A native of Kansas City, Morton Sosland served in the Army during World War II, serving initially in the horse cavalry. He joined the family-owned Sosland Publishing Co. on graduating from Harvard, class of 1946. The company publishes business-to-business magazines primarily focused on the worldwide grain and food processing industries. He has been editor-in-chief of the weekly Milling & Baking News for 40 years and has an editorial role in the other publications. He also was president and chairman of the publishing company, a role that he has passed to his son, Charles. His grandson, Meyer Joseph Sosland, is managing editor of World Grain magazine. He represents the fifth generation of the family to be involved in the publishing business.
In writing editorials and making speeches to business audiences, he has sought to emphasize the essential role of agriculture and agribusiness in America’s role in the world. An advocate of liberal trade policies, he presses for governmental and corporate actions meant to build the strength of an independent agriculture.
From farm to fork, Sosland has served on numerous corporate boards including H&R Block, Commerce Bancshares, Brown Shoe, SuCrest Corp., ERC, Hallmark Cards, Kansas City Southern, ERC Corporation, Stilwell Financial, Continental Grain Co. and TWA and TW Services.
His influence goes beyond his passion for agribusiness, commerce and journalism. In civic responsibilities, Sosland has served as president of the Jewish Federation of Kansas City, chairman of Midwest Research Institute, co-chair of Kansas City Economic Development, and as president of the Pembroke-Country Day School Board. He was among the founders of the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation. In recent years, he has been co-chair of several fund-raising efforts on behalf of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, where his wife, Estelle, is just retiring as chair of the board of trustees. He is currently or most recently served as a director of the Sosland Foundation, H&R Block Foundation, Lyric Opera Foundation, Hall Family Foundation and the Loose Foundation.