Founding trustee Landon Rowland dies at 78

Landon Rowland, a Kansas City icon in both business and philanthropic arenas, died Dec. 28, at age 78. Rowland was one of the founding members of the CGSC Foundation board of trustees that voted to adopt its original bylaws in January 2006.

Landon Rowland, chairman of the KC chapter of BENS, sets the stage with opening remarks at the “CEO Cybersecurity Roundtable“ conducted May 14, 2015, at the Kauffman Foundation Conference Center in Kansas City. The event was cohosted by the CGSC Foundation/Simons Center and Business Executives for National Security.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family in this time of great sadness,” said Foundation CEO Doug Tystad. “We also give thanks for such a unique and hugely influential personality such as Landon Rowland. The Kansas City metropolitan area, the CGSC Foundation and all who were touched by him are better because of him.”

In his roles as a founding trustee of the CGSC Foundation and the chairman of the Kansas City Chapter of Business Executives for National Security (BENS), Rowland was very active in supporting and cohosting programs and events with the Foundation over the past 10 years.

Tom Holcom, the first Foundation board president, said that he had relied on Rowland during the early days of the Foundation to support the effort because he was always very dedicated to supporting the military and military causes.

Tystad added that the CGSC Foundation would make a memoriam in his name in accordance with his family’s wishes.

See the Kansas City Business Journal article for more information.

Landon Rowland (second from left) chairman of the KC chapter of BENS, gathers with cohosts and speakers during the forum on “Ethical and Legal Issues in Contemporary Conflict” conducted Oct. 1, 2009, at the Reardon Civic Center in Kansas City, Kan. The event was cohosted by the CGSC Foundation and Business Executives for National Security (BENS). See the Fall 2009 edition of the Foundation News for the full story.

BENS Chairman Landon Rowland provides opening remarks at the seminar on “Interagency Collaboration in the War on Terrorism,” in December 2010, at the Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City. The Simons Center and the CGSC Foundation cohosted the event with the Kansas City chapter of Business Executives for National Security (BENS).