UPCOMING EVENTS
JUNE 1
Ribbon Cutting
1:00 pm @ Miracle Ear REGISTER HERE
JUNE 9
Legislative Affairs Task Force
7:30 am @ Sandy’s Restaurant
REGISTER HERE
Sponsored by BV Contracting Solutions
JUNE 2
Legislative Breakfast
7:30 am @ The Emerald REGISTER HERE
JUNE 6
Financial Oversight
8:00 am @ Chamber Office
Ribbon Cutting
2:00 pm @ Neighborhood LTC Pharmacy REGISTER HERE
JUNE 7
Executive Committee
8:15 am @ Chamber Office
JUNE 8
DEI Task Force
10:00 am @ Chamber Office
Fest Committee Meeting
12:00 pm @ Chamber Office
Ribbon Cutting
2:00 pm @ Fit Learning KC REGISTER HERE
JUNE 13
Board Meeting
8:15 am @ Chamber Office
JUNE 15
Monthly Luncheon + New Member Showcase
Summer Learning Series
11:30 am @ CJCFPD Training Facility
REGISTER HERE
Sponsored by Kansas City Cannabis
JUNE 16
Meet Me For Custard
11:30 am @ Custard’s Last Stand REGISTER HERE
JUNE 19
Juneteenth Chamber Office Closed
JUNE 20
Business Before Hours
7:30 am @ Tropical Smoothie Cafe REGISTER HERE
JUNE 21
Ribbon Cutting
4:00 pm @ Paramount Health Chiropractic REGISTER HERE
JUNE 23
Ribbon Cutting
9:00 am @ Wal-Mart REGISTER HERE
JUNE 29
After Hours Networking
4:30 pm @ Blue Springs Historical Society REGISTER HERE
3 Chamber Connection
LEADership Blue Springs
Enrollment Open for 2023-2024
Did you know that the Chamber has a leadership program? It’s called LEADership Blue Springs and is aimed at developing a leadership pool for the present and future of our community. Leadership participants develop skills and knowledge of the community through nine full day sessions concerning such topics as government, youth, economic development, law enforcement and quality of life.
LEADership Blue Springs is a nine-month program beginning in August, with one day-long session per month. The class also completes a class service project benefiting a local non-profit organization. Registration for the 2023-2024 class is now open and you can apply online at bluespringschamber.com/leadership-blue-springs. The deadline to apply is July 21, 2023.
LEAD SERVICE PROJECT
Class of 2023
Each year the Blue Springs Chamber LEADership class participates in a service project to give back to a local non-profit organization. The class of 2023 chose to support FosterAdpot Connect by assisting with their Sock and Undie Drive by picking up donation bins and sorting donations on Saturday, May 20.
FosterAdopt Connect’s mission is to provide foster and adoptive children a stable, loving and nurturing family environment by support and advocacy for abused and neglected children and the families caring for them. Every May their Sock and Undie Drive collects new socks and underwear, the biggest needs for their clothing closet. Rose Hall, Chamber Event Coordinator, says “I think it was a very worthy cause, and it was eye-opening to see the different areas of need that I had never considered before.”
4 Chamber Connection
5 Chamber Connection
Photos by Anthem Photography
SUMMER LEARNING SERIES
June, July & August Luncheons
Join us for our Summer Learning Series! These monthly luncheons will feature experts in social media, marketing, branding, library resources and customized employment. All sessions will be held at the CJCFPD Training Facility and lunch will be catered by Sandy’s Restaurant.
Thursday, June 15 @ 11:30 am
CJCFPD Training Facility
REGISTER NOW
Join us for an informative panel discussion with Dennis Baughman from MidTown Signs, Whitney Bobbit from Northern Pine Design, and Zach O’Keefe from Click It Social. These business leaders will share their perspectives and experiences as they have navigated and grown their business.
Moderated by Becca Blake, Blue Springs Chamber Communications Specialist.
Sponsored by Kansas City Cannabis
Thursday, July 20 @ 11:30 am
CJCFPD Training Facility
REGISTER NOW
Learn how to use the free Square One Small Business Services that Mid-Continent Public Library offers to find information on your industry, customers, and even your competition, plus other helpful tools.
This session will be presented by a representative of Mid-Continent Public Library.
Sponsored by CPros Inc.
Thursday, Aug. 17 @ 11:30 am
CJCFPD Training Facility
REGISTER NOW
Learn why Customized Employment is the way forward for people with disabilities to discover their personal genius and find economic success in a marketplace with zero exclusions. Tap into this unique and underutilized talent pool and leave with customized ways to expand your business.
Presented by Anna Burgen, Senior Employment Specialist, Job One.
Sponsored by America’s Community Bank
7 Chamber Connection
MEET A MEMBER
Jabari Mack, Mack Commercial powered by The Real Estate
Jabari Mack is the proprietor of Mack Commercial powered by The Real Estate House. Their mission is to create an outstanding customer service culture helping local businesses to sell, buy, lease, and/or develop commercial real estate by using outside-of-the-box thinking, catered strategies, and connection so that our communities grow and succeed.
Jabari is a self-proclaimed innovator for entrepreneurship, a Broker/Salesperson licensed in Missouri and Kansas, and he has recently graduated from the UMKC 2022-2023 REALTOR® Leadership Academy. He serves on the KCRAR (Kansas City Regional Association of Realtors) MO Advocacy Committee, Professional Development Committee; and for KCNAREB (Greater Kansas City Association of Real Estate Brokers, Inc) he serves on the Education and Marketing/Fundraising Committees. He has over 20 years of direct marketing experience with strengths in sales, negotiations, and communications. He volunteers time as a 7/8th grade boys basketball coach. He is a husband, father of four, and grandfather of three. Lastly, he is a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) pilot.
Jabari’s favorite quote: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God.”- Mathew 5:9
Contact Jabari at (816) 616-8735 or jabari.mack.realtor@gmail.com
FALL FUN FESTIVAL
Important Updates
The Blue Springs community looks forward to experiencing the wonderful talent of local entertainment on the Community Stage at Fall Fun Festival. As a Chamber member you have an opportunity to sign up before the general public. To secure your preferred date and time, your Community Stage application must be submitted by June 15, 2023.
Please be aware that there is an application deadline of August 15, 2023 for Vendor Booths. Vendor placement begins in July so we recommend submitting your booth application as soon as possible.
We are excited to announce that this year’s Fall Fun Festival will include a Youth Market for the first time ever! The Youth Market will be filled with young entrepreneurs ages 12-18 showcasing their businesses, products and services on Saturday, September 16, 2023. Visit the Fest website for more information and a Youth Market application.
There are several Fest sponsorship and advertising opportunities available including Main Stage, Community Stage, Hospitality tent, Lost Child booth, Car Show, Cornhole Tournament, Beer Garden, and Youth Market sponsorships. To learn more and explore how your business can get involved, contact the Chamber at (816) 229-8558. With over 75,000 festival attendees, this is a great way to showcase your business!
8 Chamber Connection
ALL ARE WELCOME HERE
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
At the Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce, our vision is a strong and prosperous economy that celebrates diversity, champions equity, and cultivates inclusion. In a step towards our commitment to building an inclusive culture, we have created Equality stickers and decals to let our community know that all are welcome here. To learn more about the design process and meaning behind the sticker, check out our latest blog post. If you would like a sticker or window cling for your business or yourself, please stop by the Chamber office and pick one up. They are free for members and it’s our hope that together we can work towards a more inclusive and welcoming Blue Springs!
JOIN THE DEI TASKFORCE
The goal of the Chamber’s DEI Task Force is to expand the Chamber’s diversity efforts by establishing a Diversity Equity & Inclusion Task Force that will:
• Support the vision of the Blue Springs Chamber, i.e. a strong and prosperous economy that celebrates diversity, champions equity and cultivates inclusion
• Evaluate the DEI needs of members and identify what resources might be provided by the Chamber or others.
• Encourage the cultural competency of members by creating educational opportunities, raising awareness, and providing strategies and tools to cultivate the vision of the Blue Springs Chamber
• Celebrate current DEI efforts of our members and promote a positive mindset around DEI efforts through recognition of successful efforts in our business community.
• Develop a network for business leaders to feel safe and comfortable asking questions around DEI related topics in the workplace.
The DEI Taskforce will meet next on June 8 at 10:00 am at the Chamber Office. All are welcome to attend. Contact Lara Vermillion at lvermillion@ bluespringschamber.com to RSVP.
YOUR PRIVACY MATTERS
As a friendly reminder, The Chamber does not share member email lists. We understand that no one appreciates spam or unsolicited emails (ourselves included!), and sharing our list without member consent would break our privacy policy
We do however offer one free set of mailing labels to all new members, with additional sets available for purchase. If you would like to request a set of labels, please contact Mikayla Lavelle at mlavelle@ bluespringschamber.com
EMAIL PREFERENCES
Did you know you can customize your Chamber email preferences? Opt in to the emails you want, and opt-out of the stuff you don’t. Simply open an email sent by the Chamber, scroll to the bottom, and click Unsubscribe. A new window will open where you can select which emails you want to continue recieving, and un-check any emails you don’t want. Have questions? Contact Becca Blake at bblake@bluespringschamber.com
9 Chamber Connection
Cody Raithel- Chairman of the Board Central Bank of the Midwest
Michael Scott - Chair Elect The Table
Erika Lucas - Secretary/Treasurer
Sandy’s Restaurant
2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2023 PARTNERS CHAMBER STAFF
Chad Smith - Past Chairman
Chad Smith State Farm Insurance
Ashish Patel - Business Support and Promotion
Hampton Inn Kansas City/Blue Springs
Jeff Carpenter - Membership Events & Services Job One
Carman Booker - Leadership & Community Development Bank 21
Bobby Olm-Shipman
Saint Luke’s East Hospital
Dr. Thomas Meyer
MCC - Blue River
Jason Norbury City of Blue Springs
Katie Woolf Blue Springs R-IV School District
Kirk Lair
Central Jackson County Fire Protection District
Lisa LaCombe
United Real Estate
Lorne Meinershagen
Meinershagen & Co.
Melodie Chrisman
Meyers Funeral Chapel
Travis Hunt
New York Life Insurance
Warren Goessling
Kohl’s Distribution Center
Vanessa Starke
Starke Law Offices, LLC
TIER ONE
2022
Jackson County Tow Service
Saint Luke’s East Hospital
St. Mary’s Medical Center
TIER TWO
Evergy
Santa Fe Tow Service
TIER THREE
Abundant Life
Anthem Photography Bank 21
Blue Ridge Bank & Trust Co.
Central Bank of the Midwest
Chad Smith State Farm Insurance
Cosentinos Price Chopper
Kohl’s Distribution Center
Los Cabos Mexican Grill & Cantina
McCarthy Blue Springs Hyundai
MCC - Blue River
Zarda Bar-B-Q
TIER FOUR
CPro’s, Inc.
Equity Bank
First American Title
GM Peters Agency
Greco Agency Farmers Insurance
Hy-VeeFood & Drug
Kansas City Cannabis
Miller 8 Theatres
Print Graphics
Sandy’s Restaurant
Smedley, LLC
TIER FIVE
Job One
Lies Trash
Lara Vermillion President lvermillion@bluespringschamber.com
Trish Totta Vice President ttotta@bluespringschamber.com
Rose Hall Events Coordinator rhall@bluespringschamber.com
Becca Blake Communications Specialist bblake@bluespringschamber.com
Mikayla Lavelle Administrative Assitant mlavelle@bluespringschamber.com
2023 Sponsorships are now available. Contact Becca at bblake@bluespringschamber.com for more information.
Business of the Year: Kennedy’s Custom Jewelers
Not For Profit of the Year: Job One
Citizen of the Year:
The mission of the Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce is to be the leading resource for business and an effective influential community partner. Phone : 816.229.8558 Fax : 816.229.1244 www.bluespringschamber.com Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce 1000 W Main Street Blue Springs, MO 64015 Building Business. Growing Community.
2022
2022
Debbie Reiss-Roam
