Your Chamber at Work - February 16, 2021

FROM THE KC CHAMBER'S PRESIDENT AND CEO

We need your help.

One of the imperatives in the KC Chamber’s strategic plan is to help develop a strong workforce for the region. Twelve months into the pandemic, we’re working to understand what workforce challenges and needs you and our other member businesses are facing.

For example, how has COVID-19 affected your recruitment efforts? What essential skills and industry-recognized credentials do you and your company value? Here’s the link to our workforce survey – we’d appreciate hearing from you.

We’re hoping to gain a better understanding of the workforce issues you’re facing. Our priority is to provide the most beneficial resources to you in regard to your workforce development needs. The survey will provide great insight into the workforce development trends in our region, as well as the challenges and barriers we can address through a collaborative and focused lens.

Thanks in advance for your help.

SMALL BUSINESS SUPERSTARS

It’s been a rough year for small businesses across KC. We want to celebrate and honor as many of those small businesses as we can as part of our annual Small Business Celebration. Tell us about your Small Business Superstars! Know a great plumber who won’t hose you? Have a favorite local restaurant that always serves up something tasty? Love the print shop that can create deliverables in a dash? Submit their names here. We’ll recognize your favorites as a #SmallBizSuperstar and provide them with physical and digital swag that they can use to show off their small business strength and pride. Get your submissions in – the deadline is February 26.

VIRTUAL SPEED NETWORKING

Join us for a fun, fast-paced chance to connect with fellow Chamber members at our virtual Face2Face Speed Networking event, February 17, 9 to 10 a.m. It’s a new way to network with people one-on-one using the virtual Airmeet platform. You’ll be able to jump around from person to person, like networking on steroids. Bring your energy and some exciting things you want to share with other attendees. Register now for this free event. The KC Chamber's 2021 networking sponsors are Delta Dental, Mazuma, SS&C and T-Mobile.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION WORKSHOP SERIES: THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD

Join us for the first workshop in the KC Chamber’s 2021 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion workshop series February 23, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. focusing on the Underground Railroad. For more than a decade, Störling Dance Theatre has performed ‘Underground’ at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, telling the powerful story of the Underground Railroad and inspiring audiences to work together towards racial reconciliation in our city today. Join Jeremiah Enna, Executive Director of Underground and The Culture House and Ray Jarrett, Executive Director of UniteKC, for a discussion about the history of the Underground Railroad and how this creative work can inspire us in the work of racial reconciliation today. Register now for this free event. Our Diversity & Inclusion Workshop Series Presenting Sponsor is Commerce Bank. Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Presenting Sponsors are CommunityAmerica Credit Union, Evergy and Hallmark.

HEALTHY KC ANNUAL EVENT & VENDOR EXPO

The last in-person event the KC Chamber held was our annual Healthy KC Breakfast in March 2020. With a focus on mental health, we had no idea the effects of the pandemic would challenge all of us mentally, physically, and financially. A year later, our upcoming virtual Healthy KC Annual Event & Vendor Expo focuses on finding strength and resilience. Register now for March 31, 8 to 10 a.m. as we celebrate that strength and resilience. We welcome KSHB-TV anchor Cynthia Newsome as our keynote speaker. She’ll share her own resilience in her ongoing battle with breast cancer, and how she’s using her gifts to help young women across Greater Kansas City. Attendees will also learn about mental health resources and connect with businesses and organizations in our virtual expo. Thanks to our Overall Presenting Sponsor Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City and our Premier Sponsor, Lockton.