1981
Kansas City Power Products was incorporated in 1981 by James H. (Jim) and Catherine A.
(Cathy) Brazeal as a distributor of Ford Industrial Engines for Western Missouri and the
state of Kansas. We occupied a 4,500 square-foot building in the Central Industrial
District of Kansas City, Missouri. The staff consisted of Harold Needham and Ron
Fitzpatrick, who had been the key employees of Midway Industrial, the previous Ford engine
distributor, and Bill Brazeal who had taken a year sabbatical from teaching to help his
brother launch Kansas City Power Products. Harold retired from Kansas City Power Products
in 1993, Bill directs our Quality Operating System during the summer months, and Ron is
still on board as Technical Manager.
1983
Kubota Engine Division appointed Kansas City Power Products the Kubota engine distributor
for Western Missouri and the state of Kansas.
1987
American Honda appointed Kansas City Power Products the Honda engine distributor for
Western Missouri and the state of Kansas.
1989
Kansas City Power Products received the Ford Outstanding Distributor Award for excellence
in overall market representation of Ford industrial engines.
Kansas City Power Products moved from our original location to our present facilities,
also located in the Central Industrial District.
1991
Hatz Diesel of America appointed Kansas City Power Products as the Hatz engine distributor
for Western Missouri and Kansas.
1995
Kansas City Power Products again received the Ford Outstanding Distributor Award for
excellence in overall market representation of Ford industrial engines.
Ford appointed Kansas City Power Products the distributor for Eastern Missouri and
Southern Illinois.
1996
Ford recognized Kansas City Power Products as the largest engine sales volume distributor
in the United States.
1997
Ford recognized Kansas City Power Products as one of the three charter Quality Master
Award distributors.
Between 1984 and 1995 (when the program was retired) Kansas City Power Products received
13 Ford SalesMaster awards for engines and parts sales. Kansas City Power Products has
received the Honda Sales Award every year since 1992, the year the program started.
2000
Ford Power Products appointed Kansas City Power Products the distributor for
Oklahoma and Northwest Arkansas. KCPP kept the OK Power Products name for the Oklahoma
City branch.
Honda Engines appointed Kansas City Power Products the distributor for Eastern
Missouri. KCPP now has responsibility for Honda engines in all of Kansas and Missouri.
2001
Ford Power Products appointed Kansas City Power Products the distributor for
Arkansas, Northern Mississippi and Western Tennessee.
2002
In July, the Oklahoma City branch was closed, with all customer service now
available through the Kansas City location.
2003
Kansas City Power Products was recognized at the Kubota national sales meeting
with an award for 20 years of successful partnership.
2004
Kubota presented Kansas City Power Products with the 2003 Sales Achievement Award.
2006
Jim Needham, Sales Manager, was appointed chairman of the Honda Distributor
Council.
2007
American Honda Motor Company recognized Kansas City Power Products on its
twentieth anniversary as a Honda Engine Distributor.
