Your Chamber at Work - September 19, 2022

FROM THE KC CHAMBER'S PRESIDENT AND CEO

Right now, I’m with more than 175 business and community leaders and elected officials as part of one of my favorite events of the year - Leadership Exchange. Each year the Chamber brings together a group of diverse thought leaders and we head to a different U.S. city to get a new perspective on how we can do things here in KC.

Led by our Chair Elect Mark Garrett, we’re in Detroit this year. This incredible city is experiencing a revitalization that many didn’t even think was possible after it was brought to its knees by bankruptcy and crime. But I can tell you after spending just 24 hours here so far, it’s clear that Detroit is coming back strong.

Today we focused on Detroit’s revitalization, and how community leaders are making sure residents have a say in what happens. We also learned how the city is repurposing an interstate (I-375) that destroyed two thriving Black neighborhoods decades ago, and we learned about the impact of downtown sports in Detroit. Tomorrow we look at a plan to strengthen Michigan’s public education system, and how immigrants helped Detroit maintain a strong and skilled workforce (by the way, Detroit was just named a Certified Welcoming City by Welcoming America).

Do any of these topics sound familiar? That’s by design. The Chamber didn’t choose Detroit so we could study Detroit. We chose Detroit – and past Leadership Exchange cities – to study Kansas City through a new lens. Leadership Exchanges help us see what’s possible and how we can address similar issues here in Kansas City.

You can follow #KC2Detroit on our social media platforms and see more of the trip. We’ll be back on Wednesday and can’t wait to share what we’ve learned.

NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKING: HENRY W. BLOCH SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

Coffee. Connection. Some of the best networking in the region. You get all three at our next Neighborhood Networking, Friday, September 23, 8:30 – 10 at the Henry W. Bloch School of Management located at 5110 Cherry on the UMKC campus. With more than 10,000 graduates, the Bloch School of Management is known around the world. From large area corporations to small startups, their comprehensive business education and strong KC network builds leaders. Chamber members can register here for free; it’s $15 for non-members. The KC Chamber's 2022 overall networking sponsors are Delta Dental and Mazuma Credit Union. The KC Chamber's 2022 Neighborhood Networking sponsors are Unbound, Bardavon Health Innovations and the Kansas City Current.

HEALTHY KC WORKPLACE WELLNESS CERTIFICATION

There are still nearly two weeks left to apply to be Healthy KC Workplace Wellness Certified. We extended the deadline to next Friday, September 30. Complete the application here. A Healthy KC Certification means your workplace will get access to wellness experts, resources to help you become even healthier, year-round programming, and wellness organization. This year’s criteria are based on the World Health Organization Healthy Workplace Model, focusing on four areas: Personal Health Resources, Psychosocial Work Environment, Enterprise Community Involvement, and Work Environment.

GO GLOBAL KC 2022

Join us for the premier event promoting Kansas City's vibrant international trade economy, Go Global KC, Wednesday, September 28, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. in the Chamber Board Room, in the southeast corner of Union Station. Hear keynote speakers Elaine Dezenski, Senior Director and Head of the Center on Economic and Financial Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, and John Austin, Director of the Michigan Economic Center and Nonresident Senior Fellow of the Brookings Institution and Chicago Council of Global affairs, weigh in on ally-shoring and what it means for international trade. Plus, we announce 2022 Outstanding Economic Development Agency award and 2022 Outstanding Service Provider award. Registration is $45 for Chamber members, $50 for non-members. Thank you to our Presenting Sponsors: Black & Veatch Corporation. Thank you to our Keynote Presenting Sponsor NASCO Network.

ATHENA LEADERSHIP AWARDS

Join us as we celebrate and honor the ATHENA Award recipients at the ATHENA Awards Reception, Thursday, October 6 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at The Little Theatre, 301 W. 13th, KCMO. Dr. Marjorie Williams is the recipient of the ATHENA Leadership Award, given to someone who has achieved the highest level of professional excellence, contributes time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community, and actively assists others, particularly women, in realizing their full leadership potential. The ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award recipient is Pooja Shah. This award is given to someone who demonstrates a commitment to the community, which includes supporting other women in business. Tickets are $25 for Chamber members, and $30 for non-members. Thanks to our Presenting Sponsors are KPMG and UMB.