A Monthly Publication of the DECEMBER 2016 Volume 56, Number 12
AT A GLANCE... Business After Hours . . . . December 8 Sleep Number 3015 S. Ninth Street, 5-7pm Social Media Seminar . . December 14 Visit Salina Annex 120 W. Ash, 9-11am Details inside!
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PASS IT ON!
LET THE PEOPLE CHOOSE!
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SDI AND CHAMBER
Downtown News By Penny Bettles, Salina Downtown, Inc. pbettles@salinadowntown.com • 825-0535
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION The Salina Area Chamber of Commerce Chamber Connection (USPS 478-100) is published monthly by the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce, 120 W. Ash, Salina, Kansas 67401. Periodical Postage paid at Salina, Kansas. Subscription rate to members is $1.25 per year. Sylvia A. Rice, Editor. Consolidated Printing, layout and design. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Chamber Connection, PO Box 586, Salina, KS 67402-0586.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIRMAN Brian Richardson Occupational Performance Corporation VICE CHAIRMAN Mark Ritter Crown Distributors, LLC CHAIR-ELECT Guy Walker Blue Beacon International TREASURER Trey Mowery Central National Bank PAST CHAIRMAN Frank Hampton Hampton Financial, LLC PRESIDENT/CEO Don L. Weiser Salina Area Chamber of Commerce Debra Blomquist Accessible Home Care, LLC Brandon Ebert Waddell & Reed, Ebert-Stein Group Dr. Verna Fitzsimmons Kansas State University Salina M. Olaf Frandsen Salina Journal Julie Goetz Salina Regional Health Center Greg Goode Stuart Hieger Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC Peter Johnston Clark, Mize & Linville, Chtd. Tina Lewis Salina Housing Authority Ashley McArthur Long McArthur Ford Michael Spicer Salina Community Theatre, Inc. Ron Stratman Accurate Electric, Inc. Matt Thompson Kansas Wesleyan University Joyce Volk Joyce Volk Insurance Agency, Inc. Frieda Mai Weis PKM Steel Service Mark Zimmerman Salina Supply Company
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Friday Night Live Christmas Show! Friday, December 23rd 7-10PM Heart of Dixie 109 N. Santa Fe Friday Night Live and The Heart of Dixie are putting together a Christmas Show to highlight local talent and the spirit of giving! Local musicians, such as Hannah Schroeder, Quadraphonic, Ethan Martin, RoJean Loucks and others will be performing classic Christmas tunes. There will also be performances by local spoken words artists, Emery Dierks, John E. Epic and more. Admission is FREE and there will be a cash bar. We will have a donation booth set up for local charity, Salina Shares. Come join is for a holiday extravaganza that supports sharing, caring and live music!!
Tis the season to shop local! Here are 5 Reasons to shop downtown Salina this holiday season! 1. Improve your local economy Chances are that the small businesses you are patronizing are owned by someone who lives in your community. This means that the money you spend locally will get filtered back in your local economy. And even if you are buying online, you are still creating a ripple effect through another community. 2. Create Jobs Over the past two decades, small businesses have generated around 65% of new jobs. If independents regained their 1990 market shares, entrepreneurs could create 200,000 new small businesses, generate about $ 300 billion in revenue in the retail and restaurant sectors, and employ more than 1.6 million American workers. 3. Enrich your Community Nobody wants to live in a neighborhood that lacks a small business culture. While franchises and national chain stores play a role in the national economy, we all know that small businesses provide an undeniable vibrancy and sentiment vital to community life. Many people believe that small businesses are not just the economic but also the social heartbeat of America. 4. Personalized Experience Shopping at small local businesses always offers a personal and sincere customer-owner interaction, impossible to replicate with large-scale vendors. Small business shop owners are interested in their clients, know their wants and needs, and are willing to give their customer personal attention to answer questions about their products. Furthermore, a small business owner is passionately and inextricably linked to the success of his or her business, which means they are experts on the product that they create and sell. 5. Original, Handmade Gifts If you like to give original, handmade gifts, you can’t beat shopping at a locally owned business. Small businesses are commonly thought of as trend setters – paving the way for their larger scale counterparts with an unbridled imagination and vision. Also, small businesses usually do not have to scale their product for a mass market, which ensures high craftsmanship and originality.
CHAMBER NEWS
Ribbon Cutting
Follow the Salina Chamber and Visit Salina on Facebook.
The Chamber recently conducted a ribbon cutting to help celebrate the re-opening of Centennial Road, between Schilling Road and Waterwell Road. The City of Salina re-engineered Centennial to better accommodate the commercial traffic it serves.
Pathway Financial has a lot to celebrate! The business recently changed names from Webb & Associates to Pathway Financial AND moved into a beautiful, renovated building at 120 S. Santa Fe!
Chamber Annual Banquet Tickets available to Public Tickets for the Chamber’s Annual Banquet and Membership Meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, February 8, 2017, featuring Carly Fiorina, Chairman and CEO, Hewlett-Packard Company (1999-2005), best-selling author, and challenger for the 2016 Republican Presidential Nomination, are now open to the general public. Cost of dinner tickets are $60 per person for Chamber members and $85 per person to the general public. “We have had a tremendous response to the banquet thus far,” stated Brian Richardson, Chamber Chairman. “Over 700 dinner Carly Fiorina tickets have been sold. Not only is she one of the top female executives in the United States, she has a great message regarding how human potential is a limitless and a uniquely powerful resource that can be unlocked. We are looking forward to an enlightening and entertaining evening.” The banquet will begin at 6:30pm with a plated dinner on the floor of the arena. The program will begin at approximately 7:00pm with remarks by the outgoing Chamber Chairman Brian Richardson and incoming Chamber Chairman Guy Walker, and the address by Carly Fiorina. To order dinner tickets, persons can call the Chamber at 827-9301 ext.123, email Sandy Cole, scole@salinakansas.org, or stop by the Chamber office, 120 W. Ash. For more information on the banquet and Carly Fiorina, people can go to the Chamber’s website at www.salinakansas.org 3
CHAMBER NEWS
Let the People Choose! SculptureTour Salina is gearing up for our biggest give-away of the year! Vote now for your favorite sculpture for your chance to win! All ballots cast through December 31st will be entered to win one of four prize packages in the categories of Kids, Teens, Adult and Mature Adult. There will be tickets to events and attractions, restaurant certificates, an overnight stay, Smoky Hill Silver, and more… SculptureTour Salina ballots are available at downtown businesses, in ballot boxes at each mid-block crosswalk on Santa Fe Avenue downtown, and at the Salina Chamber, Salina Downtown Inc., and Visit Salina offices at 120 W. Ash. This year, there are 22 diverse sculptures from which to choose your favorite. At the end of the year, votes are tallied and the City of Salina purchases the “People’s Choice Award” winning sculpture to add to our community’s permanent sculpture collection. This will be the sixth People’s Choice Award, joining previous winners: 2013 – Farmer (Campbell Plaza) 2011 – Watch Dog (Oakdale Park)
2012 – Sweet Kisses (Oakdale Park)
2014 – Next Up (Oakdale Park Tennis Courts)
2015 – Daughters of Peace (City/County Government Complex)
2016
SculptureTour Salina encourages residents and visitors to enjoy downtown, tour the sculptures, and vote for your favorite piece!
Let’s Get Social! The final session of the Chamber’s Social Media series is on December 14. Hayley Morrical will present “Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Analytics”. Sessions will be held in the Visit Salina Annex from 9-11am. The cost to attend is $20 per session, and you can register online at http://bit.ly/chambersocialmedia.
Search for us at
Salina Chamber and
Visit Salina 4
VISIT SALINA
Good Sports On Saturday, November 26, Salina was privileged to host the KSHSAA 4A Div II State Football Championship game between the Topeka Hayden Wildcats and the Pratt Greenbacks. The beautiful weather brought out a great crowd! The atmosphere was particularly electric for the Pratt team and crowd, who had not seen state competition since 1995. The Greenbacks were victorious with a final score of 48-14. Visit Salina thanks our many volunteers who came out to sell tickets, t-shirts, programs and concessions, to act as team hosts, officials’ hosts and work the pass gate, press box and sidelines. That volunteerism made it possible to host this event, which generated an estimated $203,400+ in direct visitor spending at hotels, restaurants, and retails shops. AND Visit Salina staff will conduct a site visit for a representative of a collegiate level association in December. The day will include a general community driving tour to introduce lodging, dining and shopping options - what Salina has to offer those attending events. Particularly, tours of the Bicentennial Center, KWU facilities and discussions about the Salina Fieldhouse and other City facilities will round out the visit. Good luck Team Salina!
CONGRATULATIONS
to the LaQuinta Inn & Suites, winner of our latest Hotel Room Pick-up Report drawing. Visit Salina’s Tiffany Benien presented Salina Saints tickets to General Manager ty Jessica Robison and her staff. THANK YOU to La Quinta Inn & Suites for being a great Visit Salina partner!
MarqueeWelcomes December Hunters! December
Holiday Shoppers!
December
Family & Friends!
December 10
Prairie Long Rifles Living History Fair
Dollars Sense Recent groups Visit Salina worked with and the estimated visitors’ spending they created in the community:
Disciples of Christ Joint Assembly $75,125 Heart Land Toy Show $6,925 KSHSAA 4A Div II State Football
$203,400
The Big Time! Through a recent marketing placement, Salina is being featured in print ads, and editorial copy of two Horizon Travel publications, plus a digital presence and something a little different. The group produced a 7-second video promoting the arts in Salina, visible here on the Good Morning America marquee in NYC’s Times Square. The video ran 120 times during November.
Board members of the Kansas Bow Hunters Association will hold a meeting in Salina this month. As part of their agenda, they will consider if Salina’s facilities are a good fit for their annual convention in the future. Jo Ann McClure, Sales Manager for Conventions and Military Groups, will participate in the Kansas Society of Association Executives (KSAE) Annual Meeting and Expo. She will represent Salina’s varied venues that host conventions and meetings throughout the year. Other local KSAE members participating in the event include Rolling Hills Zoo, Salina Bicentennial Center and Liberty Hotel Group. Good luck to them all in prospecting! 5
MEMBERSHIP NEWS
In The News
The SALINA FAMILY YMCA is honored to recognize two special volunteers, Pat Bolen and Steve Ryan with the YMCA Lifetime Achievement Award at our Annual Celebration on Monday, December 12th. For ticket information please contact Virginia Spooner at vspooner@salinaymca. org or at 785-825-2151. The Y recently celebrated 130 years of service to the Salina community with an Open House on November 15th and is also excited to announce the hiring of a new Marketing Coordinator, Tanya Show. GOT NEWS? Do you have news to share about your business or organization? Email srice@salinakansas.org and we’ll publish it in an upcoming issue of Chamber Connection. A s a n e i g h b o r h o o d m e d i c a l c e n t e r, MEDEXPRESS URGENT CARE, 2770 S. Ninth Street, offers a broad scope of urgent care, occupational health and wellness and prevention services. The Salina center was the first MedExpress location in Kansas, and there are currently 5 locations in Kansas, with a 6th set to open in Topeka soon. With a warm welcome and a full medical team, all centers are open 12 hours a day, seven days a week, with no appointment needed. Centers offer walk-in treatment for everyday illness and injury, including more advanced offerings such as X-rays, IVs, EKGs, labs, minor surgery, stitches and treatment for broken bones, sprains and strains. Patients can also receive wellness and prevention services such as physicals, wellness exams, tobacco cessation counseling and flu shots. The KANSAS STATE POLYTECHNIC Flight Team placed third overall at the National Intercollegiate Flying Association’s SAFECON Region VI competition, securing a spot at nationals in May 2017. Competition consisted of tests both on the ground and in the air. One of the individual standout moments came from Kansas State Polytechnic senior Chris Messing, Wichita, who accrued enough points to win both Top Scoring Contestant and the Top Pilot award out of more than 80 total participants. The flight team also uses the club to give back to the Salina community, and to connect children with aviation. The team is a part of several events like the AllUniversity Open House and Candy Canes and Airplanes, and also conducts aviation camps in the summer. For more information on the flight
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team, including sponsorship, contact faculty adviser Benjamin Jaffee at 785-826-2978 or bjaffee@k-state.edu. The owners of BERGKAMP, 500 E. Schilling, were recently honored with the 2016 Wichita Business Journal’s Manufacturing, Distributor & Wholesale Award in two categories – Export and Green Initiatives. The company recently hosted its first International Distributor Conference in Salina. Distributors from China, India, Peru, Colombia, Mexico and Chile were given training, tours and equipment demonstrations. Amit Gautam has joined the staff of the KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY BULK SOLIDS INNOVATION CENTER as a researcher in the areas of bulk solids storage and handling. At the center, Gautam is testing bulk solids — loose, dry commodities like minerals, chemicals, sugars, plastic resin, fillers, pellets or recycled plastics — to help clients understand the best way to store and handle their materials. The key tenant of the center is the university, while two local companies, Coperion K-Tron Salina and Vortex Valves, supplement the facility by serving as anchor occupants. For more information on the facility’s research capabilities, contact John Lawrence, research director, at jlawren@k-state.edu, or Kurt Barnhart at 785-826-2972 or kurtb@k-state.edu.
New Members ANGEL ACADEMY PRESCHOOL 1600 Rush Street • Layla Peppers (785) 825-5170 Layla.peppers@coc-salina.org FIVE GUYS BURGERS AND FRIES 3015 S. Ninth, Suite A Mike and Holly Richey (785) 822-0675 • torichey@gmail.com SALINA NUTRITION 2075 S. Ohio, Suite B Michael and Samantha Ropp, Bridget Stokes • (937) 869-1861 roppsamantha10@gmail.com EXPRESSIONS SALON & SPA 134 S. Santa Fe, #110 • Kristina Brin (785) 825-7071 kbrin1971@gmail.com B & K BONDING 158 N. Eighth • Dennis & Pam Berndt (785) 823-3301 dennisb@bandkbonding.kscoxmail.com
SALINA/SALINE COUNTY CRIMESTOPPERS ASSOCIATION PO Box 2044 Jake Peterson, Tracee Powell (785) 825-8477 • jpeterson@cml-law.com tracee.powell@cerner.com SALINA GUNS & HOSES 2260 Shalimar • Michael and Nicole Ascher (785) 822-7183 • Nmg3344@yahoo.com MIDWEST HEALTH MANAGEMENT 7529 E. Schilling Road • Karen Vidricksen (785) 820-6311 kvidricksen@midwest-health.com ULTRA SHINE WINDOW CLEANING 1081 Highway 141 • Brookville, KS 67425 Chris Rios • (785) 820-6851 chris@ultrashinewindowcleaning.com SURE CHECK BROKERAGE 141 S. Fourth • Terry Holovach (785) 823-1334 information@surecheckbrokerage.com
Ambassador of the Year! Tracee Powell, Cerner, has been named Ambassador of the Year for 2016. Tracee secured 32 new members during the year. Tracee Powell, Cerner “Tracee did another outstanding job securing new members this year,” stated Don Weiser, Chamber President/CEO. “She is a great representative of the Chamber, and is passionate about the organization. Obviously, that passion is evident as she’s does a wonderful job conveying to potential members all the reasons membership in the Chamber is a good investment. It’s been a pleasure working with her these past three years.” Tracee will receive a plaque commemorating her accomplishment. She will also be recognized at the Chamber’s Annual Banquet February 8. Congratulations and thank you Tracee!
MEMBERSHIP NEWS
Junior Leadership program being organized Meet Chamber Members Matt & Skyle Stewart, Owners of The Hideaway as you read excerpts from our 5-minute/5-question interview. Can you please give us a three sentence summary of your personal background? I’m very fortunate to have a wife and son I love very much. I enjoy live music, art, great food, bourbon and craft beer. What is it about your business that is unique or special? What separates you from your competitors? We are Salina’s only legitimate neighborhood bar that has been operating for 50 years. Unlike many bars in town, we specialize in custom cocktails that include fresh fruits, vegetables and juices. In general, how is demand for your product or service? People are starting to warm up to the idea of good drinks at a reasonable price. We’re very happy with the reception we have gotten thus far. How long have you been in business and why are you operating in the Salina region? We have only been open for three months. We chose Salina because our family is here and we feel it is a great place to raise a family. What are some of the plans you have for the future of your business? Our bar is small and our aspirations are very modest. We hope to continue perfecting our cocktails, provide great, friendly service and bring great events and live music to Salina. See the entire interview, and others, posted at www.salinakansas.org/chamber/take_5.aspx Want to be interviewed about your business? Contact info@salinakansas.org!
The Salina Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to be a sponsor of an exciting program called Junior Leadership Salina. The program is beginning its 30th year and is open to members of the junior class at Central, South, Sacred Heart, Ell-Saline, Southeast of Saline High Schools, Salina Christian Academy, St. John’s Military School, and Home School students. A maximum of 20 participants will be chosen. Application deadline is Thursday, January 12, 2017. Sessions will include informative presentations by a variety of area leaders, tours, panel discussions and dialogue between participants and program presenters. Each session will be held in the evening and will last two to three hours. Attendance is mandatory for all sessions. The objectives of the program are: * To develop knowledge about the community; * Develop and encourage use of personal leadership skills; * Stimulate interest in becoming involved in community activities and assuming leadership roles. Tuition is $100; however, participants are asked to pay only $25. The remaining $75 will be underwritten by sponsorship from the business community and other interested individuals. Topics and dates for the 2017 program are: “Orientation and Chamber of Commerce”. . February 6 “Local Government” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February 22 “Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March 6 “Business, Finance & Industry”. . . . . . . . . . . March 20 “Putting “U” In Community”. . . . . . . . . . . . . March 27 “Leadership Skills”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 3 For more information about Junior Leadership Salina please contact Don Weiser at 785-827-9031, or go to www.salinakansas.org to access an application.
Dental Coverage – Great Benefit of Chamber Membership Salina Area Chamber of Commerce members receive a variety of benefits. One of those is a program of dental benefits with Delta Dental of Kansas. This unique dental plan is available to member businesses with 1-25 employees. The plan provides partial coverage for diagnostic, preventative, basic and major services. See the enclosed flyer for specific details about guidelines for participation, costs, and sign-up period. 7
BUSINESS HOURS REFRESHMENTS • TOURS • DOOR PRIZES
Sleep Number
PERIODICAL POSTAGE PAID SALINA, KS 67401 120 W. Ash, P.O. Box 586 • Salina, KS 67402-0586 785-827-9301 • fx 785-827-9758 • www.salinakansas.org HELP US KEEP YOUR ADDRESS CORRECT If address is wrong in any respect, please correct directly on the label and return to Chamber of Commerce. Thank You!
3015 S. Ninth St.
Thursday December 8 5-7pm • $5 per person or Fast Pass Nearly 30 years ago, Sleep Number transformed the mattress industry with the idea that ‘one size does not fit all’ when it comes to sleep. Today, the company is the leader in sleep innovation and ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Mattresses” in 2015 by J.D. Power. As the pioneer in biometric sleep monitoring and adjustability, Sleep Number is proving the connection between quality sleep and health and wellbeing. Dedicated to individualizing sleep experiences, the company’s 3,600 employees are improving lives with innovative sleep solutions. To find better quality sleep, visit our new Sleep Number store in Salina and be sure to mention you are a member of the Salina Chamber of Commerce. You can also learn more at SleepNumber.com. There’s only one place to find Sleep Number® beds and SleepIQ® technology – a Sleep Number® store! See and feel how the Sleep Number® bed conforms to you with our exclusive IndividualFit® 3D imaging. This technology is available only at one of our over 500 stores nationwide. Come on out and discover for yourself why J.D. Power ranked Sleep Number® highest in customer satisfaction with mattresses in 2015! Come out, network with fellow Chamber members & check out what Sleep Number has to offer!
For reservations call 827-9301 or email dsmith@salinakansas.org DOOR PRIZES (MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN) $100 CASH ATTENDANCE DRAWING $500, $500, $1,000 MEMBERSHIP DRAWINGS
2017 “Business After Hours” Fast Pass is on sale now! For $30, the pass will gain you admittance to all Chamber After Hour events throughout the year. To order your 2017 Fast Pass, contact Delta at the Chamber office, 827-9301 or email dbryant@salinakansas.org
from the Chamber Staff!