February 2015, Volume 11, Issue 2, www.manhattan.org
A publication of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce
2015 Leaders’ Retreat Wrap Up
Contact us:
501 Poyntz Avenue Manhattan, KS, 66502-6005 785-776-8829 phone 785-776-0679 fax chamber@manhattan.org www.manhattan.org TDD Kansas Relay Center: 800-766-3777 Connect with the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce through Social Media.
In mid-January, over 250 business leaders from Junction City, Manhattan, Wamego, Geary, Pottawatomie, and Riley County came together for the annual 2015 Regional Leaders Retreat. The main purpose of the Regional Leaders’ Retreat is to strategize and conceptualize, as a region, how we can come together to improve the overall quality of place and life. The focus of this year’s retreat was on collaborating together to increase employment opportunities by retaining the businesses we have and attracting target industries to the region.
The Chamber would like to thank our Platinum sponsor, Sink, Gordon & Associates.
Fort Riley Community Listening Session Monday, February 9, 2015 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Geary County Convention Center – Marriott Courtyard 310 Hammons Drive, Junction City 66441
The upcoming Community Listening Session is the next phase of the Army Force Structure and Stationing Decision process. This process will determine which Army bases will lose soldiers due to the 2013 Budget Control Act also known as the Sequester. The Army has already reduced Army strength from 570,000 to 490,000, and the Army is still in the process of implementing this reduction. The First Infantry Division has already shut down two Brigades; one located on Fort Campbell and another at Fort Leonard Wood and is in the process of closing the Fourth Infantry Brigade Combat Team on Fort Riley. The upcoming Listening Session will pinpoint how to trim the Army further, down to 450,000 or 420,000 troops. The possibility of losing the First Infantry Division is a real possibility in this scenario.
The two day retreat was once again facilitated by Courtney Dunbar, the economic development leader for Olsson Associates. Based on the outcomes from last year’s retreat, 5 Target Advisory Groups (TAGs) came together throughout 2014 to discuss and plan the different ways our region can work toward succeeding together. Presenters included: Matt Crocker, President and Chief Operating Officer from Steel & Pipe Supply Company, speaking on behalf of the Asset Development TAG; Neil Fisher, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer from KBS Constructors, speaking on behalf of the Workforce TAG; Merl Page, City Manager of the City of Wamego, and Stephanie Watts, Transportation
Planner from the Flint Hills Metropolitan Planning Organization, both speaking on behalf of the Regional Transportation TAG; Jim Gordon, Certified Public Accountant from Sink, Gordon & Associates, speaking on behalf of the Branding and Marketing TAG; and Judd Liebau, Community Bank President from INTRUST Bank, speaking on behalf of the Regionalism in Practice TAG. Additional speakers include Peter Van Kuren, Director from the Manhattan Regional Airport, who gave an update on Continued on page 3
Individual seats now on sale for the Chamber’s 90th Annual Meeting & Banquet
Friday, February 20, 2015 Manhattan Conference Center 5:45pm
The Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce 90th Annual Meeting and Banquet will be held Friday, February 20, 2015 at the Manhattan Conference Center. The evening will begin with a cocktail hour at 5:45pm followed by dinner and presentations at 7:00pm. Beginning Monday, February 2nd, individual seating may be purchased for $65 each if a Chamber member and $85 each for a non-member. Tickets will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Contact Laura Anderson at laura@manhattan.org or call the Chamber at 776-8829 for more information