Your Chamber at Work - August 31, 2020

FROM THE KC CHAMBER'S PRESIDENT AND CEO

The Kansas City region hit a grim milestone over the weekend: more than 30,000 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Four more people died, bringing the area’s total number of deaths from the virus to 400.

Our schools, businesses, and our economy can’t get back to normal with numbers like these. And getting back to normal means all of us taking responsibility.

To that end, this Wednesday, the KC Chamber and KU Health System are partnering on a special session with Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) from a number of our area hospitals. CMOs have a different experience set than public health officials and the goal is to talk about their experience from a hospital standpoint and reinforce a message of public health and safety to further the resolve of the public to keep everyone safe.

Dr. Kenny Southwick, the Executive Director of the Cooperating School Districts of Greater Kansas City, will be on hand to discuss the situation with area schools; Dr. Kim Beatty, Chancellor of Metropolitan Community College will share the college perspective; and I’ll be there as well to talk about COVID’s impact on businesses and our economy.

The CMO session is scheduled for Wednesday, September 2, from 10:00-11:00 a.m. To attend, email mattes@kcchamber.com.

Please join us. It will be more than worthwhile.

THE TOP 10 SMALL BUSINESS ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE COMING!

The path to become 2020 Small Business of the Year will continue for ten businesses this Friday, September 4, when we announce our Top 10 Small Businesses. Find out who made it into this group of ten finalists when we announce on the KC Chamber’s social media platforms beginning at 9 a.m. Make sure you're following us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Once the Top 10 is announced, they will advance to the next level of judging, and take part in the virtual Top 10 CEO Panel, October 1, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., sponsored by Bank Midwest. This will be followed by 2020 Small Business Celebration Virtual Awards Event, sponsored by Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, where we announce the Small Business of the Year, and the winners of our four additional awards: Legacy of Kansas City, Entrepreneur of the Year, Diverse Small Business of the Year, and the Weida Award for International Small Business of the Year. 2020 Small Business programming is presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City and Evergy. CEO Level sponsor is Honeywell.

LEARNING SESSION: RACIAL INEQUITIES IN HOUSING

Kansas City – and cities like it across the country – have a troubled history when it comes to race and real estate. Learn how discriminatory local, state, and federal policies have led to an affordable housing crisis and a divided city.

Dianne Cleaver, president and CEO of the Urban Neighborhood Initiative, will lead a Learning Session about housing inequities due to race. The presenters include Mikki Anderson, Vice President with Purpose Built Communities, and Tyler Cukar, a KC native living in NY who authored Orchestrated Urbanism: the Race Built City. Each will present on the topic and then you'll have a chance to ask questions. Register here for the Learning Session, September 1, 10-11:30 a.m. The session is free and open to all KC Chamber members and non-members. Thank you to our 2020 Diversity & Inclusion Presenting Sponsors CommunityAmerica Credit Union, Evergy, Hallmark, and T-Mobile.

WHY DACA SHOULD BE IN YOUR WORKFORCE TOOLKIT

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has provided hope to immigrant youth for the last eight years. There have been threats to the program and surprise supporters. DACA's uncertain fate may seem risky for companies and their key employees. Register now for Why DACA Should Be in Your Workforce Toolkit, September 18, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Learn about the basics of DACA and how employers can navigate its future and continue to help share the American Dream in this conversation with Attorney Jessica Piedra.

JOIN US TO HONOR THIS YEAR’S ATHENA AWARD RECIPIENTS

Join us for the virtual 2020 ATHENA Awards Reception as we honor Karen Daniel with the ATHENA Leadership Award and Chelsea Laub with the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award, October 8, 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Register here for this free event, open to members and non-Chamber members. The ATHENA Leadership Award is presented to individuals honored for professional excellence, community service, and for actively assisting women in their attainment of professional excellence and leadership skills. The Young Professional Leadership Award is a natural extension of the ATHENA Leadership Award and is presented to emerging women leaders across professional sectors for exemplary leadership.

Special thanks to our Presenting Sponsors Bank Midwest and KPMG.