DAY ONE
WemadeittoWichita,andour2026Intercity Visitisofficiallyunderway.
OurfirststopwasthehistoricKansas AviationMuseum.Here,nearly100business, community,educators,andpoliticalleaders fromacrosstheTriadmetupfortheopening receptionanddinner.Beingsurroundedby aviationhistoryfeltappropriateforourfirst night,andthespacegaveeveryonethe chancetocatchupandintroduce themselvestosomeonenew.
Intheopeningsession,weheardfrom:
· JeffFluhr,GreaterWichitaPartnershipPresident&CEO
· DaltonGlasscock,WichitaViceMayor
· DennisMarstall,WichitaCityManager
Thiswasjustthestart,though.Tomorrowiswherewereallybegintodiginto Wichita’saviationindustry,workforcedevelopmentefforts,innovationspaces,and thepartnershipsdrivingalotofthecity’sgrowth.
www.greensboro.org/wichita
DAY TWO
Thiswasourbiggestdayofthetrip Thethroughlinefortheday washowWichitahasbeenveryintentionalthroughtheyearsin buildingitsaviationandmanufacturingcentersthatconnect education(weseeyouWichitaStateandWSUTech),workforce development,research,andindustry,aswellasacommitment toexperientiallearning.
WestartedbrightandearlyattheNationalCenterforAviation Training,whereweheardfromthepresidentsofbothWichita StateUniversityandWSUTechabouthowtheywerepurposeful injoiningforcestomakearealimpactonthiscommunity(and moreaboutexperientiallearning).Thesetalksfocusedon meetingtheworkforceneedsinrealtimeandmakingsure studentshaveadirectconnectiontocareersinaviation, manufacturing,healthcare,andtechnology.
Wealsohadtheopportunitytolearnmoreabouttheir biomedicalcampus,theworkgoingonattheNationalInstitute forAviationResearch,andhowtheentireareaapproaches researchanddevelopingitsworkforcetomeetthedemandsof Wichita.Atthispoint,wesplitintotwogroupsfortoursofthe WichitaStateUniversityInnovationCampusandTextronAviation facilities.Tocontinuethethemeofexperientiallearning,weall gotourownhandsonpracticaltrainingaswetookaturnat aircraftsheetmetalrivetingtechniquesatTextron
Afterloggingseveralthousandstepseach,wewereaffordedthe opportunitytositdownandhavesomeverynicesnacksand drinksontheInnovationCampusatClub95,adedicatedspace
DAYTWO
fortheuniversitytoengageindustryandthecommunitytofosternewpartnerships Wethentook aquicktripbacktothehoteltofreshenupbeforeheadingbacktodinneratNICHE,WSUTech’s premierculinaryandhospitalityschool.Thedinneranddessert,preparedbytheirstudents,was fantastic.Whileweate,weheardmoreabouttheirculinaryprogramfromWichitaCity CouncilpersonJosephShepardaboutthegreatthingsgoingoninWichita’sdowntownandthe challengestheyarefacing,whicharen’ttoodifferentthanours.
OnethingthatstoodoutthroughoutthedaywashowcoordinatedWichitahasbeenovertime. Education,industry,workforcedevelopment,andlocalleadershipallseemtiedtogetherinstead ofoperatinginsilos.
DAY THREE
OurlastmorninginWichitawasa welcomechangeofpaceaswestayedat thehotelforadiscussionfocusedon DowntownWichitawithJeffFluhr,the PresidentandCEOoftheGreaterWichita Partnership.Weheardhowithasevolved inthepast15-20years,andhowithas cometogetherwithcomplete collaborationwithinthecommunitywith thesolefocusofimprovingWichita.
Beforeheadinghome,though,we wrappedupthetripwithafinaldebrief andconversationaboutthekeyideasand takeawaysfromthevisit.
The Wichita Business Journal posted a piece about our arrival and plans for our visit
