Worley, ACBJ co-founder, has died

William “Doc” Worley, one of the co-founders of the Kansas City Business Journal and parent American City Business Journals, has died.

A veterinarian, Worley established a clinic in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Over the next 10 years, six additional clinics opened. As the practices were staffed with other vets, Worley went on to other entrepreneurial activities, beginning with becoming a director and minority owner of Midland Bank of Lee’s Summit from 1968 to 1984 when the bank was sold.

Worley became board chairman of the Bank of Kansas City. His other business projects included 13 Wendy’s restaurants in metro Kansas City as well as over $50 million in development of townhomes and duplexes.

In August 1982, the prototype for what became the largest group of weekly business newspapers began with the Kansas City Business Journal.

Thirty-six papers were started or purchased over seven years by Worley and his partners. The company, American City Business Journals, was taken public, trading on NASDAQ in 1985 and sold in 1989. At various times Worley served as publisher, president and chairman.

Worley had an ongoing civic presence. In 1973, he served as president of the Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce and the Lee’s Summit Hospital Association.

His other directorships include St. Luke’s Hospital Foundation, the Truman Medical Center Foundation, vice chairman of the hazardous waste commission of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

Worley was named a White House Fellow in 1999 and University of Missouri at Kansas City entrepreneur of the year in 2003. He was selected as a Kansas City Business Legend by Ingram’s magazine in 2014.