Salina Chamber Newsletter February 2016

A Monthly Publication of the FEBRUARY 2016 Volume 56, Number 2

AT A GLANCE...

Chamber Annual Banquet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February 4 Salina Bicentennial Center, 6:30pm Business After Hours . . . . February 11 Greater Salina Community Foundation, 5-7pm Business After Hours . . . . February 25 Salina Regional Airport/Great Lakes Airlines, 5-7pm Business After Hours . . . . . . . March 3 Salina Liberty/Bicentennial Center, 5-7pm Details inside!

ON OUR WEBSITE...

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SAYP’S MISSION TO DEFINE SALINA’S FUTURE See page 4

PASS IT ON! n n n n

Human Resources Communications Sales Staff Break Area

SDI

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 Salina Area Technical College 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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The benefits of being in Salina Downtown!

Business Insentives

Every business start-up or expansion is cash intensive. Salina Downtown has the tools in place to help facilitate your business formation and development. Business Incentives are meant to strengthen the economic viability of the district.

Salina Downtown proudly offers these following incentives just for being located in the district: Facade Improvement Program The Facade Program focuses on improving the exterior of existing buildings and constructing new commercial buildings.

New Business Recruitment Loans New Business Recruitment promotes new businesses or relocation of existing businesses into Salina Downtown.

Cluster Marketing Grants Cluster Marketing promotes cooperative marketing of multiple downtown businesses.

“Blue Skye Brewery would not be open without the guidance of SDI and the funding through new business recruitment loans. I did not have the resources necessary to fund the project and this started the whole chain of events regarding financing. This gave me the opportunity to secure the larger SBA loan. I am very grateful for the way Project Open and SDI paved the way to our current success”. ~Monte Shadwick, Blue Skye Brewery and Eats Recipient of New Business Recruitment Loans and Façade grant funding.

Communication and Advocacy

Salina Downtown, Inc. believes in continued relationship building because we want your business to succeed. We understand that the long term vitality of our downtown results from the long term vitality of its business members.

Communication is key in building a strong downtown. We communicate effectively through monthly newsletters, social media and a vibrant website.

In 2011, Salina Downtown, Inc. partnered with the City of Salina to install more than 300 LED decorative lights throughout the BID district!

Bicycle Racks coming spring of 2016

Special Events

A primary focus of Salina Downtown, Inc. is to generate activity downtown.

We actively create and support opportunities for our businesses to attract customers year-round.

Salina Downtown Annual Events: • St. Paddy’s Day Pub Crawl • SculptureTour Salina UNwrap Party • Zombie Pub Crawl • Big BooRama • Shop Small Saturday • Holiday Open Houses • Christmas Festival and Parade of Lights

CHAMBER NEWS

Meet our

Volunteer

Follow the Salina Chamber and Visit Salina on Facebook.

Hank Boyer began her ‘Chamber volunteer career’ with the new millennium. She has Hank Boyer, served in many capacities, the sign of a HCB Management Services dedicated volunteer. Hank chairs our Hospitality Committee, helping to manage Business After Hours events where she often emcees.

Through the years she has served as a member of Diplomats, the All America Team, and the Annual Banquet Speaker committee. Visit Salina benefits greatly from Hank’s generous time commitment as well. You could find her working at KSHSAA state events – Wrestling, and Baseball/Softball, or the NJCAA basketball tournament, as well as the KKOA Car Show and No-till on the Plains Winter Conference. She has served as a reviewer with the Cultural Arts Regional Marketing (CARM) program, and is the current chair of the Convention and Tourism Advisory Committee. Other organizations have counted Hank among their volunteer force including Salina Area United Way, Salina Downtown, Inc., Salina Optimists, Salina Parks & Rec and Christ the King Lutheran Church. It’s obvious why Hank has been recognized as a past recipient of the Chamber’s Dr. Mace Braxton Volunteer of the Year Award! THANKS Hank!

There is still a place for you on the May 2016 international trip to the Alpine Countries, being planned by the Salina, Manhattan and Junction City Chambers of Commerce. Salina will host an informational meeting at the Visit Salina Annex, 120 W. Ash on Monday, February 15 at 6pm. Contact Sandy Cole at the Chamber for more info – scole@salinakansas.org or (785) 827-9310, ext 123.

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CHAMBER NEWS

Young Professionals Welcome New Changes in 2016 After a recent revamp, the Salina Area Young Professionals (SAYP) organization has started the year strong with their annual Kick-off event, hosted by the Salina Bicentennial Center. This year so far, the volunteer leadership has been restructured, a new President has been inducted, SAYP has created membership dues to enhance the member experience, only have a hand in that matter, but showcase themselves as and ushered in new grapics across the board. well. Salina has a lot to offer. We want to make sure people SAYP ended 2015 with the creation of six steering know that, so we can help create lifelong, successful Salinans,” committees: Social, Civic Engagement, Marketing, Business Connections, Salina Scenes, and Education. Each crew is led by Quinley continued.

In millennial fashion, the group’s first act was to rebrand the a Chair and Co-Chair and consists of YP members. In addition to appointing a Chair and Co-Chair for the crew, SAYP selected website and other promotional materials, courtesy of Destro Kevin Quinley of Waddell & Reed, Inc. as President, and Austin Media. The website showcases new features and information about the group. The restructure Hoppock of Land Title Services as also includes membership dues Upcoming SAYP Events Vice-President.

February 15 @ 5:30p, Salina Optimist Club’s NOW event of $50 annually. The membership “It is said that each person dues will go towards funding becomes the average of the people February 19 @ 6p, Moonshine Sessions with “Carrie Nation and the Speakeasy” at Paramount Bar upcoming civic, professional they are around the most. I believe February 24 and 25 @ 12:30p, Lunch Club development, and other events.

SAYP provides a great platform March 24 @ 5p, Thirsty Third Thursday at Chuck’s Bar To become a member of SAYP, March 30 and 31 @ 12:30p, Lunch Club to allow the talented group of the join a committee, learn about next generation of Salina to rub events or for more information please visit salinakansasyp. off on each other. From a sponsorship standpoint, I don’t know com or contact the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce at of a business that wants to be successful for the long-term, that hmorrical@salinakansas.org or doesn’t have an interest in molding the next generation,” said 827-9301. For sponsorship opportunities see the insert!

Quinley. “SAYP gives local businesses the opportunity to not

Junior Leadership Class Chosen The Chamber is proud to introduce the Junior Leadership Salina Class of 2016. Now in its 29th year, the program 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. Interested students complete an application process and from those, a class is chosen.

2016 Junior Leadership Class members are: Ell-Saline High School: Duncan Anglin, Tifanie Becker, Kodee Christensen; St. John’s Military School: Caleb Kirkpatrick, Daniel Wei; Southeast of Saline: Bryce Banks, Evelyn Barnhart, Jess Koehn, Aspen McElderry, Jackson Montgomery, Kendall Schlesener, Taylor Wells; Sacred Heart: Gabrielle Diederich, Rayne Schmidtberger, Kelli Ward; Salina

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High School South: Dylan Kruep, Logan Maxwell; Salina High School Central: Mykenzee Bergeson, Paige Hieger, Lea Leonhardt, Emma Norris, Riley Rundell, Abigail Schroeder, Dylan Wentzel, Justice Williams.

The six-session curriculum includes presentations by a variety of area leaders, tours, panel discussion and dialogue between participants and program presenters. The objectives of the program are to develop knowledge about the community, develop and encourage use of personal leadership skills, and stimulate interest in becoming involved in community activities and assuming leadership roles.

For more information about Junior Leadership, contact Don Weiser at the Chamber, dweiser@salinakansas.org or (785) 827-9301.

VISIT SALINA

Good Sports!

Salina is proud to host the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) Class 4A State Wrestling Championships, February 26 & 27 at the Salina Bicentennial Center. Salina will celebrate our 10th consecutive year as host to the 4A State Championships.

The event creates a conservatively estimated $425,000 annually in direct visitor spending to the Salina community. More than 224 wrestlers from 54 schools, PLUS coaches, media, officials, staff, volunteers and some very enthusiastic wrestling fans attend.

Mark Lentz, KSHSAA Asst. Executive Director stated, “The people of Salina and the city continue to welcome the KSHSAA MEMBER SCHOOLS, athletes and fans each and every year. We look forward to great hospitality from a welcoming community.”

Tickets for 4A State Wrestling will be available at the Bicentennial Center Box Office throughout the event.

Friday all day admission - $9.00 for students and $11.00 for adults Saturday all day admission - $9.00 for students and $11.00 for adults In each of the 14 weight classes, the top 16 wrestlers will be bracketed. Updates will be posted on-line at kshsaa.org. For more information about KSHSAA State Wrestling, including volunteer opportunities, contact Tiffany at Visit Salina, tbenien@salinakansas.org or (785) 827-9310 x130.

MarqueeWelcomes February 19-21

St. John’s Military School Parents

February 20-21

Salina Home & Leisure Show

February 26-27

KSHSAA 4A State Wrestling

February 27-28

USA KS Kids Wrestling 6U

Dollars Sense Recent groups Visit Salina worked with and the estimated visitors’ spending they created in the community:

Kansas Society of Land Surveyors $79,150 TWIST $20,625 X-Treme Gymnastics $69,500 No-till on the Plains $178,950 KS Kids Wrestling $291,350

St. John’s Military School (SJMS) brings many visitors to our community each year, including during Parents Weekend (February 19-21). Though perhaps not traditional ‘conventions’, Parents Weekends in February and September, enrollment, graduation and other visits certainly generate important visitor spending in our economy, at hotels, restaurants, shops and attractions. This school term, 125 students from 6th through 12th grade make up the cadet corps at SJMS. The cadets come from 24 states in the US and 4 other countries. During Parents Weekend, they expect 400 family members to visit their cadets and enjoy Salina.

Visit Salina provides welcome packets for parents to get a glimpse of what the community has to offer, from local dining options to cultural experiences and shopping. If you see SJMS families over the weekend, take a moment to share our hospitality and welcome them to Salina!

Did You Know?

Visitor spending in Saline County ranks 6th among all counties in the state.

Source – Tourism Economics, 2014 Data

Search for us at

Salina Chamber and

Visit Salina 5

MEMBERSHIP NEWS

In The News

JOHN BOSSEMEYER, owner of Boss Realty, LLC, has relocated to 204 S. Santa Fe, Suite 4. John specializes in commercial and residential real estate.

The GREAT PLAINS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® INC. announces the following Awards for 2015. Rookie of the Year (co-winners), Mark Baxa, Juanelle Garretson; Salesperson of the Year, Owen Freiburger; REALTOR® of the Year, Mary Kindlesparger; Distinguished Service Award, Diana Dierks.

Also, 2016 Officers and Directors of the Salina Multiple Listing Service, Inc. are: President Gabe Grant, Vice-President Owen Freiburger, Sec-Treasurer Melanie Regnier, Directors John Bossemeyer, Morgan Powell and Past President Mary Kindlesparger.

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 salinakansas.org.

KANSAS STATE POLYTECHNIC announces that physics professor Richard Zajac is the 2015 recipient of the Marchbanks Memorial Award to Teaching Excellence. Zajac has served the campus for 20 years.

ROLLING HILLS ZOO has received Top Honors in International Conservation for 2015

by The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). This honor is in recognition for the AZA Zoos Giving Voice to the Sahara: Sahara Conservation Fund (SCF) as a model for a zoo-driven conservation movement. The success of this outstanding project is a credit to all participants and a great example of what can be accomplished by working in concert and with local communities to conserve wildlife and habitats, and Rolling Hills Zoo is proud to be at the forefront of wildlife conservation.

You are invited Thursday, February 18, from 4-7 pm to experience the NEW SMOKY HILL HEALTH AND REHABILITATION, 1007 Johnstown. Guests are welcome to come and visit, take tours and enjoy appetizers.

They look forward to showing you around.

For more information please contact Cathy Boos 785-338-2996.

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SALINA FAMILY HEALTHCARE CENTER has received National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) patient-centered medical home recognition. Medical homes foster ongoing partnerships between patients and their personal clinicians, overseen by clinician-led care teams. Recognition shows that Salina Family Healthcare Center has the tools, systems and resources to provide patients with the right care at the right time.

New Members VERIZON A WIRELESS 1200 E. Crawford, Ste. A Jeff Brooks, Candice Ford, Tiffany Rahe (785) 404-3133 candice.ford@awireless.com ORAL FACIAL AND IMPLANT SURGERY 611 E. Iron Patrick Lucaci (785) 829-8200 salinaoms@gmail.com ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE SERVICES 806 E. Crawford Rita Cooper (785) 823-5063 jjrc@cox.net ECONO LODGE INN & SUITES 1846 N. Ninth Shamir Bhakta (785) 827-0356 shamir.bhakta@gmail.com HIGHER PRAISE CHURCH 1220 Greeley Ed Mathis (785) 819-3301 info@salinahigherpraise.com BARTH CROUCH 2530 Argonne Drive (785) 452-0780 barch.crouch@gmail.com KANSAS BANKERS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC 2035 E. Iron #234 Thomas Stein, Dahx Marrs (785) 201-9199 tstein@ksbanktgech.com

Meet Chamber Member Tamara Howe, Owner/ Director of Tamara Howe School of Dance as you read excerpts from our 5-minute/5-question interview.

What is it about your business that is unique or special?

What seperates you from your competitors?

Our mission at THSD is to “Dream.....

Believe......Dance”. Participation at THSD goes far beyond mastering steps, learning dances and winning awards. Our dance lessons teach life lessons including building self-esteem, encouraging team work, developing selfdiscipline, musicality, self-expression and an appreciation for the language, art and history of dance. We encourage our dancers to be civic minded, to get involved in their community and to use their gifts to give back to others through a variety of means including our Helping Hands concert that benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters of Salina and our Friends and Family Showcase that raises scholarship money to help send our dancers to summer intensive programs.

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!

MEMBERSHIP NEWS

Ribbon Cuttings End Iron Inn, 100 S. College Ave., recently celebrated their grand opening with a Chamber ribbon cutting.

The opening of Salina Regional Urgent Care Clinic, 2265 S. Ninth St., was celebrated with a Chamber ribbon cutting, followed by a Business After Hours.

An inexpensive direct-mail marketing tool for Chamber members will be March 1.

To participate, deliver to the Chamber office, 1,500 pre-printed 8 ½ x 11 flyers (not folded) advertising your product or service. The Chamber will then mail the flyers to the entire membership.

Cost is $95. New members get their first mailing free. The deadline to have your flyers to the Chamber office is Monday, February 22.

Don’t miss this opportunity to market your product or service to Chamber members and reach a powerful business group with this low cost direct mail program.

Questions? Contact the Chamber office at 827-9301.

Legislative Issues Meeting February 20th In an effort to keep area citizens informed on state legislative activity during the 2016 state legislative session, the first of a series of Legislative Issue Meetings with our local Saline County Legislative Delegation will be held Saturday, February 20, 8:30-10am, at the Chamber’s Visit Salina Annex.

Other meetings will be held Saturday, March 19, and Saturday, May 21 at the same time and location.

Senator Tom Arpke, and Representatives Steven Johnson, Diana Dierks, and J. R. Claeys, have been invited to attend.

The format of the meetings will consist of opening remarks from the legislators, questions from the audience, and closing remarks from the legislators.

The meetings are sponsored by AT&T. They are free and open to the public.

Legislative Hotline 1-800-432-3924 • www.kslegislature.org

How to contact your Legislators Tom Arpke, Senator (R) 24th District Mobile: 785-820-6138 300 SW 10th Avenue, 135-E • Topeka, KS 66612 785-296-7369 Email: tom.arpke@senate.ks.gov J.R. Claeys, Representative (R) 69th District Mobile: 785-250-5758 300 SW 10th Avenue, Room 274-W • Topeka, Kansas 66612 785-296-7670 Email: jrclaeys@house.ks.gov Diana Dierks, Representative (R) 71st District Mobile: 785-820-7504 300 SW 10th Avenue, Room 519-N • Topeka, KS 66612 785-296-7642 Email: diana.dierks@house.ks.gov Steven C. Johnson, Representative (R) 108th District Mobile: 913-940-6526 300 SW 10th Avenue, Room 286-N • Topeka, Kansas 66612 785-296-7696 Email: steven.johnson@house.ks.gov

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BUSINESS HOURS REFRESHMENTS • TOURS • DOOR PRIZES

Greater Salina Community Foundation

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!

8th Floor, 119 W. Iron Thursday, February 11 5-7pm • $5 per person

The Greater Salina Community Foundation is the largest community foundation in Kansas, and exists to assist the very generous community in Salina and 12 affiliate communities in North Central Kansas to provide charitable gifts to their favorite charities.

These generous donors have provided $50 million in grants through GSCF over the past 16 years. The GSCF currently has endowment and other assets exceeding $150 million in value, and is ranked #1 in the country in investment returns for their asset size.

Salina Regional Airport Great Lakes Airlines Hangar 600 - 2720 Arnold Court Thursday, February 25 5-7pm • $5 per person

Join us at Salina Regional Airport’s Hangar 600 and learn about the advantages of non-stop flights from the Salina Regional Airport to the Denver International Airport on Great Lakes Airlines.

Service begins this spring, but you can meet the Great Lakes staff, tour the airline’s Embraer Brasilia and get ready to book your flights while you enjoy appetizers and drinks at this BAH event.

Membership Winner!

2016 “Business After Hours” Fast Pass

Don’t forget to order your 2016 “Business After Hours” Fast Pass. For $30, the pass will gain you admittance to all Chamber After Hour events throughout the year. There are 23 BAH events currently scheduled, so that averages at $1.30 per event, a GREAT savings! To order your Fast Pass, email Delta at dbryant@salinakansas.org or call her at the Chamber office, (785) 827-9301.

Salina Liberty

Bicentennial Center - 800 Midway Thursday, March 3 5-7pm • $5 per person Salina Liberty invites you to come out and meet a few of the football players and members of the Liberty Belles dance team. Check out the newly renovated Bicentennial Center and linger afterwards to watch their players practice as they prepare for their weekend face off with their rival, the Wichita Force.

Come out, network with fellow Chamber members & check out what Greater Salina Community Foundation, Salina Regional Airport - Great Lakes Airlines and Salina Liberty have 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 DRAWING

Robert Lipson Robert Lipson, Brown & Bigelow, Manhattan, a $500 Membership Drawing at the January “Business After Hours” hosted by Kansas Wesleyan University.

Pictured presenting the check to Robert is Hank Corcoran Boyer, chairman of the Chamber’s Hospitality Task Force. Amanda Michaelis, Salina Area United Way, won the $100 Attendance Drawing at the event as well.

$ It Pays to Attend $