2008 Impact Award

KC CREW had the honor of presenting Shirley Helzberg, Managing Member of Walnut Creek Ranch LLC and Proprietor, Webster House Antiques & Restaurant, with our 2008 Impact Award at our October Luncheon. Ms. Helzberg purchased, restored and leased her first property at the young age of seventeen. Ms. Helzberg commented, “My interest has been real estate development since I was a child”. Her parents owned rental property during her childhood, and her mother worked as a real estate agent in Bonner Springs, Kansas.

Ms. Helzberg is responsible for the redevelopment of Walnut Creek. She supervises about 30 people as proprietor of Webster House. David Disney, Senior Vice President of JE Dunn Construction, had the pleasure of working with Ms. Helzberg on the Webster House project. He said the experience of working with her was extremely positive, stating, “Shirley made certain that everyone on the team had input. She is probably one of the best collaborators I have ever worked with”.

In addition to her involvement in real estate, Ms. Helzberg has many other interests. In giving back to the community, she has been the Kansas City Symphony President since 1995. Ms. Helzberg is also Vice President and Treasurer of the Shirley and Barnett Helzberg Foundation and she is the founding chairwoman of the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City.

Ms. Helzberg stated that her business philosophy is to enhance existing projects in Kansas City. She commented that “My area of interest is trying to rebuild downtown Kansas City, MO. If you have a healthy heart, the rest of the community is healthy.”