A former chairman of Janus [profile] and DST just died.

Landon H. Rowland Janus Capital Late Director, Chairman Emeritus

The Kansas City Business Journal and the Kansas City Star report that Landon Rowland passed away yesterday at the age of 78. Rowland chaired mutual fund shop Janus from 2000 to 2004 and served on its board until 2011; additionally, he chaired financial services back-office giant DST's board from 1983 to 1995.

An alumnus of Dartmouth and Harvard, Rowland was a partner at Watson Ess Marshall & Enggas - a Kansas City law firm - and a lecturer at the University of Missouri at Kansas City. In 1980 he joined railroad giant Kansas City Southern Industries (KCSI), eventually rising to CEO in 1987 and keeping that job until 2000. KSCI bought Janus in 1984, and then Berger Funds and Nelson Money Managers. Separately, KSCI spun off DST in 1995.

In 2000, KSCI moved all its remaining financial services businesses under its Stilwell Financial arm, with Rowland as chairman, president and CEO of Stilwell. The Stilwell businesses were all merged together in 2003 and branded as Janus.

"To be a part of the revolution in how people managed their money was also something he was very proud of, because it represented in many ways the democratization of finance, which was something he cared very much about," Josh Rowland, Landon's son, tells the Kansas City Business Journal. "He wanted more people to have access to higher-quality financial services."

The Kansas City papers note that Rowland was a key backer of: the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City; the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; the American Royal Horse Show; the Lyric Opera; and the American art collection at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. He also chaired the non-profit Local Investment Commission, the Swope Ridge Geriatric Center, and the Metropolitan Performing Arts Fund.

"He was always proud to be part of these amazing groups of people who were committed to a project, whether that was artistic, civic or business," Josh Rowland tells the Kansas City Star. "He was always ready to serve as a sponsor and advocate and cheerleader."

There is no word yet on funeral arrangements.  

Edited by: Neil Anderson, Managing Editor


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