Richard Wetzel

Richard has dedicated his career to making Kansas City a better place to live, work, and play. An architect and urban designer with studies in business and entrepreneurship, he started his career designing sports facilities before transitioning to business development and marketing roles at large construction firms.

In 2010, Richard co-founded Centric during a downturn in the construction market and grew it into a $250M, 185-person company serving multiple vertical markets and across disciplines with the core values of Have Fun, Make Money, Kick Ass - Safely. In 2023, he sold the company to its employees and now works alongside fellow employee-owners.

The same year, Richard co-founded ElevenTen Systems, which manufactures structural and enclosure panels for multifamily and hospitality projects nationwide. The panels, made from cold-formed steel with insulation, moisture barriers, and fenestration, offer quality and affordability compared to traditional materials. 

Richard has been active in civic and charitable initiatives, serving as Chair of the Downtown Council, President of the American Institute of Architects - Kansas City, Chair of ImpactKC, and on the Steering Committee of the Centurions leadership program. He has helped the Girl Scouts of NE Kansas & NW Missouri, KC Repertory Theatre, The Children’s Place, and Cristo Rey Kansas City with new and renovated facilities.

He currently serves on the boards of CommunityAmerica Credit Union and Cristo Rey Kansas City, and on advisory boards for the University of Kansas and the University of Missouri - Kansas City.  He is also a member of Young Presidents’ Organization - Kansas City Gold Chapter and its Construction Industry Network.

Richard has been recognized as part of the Kansas City Business Journal’s Power 100, Ingram’s Magazine’s Ingram’s 250 and 40 Under Forty, a Central States finalist for Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year, and a Rising Star of Philanthropy by Nonprofit Connect. Centric has been named Emerging Business of the Year and a Top 10 Small Business by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and a Best Place to Work and a Champion of Business by the Kansas City Business Journal, in addition to over fifty individual project awards.  In 2015, Richard received the Bernard Powell Award from the Centurions, in recognition of an impactful career in Kansas City.

Richard lives in Kansas City with his wife Jen, who owns Inspired Closets KC, a national custom cabinetry dealership. Together, they have five kids and two dogs. The dogs come first.