Your Chamber at Work - September 16, 2019

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FROM THE KC CHAMBER'S PRESIDENT AND CEO

Nashville – long known for its music and honky-tonks – is also one of the fastest growing cities in the nation.

That’s where more than 140 Kansas City CEOs, mayors, city managers, county executives, and civic leaders will be heading next week as the KC Chamber hosts its annual Leadership Exchange – a whirlwind visit to study the best practices of a peer city.

We’ll look at regional collaboration. The Nashville Mayors Caucus is a group of more than 40 local mayors who advocate for their area in transportation funding and work together on other regional issues.

The city’s downtown is booming with new companies and new residents piling in. We’ll take a look at that, too, as well as the successful development of Nashville’s Riverfront Park.

Education, health care, inclusion, entrepreneurship and innovation are also on our agenda.

Nashville is booming, but its rapid growth has left residents worried. A recent poll by Vanderbilt University showed residents think the city’s population and new construction are both growing too rapidly, with worries about affordable housing, workforce development, and public transit. We’ll study their growing pains as well.

We typically learn a lot on these annual Leadership Exchanges – and typically return with new ideas as well as a sense of what Kansas City is doing right.

NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON INCARCERATION AND RETURNING CITIZENS, AND POLSINELLI PUBLIC POLICY SPEAKERS SERIES: WHY SECOND CHANCE HIRING IS GOOD BUSINESS

Did you know 60 to 75 percent of returning citizens remain unemployed one year after release from prison? That means the U.S. loses about $80 billion in GDP from those unemployed men and women. On Monday, October 7, KC Chamber President and CEO Joe Reardon will moderate a panel focusing on the economic benefits of returning citizens, as part of Reaching Out From Within’s National Symposium on Incarceration and Returning Citizens. The full-day event takes place at the Sheraton Overland Park, 6100 College Blvd. The $175 registration fee covers a day of dynamic speakers, as well as breakfast, lunch, and the evening’s dinner. Get details and register here. If you can’t make that event, join us for the next Polsinelli Public Policy Up Close Speaker Series: Why Second-Chance Hiring Is Good Business, October 30 at 7:30 a.m. at the InterContinental Hotel in Kansas City. Jeffrey Korzenik, Chief Investment Strategist at Fifth Third Bank, explains why hiring returning citizens often means hiring employees who are proven to be more loyal and harder-working. He is an activist and advocate in this space. The breakfast event is $50 for Chamber members and $65 for non-members. Register here.

THE FUTURE OF WORKSPACE RECEPTION

Workspaces nationwide are changing, and we’re seeing that change here in KC. With an emphasis on co-working, going more mobile, and aesthetics that reflect form and function, these are not our grandfathers’ work environments. Join us for the Future of Workspace Reception Thursday, October 10 from 5:30-7 p.m. at Populous Grandstand, 4800 Main St., #300, KCMO. The KC Chamber’s Real Estate Policy Committee brings international experts to discuss why we’re seeing a major change in how companies approach their physical workspace, and how it impacts employees. Register here. The event is free for members of the Chamber’s Real Estate Policy Committee, just $15 for all others, and that includes heavy appetizers and two drink tickets. Thanks to our sponsors Newmark Grubb Zimmer, Populous, and Kansas City Area Development Council.

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS: J. RIEGER & CO.

You enjoy some of the region’s best networking with the Chamber in the morning, but make sure you join us after hours for some connection and cocktails. Next up? J. Rieger & Co.’s brand new location in the East Bottoms. Register now for our Business After Hours event, Wednesday, October 16 from 4-6 p.m. at Rieger’s newly-opened distillery at 2700 Guinotte, Kansas City, MO. The 60,000 square foot distillery is in the former Heim Brewery location. There are multiple bars, a stunning space for private events, a 3,000 square foot historical exhibit, and did we mention there’s an indoor slide? Registration is $5 for members and $25 for non-members and includes appetizers.

CENTURIONS INFORMATION SESSION

Learn. Serve. Lead. Since 1976, the Centurions Leadership Program has produced some of the region’s strongest leaders, including lawmakers, judges, CEOs, and community leaders. The mission is to prepare the community’s emerging leaders for their role in shaping the future of Greater KC. Learn more about the two-year program at our upcoming Centurions Information Session, October 24 from 6-7 p.m. at the Crossroads Hotel, 2101 Central St. The event is free but registration is required. Attendees will be able to connect with past and current Centurions and enjoy a social atmosphere. For more information contact Lindsay Jarquio at jarquio@kcchamber.com.