Steve Stark was born and raised in Fort Dodge, Iowa. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Iowa State University in 1979, majoring in industrial administration. He received his Juris Doctor degree, with honors, from the University of Iowa in 1983 and served as an editor of the Iowa Law School’s Journal of Corporation Law from 1982 to 1983. Mr. Stark joined Fleeson, Going, Coulson & Kitch in 1983 and was admitted to the Kansas Bar in 1984.

Mr. Stark’s primary areas of practice are Real Estate Law and Environmental Law. In the area of real estate, he is experienced in commercial construction contracting; platting, zoning, and zoning appeals; shopping center development and sale; commercial leasing; mortgage financing, municipal financing, loan participation, and asset-based lending; easements and covenants; titles and surveys; sale and exchange; annexation and condemnation; mortgage foreclosure; and landlord tenant disputes.

In the area of environmental law, Mr. Stark has experience in defense of CERCLA contribution and response cost actions; lender liability; UST closure; sale and development of contaminated properties; handling of administrative investigations, notices of violations, consent, and unilateral orders from USEPA and state regulatory agencies under various federal and state environmental programs; permits and renewals; and working with consultants on Phase I and Phase II site assessments.

Mr. Stark is co-author of the Kansas Bar Association’s practitioner handbook for Environmental Law (1992, revised 1996). He has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America and Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers in the area of Real Estate Law and stands among the top ten Kansas attorneys in real estate financing by Chambers and Partners (Chambers USA–America’s Leading Business Lawyers 2003, 2004).

Mr. Stark is Finance Council Chairman (1994–present) for Blessed Sacrament Parish in Wichita and served as a Kapaun Mount Carmel High School Annual Fund chairperson (2004, 2005) and team captain (2002–2004).