Block & Company, Inc., Realtors proudly announces that the recipient of the annual James H. Block Scholarship is Rateb Aburas

September 30, 2015

Block & Company, Inc., Realtors and The Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association are proud to announce that Rateb Aburas is the recipient of this years James H. Block Scholarship. The $4,000 scholarship has been awarded annually to promising students specializing in the restaurant/food service industry who are enrolled in the Hospitality Program at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas. The Scholarship was presented at The Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association's annual Gilbert Robinson Leadership and Awards Dinner on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at the Hospitality and Culinary Academy at Johnson County Community
College.

James H. Block, an icon in Kansas City Commercial Real Estate and Restaurant Development, started his career in 1946 at the newly formed and family owned Block & Company, Inc., Realtors. As an active broker and developer in the Kansas City area and the Midwest, James "Jimmy" Block completed a wide variety of commercial projects including over thirty shopping centers all of which incorporated multiple restaurants. He also developed numerous office, warehouse, and industrial buildings. Jimmy's passion was restaurant development and expansion, he was a pioneer responsible for building, opening, and operating franchised restaurants throughout the Kansas City region. During his career, Jimmy owned and operated over 43 restaurants before selling them back to their respective parent companies. He was involved with the operation of restaurants including Applebee's, Lums, Taco Cabana, and Hotsie's Hot Dogs just to name a few. Of his many accomplishments, Jimmy was responsible for building, opening, and operating Kansas City's original franchises for Pizza Hut and Taco Bell along with Robert "Bob" Lewellen.

James H. Block was a man who did business with brilliance, experience, heart, and witty humor; he loved to teach others and was always there to lend a helping hand to people of all ages and backgrounds. Jimmy's son, David M. Block, the current President of Block & Company, Inc., Realtors and the rest of the Block family are hoping to carry on his tradition by donating this scholarship to an up and coming Kansas City restaurateur.