About Art Davis Group LLC

The Art Davis Group LLC was formed to provide management and community consulting services for cities, counties, and other non-governmental and private organizations committed to improving communities and developing strategies for success. Services include: citizen and community based strategic planning; governing body and executive team building, strategic goal setting and organizational analysis; public and not-for-profit executive recruitment services; project management; property management and development related services; community, neighborhood, and corporate, government advocacy strategy development; public affairs strategy development and issues advocacy; growth management evaluation and strategy development, and other facilitation and management related services. Art is also a partner in a small development company focused on building and rehabilitating small to medium sized commercial buildings in the Kansas City region.

"Davis has been a leading architect of the solid planning that has helped Lee’s Summit become the fastest growing city in the metropolitan area. Davis has not been embroiled in any major public controversies with public officials, battling with them over the direction of the city. Instead, Davis has been the good soldier, carrying out the policy directives of the City Council…. Lee’s Summit voters have delivered vote after vote of confidence of the programs and projects put before them by Davis, his staff and elected officials."
Kansas City Star
Editorial Board
February 20, 1999
Davis has over 22 years experience in the public and not-for-profit sectors, most recently spending six and one-half years as Associate Director for the Civic Council of Greater Kansas City. He was responsible for coordinating Civic Council’s efforts to help revitalize Kansas City’s Downtown and urban core neighborhoods. Davis organized and managed a citizen based strategic and master planning process, commonly referred to as the “Sasaki Plan”, which focused on Greater Downtown Kansas City. The first plan was unveiled in June 2001, and again updated in 2005. The process involved hundreds of stakeholders and resulted in the development of a series of strategies, actions and recommendations to revitalize Downtown. Civic Council is a 501(c) 4 membership organization of chief executive officers of large corporations and professional partnerships in the Kansas City metropolitan area and is focused entirely on improving the quality of life for all citizens by developing and implementing a vision that reaffirms and revitalizes the urban core and positions the bi-state metropolitan area as a powerful regional community.

Prior to joining the Civic Council, Davis was City Administrator of Lee’s Summit, Missouri for five and one-half years. During this time Lee's Summit was recognized as the fastest growing city in Missouri and in the Greater Kansas City area. Davis also worked as an assistant administrator for the City of Lenexa, Kansas for six years, and prior to that spent two years working for the City of Dallas, Texas in various capacities, including Assistant to the Mayor. Art obtained his BA in Public Administration and Political Science from William Jewell College, and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Kansas.

As a community volunteer, Davis is Vice Chair on the Truman Medical Centers Board of Directors, and chairs the Board’s Capital Assets Committee. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for Harmony/NCCJ, the Kansas City Architectural Foundation, and is a member of the President’s Advisory Council for William Jewell College.

print Art Davis' Curriculum Vitae
print Art Davis' Biography


Client List

  • Gardner, Kansas
    Community Facilitation Services
  • Hannibal, MO
    Police Chief Recruitment
  • Kansas City Design Center
    Board and Advisory Council Strategic Goal Setting
  • Kansas City Downtown Council
    Board/staff Strategic Goal Setting
  • Lee's Summit Parks and Recreation Department
    Team Building Ad Strategic Goal Setting for Staff and Parks Board
  • Mid America Regional Council Solid Waste Management District
    Executive Board and Management Council Strategic Goal Setting
  • Raytown, MO
    City Administrator Recruitment and Governing Body Strategic Goal Setting
  • West Des Moines, Iowa
    Organizational Consulting
"Because of his significant experience in local government and exceptional people skills, Art is one of those unique individuals that can jump in and successfully complete almost any project or resolve any problem a community is experiencing. He provides sound advice, and always conducts himself professionally. We hired Art to conduct a nationwide recruitment for a new city administrator and he helped our elected officials update their goals and develop a process to involve the community in the interview process. Art is very good at developing consensus among elected officials and I strongly recommend his services for those communities and organizations that need assistance."
Sue Frank, Mayor,
City of Raytown, MO
June 5, 2006

"If you are going to do something – do it right the first time and build it to last.”

~ Art Davis