Philip M. Singleton Jr.

Born in Yuma, Arizona, Phil graduated from Jesuit High School in Tampa, FL and went on to earn a BS in Finance from Fairfield University, and later an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management in Phoenix. A gifted thinker with an independent streak, Phil started down a path that would forge a successful career that spanned multiple continents and disciplines.

Blessed with sharp wit, humor and common-sense smarts, Phil had an uncanny ability to sense emerging trends long before they become popular. Phil resigned from a steady US job underwriting construction bonds in the early 1990s and moved to Taiwan, in anticipation of the emerging Pacific Century. In Taiwan, Phil learned fluent Mandarin Chinese within a year while interning with various Asian finance companies in strategic capital investment. While in Asia, he also partnered with a venture-backed software company, successfully turning it around, and later exiting quite profitably. That experience—seeing how product, marketing, and search engine behavior converged—would ignite his next great obsession: combining his street-smarts and his love for data mining into a lucrative passion for search engine optimization (SEO) and small business growth in America.

After moving back to his hometown in Kansas City in 2005, Phil became the founder and CEO of Kansas City Web Design & SEO, where he built a lasting legacy as a trusted financial advisor, digital strategist, and a reckoning force in the world of online marketing. Though widely respected for his expertise in SEO, Phil considered himself first and foremost a web designer devoted to strategy, structure, and execution, always focused on helping others succeed. He co-authored three Amazon best-selling books, including SEO for Growth, which was recognized by Forbes in 2017 as the top SEO book for entrepreneurs.

Notwithstanding his professional success, Phil’s greatest accomplishments in life are his twin sons, Ely and Ostyn, whom he adored beyond measure. Whether they were fishing together, visiting their family farm, or simply hanging out and tinkering with cars, they were the center of his universe, his greatest source of pride and joy.

Phil is survived by his wife, Vivian, and his twin boys; his parents, Phil and Sue Singleton; his siblings Erin and Alex; and many extended family members, friends, and colleagues who were touched by his brilliance, humor, loyalty, and quiet generosity.

A private funeral service was held in accordance with the family’s wishes. In lieu of flowers, and in the spirit of Phil’s lifelong commitment to helping others and standing up for what matters, the family kindly asks that donations be made to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation (https://t2t.org/). Their mission to honor America's heroes—by supporting veterans, first responders, and their families—reflects Phil’s deep respect for service, sacrifice, and building something greater than oneself.