Jonathan Knecht,
Kansas City Area Development Council

Jonathan Knecht is Senior Vice President, Marketing + Creative for the Kansas City Area Development Council (KCADC).

KCADC is the private, nonprofit economic development organization charged with attracting business and talent to the 18-county, Kansas City region of 2.5 million people.

With KCADC since 2004, Jonathan has helped lead a comprehensive effort to brand and promote awareness of the KC metro’s economic strengths and creative culture. A new campaign called “KC Heartland” adopts the ubiquitous “KC Heart” icon as a badge of pride and love for a city and a region that defies expectations and offers a unique balance of lifestyle and career that can only be found at the center – in the heart – of America.

Jonathan directs a powerful in-house marketing team and outside creative partners through strategy and creative execution across multiple media channels and unforgettable event environments.

He is proud to be a part of the country’s No. 1 regional economic development group for nearly 20 years and created the branding and marketing for KCADC’s strategic initiatives KC SmartPort, KC Animal Health Corridor, TeamKC, KC Global Design and KC Heartland. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design from the Kansas City Art Institute and prior to KCADC, Jonathan worked on the agency side creating award-winning work with global brand clients such as Microsoft, Wal-Mart and Hallmark.

Jonathan is married to Seana, and they have two children in college, Niko and Harper.