ORDINANCE NO. 220207

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Honoring Women’s History Month and celebrating Kansas City-based Willoughby Design’s AIGA (the professional association for design) recognition as the longest, continuously running Women-Owned Graphic Design Firm in the United States.

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WHEREAS, Willoughby Design was founded in 1978 by Ann Willoughby, an AIGA medalist and active leader in the national design community, who brought a vital female perspective and opportunities for female designers to a world where the majority of creative director and agency ownership positions were held by men; and

WHEREAS, in 2016, Ann Willoughby seamlessly transferred ownership to the next generation of owners, Megan Stephens and Nicole Satterwhite, both 20+ year employees of the company; and

WHEREAS, Willoughby Design is a multi-generational team of branding experts who have been responsible for designing iconic brands in Kansas City ranging from Visit KC, Kansas City Chamber, Ride KC, Ride KC Streetcar, Cultivate KC, and Kansas City Campus for Animal Care home of KC Pet Project to community linchpins such as Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, Cerner, and most recently Kansas City Current our new professional women’s soccer club; and

WHEREAS, Willoughby Design has helped launch local start-ups that grew into national brands including Three Dog Bakery and Einstein Bros Bagels and supported national brands most recently including Dixie, Pet Supplies Plus, Williams Sonoma, AMC, The Hershey Company and Panera Bread, and

WHEREAS, Willoughby Design is committed to giving back through service, having supported a wide range for organizations with design from AIGA Get out the Vote and KC Design Week to Harvesters, Operation Breakthrough, Nonprofit Connect and Kansas City Girls Preparatory Academy, and

WHEREAS, Megan and Nicole are committed to reinvesting in Kansas City and serving as advocates and mentors for the next generation of women leaders and business owners; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:

That the Mayor and Council hereby honor Willoughby Design, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution be spread upon the Minutes of the Council in testimony thereof and that a copy hereof be presented to Megan Stephens and Nicole Satterwhite with the gratitude of the Mayor and Council for their impact on Kansas City and the    role and value of women in design.

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