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Jonathan Kemper had a vision--an interdisciplinary, inter-university urban design/research studio that would be an agent of public discourse in the Kansas City metropolitan area. His vision became a reality in the Kansas City Design Center (KCDC), where Kansas State University and the University of Kansas work jointly to bring the design professions together to address complex physical planning and design issues relevant to change in metropolitan Kansas City.

Located at 1018 Baltimore in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, the KCDC studio is comprised of seven students majoring in architecture, landscape architecture, interior architecture and product design, or regional and community planning from the K-State College of Architecture, Planning and Design and eight architecture students from the School of Architecture and Urban Design at the University of Kansas.

The KCDC brings the student/faculty resources of the partnering universities to bear beneficially on urban Kansas City issues, provides relevant and topical challenges of the urban environment in support of the universities' educational missions, and develops leadership skills in the students that will encourage their future engagement in urban affairs as professionals and as citizens.

Jonathan Kemper has been a board member of the Kansas City Design Center (and its predecessors) for nearly 20 years, encouraging the study of urban design problems and applications, and advocating for broader civic awareness and support for KCDC. He has been active in historic preservation, having recently served for three years as chair of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Kemper has previously received recognition from the Mid America Regional Council, the Kansas City Parks Commission and the Missouri Parks Association for his personal interest and support for planning and design in his community. He has recently been active in advocating a "signature" design for the new major bridge in Kansas City to carry Interstate-35 across the Missouri River.

Kemper is vice chairman of Commerce Bancshares, Inc. and chairman of Commerce Bank, Kansas City Region. He joined Commerce as vice president of Commerce Bank, Kansas City in 1982 and was elected vice chairman of Commerce Bancshares, Inc. in 1991. Kemper has overall responsibility for the Kansas City region and for operations and information technology. He serves on the executive committee of Commerce Bancshares, Inc.

Kemper is a non-executive chairman of Tower Properties Company, co-trustee of the William T. Kemper Foundation, president of the Kansas City Public Library Board of Trustees, on the board of Midwest Research Institute, and a member of the executive committee of the Kansas City Downtown Council.

A 1975 graduate of Harvard College, Kemper also earned an MBA in 1979 from the Harvard University Graduate School of Business.

Jonathan Kemper has been instrumental in making it possible for our students and faculty to have an important presence in an urban area. The Kansas State University College of Architecture, Planning and Design is pleased to nominate Kansas City leader and visionary Jonathan M. Kemper to receive a 2009 Distinguished Service Award.