DEI Summit

DIVERSITY,

EQUITY & INCLUSION SUMMIT

100 business executives, nonprofit leaders, community stakeholders and elected officials participated in the Kansas

Diversity Equity and Inclusion Summit, hosted via

Zoom by the Greater Topeka Partnership. The event was made possible by presenting sponsor, Prairie

Band, LLC.

The event shined a light on the importance of inclusive company cultures and gave attendees insight on how to pursue DEI-related policies in their own organizations.

“What you’re really seeing is a shift in requests for people to be recognized,” said Lonnie Walker,

Jr., of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas “If you want to continue to stay in business it’s going to behoove you to grab ahold of diversity, equity and inclusion in an authentic and genuine way and move it forward.”

Speakers included Kuma Roberts, of Arrowhead Consulting; Jarik Conrad, vice president of human insights and human capital management for UKG; and Eugene Kelly, VP of Global Diversity and Inclusion for Colgate-Palmolive.

“We all have a part to play in this work,” Roberts said, “so let’s be sure we embrace that as we move forward and know that we’re all in this together.”

Roberts also pointed out that diversity is about more than race. When championing diversity, it is important to consider such factors as ability, age, immigration status and LGBTQ affiliation.

Congratulations to Jeremy Graber, 20 Under 40 Honoree

JEREMY L. GRABER

jgraber@foulston.com 785.354.9412

Foulston Siefkin LLP thanks Topeka partner-in-charge Jeremy Graber for his bold leadership, commitment to our clients, and support of the Topeka community’s growth.

As a business and tax lawyer, Jeremy focuses on wealth transfer and business succession, estate planning, employee benefits, and real estate. Committed to downtown Topeka, Jeremy oversaw relocation of Foulston’s office to a renovated historic building at 822 S. Kansas. He serves on Topeka’s Junior Achievement board and is a Leadership Topeka alumnus.

Jeremy, an Eagle Scout, stays in touch with Scouting as a den leader and pack chair for his sons.

A connected community creates a strong community.

Cox Communications celebrates our friends and neighbors who have created and cultivated a strong community. We are proud to support the leaders in Kansas making a difference every day.

Find out more at cox.com.

When it comes to your to-do list, put your future first.

To find out how to get your financial goals on track, contact us for a complimentary review.

FAP-1966F-A

Scott D Van Genderen, CFP®, ChFC®, AAMS®

Financial Advisor 4009 Sw 10th Ave Topeka, KS 66604-1916 785-273-2277

edwardjones.com

Member SIPC

VISITNEWS FROM TOPEKA

Visit Topeka’s sports sales representative spent November catching up from the various tradeshows held in October. Great contacts were made at those shows, and now the real work of building those relationships begins. In November, Visit Topeka confirmed a definite sports lead that will bring about 1,000 attendeeds to the area, resulting in an estimated $100,500 local economic impact. In addition, the team has 16 total sports leads in the pipeline, accounting for more than 8,000 rooms and $8.3 million in local economic impact. Ten new prospects also developed, including BMX, boxing, bowling, gymnastics and flag football events. Conversations about potentially bringing those events to Topeka are ongoing. In November, Visit Topeka also got word that the 2020 Kansas Shrine Bowl it helped organize received a 2020 Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism Award.

LOOKING AHEAD

Visit Topeka is in the midst of crafting its two-year strategic plan, which will go into effect in 2022. The final strategic plan was due to the Visit Topeka board, along with the tourism organization’s final budget and business plan for the year. Visit Topeka is optimistic about the planning process and anticipates a strong spring of 2022, especially when it comes to family travel. Targeted marketing efforts are also in the works but have yet to be announced.

Visit Topeka brought home three first-place awards at the annual Kansas Tourism Conference. Visit Topeka was awarded first place in 2021 for “Large Budget In House Visitors Guide; ” “Large Budget Community Awareness” and “Large Budget Event.” Inclusive Topeka was the “Large Budget Community Awareness” project for which Visit Topeka was recognized, and Thunder Over the Heartland was the “Large Budget Event” that earned first-place recognition. Representing Visit Topeka at the conference, from left, Mike Bell, Logan Hildebrand, Melissa Sowers and Sean Dixon.

DINO DAYS

On Nov. 29, Visit Topeka and local tourism partners announced 2022 Topeka Dino Days, a collaborative effort to encourage spring travel to the capital city through the creation and promotion of a four-month-long exhibition that will span various family-oriented venues across the city. The effort unites Visit Topeka, The Topeka Zoo & Conservation Center, the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center, Shawnee County Parks and Recreation, Downtown Topeka Inc., and the Topeka Lodging Association. Area exhibits could bring up to 100,000 additional visitors to the city in spring 2022. Visit Topeka estimates those visitors may inject $4 million to $5 million in the local economy over the course of their stays. Topeka Dino Days’ core exhibits will include displays at Great Overland Station, The Topeka Zoo and Kansas Children’s Discovery Center. A full-size cast of an Allosaurus skeleton will also be set up in our downtown visitors’ center. To read more about Topeka Dino Days, check out reporting by our local media partners: • (CJOnline) “Tyrannosaurus Rex Sue’s life-sized replica will be part of dinosaur-themed campaign in Topeka” • (KSNT) “Dinosaur exhibits coming to Topeka with county commission’s approval” • (WIBW) “Topeka will soon be a hot site for dinosaur spottings”