue, Guevara is gaining recognition as a standout Kansas City maker — her work showcased at pop-ups and earning her the $1,500 second-place…
Where to (pop-up) shop: Your guide to KC holiday markets featuring local makers
The impact of shopping local from Kansas City makers — especially during the holiday season — can be distilled down to one simple word, said Katie Mabry van Dieren: joy. “The look on the faces of the makers when someone finds the most special gift to give their loved one — a gift that the…
Kansas Citians of the Year: A business power couple who built a legacy of civic service
A core requirement to earn the KC Chamber’s highest honor: simply making Kansas City a better place, said Joe Reardon, announcing local business icons Peggy and Terry Dunn — a former mayor and the longtime top executive at JE Dunn Construction — as the 2024 Kansas Citians of the Year. “Together, Peggy and Terry exemplify…