KC engineering firm with global reach earns Chamber equity award for its community-focused blueprint

Editor’s note: The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce is a non-financial partner of Startland News, which serves as the media partner for the Small Business Superstars program.

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Equity is infused in everything Taliaferro & Browne engineers, said Leonard Graham, accepting the KC Chamber’s Small Business Equity Award alongside co-owner Hagos Andebrhan. 

One of Kansas City’s largest minority-owned multidisciplinary firms, Taliaferro & Browne Inc., on Thursday earned the honor at the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Celebration Awards Luncheon at the Crown Center Westin. The event also crowned the Small Business of the Year or “Mr. K Award.

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Leonard Graham, Taliaferro & Browne, accepts his company’s surprise Top 10 finalist award in April; photo by Tommy Felts, Startland News

“Our company is the most diverse engineering firm in Kansas City,” said Graham. “We believe in people’s individuality in terms of where they are, where they come from, what their race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation is, and we believe in respect; that’s the bottom line for us.”

The firm specializes in civil and structural engineering, surveying and inspection, and landscape architecture. Its work has significantly improved the city with major projects, KC Chamber officials noted, including the new Kansas City airport terminal, One Light and Two Light towers, Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums and the T-Mobile Center.

Taliaferro & Browne also was one of the Top 10 finalists for the Small Business of the Year for 2024.

The equity award was among five specialty honors revealed Thursday.

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Making it a point to give inner-city students engineering projects to work on with the firm, Graham and Andebrhan believe their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace comes naturally when you provide equal opportunities and a place where people want to work.

“T&B has been a place where people could be comfortable,” said Anderbrhan. “We are not looking over people’s shoulders; we depend on their integrity to do the work, and I think that that’s why they stay.”

“Because we are part of the community, you have to give back to your community,” said Graham. “I have dedicated personally and on behalf of the firm lots of time helping Kansas City be what it is.”

Leonard Graham, Taliaferro & Browne, speaks during a panel conversation featuring the KC Chamber’s Top 10 small businesses for 2024; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

The company’s main goal for this year is hiring new faces, Graham said, noting “we’re trying to regrow our company from the inside out. We’re bringing in new people and elevating the people from within.”

The two owners are also actively involved in the Downtown Council and Downtown Community Improvement District. 

Taliaferro & Browne Inc. has also contributed to various projects such as constructing tiny houses for the Veterans Community Project, Berkley Riverfront Park, Science City in Union Station, The Paseo bridge, as well as pro bono work for the 18th and Vine project.

“One of the things that I think that may come out of that is an understanding that small firms and minority owned firms can perform and can do excellent work just like anybody else does,” said Graham.

From the archives: Global talent builds success for Taliaferro & Browne