Koch Industries

Wichita-based Koch Industries, Inc. is making a $1 million donation to support relief efforts following the deadly tornadoes in Oklahoma. The OK Strong Disaster Relief Fund will receive half of that amount. The other half will be distrubuted through the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. The money will help affected families find housing, transportation, clothing and food. In addition to the monetary donation, Georgia-Pacific, a Koch-owned company, has donated six truckloads of paper products from 3 facilities across the United States.

They charged in and made their presence known. The group calls itself Kansans United in Voice and Spirit.  They took their message right to the world headquarters of Koch Industries--the second largest  private company in America. "What all this is about is Koch Industries and the largest corporations manipulating the political system for their own benefit at the expense of everyone else," protester Jacob Knitig says. The protestors say their primary target is Governor Sam Brownback (R-KS)

The goal is to kill as many as you can.  But these aren't just zombies, they're zombies with a right-wing political agenda.   Players of "Tea Party Zombies Must Die" use a crow bar, gun, or Uzi destroy everyone from the angry white guy to Sarah Palin.   Koch Industries is also a target of the game, with game creator Starvingeyes: Viral Advergaming taking issue with the Wichita based company's business practices. Three zombies represent Koch Industries.  There is the lobbyist pig, The Climate Change Denial Toxic Zombie and the two-headed Koch Brothers Zombie.

A Wisconsin man has been charged for his role in a cyber-attack against Wichita-based Koch Industries, according for federal authorities. Eric Rosol, 37, faces one count of conspiracy to damage a protected computer and one count of damaging a protected computer. He is accused of working with a group of computer hackers called Anonymous to send a high volume of repeated advertising requests to Koch websites in February of 2011. The attack aims at making a computer resource unavailable to users by saturating the target computer with large numbers of external communication requests.

Dirt moving equipment is moving outside of Koch Industries in north Wichita. In December, Koch confirmed it plans to expand its Wichita headquarters on 37th Street North between Oliver and Hillside. The project will include construction of a new 210,000-square-foot office building. The new building will have three stories to make room for up to 745 employees. Before construction on the building begins, work has begun to re-route 37th Street North about one-quarter mile north of its current location.

Koch Industries has confirmed it is studying the idea of moving a major Wichita street. More than 7,000 cars a day use 37th Street in front of Koch industries. Koch says it wants to add jobs.  The company says it has more than 200 job openings it can't fill because it doesn't have the space. The re-route could possibly take 37th Street to the north of where it is now between Hillside and Oliver. “Expansion is always good if it creates jobs and is good for them.

Koch Industries announced Thursday it plans to expand its Wichita campus in Wichita. It says following a feasibility study, Koch decided to build a new 210,000 square-foot office building on the northwest side of the campus. The new building will be three stories tall and have the capacity for 745 employees.  Koch says it currently has more than 150 job openings in Wichita. "Our growth has come about as a result of exciting innovations of all kinds.  Our goal is to continue this rate of innovation as well as the pursuit of other opportunities and acquisitions.  The result of all this is that Koch will create new jobs in Wichita," says Dave Robertson, president and COO of Koch in a news release.

Wichita's Koch Industries is growing and adding jobs and because of that it's upgrading its facilities. Koch Industries is spending $2.2 million for a capital improvement project to upgrade the heating, cooling and electrical in one of its buildings at the complex in northeast Wichita. The improvements will provide additional work space for additional employees, as well as upgrade infrastructure to improve energy efficiency. Missy Cohlmia, Director of Corporate Communication, says the company is expanding in several areas.  Koch Industries and 10 of its business units have new positions to fill.  They hope to hire employees for 300 jobs.  The open positions are in the areas of Information Technology, Accounting, Engineering and Human Resources among others.  Cohlmia says they're "well-paid jobs.

It's called "Occupy Koch Town" and the goal is to draw attention to the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline project. Beginning Friday, protesters from the Sierra Club and the Occupy Movement will rally in Wichita against Koch Industries. The groups say Koch uses its power and money to promote dangerous energy policies for the country and they believe the company stands to make a financial windfall from the project. "We're not behind the construction of the pipeline.  We're not an owner.  We're not a shipper, or a proposed customer.  We have no financial interest in its construction," said Koch industries General Counsel Mark Holden.

Dirt moving equipment is moving outside of Koch Industries in north Wichita. In December, Koch confirmed it plans to expand its Wichita headquarters on 37th Street North between Oliver and Hillside. The project will include construction of a new 210,000-square-foot office building. The new building will have three stories to make room for up to 745 employees. Before construction on the building begins, work has begun to re-route 37th Street North about one-quarter mile north of its current location.

Memorial day weekend means swimming pools will be opening up across the Sunflower state, but before you let your kids jump in here's some creative lessons to keep them water wise.   The YMCA, thanks to a grant from Koch Industries, had their first ever Water Wise Safety Day. Here's the five tips to keep you kids safe:   1) Aligator Crawl.   "We forget that sometimes kids trip and fall and it's hard for them to keep their head above water,' said Kasey Porter, Aquatic/Youth & Family Director for the YMCA.

Wichita-based Koch Industries, Inc. is making a $1 million donation to support relief efforts following the deadly tornadoes in Oklahoma. The OK Strong Disaster Relief Fund will receive half of that amount. The other half will be distrubuted through the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. The money will help affected families find housing, transportation, clothing and food. In addition to the monetary donation, Georgia-Pacific, a Koch-owned company, has donated six truckloads of paper products from 3 facilities across the United States.

A Wisconsin man has been charged for his role in a cyber-attack against Wichita-based Koch Industries, according for federal authorities. Eric Rosol, 37, faces one count of conspiracy to damage a protected computer and one count of damaging a protected computer. He is accused of working with a group of computer hackers called Anonymous to send a high volume of repeated advertising requests to Koch websites in February of 2011. The attack aims at making a computer resource unavailable to users by saturating the target computer with large numbers of external communication requests.

It could have been a Christmas Eve disaster. But thanks to two guys from the Koch Industries security team....I got home safely...just a bit late. After the 10pm newscast December 24, I discovered a very flat tire on my car. Of course, I discovered it AFTER driving east on 37th Street, finally grinding to a halt in front of the Koch building. If you remember that night, it was very cold and windy. Despite living through more than 50 Kansas winters, I hadn't bothered to put gloves in my car. Which made changing the tire a near impossibility, as my bare hands quickly turned to numb pieces of ice. Fortunately, I was rescued by Steve Nelson and Joseph Botka.

Koch Industries announced Thursday it plans to expand its Wichita campus in Wichita. It says following a feasibility study, Koch decided to build a new 210,000 square-foot office building on the northwest side of the campus. The new building will be three stories tall and have the capacity for 745 employees.  Koch says it currently has more than 150 job openings in Wichita. "Our growth has come about as a result of exciting innovations of all kinds.  Our goal is to continue this rate of innovation as well as the pursuit of other opportunities and acquisitions.  The result of all this is that Koch will create new jobs in Wichita," says Dave Robertson, president and COO of Koch in a news release.

If you drive by Koch Industries, you'll see a large trailer in the parking lot.  The goal is to fill it with gifts for the Salvation Army. This is the 22nd year the company is helping out with the Angel Tree program.  Last year, it took care of more than 1,100 angels from the tree.  Koch hopes to do even more this year. If you're interested in helping with the Angel Tree program, angels to adopt will be available on trees starting the day after Thanksgiving. There will be information at Towne East and West Malls at the Angel Tree tables.  All gifts need to be in for distribution by December 17.  

More employers are making suggestions about how their employees should vote in the coming election. And a memo urging employees not to vote for President Obama has lead to a complaint against a Wisconsin company. A Milwaukee businessman is accused of voter intimidation because of an email to his employees. The Rite Hite company makes loading dock equipment. The company's owner says in an email to workers that a second term for the president would be detrimental to the company.

The Wichita River Festival has a new leader. Wichita Festivals, Inc., has hired Mary Beth Jarvis as its new President and CEO. She takes over November 1 from Janet Wright. Wright announced in July that she is stepping down after 13 years with the organization. Jarvis moved to Wichita in 1994 as a captain in the United States Air Force. She served as chief of public affairs for McConnell Air Force Base. From 1996-2011, Jarvis held various positions within Koch Industries, including Director, Public and International Affairs for Koch Companies Public Sector, Vice President, Government & Public Affairs, for INVISTA and Communication Director for Koch Industries.

Koch Industries has confirmed it is studying the idea of moving a major Wichita street. More than 7,000 cars a day use 37th Street in front of Koch industries. Koch says it wants to add jobs.  The company says it has more than 200 job openings it can't fill because it doesn't have the space. The re-route could possibly take 37th Street to the north of where it is now between Hillside and Oliver. “Expansion is always good if it creates jobs and is good for them.