Creative Planning CEO Peter Mallouk plans another busy year of mergers and acquisitions, with a particular focus on the Midwest. He kicked things off by adding $300 million in assets by acquiring a firm in Cincinnati.

The Kansas City area branch networks for BMO Harris Bank and Bank of the West fit together perfectly, creating a great opportunity for additional growth if the merger is approved.

Kansas City startups and venture capital firms stand to benefit from Cerner Corp.'s sale. Former Cerner executives can lend connections and capital to companies trying to get off the ground, financial experts said.

After Alexander Kon received a one-year suspension for failing to heed disclosure rules, the SEC says he began violating the order the first day it took effect and continued to do so for its entire duration.

Black-owned firms seeking capital are only half as likely as their white counterparts to obtain funding, creating a "deeply rooted systemic problem." But a new Kansas City program aims to do something about that.

"We're looking to add attorneys not only to deepen our bench, but also to add attorneys who do interesting legal work that will allow us to not only grow in numbers but in reputation here in Kansas City," Tyson Ketchum, Armstrong Teasdale's new Kansas City office managing attorney, said during an exclusive interview about his leadership plans.