Your Chamber at Work - October 10, 2018

FROM THE KC CHAMBER'S PRESIDENT AND CEO

When different groups come together, amazing things can happen. That’s one of the key lessons we learned on our recent Leadership Exchange visit to Denver. It was our largest Leadership Exchange yet, with 146 regional leaders from Greater Kansas City business, government, and the civic community. We witnessed a high level of collaboration around large initiatives to move the needle – on everything from Pre-K to apprenticeship programs to transportation.
 
Denver Schools Superintendent sang the praises of Denver’s Pre-K program – the program Kansas City, Missouri’s Pre-K proposal is modeled after. He said, thanks to their Pre-K initiative, third grade reading scores have grown from a huge deficit to now just two percentage points behind the rest of the state.
 
More evidence of the power of collaboration:  Denver’s apprenticeship programs, the collective effort of the mayor, business community, and institutions. They studied the model in Switzerland and collectively got on the same page to do it in Denver.
 
As for transportation, we again witnessed alignment of all parties of the need for transit investment and then the development of a broad vision around which everyone rallied. We also witnessed some great public-private partnerships at the airport and with light rail.
 
Of, course, my favorite part was the metro Mayors Caucus. While we have mayors getting together on the Kansas and Missouri sides, we would love to see them regularly collaborating across the state line more. The caucus in Denver is well thought out and engages over 40 mayors regularly. They have influence on regional issues and have helped shape Denver’s light rail system. The mayors we met with clearly believe in regional collaboration and are acting on it.

CONNECTING LARGE AND SMALL

If your sales strategy involves getting to know buyers at some of the area’s largest companies, the KC Chamber would like to help you out. We’re putting them all in one room for you! The KC Small & Diverse Business Procurement Event is October 12 and we have a robust group of buyers participating. Meet them face to face and also hear from our Small Business of the Year, Lead Bank CEO Josh Rowland, on how his company is creating opportunities for other small businesses. The event will take place from 8:30 am to noon in the KC Chamber Board Room at Union Station, next door to Pierpont’s, 30 W Pershing Road. Best of all, this event is free for KC Chamber members and $10 for non-members. Please register online. If you have questions, contact Greg Valdovino, (816) 374-5494. Sponsors of the event include Burns & McDonnell, DST, and Truman Medical Centers.

ECONOMIC FORECAST

Join us on October 19 for the KC Chamber’s annual Economic Forecast breakfast, presented by BMO Harris Bank and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP. In addition to the Chamber’s proprietary forecast, which will be presented by Frank Lenk of Mid-America Regional Council, the event will feature Evan Chuck of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP discussing the U.S.-China trade dispute and its impact on area businesses. Michael Gregory of BMO Harris Bank will cover the North American economy and financial markets. All of our presenters will provide insight into the new United States Mexico Canada Agreement.

The Economic Forecast breakfast will be held at the Kansas City Downtown Marriott, 200 W. 12th St., from 7:30 to 9 am on October 19. The cost to attend is $50 per Chamber member and $60 per non-member, which includes breakfast and a copy of the Chamber’s economic forecast publication. Tables of 10 are still available. Please register online. Questions? Contact Tiffany Friend at (816) 374-5432 or email friend@kcchamber.com. Additional sponsors of this event at the Impact level include Black & Veatch, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, and DST. Development level sponsors include CommunityAmerica Credit Union, Country Club Bank, Ernst & Young, First National Bank, Grant Thornton, Hallmark, Kansas City Southern, McAnany Van Cleave & Phillips, McCownGordon Construction, and mobank/BOK Financial.

NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKING

Spokes Café | Cyclery, located at 1200 Washington, Suite B, is a fun neighborhood hangout, for food and drinks and sharing your love for cycling. KC Chamber members are invited to experience Spokes on October 19 for morning networking from 8:30-10 am. This is a Neighborhood Networking event, designed to help you make meaningful connections. Enjoy your coffee and your company in this establishment. It is free for KC Chamber members and $15 for non-members. Please register online. Contact Brandon Krekel if you have questions, krekel@kcchamber.com. This event is sponsored by Ruckus Creative Group and Spectrum Reach. 2018 Networking Sponsors include Andrews McMeel Universal, Mazuma, Sprint.

ELECTION REFLECTIONS

Jeff Roe and his team have guided hundreds of campaigns for issues and candidates across the US. He will share with KC Chamber members his view on key election surprises and hot button issues. Join us for the KC Chamber’s Polsinelli Public Policy Up Close Speaker Series on November 13. From 7:30-9 a.m. at the InterContinental Hotel, you can enjoy political commentary with your breakfast. The cost to attend is $50 for KC Chamber members and $65 for non-members. Please register online or contact John Jenks for more information, jjenks@kcchamber.com.