KRPA Today Fall 2016

Today FALL 2016

KANSAS RECREATION & PARK ASSOCIATION

KRPA

Tomorrow’s Leaders: A Step Out of My Comfort Zone

Achieving Wellness in Kansas

Collapse of a Culture: Lessons from Enron

KRPA Annual Conference & Trade Show

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Today

KRPA

KANSAS RECREATION & PARK ASSOCIATION

Our Mission To advance park and recreation opportunities that enhance the quality of life through education, communication and advocacy.

Our Vision The Kansas Recreation and Park Association is THE SOURCE for information which advances parks and recreation in the State of Kansas and beyond.

An affiliate of the National Recreation and Park Association Kansas Recreation and Park Association 700 SW Jackson St. Suite 805, Topeka, Kansas 66603 www.krpa.org 785-235-6533

KRPA Board of Directors President – Brian Bascue (Newton) Past President – Jimmy Gibbs President Elect – Kelby Hellwig (Johnson County) Secretary/Treasurer – Logan Wagler (Lenexa) Administration Branch – Chris Claxton (Leawood) Aquatics Branch – Jennifer Wegener (Emporia Recreation) Marketing/Customer Service Branch- Nicole Asquith (Olathe) Therapeutic Rec/Aging – Rhonda Pollard (Johnson County) Park and Natural Resources – Ramie Degraeve (Shawnee) Park Law Enforcement Branch – Kim Jones (KDWPT) Recreation Branch – Andrea Kelly (Chanute) Sports Branch – Nick Leon (Hutchinson)

Contents Letter from the President...............................................................4 Member Spotlight............................................................................5 Members on the Move.....................................................................5 Around Kansas............................................................................ 6-8 Community Q&A............................................................................9 Tomorrow’s Leaders.................................................................10-11 2017 KRPA Annual Conference.......................................... 12-21 Collapse of a Culture............................................................... 22-23

Advertisers Bagspot........................................................................... Back Cover BBN Architects...............................................................................21 M&M Golf Carts..............................................................................4 Most Dependable Fountains.......................... Inside Front Cover Musco...............................................................................................19 Pilot Rock / R.J. Thomas...............................................................11 Please support our advertisers, they make this publication possible.

For information on advertising, contact Todd Pernsteiner at (952) 841-1111 or info@pernsteiner.com.

ON THE COVER: Kansas State University, Manhattan campus.

Photo courtesy: Visit Manhattan Kansas

Members At Large West – Dan Pyle (Ellis) Central - Tony Finlay (Hutchinson) East - Dave Smothers (Merriam)

Committees/Ex Officio Awards – Caite Kendrick (Ft. Riley) Conference Planning - Brian Bascue (Newton) Citizen Board – Kim Galbraith (Blue Valley) Colleges and Universities – Janice Jewett (Pittsburg) Professional Development – Steve Herrig (Blue Valley) Public Policy – Scott Schoon (Winfield) / Nancy Wallerstein (Johnson County) Parliamentarian – Steve Friend (Baldwin City) KDWPT – Linda Lanterman (Pratt) KRPA Executive Director – Erika Devore

2017 KRPA Events JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 31-2: KRPA Annual Conference, Manhattan, KS MARCH 2017 6-8: Certified Playground Safety Inspector Course (CPSI) and Exam, Overland Park, KS 15-16: Aquatic Facility Operator Course (AFO), Derby, KS APRIL 2017

Editorial Staff Managing Editor – Erika Devore Contributing Staff – Bonnie Simon This magazine is the official quarterly publication of the Kansas Recreation and Park Association and is provided complimentary as part of membership in KRPA. The editorial committee encourages the submission of articles and photos for publication. Articles of approximately 1,000 words or less may be submitted, but may be edited for length and clarity.

Deadlines for articles, photos and advertising: Winter: December 12, 2016 Summer: June 30, 2017

Spring: April 6, 2017 Fall: September 28, 2017

KRPA reserves the right to approve all advertising in Kansas Recreation and Park Association. All requests for advertising should be made to Todd Pernsteiner, Account Manager, at 952-841-1111 or info@pernsteiner.com.

23-25: Midwest Conference, Lawrence, KS 26-27: Aquatic Facility Operator Course (AFO), Lawrence, KS Register at krpa.org or contact Bonnie Simon at bonnie@krpa.org for registration details.

Support Scholarships When you shop at smile.amazon.com, Amazon will donate a portion of proceeds to KRPA scholarships.

KRPA Today - www.krpa.org • 3

Letter from the PRESIDENT

By Brian Bascue, KRPA President

I hope everyone is gearing up for this year’s KRPA State Conference in Manhattan. “Take a Bite out of the Little Apple” from January 31 through February 2, 2017.

and how they can benefit even our own agencies’ bottom lines as they reduce absenteeism and increase staff morale and productivity.

While we’ll be living in the land of purple, we want you to pack your Royals blue as we’re excited to announce that our keynote speaker is Dayton Moore, general manager of the Kansas City Royals.

Check out the conference highlights throughout our fall issue, but also visit KRPA.org for a more detailed session schedule.

This year’s conference will encourage you to boost your own efforts in living a healthy, active lifestyle as you model it out within the communities you live, work, and play in. Flip through this issue’s pages to find out how you can continue your active, healthy efforts at the conference. We also invite you to attend several of our conference sessions that will showcase programs and initiatives that you can take back to your communities and offices.

Brian Bascue

President, KRPA Board of Directors

President’s Wellness Tip This year the conference is trying to encourage healthy lifestyles and healthy eating. Wow, that means those late night munchies, trips to IHOP and those special drinks will not be encouraged…. well just in moderation. This is sure to be a great conference.

There’s a place where suppliers & KRPA members connect.

LI T Y A U

CO

KRPA TODAY magazine is published quarterly by Kansas Recreation & Park Association (KRPA). It features industry trends, upcoming events and editorial content related to the park and recreation industry. This is your opportunity to market directly to the people who need your products, services, classes and facilities.

UNTS

WH E N Q

One such session features Elizabeth Ablah, an associate professor in the Department of Preventative Medicine and Public Health from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita, and her presentation, “Making a Case for a New Model of Worksite Wellness.” Ablah will be sharing new models in worksite wellness

Enjoy what’s left of fall as we start heading into the winter season….and get ready to take a bite out of the Little Apple.

We’ll see you in January!

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4 • KRPA Today - www.krpa.org

Contact Todd Pernsteiner for advertising information at: info@pernsteiner.com or (952) 841-1111.

Member Spotlight

Chris Claxton Director Leawood Park and Recreation

IF YOU COULD WORK IN ANY OF YOUR DEPARTMENTS FOR FUN FOR A WEEK, WHICH DEPARTMENT AND WHY? Outdoor Education (Animals and outdoors= awesome!)

FAVORITE SPORT TO PLAY OR WATCH: Baseball FIRST JOB: Lifeguard / Swim Instructor WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, I WANTED TO: Be a marine biologist.

BEST THING ABOUT YOUR CAREER: All the amazing people I have been able to meet.

Chris Claxton works at Leawood Park and Recreation. She is the Board of Directors’ President Elect. She will be sworn into office at the KRPA Conference in 2017. Here are some things you might not know about Chris:

TOUGHEST PART OF JOB: Trying to please everyone.

YEARS IN KPRA: 9

IF KRPA WERE TO REFER A MEMBER TO YOU FOR ADVICE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY YOUR SPECIALTY IS? Managing finances.

FUN FACT ABOUT YOUR DEPARTMENT: Our team is small but mighty.

IF YOU HAD A WARNING LABEL, WHAT WOULD YOURS SAY? Don’t push too hard. I have my limits.

Members ON THE MOVE Richard Smalley is JCPRD’s new marketing and communications manager

City of Gardner hires Scott Garrie as new Parks and Recreation Director

Richard Smalley of Lawrence is the Johnson County Park & Recreation District’s new marketing and communications manager. Smalley started in the position on Aug. 1 and fills a role previously held by longtime JCPRD employee Randy Knight, who retired in early June after nearly 22 years with the agency. For the past twelve years, Smalley has been the marketing manager for Kansas Tourism under the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. Prior to joining the tourism office, he served 12 years as marketing communications manager for the Work Tools Division of Caterpillar Inc., three years as marketing manager with Kinedyne Corporation, and he has also taught marketing and management classes as an adjunct instructor for Baker University School of Professional and Graduate Studies.

The City of Gardner has announced Scott Garrie as its new Parks and Recreation Director. Scott brings more than 16 years of business management and parks experience. In addition to his day-to-day parks and recreation knowledge, his areas of expertise include budgeting and forecasting, operations management, customer relations, financial management, capital and project management, training and development, and strategic planning.

Prior to joining the City of Gardner on August 1st, Scott served as the Parks and Recreation Director for Joplin, Missouri. Scott holds a bachelor’s degree in parks and recreation, a master’s degree in business management and a master’s degree in management and leadership. He is a Certified Parks and Recreation Executive.

Have an update for Members ON THE MOVE? Email it to Erika Devore, RD, KRPA Executive Director: erika@krpa.org.

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Around KANSAS Teaching kids essential survival skill through ZOMBIES! Disaster can strike at any time and as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says “If you’re ready for a zombie apocalypse, then you’re ready for any emergency.”

On Saturday, September 24th the Bonner Springs Parks and Recreation Department held their very first Zombie (Outdoor) Survival Class for ages 8-12. Participants learned essential survival skills including fire building (we used a gum wrapper and a AA battery), water purification (using a solar still), orienteering with and without a compass, and of course, how to fend off the zombies! The now trained survivors journeyed through the woods to find water and collect tinder, all while protecting the group from encroaching zombies. (No actual zombies were used.)

Wichita hosts Annual Play Day Wichita Park & Recreation sent summer out with a bang by hosting the annual Wichita Play Day on September 17th at O.J. Watson Park. The goal of this free community event was to celebrate the importance of family fun and taking time to play and 7,500 people did just that! Participants used their “Passport to Play” to help navigate the 30 activities which included kayaks, horseshoes, disc golf, FootGolf and human foosball as well as the park’s miniature train, paddle boats and miniature golf. Food vendors, a DJ, prizes and recreation mascot Barry the Bison added to the festivities.

Watching the families play and laugh together was one of the greatest outcomes for the Wichita Play Day and Wichitan’s showed they are ready to make play a priority!

Blue Valley family honored with Buck O’ Neill seat at Royals game Sunday, September 4, 2016 was a fun day for the Kanter family at the Special Day at the K. Nan was honored with the Buck O’Neil Seat at the Royals Game.

As you may know the Buck O’Neil Seat is a legacy the Royals have established in memory of one of baseball’s greatest ambassadors. At each home Royals game, a member of the community who embodies Buck’s spirit fills the seat Buck used when scouting for the Royals. Honorees are selected for being vital to our communities.

I am sure Buck would be proud to have Nan Kanter being honored for more than 25 years of outstanding service with special populations. She was able to share the honor with her husband Sid and son Michael. On many occasions Sid and Michael have been “voluntold” they are helping with activities. Prior to the game, Nan was also able to share time with hundreds of friends with the Special Day at the K reception.

Congratulations to Nan on the well-deserved honor and recognition for a lifetime of service. It is an honor to work with Nan and I am so proud of all she has accomplished.

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Around KANSAS JCPRD’s Meadowbrook Park planning effort receives NACPRO Award

Wichita opens new baseball field City of Wichita officials celebrated a new 10-and-under baseball field in historic McAdams Park, located at 1329 E. 16th St. on Thursday, May 19, 2016. The field is the first public baseball field in Wichita to have artificial turf, which will reduce weather delays, ease scheduling issues and provide a quality field of play. It has dual markings so that it can also be used for girls’ softball games.

Even before ground was broken in late May for the Johnson County Park & Recreation District’s future Meadowbrook Park, the project had already garnered a national award. The agency was selected for a Planning Initiative Award from the National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials (NACPRO) relating to the Meadowbrook Park Master Plan Project. The new 80-acre park site is located on the site of a former 135-acre golf and country club and will be part of a mixed-use development in an area of the county that has a shortage of parks and open space. The master planning process took place in 2015 and included numerous public meetings which were attended by more than 1,000 citizens.

“This new field will offer more youth a chance to play baseball and learn valuable life skills,” said Council Member Lavonta Williams, who’s north-side District I includes McAdams Park. The improvements were funded with $1.4 million from the City’s capital improvement budget. The field is the first phase of a larger threeyear park improvement project. Designed and constructed by Multicon, Inc., the field offers a nostalgic motif to take players and spectators back to earlier days of the game and pay homage to League 42’s namesake, baseball legend Jackie Robinson.

Eagle sports columnist Bob Lutz spearheaded the formation of League 42, a grassroots effort to give more area youth a chance to play baseball. Since its inception in 2013, League 42 has grown to include 400 players. Generous donors and volunteers see that each player receives a uniform, equipment, mentoring and instruction for a capped fee of $30 per family. League 42 also provides life skills for players. Its volunteers have been working with Wichita Park & Recreation officials to repair, repaint and refurbish the existing fields.

Cheney plans new park/sports complex Cheney has a master plan of new community park/sports complex.

Currently, a parking lot and 2 fields are complete. A new small playground and additional parking lot are being completed this fall along with additional dirt/drainage work on the north multi-use fields.

Cedar Bluff connects kids to nature

By Amber McLaughlin, Administrative Specialist, Cedar Bluff State Park, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism

Primitive camping has somehow become a “lost art” to many youth these days. As we see a decline in young families setting up tents, and trading it in for an RV, they are losing their connection to nature. That is why we started the Jr. Campers Club here at Cedar Bluff State Park. The Jr. Campers club is designed to get kids active and exploring everything the park has to offer. During the past nine sessions, children were learning the science behind fishing, building solar ovens, and setting up their own tents. The children then became part of a special group that learned the ins and outs of their park. They now have ownership and a connection to something with a much larger purpose.

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Around KANSAS Federal grant helps build new fitness trail

Blue Earth Plaza

An already popular new fitness trail at Shawnee North Community Park was made possible by a $137,000 federal Land, Water and Conservation Fund grant. Shawnee County provided the rest of the $240,000 for the .8 mile trail encircling the west side of Shawnee North Community Park.

The trail is an example of federal, state and local government working together. The federal grant is administered on the state level by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. Shawnee County Parks + Recreation applied for the grant.

The fitness loop trail puts the number of miles of Shawnee County Parks + Recreation trails at just over 50. The Parks + Recreation Master Plan calls for eventually having 150 miles of trails.

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Chanute opens new recreation area Chanute Recreation Commission, along with the city, school, and other organizations within the community have worked to repurpose a former public golf course as a multi-generational, multi-use outdoor recreation area. Since May 2016, Chanute Recreation Commission has installed an 18-hole disc golf course and an 18-hole foot golf course on the property. Former golf cart paths have been reclaimed to create 2+ miles of walking/running trails. By November 1, 2016, adult outdoor fitness equipment will be installed, along with a play trail with 4 play pods thanks in part to being awarded the Healthy Communities Funding Initiative. On October 30th Chanute Recreation will have a grand opening for the community to introduce the Lakeview Recreation Area.

KRPA Community Q&A Q: Why did you apply for the Gold Medal Award with NRPA?

A: U. S. Army Garrison Fort Riley, KS, POPULATION: 7,761 Why did you apply for the Gold Medal Award with NRPA? We applied for several reasons. One of the things we identified in our Strategic Plan as important to our organization was participating in and winning Army and NRPA awards. We went through and achieved CAPRA Accreditation in 2015 so the timing was right for us to put award packets together for both of those areas. We were fortunate to be recognized in 5 of 12 Army award categories and our hopes were high for the Gold Medal Award. But most importantly the reason why we applied was because we do a lot of great things for the Fort Riley community and we thought it was important to be recognized at the national level by peers both inside and outside the military community.

How was the process of apply? (Did you find it difficult?

Was it time-consuming?)

The process was time consuming and takes some planning.

There are 12 questions that deal with a wide range of content so we had to divide and conquer using a team with diverse skillsets. One thing we did was appoint an individual as the lead and have all answers sent to him - this helped with the flow of answers and not make them sound like they were written by multiple individuals. It also helped us to have several individuals proofread our entry for grammar and to make sure our answer was easily understood by someone who had no idea how Army MWR operates. After going through it and being a finalist I would say everything was well worth it. NRPA does a great job in the recognition of the finalists and winners.

Did you send of you agency members to NRPA Conference for the Gold Medal Awards Ceremony?

4 attended

A: JOHNSON COUNTY, POPULATION: 580,159 Why did you apply for the Gold Medal Award with NRPA? JCPRD won the Gold Medal Award in 1995, and since that time we have grown tremendously and accomplished much.

With our recent implementation of a new strategic plan, a study on the economic benefits of JCPRD completed by the Trust for Public Land, increased funding awarded to JCPRD by our Board of County Commissioners, and the development and opening of several new parks and recreation facilities, it’s time to once again throw our hat in the ring to be considered as one of the top agencies in the nation.

How was the process of apply? (Did you find it difficult?

Was it time-consuming?)

The process to apply was not overly difficult. It was somewhat time consuming, but time well spent. We had a very small team of staff who worked on the nomination form, and the subsequent video that was required once we were selected as a finalist.

Did you send any of your agency members to the NRPA Conference in St. Louis for the award ceremony? (If so, how many?)

JCPRD always supports staff’s attendance at the NRPA Conference, but we are indeed sending a few more this year.

A total of 14 staff and one Board Member traveled to St. Louis for this year’s Conference.

What advice would you have for other KS agencies who are considering applying for this award in the future?

My advice is “go for it!”. Our work as park and recreation professionals to positively affect the quality of life in our communities is important work. Taking time to sing our organization’s praises in the form of a nomination is actually a fun and rewarding task. To then be recognized at a national level is icing on the cake. It makes us, and our entire community, very proud.

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Tomorrow’s Leaders: A Step Out of My Comfort Zone

By Zach Carnahan, Marketing Specialist, Olathe Parks & Rec Tomorrow’s Leaders Conference, Class of 2016

My supervisor, Nichole, is always nudging me to experience new things, meet new people and branch out of my everyday routine. So when I got the email from her to sign up for KRPA’s Tomorrow’s Leaders Conference, I knew I was in for an adventure.

I’m not a typical parks and rec guy. I didn’t go to school knowing from day one that I wanted to be in parks and rec. I went to journalism school and spent a majority of my time in college thinking I would make my living in college or professional sports. In fact, before I left the athletics world in 2014 to take an internship here in Olathe, everything I knew about parks and rec I learned from Leslie Knope and Ron Swanson.

After completing my registration, I started doing research to find out exactly what this thing was all about. I quickly found out this wasn’t going to be a typical conference experience. Ropes courses, obstacle courses, team building, rooming with strangers, no cable, limited Wi-Fi and cellular service… it sounded like everything I hated about summer camp (that one time I went as a kid).

I’m not what you would call “outdoorsy” or a “people person,” so this kind of thing isn’t exactly my idea of a good time. Despite many comforting attempts from Nichole and other Tomorrow’s Leaders alumni in our office, I was dreading Sept.

13-15, like The Grinch dreaded Christmas morning in Whoville. My only comfort came from knowing that two of my officemates, Mark and Andrew, would be sharing in my misery.

No matter how much I hoped, Sept. 13, came just the same and we were off to Linwood, Kan. and the Tall Oaks Conference Center for camp (as we affectionately referred to it). After only getting briefly lost once, we arrived at the Tall Oaks entrance and it looked like all of my worst nightmares were coming true. The further we got down the driveway toward the Lifelong Learning Center, where we would spend the majority of our next three days, the harder it was to pick up a signal on our cellphones.

After we checked in and took our bags to our room we got right to the first presentation where Russel Disberger of the Aspen Business Group discussed how to be a leader no matter what your rank or position within your organization. At the end of Russel’s talk, we headed across the road to the dining hall for some amazing fajitas and brownies courtesy of the Tall Oak’s staff (every meal we had was phenomenal).

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The talk of the table mostly centered around our impending doom on the ropes course that afternoon. None of us were sure what to expect, but I was already planning for the worst. After lunch we sprayed down with bug spray and started walking down the road towards the course. Upon arrival we started with ice breaker games to get our brains warmed up, while the rest of the group filled in. Halfway through the first game it started raining (when it rains it pours), so we had to take our activities underneath the chapel.

Just as we concluded our last icebreaker challenge, the rain had stopped and the Tall Oak’s staff informed us that we would be heading out to the ropes course. Before we ventured out, the staff began to go over the rules for the day. I know I let out a big sigh of relief when the number one rule was that this was a “no-fly zone” and we had to maintain one body part on the ground at all times - maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Now that we knew a little more of what to expect, we split off into two teams and began our adventure. Our group started by getting to know each other a little better through a name exercise before heading back to the course. We followed our instructor along the trail through the woods for what seemed like an eternity, telling Dad jokes all along the way at the request of our instructor.

Once we arrived at the furthest challenge we stopped and were ready to begin.

My favorite challenge came second, as our group was tasked to walk across a rock path, without touching the ground, while maintaining hold of a rope. It really required us to talk to each other and work out when each person was going to make their next move, because if the person at the front started going too fast, it would pull the people at the end off. The most physically challenging task came next, as we had to shimmy our entire group across a 15-20

foot bridge with only four planks. Thankfully John Forbis from Lenexa really took charge here and helped us finish out strong.

After a couple smaller scale challenges and some closing comments from our instructor we were ready for dinner and the last presentation of the day from Lori Thomas, Heart of America Athletic Conference Commissioner, who talked to us about the impact that trust can have on your leadership style and gave us Seven Ways To Lead.

We closed out day one with some free time before heading off to bed. Some went outside to explore the rest of the facility, some stayed inside to play cards and others just laid low, with an early morning wakeup call looming.

As we stumbled across the road in the rain at 7:30 the next morning for breakfast, the talk of the table was the obstacle course challenge after lunch.

What are we getting ourselves into? Are we going to get rained out? Before we got to that though, we had two presentations from Sue Hack of Leadership Lawrence and Jim Chladek from Blue Valley Rec. Sue took us through an activity to help us understand our learning and working styles. After filling out our forms to find out where we stood, we were grouped with others who had similar styles.

We discussed our similarities and also learned how people in other quadrants think and how to best work with the different styles people have. Jim took on the tough task of giving his budget presentation right before lunch, but really gave us some good information on budget process.

Just as we were headed out after lunch to the obstacle course, we learned that the grounds were too wet and we weren’t going outside, but rather improvising with

before I left the athletics world, everything I knew about parks and rec I learned from Leslie Knope and Ron Swanson. an indoor activity. We were split into groups and tasked with creating a game out of the materials in the room. Our group designed a very intricate mini golf hole that nobody was excited about, while others used props such as wheel chairs and rubber chickens to complement their courses. Nothing was off limits.

Play time lasted just over an hour before we were back on the grind with more presentations. Denise Rendina, Communications Manager for the City of Lenexa, covered her 25-year career in the communications industry and offered us tips of the trade. Logan Wagler and Shannon Sonnier, of Lenexa and Johnson County, respectively, followed up with my favorite session of the conference, “Parks and Recreation: Both Sides of the Fence.”

Through their experience they discussed the divide that exists between members of the same department and gave some solutions on how we start to break down these walls. Not coming from a parks and rec background, their presentation was really helpful for me to understand more about the industry.

Before we could head to dinner, we were presented with our final project – a presentation the next morning in front of a mock city council, where each group was tasked with cutting $100,000 out of our budget to fund cost-of-living increases for department employees.

I heard horror stories from my co-workers about this presentation for weeks and it was time for a first-hand experience.

Our team spent over five hours coming up with a plan, determining who would play what roles within our pretend department and perfecting our PowerPoint presentation. It was an exhausting process of trying to come up with every scenario and predict how our city council would respond to our decisions. Because we were dealing with a fictional situation, we were also dealing with a fictional town, so it was fun to make up different aspects of the town, like the local businesses.

Once we felt like we had exhausted all our options and come up with the best possible solution to the problem, it was time to get some sleep before the big day.

There was very little talk at breakfast the following morning. People may have been nervous about their presentations or didn’t want to give away their strategy, probably a little bit of both. Personally, I was just hoping to go first and get it out of the way, so naturally when we picked numbers to see who went first, our group got last. Now we had to think about it for another two hours and hope we were doing the right thing, as we watched other groups share their ideas.

Some people really took a beating from the council, but everyone held their own really well. The council members really made it unpredictable for each group, often changing their stances on the same issues from group to group. Afterward we received words of encouragement and helpful tips from each member and it was time to head back to our comfort zones.

Personally, I was really glad to be back in the range of cell towers and a quality Wi-Fi signal, but I was also grateful for the experience and fortunate to spend three days getting to know a great group of people.

In the end, we survived and returned home with our framed diplomas and lifelong connections as Tomorrow’s Leaders – Class of 2016.

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2017 KRPA Conference & Trade Show Hilton Garden Inn Manhattan, Ks

January 31 - February 2

Conference Schedule Tuesday, JANUARY 31 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

REGISTRATION 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 pm Room: Konza and Kings STUDENT AND YOUNG PROFESSIONAL SESSION & LUNCH 8:30 – 10:30 a.m.

Room: Big Blue River 2016 KRPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING Presiding: Brian Bascue, KRPA President, Newton Recreation Commission 2017 KRPA Board Members are encouraged to attend.

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Room: Big Blue River 2017 BOARD OF DIRECTORS ORIENTATION AND LUNCH Presiding: Brian Bascue, KRPA President, Newton Recreation Commission 2017 KRPA Board of Directors will conduct their board orientation. It is recommended that all elected board members attend this orientation meeting.

SCHEDULE NOTE: The Trade Show time has changed from previous years. This year’s show is Wednesday, February 1 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please take note so you do not miss it!

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1:00 – 2:30pm .1 CEU Room: Kaw Nation / Big Bison

BUILDING A WINNING TEAM Dayton Moore, General Manager, Kansas City Royals Dayton Moore will share the blueprint for becoming a champion, both on and off the field. Moore shares how his faith and leadership principles guided his rebooting of the Royals.

The general manager describes how he built one of baseball’s best farm systems and international scouting departments of out nothing. He shares insight on how he persevered through six consecutive losing seasons and the critical response to controversial trades of Zack Greinke and Wil Myers—transactions that ultimately yielded the foundation of a champion. Dayton will describe how the foundations that made the Royals successful can also make you successful in your life. Wake up making good decisions each and every day and be focused with the energy to make good decisions to improve your game. Focusing too much on the outcome of life can cause you to abandon the process – just try to get better each day.

That’s how you reach success! Dayton will share two things you have to do every single day…forgive and don’t quit!

2:30 – 3:00pm MEET AND GREET WITH DAYTON MOORE Would you like to meet Dayton Moore? We will have a meet and greet with Dayton Moore after his Keynote presentation. There will be a photographer there to take pictures.

2:30 – 4:30 p.m.

HOSPITALITY ROOM – Coffee, Water, Tea, Pop 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. .2 CEU Room: Discovery Center KHP EMERGENCY SERVICE UNIT OVERVIEW Christopher Bowling, Kansas Highway Patrol Overview of the services provided by the emergency service unit of the Kansas Highway Patrol.

3:30 – 4:30pm .1 CEU Room: Flint PLAYGROUND MAINTENANCE Kevin Marshal, Fry and Associates Discuss how to audit and maintain a play structure and surrounding area. How to identify hazards and provide solutions.

Room: Kings PARENTS AND CLUB SPORTS: ARE THEY THE ENEMY? Nick Leon, Hutchinson Recreation Commission, Brent Peintner, Cheney Recreation Commission Panel-type presentation and discussion focusing on the specific topics of parental issues in youth sports as well as clubs vs. rec leagues. This session will have presentations from all sides of both issues and a Q&A portion at the end.

Room: Ft. Riley SHADE SPOTS FOR COMFORT AND HEALTH Richard Hamilton, Shade Systems by Out and About This session will explore the benefits of providing access to shade for clients of all recreation, parks and aquatic facilities. The discussion will be expanded with an exploration of shade sources and detail considerations to be made when selecting shade structure. Attendee questions and comments will be encouraged.

Room: Big Blue River WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP STUDIES Dr. Wonyoung Kim, Wichita State University Studies and analysis don’t have to cost a fortune when you partner with local universities. Working with graduate students who will conduct and complete qualitative research, exploratory, hypothetical or theoretical analysis or data analytics and fundamental research can be a powerful partnership for both parties. Recently partnership studies with the Derby Recreation Commission and Valley Center Recreation Commission were conducted. These studies will be discussed at length on Derby’s upcoming Decarsky Park Ballfields and Valley Center’s Golf Course. Find out how a partnership can benefit your organization and how free it can be.

Landscape Structures is authorized by IACET and LA CES™ to provide .2 CEUs and 1.5 PDHs, which meet Health, Safety and Welfare credits.

After this 90-minute Learning Academy session, participants will have an understanding of the following learning objectives:

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1

• Leading trends in play space design and the external influences driving these trends.

7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

REGISTRATION

• Innovative concepts that can be applied to play space design.

• How to specify new concepts and material choices.

Room: Big Blue River What is Pickleball?

Evan Jorn, Pickleball Ambassador

3:30 – 5:30 p.m. .2 CEU

Why is it called Pickleball? Learn the history about the begin of this crazy game, rules, how to implement classes, tournaments and get your community involved.

Room: Konza INCREASING OUR ADVOCACY VOICE Melissa Ness, Connections Unlimited, Erika Devore, KRPA Executive Director

Room: Ft. Riley MILITARY RECREATION – ARMY Caitlin Kendrick, Ft. Riley, Kim Wargo, Ft. Riley Community Recreation Division

The KRPA advocacy goals are to educate, inform, and influence our local and state leaders on the issues and importance of Recreation and Parks in their communities. This session will cover strategies and tactics for effective influence. Hear from experts on the best strategies to have an impact on recreation and park issues and from those we hope to inspire and motivate with our message.

In this session, you’ll learn a brief history of the Army’s Military Recreation, followed by a more in-depth review of the program and it’s inner workings. Students and professionals will also gain insider tips on how to apply for and obtain a job in Military Recreation. Questions will be answered throughout.

4:45 – 5:45 p.m. .1 CEU Room: Flint 5 TIPS FOR NETWORKING SUCCESS Alana Muller, Alana Muller Enterprises The Five Tips for Networking Success at Networking presentation provides a brief overview of the Coffee Lunch Coffee Networking Platform – an accessible, relevant, immediately actionable approach to professional networking for anybody interested in connecting with others, getting involved in their community, seeking to advance their career or looking to build social relationships. The presentation delivers key recommendations for networking effectiveness.

Room: Kings TRENDS IN PLAY SPACE DESIGN Bryan Sykora, Athco/Landscape Structures Activity, engagement, and involvement: Parks today face the challenge of providing environments that will attract children and families to engage, play, and stay; to compete with indoor, more sedentary activities. In this session, we will examine playground trends that create kid magnets, facilitate multi-generational interaction, and signature playgrounds that tell a community story. Discussions will also focus on the opportunities for stronger collaboration between playground designers and park planners.

SOCIALS, DINNER & ENTERTAINMENT 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

BRANCH SOCIALS AT THE WAREHAM OPERA HOUSE Walkable, but if you would like a ride, shuttles start running at 6:20 from the hotel lobby.

7:30 p.m.

BUFFET STARTS 8:00 – 9:30 p.m.

MAGIC / COMEDY SHOW

7:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

Room: Discovery Center BREAKFAST

8:00-11:00 a.m.

TOUR: FT. RILEY This tour has a mandatory pre-registration.

Each attendee will need clearance before going on to base. No one will be allowed to board the bus without a ticket.

8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

HOSPITALITY ROOM Coffee, Tea, Water, Pop - Snacks periodically 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. .1 CEU Room: Flint STARTING YOUR OWN WELLNESS EFFORTS IN YOUR COMMUNITY Debbie Williams, Derby Recreation Commission; Kathleen Avitt, Derby Recreation Commission With the increase in preventable disease rates and the rising cost of health care, it’s more important than ever that recreation centers join hands with the community to improve the environmental, social and economic conditions that contribute to poor health, and support a quality of life that promotes the health and well-being of the community.

Healthy communities don’t happen by accident. It takes intentional efforts by community leaders in organizations of all types who are committed to improving today’s and tomorrow’s critical health issues. These leaders make needed changes in policies, systems and environments to make the community an inviting place in which to live, work, learn, worship, and play. We will share with you how you can begin moving your community on the path toward health and well-being.

Room: Konza FACILITY MANAGEMENT Chad Tower - Lawrence Parks and Recreation; Shannon Sonnier – Johnson County Parks & Recreation; Chris Drum – Derby Recreation Hear from three professionals that run three different types of facilities, memberships vs. non memberships. Rules, regulations, customer service, training front line staff, preventative care, sponsorships and more will be discussed during this session.

Wednesday sessions continue on page 14…

10:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.

TASTE OF MANHATTAN Explore the bars in downtown Manhattan!

Each bar will showcase a unique drink!

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8:30 – 9:30 a.m. .1 CEU Room: Kings SOCIAL MEDIA: HAVE A PLAN, TELL A STORY, BE CONSISTENT- PART I Jana Thomas, Strictly Social Media This will be a 2-part session and will be repeated on Feb. 2nd.

Take an in-depth look at each of the most widely used social media platforms and the strategy, content, and tools necessary to be effective. Also learn how to grow your social media community through content development, the latest paid advertising options, and the integration of social media with your other marketing efforts to maximize results.

Session highlights: • How to create a social media strategy • How to choose the right social media platforms for your industry or organization • How to create content that engages: images, video, promotions • How to keep content planned, organized and executed effectively • Knowledge of monitoring & scheduling tools • An introduction to social media paid advertising • How to measure social media activity Room: Blue River LAW ENFORCEMENT FITNESS AND HEALTHY HABITS Jeremiah Salazar, City of Overland Park Learn from a presentation that is informative with a hands-on approach that will apply to everyday functional stretches and healthy habits. These stretches can be used for both a Patrol Vehicle and/or office desk. You will also learn what weightlifting activities are most beneficial and time sensitive. Please join us to learn how to take your health/fitness to the next level!

Room: Ft. Riley TUTTLE CREEK PARK: BALANCING CONSERVATION AND USE Ryan Sharp, Kansas State University Visitors are attracted to state parks, and specifically Tuttle Creek State Park to view its beautiful waters, participate in such activities as boating, hiking and fishing, and exploring opportunities to connect with nature. However, balancing conservation and use is complex and many of the park’s resources may be over or underutilized. Managers success can stem from a proactive approach to understand what visitors want, what can be accommodated and how to reach new audiences. This presentation will discuss results from a survey conducted at the park, at Kansas State University and Fort Riley. We will discuss how the information gathered will provide a baseline to help managers confidently tackle future issues or opportunities that will inevitably arise. Ultimately, we hope to highlight the crucial nature of this information for assisting managers to avoid pitfalls encountered at other protected areas due in part to a lack of information.

9:45 – 10:45 a.m. .1 CEU Room: Flint THE CDC’S MODEL AQUATIC HEALTH CODE: REQUIREMENTS FOR SECONDARY DISINFECTION ON HIGH RISK POOLS Tom Shaefer, Neptune Benson The MAHC addresses chlorine tolerant pathogens responsible for over 75% of Recreational Water Illnesses (RWI’s). It requires secondary disinfection of high risk pools. The requirements and technology will be presented. Other aspects of the MAHC will be presented which can affect design and operation of pools. Numerous states are revising their health codes using the MAHC and the MAHC could become a federal code.

Room: Kings SOCIAL MEDIA: HAVE A PLAN, TELL A STORY, BE CONSISTENT- PART II Jana Thomas, Strictly Social Media This is the 2nd session of a 2-part session and will be repeated on Feb. 2nd.

Take an in-depth look at each of the most widely used social media platforms and the strategy, content, and tools necessary to be effective. Also learn how to grow your social media community through content development, the latest paid advertising options, and the integration of social media with your other marketing efforts to maximize results.

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Room: Konza NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT- HOW RECREATION IS MORE THAN “JUST” SPORTS Elizabeth Grilliot, Hutchinson Recreation Commission, Amy Conkling, Hutchinson Recreation Commission Learn how Hutch Rec is expanding its traditional methods of recreation and programming and branching out to community-wide initiatives, including neighborhood development. Elizabeth Grilliot, director of neighborhood development, along with Amy Conkling, director of marketing and development, will discuss how Hutch Rec ventured into this new territory and the benefits it brings in healthy, active living while strengthening community spirit in Hutchinson.

Room: Blue River FITNESS TRENDS Susie Wilkes, Derby Recreation Commission; Jo Ellis, Lawrence Parks and Recreation This presentation will cover the history of the different fitness programs in the industry. Explain trends that have been successful and why. We will examine fitness class implementation; including equipment needs for a well round program in both fads and trends to unlock your potential. This will give everyone the opportunity to determine what will best fit your needs for fitness programming.

There will also be demonstrations on the new and exciting classes such as POUND and PIYO. Room: Ft. Riley PUTTING YOUR CITY-WIDE PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN TO WORK PJ Novick, Confluence Those attending the presentation will learn how to use their current city-wide master plan to its full potential. Using the City of Olathe’s Citywide Parks and Recreation Master Plan as an example, attendees will learn how the following 5 key elements can lead to achieving the goals and objectives set forth in their city-wide plan and the support of community and governing body for future improvements.

1. Don’t let it sit on the shelf - Leveraging the recommendations in the plan into projects that impact the community.

2. The value of a business/management plan - it does not end with the City-wide Plan.

3. Developing synergies that provide impactful facilities for your community.

4. Re-connect with the Community as projects move forward to ensure the finished facility meets the needs now and in the future.

5. How quality facilities/projects make the next “request” easier.

11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Room: Kaw Nation / Big Basin

TRADE SHOW & LUNCH Every KRPA Conference features the Trade Show, a time for KRPA members to meet and engage with some of the 80 exhibitors that come from all over the country.

TRADE SHOW TIPS Some members have come up with “excuses” for not attending the Trade Show for a variety of reasons, but here are reasons to attend and make your time worthwhile: 1. Even if you don’t currently do purchasing for your agency, it is still worth your time to see what products and services are available for future needs. Your time spent at the show will allow you to try and compare products before purchasing.

2. Meeting vendors face to face is very beneficial. They are the people who know the ins-and-outs of their products and services. They can tell you what is new, what items may be coming soon, and the best values which could possibly save you money.

3. The Trade Show is also a large help to keep your Annual Conference costs down.

Please take a few minutes to meet some great people in your industry and stretch your legs between educational sessions.

This time is dedicated just for the Trade Show so you will not miss out on any sessions.

3:15 – 4:15 p.m. .1CEU

Room: Blue River REGISTRATION SOFTWARE – WHERE DO YOU START? Rob McDonald, Derby Recreation Commission

Room: Big Blue River BUILDING SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN PARKS AND PEOPLE Jeff Skibins, Kansas State University

What are your software needs? This session will discuss the progression in registration software and the relevancy of growing technology. The game of software is changing to accommodate these platforms and what platforms do you need?

We will take you through the entire selection process from beginning to end including; improving the end user experience (our clientele).

Learn why the Derby Recreation Commission and Johnson County Parks and Recreation Department chose PerfectMind cloud-based software.

A key motivation for many visitors to parks is exposure to nature. Green spaces provide relief from increasingly urban environments, habitat for wildlife, and improved quality of life. Such outcomes are often used to justify the creation of new parks, improve maintenance, and expand offerings. However, all of this comes with a price tag the public must not only support, but ultimately pay. So why do some projects garner strong public support, while others are vehemently opposed?

One answer may lie in visitors’ emotional connection to nature. Recent evidence from the field of conservation psychology suggests visiting parks can foster a positive emotional connection to nature, and this connection is strongly predictive of support for parks and pro-conservation behaviors. But, such connections do not occur by chance, nor are they routine. In this presentation, Dr. Jeffrey Skibins will discuss how you can craft experiences that can facilitate visitors forming an emotional connection to nature, increase support for parks, and reach a wider audience.

Room: Ft. Riley TRAINING MILLENNIAL EMPLOYEES THROUGH MOTIVATIONAL IN-SERVICES Sydni Baker, Manhattan Parks and Recreation; Kelly Cook, Manhattan Parks and Recreation Filling your buckets with training tips, tricks, and fanny packs. An overview of the suggestion box, role playing, team building activities and EAP drills.

3:15 – 5:30 p.m.

PARK TOUR The tour will visit The Park at Lee Mill. Anneberg Park, CICO Park, Fairmont Park and Vanier Complex – Kansas State Athletics.

4:30-5:30 p.m.

Room: Flint WAYS TO SAVE ENERGY IN YOUR SWIMMING POOL FILTER ROOM Dave Wiecher, Capri Pools and Aquatics

Learn how your parks and attractions can tell their story in a visual and effective way through video.

Products that can be added to your current pool equipment to help save energy, which saves money. New technology that will help save water, chemicals, heat loss, and time. Discussion on incentive programs available to help off- set the cost of new equipment.

Room: Kings CHAIR YOGA Laura Covert, Pittsburg State University; Janice Jewett, Pittsburg State University

Room: Kings INVESTING AND PLANNING FOR YOUR RETIREMENT Aric Harrington, Waddell and Reed

Yoga continues to gain popularity in the health and wellness community. But, not all potential participants may come to the yoga classes due to impaired mobility. This session will focus on yoga movements that can be performed from a chair but also offer a great yoga workout, reflective of yoga sessions performed on the floor. This session will be interactive.

Is what you are doing now enough to retire?

Room: Flint VISUAL STORYTELLING Blade Mages – 502 Media

Room: Konza PARK LAW – POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS Dan Clifford, Wichita State University This session will discuss PTSD within the emergency service provider community. The presentation will provide information on why PTSD occurs, signs and symptoms of PTSD, and how the law enforcement community can respond to this health issue.

This course will discuss the importance of saving for retirement. We will touch on how to determine if you are doing enough for retirement. We will also discuss the options that are available with Social Security and KPERS. Retirement is about having choices in life and we will go over how we can help ensure you have choices.

Room: Konza PARK LAW – POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS Dan Clifford, Wichita State University This session will discuss PTSD within the emergency service provider community. The presentation will provide information on why PTSD occurs, signs and symptoms of PTSD, and how the law enforcement community can respond to this health issue.

Room: Ft. Riley EVENT LIABILITY – A REALISTIC APPROACH TO RISK MANAGEMENT James Charles, Charlesworth and Associates, LLC An interactive session focused on discussing the balance between protecting your organization and the needs of your citizen stakeholders. We will discuss some of the options tenants have to protect themselves and also protect your organization - as well as when requirements may not be necessary or could impact your ability to lease your facility. We are all risk managers.

DINNER & KRPA OLYMPICS Conference Meeting Rooms 6:30 p.m. – Gold Medal Buffet 7:15 p.m. – Opening Ceremony 7:30 p.m. - Games Begin The KRPA Olympic Games are considered the conference’s foremost (and only) sports competition with participants coming from every corner of Kansas. 8 different events will be held at the 2017 Olympics. All participants will receive awards such as: a Gold Medal Buffet, Dollar Beers and more.

KRPA Today - www.krpa.org • 15

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2 7:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

REGISTRATION 7:45 – 2:30 p.m.

HOSPITALITY ROOM 8:00- 12:00 .4 CEU Room: Kings PARK LAW – ACTIVE LISTENING Bob Ware, Kansas Highway Patrol Basic communication skills including good listening habits, poor listening habits, basic counseling skills and active listening techniques.

8:00 – 9:00 a.m. .1 CEU Room: Flint AQUATICS FORUM Jennifer Wegener, Emporia Recreation Commission All about aquatics. We will discuss any and every aquatic hot topic of the season. Both veteran and new professionals are welcome to bring their insight and questions.

Room: Konza THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY Jo Ellis, Lawrence Park and Recreation Why reinvent the wheel when you can get ideas from other recreation professionals from the state? Hear the good, the bad and the ugly on programs.

Room: Alcove SOCIAL MEDIA: HAVE A PLAN, TELL A STORY, BE CONSISTENT- PART I Jana Thomas, Strictly Social Media Session repeated from February 1st.

Take an in-depth look at each of the most widely used social media platforms and the strategy, content, and tools necessary to be effective. Also learn how to grow your social media community through content development, the latest paid advertising options, and the integration of social media with your other marketing efforts to maximize results.

Room: Tuttle WHAT ABOUT BEES? Gary LaGrange, Golden Prairie Honey Farms Learn about honey bee hives, honey extraction, beeswax production, and the important role honey bees play in our world!

Room: McDowell CHANGING AGING: IT’S NOT YOUR GRANDPARENTS SENIOR CENTER ANYMORE Michelle Alexander, Johnson County Parks and Recreation; Bettie Partington, Lenexa Parks and Recreation It’s time to change the way we think about aging.

As we all live longer, work longer, and are maintaining healthier lives longer it’s important to look at how we are packaging and integrating programs for mature adults. The baby boomers will be a strong force over the next many years.

It’s our responsibility as a recreation service provider to meet the changing needs of this generation which will be inundating our facilities and demanding our attention. In this session you will become aware of the exciting steps aging professionals in the KC Metro area have been taking to bring aging issues to the forefront of our city with a theme of dignity. We will discuss a variety of national, regional, and local programs along with organization resources that are readily available to assist you to build strong programs.

9:15 – 10:15 a.m. .1 CEU Room: Flint FIGHTING PTSD WITH BEES Gary LaGrange, Golden Prairie Honey Farms Retired US Army Colonel Gary LaGrange has a dream. His ultimate goal is to build a farm and rehabilitation center for wounded veterans. They will learn every aspect of agriculture through a program called S.A.V.E Farm (Soldier Agriculture Vocational Education Farm). Beekeeping is one aspect of the farm that has a therapeutic benefit for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury.

Room: Konza ENCOURAGING INTER-GENERATIONAL ACTIVITY IN PARK DESIGNS Carisa McMullen, Landworks Studio Two growing populations are and will continue to have an impact on society…baby boomers and children being raised in less traditional families.

By designing and creating outdoors spaces for positive exchange and inter-generational interaction, our parks systems can offer positive experiences for two very different populations with surprisingly similar needs.

This session will share surprising statistics you need to know to understand how to best serve your neighborhoods and communities. In addition, this session will cover what the needs are for these growing populations and offer creative ideas for how to facilitate engaging environments that make a difference.

Room: Alcove SOCIAL MEDIA: HAVE A PLAN, TELL A STORY, BE CONSISTENT- PART II Jana Thomas, Strictly Social Media This is the 2nd session of a 2-part session and is repeated from February 1st.

Take an in-depth look at each of the most widely used social media platforms and the strategy, content, and tools necessary to be effective. Also learn how to grow your social media community through content development, the latest paid advertising options, and the integration of social media with your other marketing efforts to maximize results.

Room: Tuttle EFFECTIVE PERSONAL PRODUCTIVITY Russell Disberger, CEO, Aspen Business Group a Kansas/Colorado based management consulting firm Most of us use less than 10% of our true potential.

At the heart of all achievement you will find productive people practicing effective behaviors.

None of us are born with behaviors that are 100% effective. We all learn by trial and error, and some learn from those experiences faster than others.

Another challenge is our past conditioning. We all come to the workplace with different past conditioning; some good, some bad. Locked behind our ingrained habits and attitudes lie vast reserves of unused potential. The question is how do you develop that unused potential.

Organizations improve when people make effective changes. Our Effective Personal Productivity addresses the gap between current performance and the future potential of people.

Learn effective behaviors in: • Time Management • Personal Initiative • Accountability • Identifying High-Payoff Activities • Measuring Personal Productivity Room: McDowell T.E.A.M. (TRAIN, EVALUATE, APPRECIATE, MOTIVATE) Kristy Bellinger, Lawrence Parks and Recreation; Jalon Huthens, Lawrence Parks and Recreation Training and motivating part time staff can be a challenge! Learn about different processes for evaluating staff, team bonding, staff training, motivating, secret shopper and catch your staff doing good.

Room: Kings GAMES, GAMES, GAMES! Jenny Smith, Mission Parks and Recreation; Kari Baesel, Johnson County Parks and Recreation Duck .. Duck .. WHAT?!? If you and your staff are sick and tired of playing the same games over and over again to the groans and moans of your campers or after schoolers; then this is the session for you! You will walk out the door with tons of knowledge regarding different ways to split your

16 • KRPA Today - www.krpa.org

groups up, tools to encourage staff to loosen up and have fun, and a whole book full of exciting game ideas. Don’t let “Head’s Up, Seven Up” or “Dodgeball” define your recreation game world!

10:30 – 11:30 a.m. .1 CEU Room: Flint MAKING THE CASE FOR A NEW MODEL OF WORKSITE WELLNESS Elizabeth Ablah, University of Kansas School of Medicine - Wichita A new model of worksite wellness will be introduced that improves the bottom line.

WorkWell KS can help worksites decrease costs, reduce presenteeism/absenteeism, and increase morale and productivity. During this session, you will learn about WorkWell KS and the benefits of implementing a comprehensive worksite wellness initiative can have on your worksite.

Room: Konza IRRIGATION SYSTEM AUDITING Cathie Lavis, Kansas State University The irrigation season is about to begin; that means applying valuable water resources to the landscape. It is our responsibility as environmental stewards to ensure water is applied wisely. An audit of an irrigation system has been shown to be the most effective tool for maximizing water use efficiency. This session will briefly introduce the three main audit activities: site inspection; performance testing and irrigation scheduling.

Each activity in itself can result in significant water and cost savings for your organization. Together they can provide valuable information based on site specific conditions and irrigation system performance.

Room: Alcove MOM…WHERE’S MY SPREADSHEET?!

Tom McEvoy, Emporia Recreation Commission Over the last 20 years, I have used spreadsheets and Excel workbooks in a variety of ways. Spreadsheets are more than just numbers, and this class will open the eyes of people how flexible spreadsheets are.

I will demonstrate the many reports and functions I have developed and bring some of the “newer” items I have created in the past 12 years. This is not an Excel education class. It is just a demonstration on what can be done with Excel.

Room: Tuttle MANAGING UP Russell Disberger, CEO, Aspen Business Group a Kansas/Colorado based management consulting firm Managing up is the process of consciously working with your boss to obtain the best possible results for you, your boss, and your organization.

The workshop will help you understand different management styles and how to flex your style and communication methods to maximize your teamwork and outcomes. It will provide practical tools for you to utilize in the future.

Room: McDowell NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AS A COMMUNITY PARTNER Brian Leaders, National Park Service

Room: Alcove TOP 5 HOTTEST TRENDS IN PARK AND REC MARKETING KRPA Marketing Committee

Learn how the National Park Service works with community groups through their RTCA program to develop multi-use trails, public green spaces and conservation programs in your hometown and the National Park Service Centennial, Celebrating 100 years of our national parks.

Learn the secrets of marketing your programs and telling your story. Real world examples that you can take home and implement for immediate results.

12:00 – 2:00 p.m.

Room: Kaw Nation/Big Basin

Awards of Excellence Lunch and Healthy Initiative Awards Presiding: Brian Bascue, KRPA President, Awards Committee Chair Awards to be presented: Hall of Fame; Distinguished Fellow, Distinguished Professional; Distinguished New Professional; Distinguished Public Service; Distinguished Board or Commission Member, Distinguished Service, Tomorrow’s Leaders Class of 2016 and President’s Award.

Swearing-In of new KRPA Board of Directors: TBA, Officiating 2:15 – 3:15 p.m. .1 CEU Room: Kings THE ROLE OF INTERPRETATION IN PARKS Ted Cable, Kansas State University Supervisors and managers are not psychotherapists, yet there are days when we wish we had a counseling degree! This session will offer a step by step process when it becomes necessary and apparent that entering into a “Coaching” process is the best and only option to provide staff guidance for improved performance.

Room: Flint SPORTS ROUNDTABLE Nick Leon, Hutchinson Recreation Commission An interactive sounding board for any and all issues in youth and adult sports today. Please bring topics for discussion to the session!

Room: Konza STATEWIDE HEALTHY COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE: PUTTING RESEARCH TO PRACTICE Jennie Sumrell, Playcore Identify research-based design strategies and considerations for promoting health and wellness in community park destinations. Discuss model projects of distinction that intentionally align and advocate for inclusion and physical activity.

Room: Tuttle BUILDING A LEADERSHIP PIPELINE Russell Disberger, CEO, Aspen Business Group a Kansas/Colorado based management consulting firm If your demand for good leaders has greatly outpaced the supply, this workshop will help you.

We will cover the Leadership Pipeline Model that has helped organizations grow leaders internally at every level, from entry level team leaders to senior managers. The model provides a framework that you can use to identify future leaders, assess their competence, plan their development, and measure results. Put simply, you can use the model to think about how you’ll train your people to take the next step up the leadership ladder.

Room: McDowell FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT – EMPLOYEE AND EMPLOYER RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER THE ACT Susan Lang, Department of Labor- Wage and Hour Division This session will explore compensable time, legal compensation and child labor.

3:30 – 5:00 p.m.

Room: Big Basin

BLUE CHIP AND OK KIDS AWARDS COLLAPSE OF A CULTURE… LESSONS LEARNED FROM ENRON Cindy Olson, Choice Solutions Cindy Olson, author of the book “The Whole Truth So Help Me God” and a former member of Enron’s 20 person executive committee shares the Lessons that she learned from the demise of one of the most complex and successful businesses in recent American History. She describes how a company that was generating over $1 Billion in income could go from being one of the best and most admired companies in the world to bankrupt in a matter of months. She emphasizes that the value of Integrity is “NON NEGOTIABLE” by describing how over $60 Billion of Market Cap held by Enron shareholders disintegrated in a matter of months and 25,000 employees and their families were impacted in addition to thousands of the company’s customers, suppliers and nonprofits Enron supported across the country.

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Conference Wellness Tips Don’t let the KRPA Conference socials, food, and night life completely derail your health and wellness pursuit! Enjoy in moderation and still have a great time with these tips: • In between conference sessions, make it your mission to get as many steps in as possible.

Use those 15-minute breaks to your advantage, taking laps around the conference center.

• Stand instead of sit during conference sessions.

• Take the emergency stairs instead of the elevator when accessing your room.

• Before the conference, pack healthy snacks to bring: fresh apples, bananas, oranges, That’s It bars, mini bags of pistachios or nuts, Larabars, natural peanut butter, whole wheat crackers, whole grain rice cakes.

• Choose only one meal to enjoy dessert – either lunch or dinner, but not both. Pop a piece of gum or enjoy a coffee or tea after the meal you choose to not indulge in dessert.

• Visit the fitness center (a given!), but if you’re not a fitness center person, consider doing yoga or quick HIIT workout in your hotel room using YouTube or other online forums.

• Walk around beautiful Manhattan. The fresh (brisk!) air will do you good and you’ll enjoy some great sights around the conference center, including: Flint Hills Discovery Center and the mall area near Poyntz. Drive to campus and enjoy a walking tour there and along Aggieville.

• Before bed, enjoy a 10-minute yoga routine for relaxation and a better night’s sleep.

• Make it your mission to have servings of vegetable at both lunch and dinner.

• For every alcoholic beverage, drink a glass (or two!) of water. You’ll stay hydrated and hopefully won’t wake up regretting your evening festivities. Same thing with pop or coffee – drink at least one to two glasses of water for every beverage that is non-water.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER BIOS Dayton Moore Dayton Moore begins his 10th full season with the Kansas City Royals, being named Senior Vice President-Baseball Operations/General Manager on May 30, 2006. He officially assumed his duties, becoming the sixth general manager in franchise history, on June 8, 2006.

Dayton Moore begins his 10th full season with the Kansas City Royals, being named Senior Vice President-Baseball Operations/General Manager on May 30, 2006. He officially assumed his duties, becoming the sixth general manager in franchise history, on June 8, 2006. From day one, the goal Moore set out to accomplish was bringing a World Championship back to Kansas City, a dream that was brought to fruition in 2015. For his part in the success during the 2015 season, Moore was named the Esurance MLB Award for the Best Executive. It marked the second-straight season that the Royals’ GM earned the honor.

Moore, a native of Wichita, Kan., brought an impressive resume to the Royals in 2006. He had previously worked for the Atlanta Braves

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organization since 1994, most recently serving as Assistant General Manager/Baseball Operations since August, 2005.

City including their service as co-chairs of the Women Who’ve Changed the Heart of the City banquet in 2011 and 2012.

Prior to his tenure as assistant general manager with Atlanta, Moore served three years as Director of Player Personnel where he was responsible for overseeing all aspects of scouting and player development.

Moore graduated from George Mason in 1989 with a degree in physical education and health.

Three years later, he earned his master’s degree in athletic administration from GMU. He and his wife, Marianne, reside in Leawood, Kansas, and have two daughters, Ashley and Avery, and a son, Robert.

Prior to joining the Braves organization, Moore served as an assistant baseball coach at George Mason University from 1990-94. While working on a graduate degree at GMU, Moore also managed the Winchester Royals of the Shenandoah Valley League from 1991-93.

In 2013, Moore started the “C” You In the Major Leagues Foundation to support youth baseball, education, families in crisis and faith-based programs and organizations. Moore was a member of the Board of Directors of the NAIA’s Champions of Character program from 2007-10.

Following the 2014 season, Moore was named the Kansan of the Year by the Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas, elected to the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame and tabbed the Alumnus of the Year at George Mason University. He was also named the “Executive of the Year” by the Kansas City Sports Commission.

Moore and his wife, Marianne, are proud to be involved with the City Union Mission of Kansas

ALANA MULLER Alana Muller is a networking speaker, workshop facilitator, coach and author of the book, Coffee Lunch Coffee: A Practical Field Guide for Master Networking and a companion blog, CoffeeLunchCoffee.com. Alana enjoys connecting with people around the country and sharing stories on topics such as networking, entrepreneurship and women in business. She has been a contributor to Forbes.com, The Huffington Post, CNBC and other publications and was a featured speaker at TEDxOverlandPark.

Alana is the former President of Kauffman FastTrac, a global provider of training to aspiring and established entrepreneurs, providing them

the tools, resources and networks to start and grow successful businesses. Alana spent a number of years as an executive with Sprint Corporation serving in a variety of general management roles, including marketing, talent management, corporate strategy and wireless data product marketing.

Alana has a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Chicago, where she was the recipient of the Mike and Karen Herman Fellowship for Women in Entrepreneurship, and an undergraduate degree in mathematics from Smith College.

She is actively engaged in the community and serves on a number of corporate and volunteer boards including Morningstar Communications, Don Swartz and Associates, the Blue Valley Center for Advanced Professional Studies, the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City, Village Shalom Senior Living Community, SevenDays, the Jewish Community Foundation, the Women’s Foundation and the Smith College Club of Greater Kansas City. Additionally, Alana is a member of the Central Exchange and International Women’s Forum. She is an alumna of Coro Kansas City and the Civic Council’s Kansas City Tomorrow program. She

was recognized as a 2013 NextGen Leader by the Kansas City Business Journal and a 2012 Influential Woman by KC Business magazine.

Capital Transformation Strategist for Choice Solutions where she is able to bring all of her past experiences together.

CINDY OLSON

JANA THOMAS

Cindy Olson began her career at Koch Industries and then became an auditor with Pizza Hut. She went on to work for Inter North in Omaha, Nebraska, which later became Enron where she ultimately progressed to the Executive Committee of the Fortune 7 Company. Olson, uniquely lived both the creation and the demise of Enron. Ultimately serving on the company’s 20 person Executive Committee.

Jana Thomas has spent 13 years in marketing, advertising and communications and has experience with both traditional and new media.

She has owned Strictly Social Media for over six years, offering expert social media management, consultancy and training to national and local brands. Jana is an advertising professional who can jump into any situation and hit the ground running. She loves a challenge and brings strategic thinking, innovation and passion to my work. Jana’s work history as the Multi-Media Advertising and Communication Manager at GTM Sportswear and Digital Media Product Manager with Ketchum Directory Advertising before she started Strictly Social Media makes her an experienced advertising and marketing professional.

Following Enron’s demise, Olson co-founded the creation of an Index used to predict sustainable corporate performance and formed a company that consults with Executives who are committed to creating a Culture of Innovation. She authored the only book written by a top Enron Executive, “The Whole Truth so Help Me God” that describes the “real Enron” from a true insider’s point of view. Olson is currently Chief Human

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KRPA Today - www.krpa.org • 19

ACHIEVING

WELLNESS IN KANSAS

FOR ALL GENERATIONS Opening by Nicole Asquith, Olathe Parks & Recreation

Ask a local third grader what they think when they hear Parks & Recreation and most will answer playgrounds and sports. Ask an adult in the community that same question and they might add trails, but Parks and Recreation departments and commissions across Kansas know that community health is quickly becoming a primary focus and adding fun is an important element. Community wellness comes in all forms of ideas, contests and commitment, take a look at just a few of the things happening around Kansas to impact the health of communities large and small.

Derby Recreation Commission Launches Be University

By Jen Tribue, Derby Recreation Commission The Derby Recreation Commission (DRC) is committed to assisting Derby residents to improve their health and well-being. One of the ways that the DRC accomplishes that goal is through community wellness programs. Recently, the DRC launched a new initiative entitled Be University as a way to effectively market wellness programs while engaging and educating the community. Be University strives to empower USD 260 residents to improve their health and quality of life, the economic standing of the community, the social cohesion, and community pride. The programs are designed to affectively change unhealthy lifestyle behaviors and significantly enhance quality of life.

While community wellness has been a part of the Derby Recreation Commission’s programming for several years, branding the wellness programs Be University and organizing them into categories makes it easy for participants to select the programs that suit their needs. The first year of Be University offers four categories or tracts of

20 • KRPA Today - www.krpa.org

programs, Chronic Disease Management, Active Living, Healthy Eating and School Health.

In the Be University Chronic Disease tract, programs included are Diabetes Self-Management which offers training for caregivers or those who suffer from diabetes to learn how to deal with their symptoms, learn appropriate exercise and healthy eating habits, the use of medications and working with health care providers. Another program is Living Well With It, a Chronic Disease Self-Management program, which is a six week evidence based Stanford University curriculum designed to teach participants how to live with their chronic disease or condition such as diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, heart disease, etc.

The Eat Healthy, Be Active workshop series offers basic nutrition, hands-on learning, and cooking demonstrations on topics such as making healthy food taste great, healthy meals and snacks, eating healthy on a budget and tips for losing weight. The In Sickness and In Health Speaker Series fosters community education and conversation with free monthly meetings on topics such as Maintaining Sanity While Being a Caregiver, Managing Chronic Conditions and Hospice care.

The Active Living tract sponsors the Derby Community Walks initiative and Bike Month. Derby Community Walks encourages residents to pledge to walk 30 minutes most days to improve and maintain health. Those who sign up and track their walking minutes are eligible to walk at the indoor

running/walking track at the Derby Rec Center free of charge on inclement weather days. Bike month provides bike clinics, safety training and encouragement to bicycle as a part of an active lifestyle.

The Healthy Eating tracts of Be University offers Cooking Matters at the Store, a free program that teaches participants how to read labels for nutrition, how to buy healthy foods on a budget, compare unit prices, identifying whole grains, selecting the fresh fruits and vegetables and offers recipes and cooking tips. The School Health tract features the Let’s Move Derby Schools initiative, a yearlong program where school aged children record the number of minutes they are active each day and schools compete for the largest number of minutes active. Youth win prizes for healthy physical activity.

As Be University expands, additional tract categories will include healthy start, behavioral health, healthy aging, healthy home and tobacco free living.

Community wellness is just one part of the Derby Recreation Commission’s programs that focus on whole health and an active lifestyle in order to enhance the life of all USD 260 residents through quality recreational and leisure opportunities that contribute to the social, physical, educational, cultural and general well-being so that residents can improve and maintain their health, prevent disease, reduce risky behaviors and be well.

EMPORIA STARTS CORPORATE CHALLENGE

By Jennifer Bennett, Emporia Recreation What started as a way to get local businesses together for some recreation has turned into an annual community wellness event for Emporia Recreation Commission.

Corporate Challenge is an annual two-week event held every August with over 500 participants from the local work force. Businesses form teams of up 15 employees to compete in daily challenges for every level of athlete. We are in our 16th year and average 36 teams competing.

Corporate Challenge gives companies an opportunity for their employees to get to know one another through fun activities. It gives them a common goal as they try to win the daily competitions such as canoe races, darts, bocce, bolo, obstacle course, disc golf, etc. It also gives the different company employees an opportunity to meet and mingle with their fellow coworkers. It’s been mentioned that this is the only time some of them see one another, so they look forward to that once a year visit.

Because of the type of events that are held during Corporate Challenge, it really doesn’t matter if you are an athletic individual or not. We get a very diverse group of participants; all ages, gender and athletic abilities, all trying new sports while having a great time with friends. The events are held every evening for two weeks in our city parks and families often come along to cheer on the athletes.

Community Wellness in HUTCHINSON

By Amy Conkling, Hutchinson Rec Greatness doesn’t age, and Hutch Rec is making sure its active, older adult residents grasp this truth. The agency recently launched a unique senior-only center in its community on Oct. 1, merging its existing Elmdale Wellness Center with the Senior Center. Originally the community center housed both the Wellness Center and Senior Center, which confused several residents and customers. The new Senior Center at Elmdale Park will continue its focus on ongoing senior social activities, enrichment activities, group travel opportunities, but take a finite approach to its active adult population. The wellness room inside the Center will feature cardio and weight equipment, as well as ongoing fitness classes, pickle ball, basketball, gym walking, and features a membership to anyone 50 years or older in the community. In addition, Hutch Rec recently hired a senior fitness programmer who – along with two other fitness professionals – will be ACE certified in senior-specific personal and wellness training.

“We’re venturing into new territory as we launch this combination senior-wellness center exclusively for active adults in our community,” Tony Finlay, director of Hutch Rec, says.

Making the Case for a New Model of Worksite Wellness: WorkWell Kansas

By Elizabeth Ablah, Ph.D., M.P.H. 2017 KRPA Annual Conference Speaker Poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and tobacco usage contribute to four chronic diseases that contribute to 80% of all deaths in the United States. These chronic diseases impact employers on a daily basis through absenteeism, presenteeism (employees coming to work sick or not 100%), and lower productivity, among other things.

Traditional worksite wellness approaches focus on the individual employee, which is not effective. WorkWell KS offers a new model of worksite wellness based completely on evidence based practices that focus on the worksite. By effectively modifying the worksite, employees/clients/guests will become naturally healthier by virtue of being there.

The WorkWell KS model challenges what has traditionally been thought of as worksite wellness. It is based on evidence and proven best practices – it pushes the needle and changes the current culture.

Worksite environments influence behaviors. This occurs through sedentary work environments and policies, the availability and promotion of unhealthy foods and beverages, and tobaccosupportive environments. Employers have a responsibility to provide safe, healthy work environments. Providing a cafeteria or vending machine with drugs or alcohol would never be considered, so why is it acceptable to provide food and beverages that contribute to chronic disease?

Employees are worksites’ greatest assets and expenses. Healthy employees are productive employees and productivity influences the bottom line. By modifying unhealthy environments, worksites will experience improved productivity and morale, and reduce absenteeism, presenteeism, and costs, all with a positive return on investment.

To create sustainable change in the health of a worksite, the culture must be changed by identifying and implementing practices that are evidence-based, feasible, replicable, and effective and have significant public health impacts. That is WorkWell KS.

KRPA Today - www.krpa.org • 21

Collapse of a Culture: Lessons from Enron

By Cindy Olson, Chief Human Capital Transformational Strategist, Choice Solutions

This year will mark the 15th anniversary of the 7th largest public company in the world filing for bankruptcy without warning. After leaving Enron in July 2002 and being there for over 22 years, helping build the Culture and being a part of the Executive Committee I was obsessed with understanding how a company, with over 1 Million resumes in its data base, with thousands of future employees lining up to work for it, receiving some of the most prestigious accolades in the business world and having a truly innovative culture that most companies wanted to emulate, could disappear in a matter of months with little warning. Because of that obsession and my constant desire for continuous improvement and learning I began to analyze the impact that Culture had on Enron’s failure.

Many companies, at the time had the same kinds of accounting structures and large trading organizations and I believed because of that fact, there was something in our unique Culture that caused us to fail. After reviewing the cumulative employee surveys, it was clear to me that there were at least two major contributors to our ultimate fate: 1. We grew so fast that we failed to stay true to the values that Ken Lay had built the company on.

The value of Integrity and Respect were simply values on the wall by the time Enron filed for bankruptcy. Ken had promoted Jeff Skilling to CEO and had believed that the fact Jeff did not live the values of the organization was not a huge issue. Jeff had done all the right things to create an Innovative culture, met Wall Street’s expectations for continued growth and stock price increases and was applauded by many both internally and externally. However, the failure of Jeff to model the value of Integrity and Respect internally and externally created a tension that destroyed our culture.

2. In addition, we had become so successful with what we were doing according to Wall Street’s standards that we did not believe we could fail even though it was clear in hindsight that we did not fully encourage employees to bring forward “bad news” or challenge the status quo with respect to potential risks. Our Risk awareness within the corporation was very poor. The warning signs were there in the results of employee surveys however, we told people repeatedly that “you don’t get it”.

Finally it was shocking to see from those surveys, that we still had employees that felt their skills were not fully utilized and we had a huge failure to communicate across business unit lines. Those

22 • KRPA Today - www.krpa.org

things probably did not contribute to our bankruptcy however; they certainly held Enron back from achieving its full potential.

I believe now, that any company can ultimately fail if they do not understand and protect a values based culture. The question is how can you know for sure?

How can you make Culture a measure that can be compared and utilized by those CEO’s and leaders that believe that Culture is just too soft? I believe the solution lies with listening intently to your employees and not discounting any concerns that are raised. In Addition, I believe there are “ drivers” of a Culture that can be used to create any kind of Culture you desire and monitor that Culture for changes. The following are those “Drivers”.

What was learned at Enron that could help other companies?

Values Every company needs a set of Values to guide its employees in how they should behave. It is critical however, to insure that the values are reinforced by the performance management process and that Executives model the behavior established by the Values. In the case of Enron Ken Lay authored the values and put in place a task force to drive those values in the organization. The Performance Management process did not reinforce the values and executive management was rated based on their financial contribution to the organization.

Values might have been discussed but their compensation was not affected if they did not live those values. Andy Fastow would not have been at Enron had that been the case.

Style Every company has its own unique style, however, if the style includes having a looser culture; then the controls and the risk identification process needs to occur constantly and with much vigor. Free thinking and innovation requires this loose style however, the downfall is to not carry through with a rigorous risk management culture as well. Even though Jeff Skilling liked to talk about our Culture as Loose but Tight the tight part of the culture was never really there. Risk Management was its own department which was good but the department did not carry the respect of either Jeff or the Deal makers/ Traders. Therefore, Risk Management was not seen as the job of all employees and the people who had those jobs were not allowed to do an effective job.

Structure I believe that a “Sell don’t tell structure” is by far the best when you are trying to create a company that promotes innovation, however, there are certain things that need to be understood with no tolerance for any deviation. That is the risk identification process and employee’s ability and responsibility to challenge the status quo when necessary. As an Innovative company our organization structure was fluid. We did a lot of things right in terms of handling that change but the things Enron did not do well is push the Culture and the Risk Awareness down in the organization. The issue was that when someone did bring up issues in a lot of cases they were seen as roadblocks. Personally, a lot of my friends in Accounting were very concerned with some of the accounting practices. I believe that we didn’t do anything from an accounting standpoint that other companies didn’t do as well. It would have been much better to discuss the issues that the accounting groups had and get buy in by them to the accounting that was being used in all business units.

Executive Leadership Abilities Those employees who are promoted into leadership positions should be there because of their ability to lead and not strictly based on their technical knowledge. A separate and well compensated technical track needs to be established to reward those employees who are outstanding technically in their fields. The leadership skill is as important in a leader as the technical skill is for certain job functions. Enron did not do a good job of training Leaders and promoting the people that were good leaders. Primarily this was the case because for example when a trader was very very good the only way for a promotion was the leadership track.

The skill of trading was one that didn’t require strong leadership skills. Many of them were good individually and did not require a team to be successful.

External Perception A company’s External perception should be part of the risk identification process. At Enron, we ignored the external noise because of our dominance in the market and our arrogance that we were better than anyone else in our space. It should be understood that the external risks are as powerful as the internal risks. In the case of Enron, the Tech bubble burst in early 2001. Our new business unit EBS was dependent on this Tech space to be strong. Then,

9/11 rocked the financial markets and that too had a large impact on our stock price.

Finally, we had become so arrogant that many customers, suppliers and our peers wanted to see Enron the arrogant giant fall. When we were in trouble there was really no one there to help us.

We also had not totally understood the risk of that dominant position in the market and the external risk of something like a 9/11 or in the current day a financial recession could have on the company’s sustainability.

Internal Market for Talent This is an area I feel Enron did an outstanding job and I don’t believe that there were problems with the way we handled the movement of talent. It was only when we had to lay off employees that we made a huge mistake by using the performance management process to do that. I understand the argument that a process that force ranks its employees is a convenient way and in a lot of cases identify the poor performers however, if I had it to do over again I would have used a separate process that allowed employees to understand that they were being laid off because the business was suffering. Enron made it worse because our redeployment policies strictly prohibited us to redeploy employees that had been ranked at the bottom of the ranking, therefore they were told they were not only being laid off but were not eligible for redeployment to another group that might have been able to use their skills.

Meritocracy Every company must have a solid performance management process and the things that an employee is graded on should be understood. At Enron, the results were important and what drove the high performers. That performance driven process should have been balanced with long term results that were good for the entire company and not based on short term deals that were good for a particular business unit. When we revamped the compensation structure for executives and granted many more stock options that vested immediately there was tremendous incentive for everyone to make deals that impacted our stock price in the short term without a long term look at the impact of those deals to the company or other business units. We thought we were doing a great thing by granting options so we could attract and

retain the kind of Wall Street talent we needed to continue to build our trading business, however, we did not even consider the risk of what those options and their vesting had on the long term sustainability of Enron.

Development of Employee Ideas As good as I believed our employee idea pipeline was I think the survey results in late 2001 showed that in fact we still had not harnessed all the employee’s talents. This should have been a question we asked at each performance review and acted on when an employee believed their skill sets were not being fully utilized. I believe this goes back to our lack of Leadership talent in all departments. I believe that good leaders ask their employees for feedback continually. This keeps employees motivated and they truly feel they are being listened to and are adding the kind of value they believe they can. When employees are not listened to then they are not as effective and productive.

Making it Easier for the Best to Work Here This is an area that I think Enron excelled. There is probably not a company out there even today that has done a better job. The only thing I believe we could have done better is to have encouraged employees to have a life outside of work which I believe could have made them even more effective and happier. When we decided to give our employees a computer at home I have to admit we thought that employees would use it to check work email and even do work at home making them more effective and productive. In retrospect I know we pushed employees to the limit. The ranking process, the constant recruiting of new talent and the things we did to keep employees at the building or working at home all contributed to a culture of burn out. I believe that a company can balance this and most likely get even more productivity out of their employees without the long hours and burnout.

Diversity of Talent This is another area that I think Enron did a good job …..We defined diversity as not just race or ethnicity but diversity in thought and back grounds. This was a much more robust definition of Diversity than most companies used. I do believe we did have the best and brightest and most diverse work force in Houston

at the time. I think any organization that truly wants to be innovative and sustainable has to employee people with diverse backgrounds and thought processes. Then the company must encourage team work and utilizing those diverse backgrounds. Any company that defines Diversity simply by race or ethnicity is causing the organization to just comply. What the company wants is an organization that buys into the value of this kind of diversity….It’s not compliance, it’s part of the fabric of the culture.

The Culture of a company impacts every aspect of that company. How employees behave directly impacts how businesses are developed, risks are analyzed and how externally the company is viewed from the outside. It is not enough to just state how employees are supposed to behave through a written set of values……that behavior has to be modeled by everyone in the organization for employees to believe it. Performance Management has to include the behavioral aspect of an employee’s performance and it must have an impact on compensation.

Currently there are many risk management practices that address business risk, accounting risk, reporting risk and to some extent the risk from certain levels of compensation and compensation structure. No one has identified what the culture risk is to an organization. In the Harvard Business Review article sponsored by Zurich it states the most important aspect to Risk Management is not Technical it is the Culture.

Many Cybersecurity experts state that all the firewall protection you can install is not enough….

Culture has a huge impact on how “safe” your organization is from a Cyber threat or for that matter any threat. I would propose that everything about an organization tracks back to its Culture.

For that reason there are many lessons that can STILL be learned from Enron.

Cindy Olson is the Chief Human Capital Transformational Strategist at Choice Solutions. Choice Solutions is headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas and helps clients use tomorrow’s technology to solve todays problems.

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