TOPMag Winter 2022

GREATER TOPEKA PARTNERSHIP

FALL/WINTER 2022

MEMBERS ONLY

Momentum MOMENTUM 2027 KICKING OFF

THE FUTURE OF DOCKING LGT CLASS OF 2023 ANNOUNCED

Meeting challenges since 1892 For more than a century, we have met challenges such as epidemics, financial market disruptions, wars, natural disasters and more. Through them all, we remained committed to our strategic focus which is built on the belief that everyone deserves an opportunity to achieve financial security — despite the struggles the country may face. While we call Topeka home, our reach extends across the nation. We are a leader in the U.S. retirement market and continue our legacy of helping people To and Through Retirement®.

Security Benefit products are available exclusively through independent financial professionals.

For more information about Security Benefit, visit SecurityBenefit.com.

SB-10027-55 | 2023/02/01

lt

LETTER FROM THE

EDITOR T

hanks for checking out the latest edition of Top Mag! In the pages ahead, you’ll find a rundown of what the Greater Topeka Partnership and our founding organizations have been up to in recent months — and let me tell you, there is no shortage of good news to report.

From recognizing our community’s progress at the 2022 State of the Community in November to celebrating a variety of wins — like finalization of plans for the future of the Docking State Office Building, moving forward with the Topeka Area Sports Commission, bringing hundreds of new residents to Shawnee County through Choose Topeka, and SO much more — Top Mag is a reflection of the great work the GTP and our community partners have been doing to improve local and regional economic prosperity.

When we talk about economic prosperity, we mean prosperity for everyone, because we know all members of our community deserve the opportunity to live their best lives.

Downtown Topeka, GO Topeka, the Topeka Chamber and Visit Topeka are all working to that end, in their own ways.

With our next community strategy, Momentum 2027, now underway, the months and years ahead will be all about taking Topeka and Shawnee County to the next level! If you haven’t already joined the movement, we hope you’ll do your part to carry the momentum forward.

" ...we know all members of our community deserve the opportunity to live their best lives. "

Sincerely,

India Yarborough GTP Director of Communications

EDITOR

Please recycle this magazine or pass it on to a friend.

CONTRIBUTORS

Bob Ross Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications India Yarborough Director of Communications

Jared Hitchens Erin Young Cassie Carlson Israel Sanchez

All information is accurate at the time of printing.

However, the Greater Topeka Partnership does not assume responsibility for accuracy.

All rights reserved.

Carolyn Lang

Marketing Director Account Manager Account Manager Marketing Project Mgr.

LAYOUT & DESIGN Brand Manager

The University of Kansas Health System St. Francis Campus is proud to be a part of a long legacy of high-quality, compassionate care. For more than 100 years, the hospital has combined compassionate care with lifesaving technological advancements to our patients and the communities we serve. St. Francis Campus has 378 licensed inpatient beds, 14 primary and specialty care clinic locations – including a cancer center location in partnership with The University of Kansas Cancer Center.

1700 SW 7th St. Topeka, Kansas 66606 785-295-8000 KUTopeka.com

^

Population Growth

TOPEKA, KANSAS

Shawnee County saw its fastest population growth in 10 years between 2019 and 2021.

^

Diversity Growth

THE CAPITAL OF

^

GDP Increase

Shawnee County GDP grew by $1.12 billion from 2020 to 2021, making it one of the largest local economies in Kansas.

Topeka’s diversity increased by 6.8% from 2019 to 2021, led by growth in the Hispanic and bi-racial populations.

OPPORTUNITY & GROWTH LIVE HERE. BUILD HERE. GROW HERE. GOTOPEKA.COM

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6

40

CONTENTS State of the Community................................6 LGT 2023 Class Announced.........................8

Local Sports..............26

The Future of Docking................................12 Visit Topeka..............................................14 Talent Attraction........................................16

Member/Partner News..............................28 New Members..........................................30 Downtown Topeka.....................................31

Forge Young Talent..............18

Partnership Events.....................................32 General GTP News...................................33 Chamber News........................................34 Small Business..........................................38

Partnership News......................................20

DEI Update...............................................38

Employment, Workforce, Economy..............22

Momentum Campaign...............................40

Innovation in the Heartland........................24

Media Highlights......................................41 Winter 2022 | 5

STATE OF THE

COMMUNITY

N

ovember kicked off with a gathering at Townsite Ballroom for 2022 State of the Community. We heard from Mayor Mike Padilla and County Commission Chair Aaron Mays, while reminiscing about where we’ve been and getting excited for the road ahead.

Thank you to all our attendees and sponsors, especially presenting sponsor Evergy!

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STATE O

UNITY MM

E CO H T F

2022

Winter 2022 | 7

LGT 2023

CLASS ANNOUNCED F

ounded in 1984, Leadership Greater Topeka, a Greater Topeka Partnership program, identifies aspiring and established leadership from the community to participate in an annual leadership training course.

Class members attend a retreat and eight daylong sessions that begin in January and continue through May. During these classes, they learn about challenges facing Topeka and Shawnee County and how they can work to influence important The class of 2023 was selected from over 160 nominations and are: CRAIG BARNES................................Division Manager Shawnee County Health Department JACQUELINE BELDEN...................... Program Manager Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library FAITH CAVAZOS............................................. Student Shawnee Heights High School BRENY CLAIN.................................................. Major 190th Air Refueling Wing KARINA DIXON.................. Human Resources Manager KBS Constructors SAMUEL FEATHER............................................ Partner Goodell Stratton Edmonds & Palmer RENEE FRANKLIN.......................Pre-production Quality Control Specialist Southwest Publishing and Mailing ROBERTO GONZALES.......................... Area Manager Goodyear Tire & Rubber Plant

MINDY HARDENBROOK................VP Retail Manager/ Branch Network Corefirst Bank & Trust JAKE HOLLY.................................................. Attorney Foulston Siefkin LLP ROMAE ISOM................................... Shelter Manager YWCA - Northeast Kansas NICK JEFFERSON.......................................Attorney III City of Topeka EUGENE JONES................Student Support Coordinator Communities in Schools ANDREA KABERLINE....................Chief Lending Officer Envista Credit Union STEPHANIE LANNING...................................Registrar Washburn University LINDSAY LEBAHN............................ Program Manager Plug and Play Tech Center TYLER LEVIER........................... Chief Operating Officer Prairie Band LLC TIFFANY LIESMANN..................... Clinical Pharmacist Commercial Markets Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas CAITLIN LUTTJOHANN.................Vice President of Play and Learning Kansas Children's Discovery Center

JARROD GUTH..........Community Engagement Manager Capper Foundation

MARISOL MARCELO............. Director of Marketing and Public Relations Brennan-Mathena Funeral Home

RHONDA HAMILTON...............Administrator Specialist Bartlett & West

KEEGAN MCELROY....................................... Attorney Alderson Law Firm

8 | TOP

ASHLEY MAYER.............................. Executive Producer Mammoth Creative Co KYLIE MERGEN.............. Community Investment Officer, Director of Housing and Com. Dev. FHLBank Topeka GRAHAM MOULDEN........................Aircraft Mechanic 190th Air Refueling Wing PERRY PLUMMER....................... Asst. Branch Manager Capitol Federal JADE RAMSDELL....... Performance Improvement Director KS Depart. of Health and Environment ADRIAN REVELS...........................Production Associate Goodyear Tire & Rubber Plant RUBEN SALAMANCA................................... Sergeant Topeka Police Department

2027 LAUNCH OFFICIALLY STARTS 2023

W

ith 2023 upon us, Momentum 2027 has begun. With equity at the center of the efforts, this first year of the community strategy will put into play 18 of its 21 strategic initiatives. We ask you to review the list and consider how your organization can have a positive impact on the initiatives below. There is great work already happening in the areas of Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Building, Child Care, and Housing. To find out more, contact Michelle Cuevas Stubblefield, SVP of strategy, at Michelle.Stubblefield@topekapartnership.com.

NAZ SHAREEF.............. Treasury Relationship Manager INTRUST Bank

Topeka-Shawnee County Housing Strategies

DARIN STEPHENS.............................................Broker Stone and Story Real Estate Group, LLC

Downtown and NOTO Master Plan

COLTON STRATHMAN................. Successor Manager/ Sales Exec. Coord.

Strathman Sales Co., Inc

Gateways and Corridors

JOSH STURM.............................. Operations Manager Evergy Plaza-Oak View Group SAMUEL SUTTON.................................... Owner/Pilot Fulks Helicopter Service

Housing Advocacy Task Force 21st Century Riverfront Topeka Arts and Culture Master Plan Active Recreation Initiatives Existing Business Services Career Connections Program ASTRA Innovation Center and District Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Building Targeted Corporate Attraction

LARA WAITS............. Team Member Relations Manager Prairie Band Casino & Resort

Developer Outreach and Engagement

JERMEL WALKER......................................... Supervisor City of Topeka

Washburn Next

ARIANNA WOMACK..................................... Student Shawnee Heights High School INDIA YARBOROUGH.............Communications Director Greater Topeka Partnership

C2C Collaborative and Data Exchange Career Navigation Center Child Care Task Force Diversity and Inclusion Strategy “My Topeka” Campaign Choose Topeka 2.0 Talent Immersion Efforts

CHAD YEAGER.............. Vice President Clinical Quality Stormont Vail Health Winter 2022 | 9

Top-ranked Public Regional University in Kansas 5th Lowest Debt Among Public Regional Universities in the Midwest 29th Regional University for Veterans in the Midwest

Making a difference for Kansans.

We strive to partner with local businesses and organizations to strengthen our community and build a culture around health.

by U.S. News and World Report (2022-2023)

www.washburn.edu

BlueCross BlueShield

Kansas A connected community creates a strong community.

800-432-3990

Visit us at bcbsks.com

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.

1133 SW Topeka Blvd, Topeka, KS 66629 TOP 0223 An independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

Dining

DOWNTOWN TOPEKA Discover the flavors of downtown Topeka. Enjoy new dishes and world class hospitality in the heart of the capitol city of Kansas.

https://downtowntopekainc.com

THE FUTURE OF PLANS BEING FINALIZED FOR DOCKING STATE OFFICE BUILDING

D

DOCKING

esigners and architects within the Department of Administration have put finishing touches on their plans for the future Docking State Office Building. The current plan is to carefully dismantle the existing Docking structure, carefully preserving the massive relief sculptures on the sides of the building, as well as vast quantities of the existing limestone and granite. It is estimated that 80-90% of the current structure will be reused in the new three-story structure.

Designers have gone to great lengths to produce a plan that pays homage to the original Docking building by echoing some of its architectural profile and displaying relief sculptures around the grounds for future visitors to enjoy up close. Docking 2.0 will also be among the state’s “greenest” buildings, substantiated by the fact that, though the building will house the State Capitol complex’s massive underground powerplant — which is critical to the functioning of the complex as a whole — Docking 2.0 will not use it. The new building’s innovative design will make reliance on the legacy utilities unnecessary.

12 | TOP

Winter 2022 | 13

[ VISITTOPEKA ]

TOPEKADINODAYS.C

OM

VISIT TOPEKA WINS MULTIPLE AWARDS PLANNING BEGINS FOR 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF BROWN V. BOARD Planning has begun for the Brown v. Board of Education 70th anniversary in 2024. Multiple groups have expressed interest in making this event as large and inclusive as possible in Topeka. Additionally, Visit Topeka is working with representatives in multiple states as part of the U.S. Civil Rights Trail to create a national commemoration of the Brown decision and the end to school segregation.

14 | TOP

V

isit Topeka is being honored for travel marketing excellence by Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI), at the organization’s annual Adrian Awards Celebration being held Feb. 23 in Los Angeles.

The Adrian Awards, now in their 66th year, is the largest and most prestigious competition in global travel marketing. For 2022, Adrian Awards are being presented in advertising, digital, PR/communications and integrated campaign categories, as well as the following “focus categories”: • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Marketing (inclusive marketing that considers diversity in all forms); • Recruitment Marketing (tactics used to attract and retain employees); and • Audience Marketing on New Platforms (marketing programs on new consumer technology channels, including TikTok, gaming and NFTs).

Visit Topeka is being honored with both silver and bronze Adrian Awards for 2022. The destination marketing organization (DMO) will receive a Silver Adrian Award for its Topeka Dino Days Integrated Marketing Campaign and a Bronze Adrian for its Pride Kansas Public Relations Campaign.

Visit Topeka’s Adrian Awards come on the heels of other notable honors, including a 2022 Travel Industry Association of Kansas Marketing Award for the Topeka Dino Days campaign. Local partner Sprout Creative was also recognized for its work on Topeka Dino Days with a Platinum MarCom Award, and and Visit Topeka president Sean Dixon in October was named named one of Northstar Meeting Group’s most influential meetings industry professionals for 2022.

POV

Januar

VISIT TOPEKA TOUTS

14 SPORTS AND 16 CONVENTION

TOPEKA CITY GUIDE PREPPED FOR PRINT In recent months, GTP and Visit Topeka staff have been hard at work on the 2023 Topeka City Guide.

They neared completion on both English and Spanish versions of the guide in late 2022, with both versions sent off to print in January.

LEADS IN THE PIPELINE

20 23 CO

MP LE TE

CI TY GU

ID E

2023 TOPEKA GUIDE

GIRAFFES AND MORE

GO ON SAFARI AT THE TOPEKA ZOO’S NEWEST EXHIBIT!

V

FIESTA MEXICANA

CELEBRATE THE CITY’S MEXICAN HERITAGE WITH FOOD, MUSIC AND MORE EACH SUMMER!

isit Topeka’s sports sales division ended 2022 strong, with 61 total leads accounting for 28,935 room nights, 58,850 attendees and an estimated $19.96 million local economic impact. Near the end of the year, the pipeline of leads sat at 14, with those potentially resulting in 6,607 room nights and a $6.5 million economic impact in the community.

Meanwhile, the year-end pipeline of leads for Visit Topeka’s convention sales division sat at 16 different opportunities. If secured, those leads could result in an estimated $5.5 million local economic impact, accounting for more than 12,533 room nights.

UPGRADED SPORTS SPACES

O

ver the past couple months, there have been several meetings, presentations, and discussions about facilities in Topeka. Three ideas for upgraded and new facilities may or may not come to fruition. While the future has not been determined, it is exciting that sports tourism has taken a prominent place in Topeka’s overall economic development ecosystem.

GU ÍA CO

MP LE TA

DE CI UD

AD ES 20

23

GUÍA DE TOPEKA 2022

DISCUSSIONS MAY LEAD TO NEW OR

CIVIL RIGHTS TRAIL

DISCOVER THE U.S. CIVIL RIGHTS TRAIL IN TOPEKA THROUGH THE LEGACY OF BROWN V. BOARD!

JIRAFAS Y MÁS

¡VE DE SAFARI A LA EXHIBICIÓN MÁS NUEVA DEL ZOOLÓGICO DE TOPEKA!

FIESTA MEXICANA

¡CELEBRE LA HERENCIA MEXICANA DE ESTA CIUDAD CON COMIDA, MÚSICA Y BAILE CADA VERANO!

SENDERO DE LOS DERECHOS CIVILES

¡DESCUBRA EL SENDERO DE LOS DERECHOS CIVILES DE EE. UU. EN TOPEKA A TRAVÉS DEL LEGADO DE BROWN V. BOARD!

Winter 2022 | 15

[ TALENTATTRACTION ]

TopCity Interns enjoy time at the Topeka Zoo.

GOSS ATTENDS ‘YOUNG, SMART AND LOCAL’ CONFERENCE In October, GO Topeka’s Trina Goss, director of business and talent initiatives, attended the Young, Smart and Local conference in Greensboro, North Carolina. This is a three-day conference designed to inform and engage leaders from higher education, business, government, economic development, and community organizations on best practices around talent growth and attraction. Throughout the conference, a variety of topics were explored, including marketing cities for talent, new models to earn while you learn, attracting and retaining young talent from schools and universities, connecting remote workers to place, and supporting underserved talent populations.

16 | TOP

TOPCITY INTERNS

WRAPS SUMMER SESSION WITH GOLF BASH

T

opCity Interns’ 2022 programming wrapped up July 28 with a golf bash at GreatLIFE North. Dozens of interns who have been in Topeka this summer for their respective intern programs at local companies turned out for a final evening of food, fun with peers, and a few giveaways! The bash followed two months of TopCity Interns programming, which kicked off June 2 with an event at the Topeka Zoo. More than 150 interns participated in this year’s TopCity Interns program. In addition to the kick-off event, TopCity Interns hosted a social event at The Pennant; offered a webinar led by Clayton Wealth Partners, covering financial basics for the college intern; and held an influential leaders panel at Advisors Excel. TopCity Interns is an annual program designed to help employers engage and retain talent by showing summer interns what Topeka has to offer. Interested in taking part in or supporting 2023 programming? Email TopCityInterns@gmail.com to get started.

CHOOSE

TOPEKA UPDATE

W

e just ended the third year of the Choose Topeka program, and as of Dec. 21, 2022, the program has utilized/encumbered all of its funding approved by JEDO, totaling $600,000. The program was initially approved for $300,000 at the December 2019 JEDO meeting; then, a second round of $300,000 was requested and approved at the start of 2021. As GO Topeka enters 2023, we will be evaluating Choose Topeka and discussing how the program may move forward with enhancements, as mentioned in the Choose Topeka 2.0 initiative detailed in Momentum 2027. Below are final numbers for the first two rounds of funding/first three years of the program: REMOTE WORKER OPTION: • 26 applicants received an incentive • Average salary per recipient was $82,713 • 21 purchased homes; 5 signed lease agreements • Recipients came from 11 different states EMPLOYER MATCH OPTION: • 73 applicants received an incentive • 30 Shawnee County employers participated • Average salary per recipient was $90,762 • 32 purchased homes; 41 signed lease agreements • Recipients came from 22 different states

GTP MEDIA EFFORTS REACH AUDIENCE OF 5.75 BILLION IN 2022

Throughout 2022, the GTP worked with its national PR partner to spur positive coverage of the Topeka area.

Those efforts resulted in more than 200 pieces of media coverage by outlets across the country. That doesn’t include local media exposure, which remains vital to The Partnership’s outreach and success. Those 200+ pieces of national coverage resulted in an estimated 14.3 million views, with the publications reaching a combined audience of 5.75 billion.

Topics covered by national outlets included Choose Topeka, Omni Circle Group, the Topeka Zoo, Topeka Dino Days, Plug and Play Topeka, Pride Kansas, and more.

Notable outlets featuring Topeka included Forbes, NPR, MSN, USA Today, The Kansas City Star, The Wall Street Journal, and Realtor.com, among others!

Winter 2022 | 17

FORGE PARTNERING WITH LOCAL EMPLOYERS TO HOST UNIQUE EVENTS

Forge has begun partnering with local employers to host unique events designed to better engage employees at those businesses, as well as to connect them with other parts of the community.

Recently, Forge partnered with Envista to host an Unwind event for both Forge members and Envista employees. The 120 in attendance got to hear from BTK Killer capturer and former KBI Agent Ray Lundin, while enjoying food trucks and drinks! Forge also partnered with WIBW-TV to host a mixer and behind-thescenes tour of the station.

During the mixer, attendees enjoyed snacks, drinks, and networking before getting to tour the facility. Attendees also got to view a live production of the 6 p.m. news and got the chance to experience working with a green screen! These employer mixers are a great way for employers to engage and retain their under-40 employees, all while providing Forge an opportunity to grow its membership. If you are interested in having Forge host a mixer with your employees, please reach out to Forge director Rhett Flood at Rhett. Flood@ TopekaPartnership.com.

18 | TOP

FORGE ELECTION

NIGHT PARTY

T

o further engage young professionals in the voting process, Forge’s Engage Herd organized an election-night “Vote, Dammit! Watch Party.”

The non-partisan event was open to all for networking and to discuss how younger generations can create change in our communities through civic engagement. During the event, Forge had multiple TVs featuring electionresults coverage and voter information, as guests enjoyed free food and drinks. Participants just needed to show their “I Voted” sticker for entry!

FORGE LEADERSHIP SELECTS 2023 CHAIR-ELECT During Forge’s November board meeting, the Forge Leadership Team voted on the board’s 2023 chair-elect. Zac Surritt with R&S Maintenance, was chosen to join the executive team and help lead Forge in our effort to make Topeka and Shawnee County a better place for young professionals to live, work, play, lead, and grow. Zac has served on the Leadership Board in 2022 as Chair of our Engage Committee, which is the civic engagement arm of Forge. Prior to his time with Forge, Zac graduated with a degree in Public Administration from Washburn University, served as Washburn’s Student Body President, and was a member of the city council in his hometown of Meriden, Kansas. In addition to his involvement with Forge, he is the Business Development Director for his family’s business, R&S Maintenance, which has served Topeka and the surrounding area for 45+ years. Zac has a passion for public service and looks forward to working with others to create an environment for positive change in our community.

FORGE

FEST 2022

YOU N G TAL EN T

FORGE WELCOMES NEW BOARD MEMBERS

T

he Forge nominating committee wrapped up its recommendations of new board members and submitted them for a vote in September. The Forge board voted overwhelmingly to approve the new members, and the organization is looking forward to the passion, energy, ideas, and commitment to the community those individuals bring to Forge. As you see our new board members, please congratulate and welcome them to the Forge team!

Our new members are: • ASHLEY WATSON MCP Group • DOUG MEYERS WIBW TV • KAYLEE CHAMPAGNE

A BUSY EVENTS SEASON

F

orge events were in full swing this past summer! In addition to cohosting the GTP’s July Business Unwind, Forge held a family-fun day that brought hundreds of people to Evergy Plaza for an evening of music, games, face painting, and food trucks. Over the summer, Forge also volunteered to operate the soda station at Fiesta Mexicana, with more than a dozen Forge members signing up to help throughout the night. Just a couple weeks later, Forge co-hosted a blood drive at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, in partnership with the Community Blood Center. Forge members and others signed up to give back during a critical blood shortage. For their efforts, each donor received an officials Royals Together t-shirt.

Schwerdt Contract Interiors • JAYDE LOVEJOY Bartlett & West • ZACH EVANS Crown Distributors • VALERIE WEST Capitol Federal • BREYANNA BICKFORD Envista Credit Union

Winter 2022 | 19

[ PARTNERSHIPNEWS ]

GTP STAFF

UPDATES F NORWOOD IS AN ACCE 40 UNDER 40 LEADER The GTP’s director of events, Stephanie Norwood, was recognized in November as a top “40 Under 40” emerging leader by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE). Stephanie has led a variety of complex events for the Topeka Partnership — from annual meetings and networking nights to festivals, golf tournaments, and equity and inclusion summits — and pioneered implementation of a strategic abandonment process over the past year. A motivated and influential professional, Stephanie continues to be a valued leader on the GTP team. We hope you’ll help us congratulate her on this outstanding accomplishment!

ollowing news that DTI president Rhiannon Friedman was selected by the City of Topeka to serve as its first Director of Development and Economic Growth, Downtown Topeka announced Oct. 17 that Ashley Gilfillan, formerly GO Topeka redevelopment project manager, would become DTI president and director of river strategies effective Nov. 8.

Gilfillan’s downtown experience and passion for the area’s development made her a natural choice. “I’m honored to be passed the torch and can’t wait to help carry out the work set into motion by my predecessors,” Gilfillan said. “As a native Topekan, it’s been fascinating to see the strides made downtown through Momentum 2022. We’ve seen tremendous progress, but I know work is still needed to develop downtown into the vibrant core our city deserves. I’m also elated to serve as director of river strategies because I come from a parksand-recreation background and hold those types of projects close to my heart. I’m beyond grateful two of my passions have become an opportunity to make a difference.

WASHINGTON ELECTED

TO ACCE BOARD

G

lenda Washington, chief equity and opportunity officer for the GTP and GO Topeka, has been elected to serve on the board of directors for the ACCE Foundation, a 501(c)3 that supports the work of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. ACCE’s Foundation was established to fund programming, peerto-peer learning, and leadership development for chamber professionals seeking to create positive change by addressing the issues that challenge the long-term economic health and quality of life in our country’s cities and towns.

20 | TOP

GTP WELCOMES

NEW HIRES

T

he GTP team has been proud to welcome some new faces to the office in recent months! In July, Jessica Ohse joined the team as the GTP’s HR manager, with one of her first orders of business involving the onboarding of additional team members. Todd May also joined The Partnership in July, stepping in to serve as accounting manager. In August, Autumn Denham came on board as the new social media coordinator; Mead McMurphy joined as our new events manager; and Cassie Carlson was hired to serve as the new marketing account manager for Visit Topeka and Downtown Topeka Inc. Then in September, Angel Lang joined as executive coordinator in the GTP’s resource development department.”

DIXON SELECTED TO 20 UNDER 40 AUTUMN DENHAM

CASSIE CARLSON

ANGEL LANG

TODD MAY

MEAD MCMURPHY

JESSICA OHSE

SNEDEN NAMED TO POST- SECONDARY TECHNICAL EDUCATION AUTHORITY Curtis Sneden, president of the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce, has been appointed by Gov. Laura Kelly to serve on the Kansas Postsecondary Technical Education Authority. The education authority is a sub-group of the Kansas Board of Regents, charged with coordinating statewide planning for postsecondary technical education and making recommendations to the Board of Regents for improvements to the state’s two-year technical and community colleges. This appointment dovetails nicely with Momentum 2027’s focus on making Topeka a great place to learn and prosper, and presents The Partnership with a unique opportunity to gain insights and provide input on this important facet of our education system.

Visit Topeka president Sean Dixon was recently named one of Northstar Meeting Group’s most influential meetings industry professionals for 2022 because of his commitment “to making events more accessible, sustainable and diverse.” On their selection process, the group writes: “For months leading up to this issue each year, the M&C editorial team conducts research and interviews to identify the year’s contenders, and then painstakingly whittles it down to a short list of true standouts. The 17 leaders profiled here are not only focused on their day-to-day tasks, they’re looking at the bigger picture: the betterment of the meetings industry and, by extension, humanity.”

Winter 2022 | 21

[ EMPLOYMENTWORKFORCEECONOMY ] 2022 SEES UPTICK IN BUSINESS ATTRACTION PROJECTS COMING TO FRUITION For 2022, a total of 55 new business attraction projects came to fruition in the Topeka and Shawnee County area — a record for the last 3 years. Of those, GO Topeka submitted sites or building specs for 42 projects. Currently, there are 29 active BRE projects in the pipeline, with aviation and manufacturing being the top industries reprsented.

SHAWNEE CO.

LABOR MARKET UPDATE

T

he overall economy in Shawnee County grew by more than 10.4% between 2020 and 2021, totaling a new record of $12 billion in total gross domestic product (GDP).Shawnee County GDP measures the total monetary value of all finished goods and services produced within the county. This is a broad and significant indicator of how the local economy is performing.

300+ NEW BUSINESSES FORMED IN SHAWNEE CO. OVER PAST YEAR In Shawnee County, 160 new establishments were formed between Q1 and Q2 of 2022, and more than 300 new businesses were formed between 2021 and 2022. Overall, the local labor market remains tight but strong.

22 | TOP

In preliminary data produced by Chmura Economics, a labor market analysis firm, almost all local industries in Shawnee County grew in the last year, with the distribution of such growth ranging from 1.6% to 31%. The three industries that grew by the largest percentages were administrative and support services, accommodation and food services, and transportation and warehousing.

In the past 20 years, the total economy in Shawnee County grew, on average, by about $260 million each year. Between 2015 and 2020, the local economy grew by $1.1 billion, and between 2020 and 2021 (in just 1 year), the local economy grew by more than $1.12 billion. We are seeing meaningful, exponential growth of our local economy. This is thanks, in part, to the collaboration among private sector, local government and related community partners, as Topeka/Shawnee County carried out its first five-year economic development strategy, Momentum 2022.

Meanwhile, local employers were actively looking to fill more than 7,000 posted positions, as of December 2022; this is 1,500 more jobs than a year prior. More than 88,200 people in the county are employed, with 2,380 unemployed. While the number of employed people in the county remains relatively high and healthy, the total employment pool hasn’t increased sufficiently to meet demands of the current labor market. Considering historical trends, we are anywhere between 500 and 3,500 workers short of demand.

2022 RECAP:

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

I

n 2022, GO Topeka’s entrepreneurship efforts included the following: • Conducted an Entrepreneurial Ecosytem Survey in the spring

• Launched Propeller Mentorship Network for Entrepreneurs; held summer and fall “journeys,” followed by a joint year-end lunch with the Small Business Council and guest speaker Stuart Aller • Launched Kansas Innovation Deal Room, a platform for connecting startups with investors and resources

SHAWNEE CO. ADDS 2,700 NEW JOBS IN Q2 2022 In the second quarter of 2022, more than 2,700 jobs were added to the total number of jobs in the county, bringing that total to 97,509.

This represented very robust growth of almost 3%. On the other hand, annual wages grew by 5.7% to an average yearly wage of $53,437.

• Supported the Washburn Entrepreneur Pitch Competition • In August, Dr. Laurie Pieper participated in the Connecting E-Ship Communities Conference for the Kansas City Metropolitan Statistical Area, connecting with other communities’ leaders and entrepreneurs to discuss innovative strategies, recent success stories and continuing challenges to building thriving entrepreneurial communities in northeast Kansas.

• GO Topeka joined communities around the world in celebrating Global Entrepreneurship Week. Topeka activities included an Innovation Breakfast with Amanda Curtis Burkhardt, a Cultivating Entrepreneurial Mindset Panel Discussion, a Washburn Entrepreneur Showcase, an Opportunities in International Trade Workshop, and a Boots to Business Reboot Entrepreneurship Training for Veterans.

• Formed the Washburn University/GO Topeka Entrepreneurship Resource Partnership, with the first new collaboration in progress.

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Winter 2022 | 23

[ INNOVATIONINTHEHEARTLAND ] GO TOPEKA HOLDS

ASTRA INNOVATION CENTER OPEN HOUSE

O

n Sept. 15, GO Topeka and BioReality hosted an open house at the future home of the ASTRA Innovation Center, at the corner of 7th Street and Kansas Avenue in downtown Topeka. The site will feature more than 67,000 square feet of new, grade A lab, office, co-working and retail space, creating a great mixed-use facility for innovators and entrepreneurs to collaborate and access needed resources. Pre-leasing of space is in progress, and site tours are available. Interested parties can visit GoTopeka. com/ astra-innovation-district for more information and to get in touch.

2

2022 INNOVATION

RECAP

022 brought about continued growth in developing Topeka and Shawnee County as a hub for innovation. In late March, Stephanie Moran joined the organization as SVP of Innovation. Over the first few months, she participated in the NWA Intercity Visit and met with community and regional partners and the Innovation Advisory Board to identify existing resources and future needs in order to establish Strategic Initiatives for future growth. Key highlights for the year included: • Launching the Kansas Innovation Dealroom platform to further support the ecosystem by connecting startups to funding and resource partners • Finalizing Historic Tax Credits for the ASTRA Innovation Center and hosting an open house for pre-leasing • Holding an Angel Investor Showcase event featuring local startups, in partnership with Plug and Play, Mid America Angels and the Kansas Department of Commerce • Graduating two cohorts from the Plug and Play Topeka Animal Health Vertical, resulting in a number of corporate connections, deep dives, NDAs, pilots and partnerships • Attending Plug and Play summits in June and November and hosting a Plug and Play startup visit in May, ultimately connecting with several local resources and community partners

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GO TOPEKA HOSTS

ANGEL

INVESTOR SHOWCASE

O

n Nov. 2, GO Topeka and Plug and Play Topeka partnered to host the first in a series of Innovation Showcase Events. These events are designed to inform the community about activities taking place in the area’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem, while also providing information about ways to get involved and support startups both locally and within the Plug and Play network. The November event featured Mid America Angels and the Kansas Department of Commerce. The two provided insights into what angel investing is, how to get involved with the cause, and explained opportunities for tax credits when supporting local Kansas companies. The highlight of the evening showcased local startups Love LifeSciences and Transportant, as they pitched their businesses with an eye on upcoming investment/ capital needs for next stage growth. “Topeka is growing as a hub for innovation, and the angel investor event was an exciting opportunity to showcase the community support network we have for the amazing talent in our area,” said Stephanie Moran, GO Topeka’s SVP of innovation. For more information on becoming an angel investor, please contact Jeff Shackelford at jeff@ midamericaangels.com, or Ryan MacKinnon at ryan@midamericaangels.com.

GO TOPEKA, PLUG AND PLAY TOPEKA REPRESENT AT SILICON VALLEY SUMMIT

P

lug and Play hosted more than 2,600 attendees in November for its Silicon Valley Summit. Representives from GO Topeka and Plug and Play Topeka attended, alongside local businesses Endeavor Private Wealth and Bimini Pet Health. The summit was full of connection, collaboration and celebration among Plug and Play startups, investors and corporate partners. Attendees got to learn about breakthrough technologies and recent trends, networkwith like-minded people, and sit in on fireside chats with industry leaders and executives across 17 different industries. “We left the summit feeling energized and encouraged about the innovation happening all around us,” said Lindsay Lebahn, senior program manager for Plug and Play Topeka.“It’s hard not to be optimistic about the future whenyou know what amazing things are just around the corner!”

GO TOPEKA ATTENDS KC ANIMAL HEALTH CORRIDOR SUMMMIT The KC Animal Health Corridor Summit, held at Kansas City’s Midland Theatre, featured one-onone business-partnering sessions and multiple panel discussions, including a “Venture Capital Do’s and Don’ts” panel that featured Duane Cantrell, managing partner and CEO of Fulcrum Capital and chair of the GO Topeka Innovation Advisory Board. The event also hosted presentations by emerging companies, including PetHub, which was selected to participate in the latest cohort of our Plug and Play Topeka accelerator program.

GO TOPEKA PARTICIPATES IN BIOKANSAS INNOVATION FESTIVAL GO Topeka participated in the inaugural BioKansas Innovation Festival at Children’s Mercy Park that showcased the region as a hub for the bio-sciences. The event featured the Innovations in Ag Tech conference, which included new-technology pitches and product demonstrations. The innovation festival also featured the Mechanisms of Disease Research and Recruitment Conference, a vendor showcase, networking opportunities, and wrapped up with music and tech convergence that Saturday at Crown Center.

GO Topeka’s director of business retention and talent initiatives, Trina Goss, showcased the benefits of Choose Topeka at the Recruitment Conference, while Topeka’s innovation and Plug and Play teams had the opportunity to meet and discuss opportunities with festival participants during the vendor showcase.

Winter 2022 | 25

[ LOCALSPORTS ] TASC ANNOUNCES MVS DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP, MVS OPENS TO BE HELD IN TOPEKA The Topeka Area Sports Commission is excited that USA Swimming of Missouri Valley will be hosting its MVS district championship, as well as the MVS opens in February. Of course, these can only happen with help from the Topeka Swim Association and use of the Capitol Federal Natatorium at Hummer Sports Park. This venue in Topeka is one of the premiers in the region, and being able to showcase not only the venue but our community at large is important in continuing to hold these events in the capital city.

TOPEKA TO HOST 2024 MEN’S E NATIONAL SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP In December, USA Softball informed the Topeka Area Sports Commission that they accepted a bid submitted for a Men’s Softball National Championship. Over the Labor Day weekend in 2024, Topeka will host 35-40 teams, as they participate in the championship tournament at Rueger and Shawnee North softball fields.

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TASC MEETS WITH LOCAL, STATE

LEADERS TO TALK

TRAIL SYSTEM

I

n late September, members of TASC met with city, county and state officials to discuss trails in the community. These trails — biking, walking and water — are vital pieces of the community and necessary for an enhanced quality of life. Representatives from the trails community had expressed interest in working with TASC and the Greater Topeka Partnership to bring awareness to the local trail systems and to increase usage among both residents and out-oftown visitors. During its meeting, the group reviewed a survey completed by Top City Trail Alliance. In coming months, the cohort plans to develop action items from the survey.

AMERICAN CORNHOLE LEAGUE TO SHINE NATIONAL LIGHT ON TOPEKA WITH SPRING TOURNAMENT

T

he American Cornhole League will host a tournament in the spring of 2023 at the Stormont Vail Events Center. Visit Topeka has received word that the event finals will be televised nationally, and the staff is excited to continue to propel our brand forward on the national stage.

VISIT TOPEKA WORKING WITH NJCAA TO PREP FOR 2023 INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD NATIONALS

T

he Topeka Area Sports Commission and Visit Topeka employees have met with National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) staff to discuss the upcoming Indoor Track and Field Nationals meets in early March. The team is working on championship informational packets, finalizing timing, and other logistical items. One significant item will be the need for a volunteer force, with approximately 120 people needed over the weekend, and some assistance with hospitality items. Please think of your network and start to provide access and hype for the event, so we can get our community to show these student athletes that Topeka can facilitate outstanding events of this caliber.

TASC PRESENTS SPORTS CONCEPT TO GTP CHAIRS COUNCIL The Topeka Area Sports Commission had

the opportunity in November to present at the Greater Topeka Partnership’s Chairs Council meeting. At the meeting, TASC provided an updated regarding progress made thus far (from formation to current status), and gave a presentation on a potential sports field concept. It was an exciting presentation, and TASC looks forward to revealing more in the coming months.

Winter 2022 | 27

[ MEMBER/PARTNERSHIPNEWS ]

HAPPY

ANNIVERSARY

5YEARS

AIM Strategies, LLC AJ's Import Garage Allen Community College Breakthrough House, Inc Capitol Connection Carlson Financial Chocolatey Software Curb Appeal Power Wash Dove Cremations & FuneralsSoutheast Chapel Dove Cremations & Funerals Southwest Chapel Drager Studios El Centro of Topeka Falk Architects Inc. First United Methodist Church Gun Garage and Shooting Range LLC Historic Topeka Cemetery Hog Wild Pit Bar-B-Q Kansas Towers Legacy Motor Co. Memorial Park Cemetery Mather Flare Rental Mount Hope Cemetery, Funeral Chapel & Reception Center Murphy Tractor & Equipment Inc Newcomer Funeral Service Group Inc Parker-Price Cremations, Funerals & Receptions Peter Bellucci Agency, Inc. American Family Insurance Prairie Band, LLC Premier One Sky Zone Topeka The Burger Stand The Foundry Event Center Topeka Electric Motor Repair, Inc Voya Financial Advisors 28 | TOP

10YEARS

Advisors Excel Air Ground Ocean Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Cornerstone of Topeka, Inc. HTK Architects Mars Wrigley Confectionery Mike Braum Optimum Health Family Practice Prairie Band Casino & Resort Red Robin SBB Engineering, LLC Simply Sarah's Catering Stevenson Company Inc.

15YEARS

Blind Tiger Brewery & Restaurant Hy-Vee, Inc L&J Building Maintenance LLC Premier Real Estate LLC Topeka Presbyterian Manor

20YEARS

A-1 Lock and Key, LLC Bettis Asphalt & Construction, Inc Community Resources Council Countertop Shoppe, division of Fisher's Fixtures Inc Darrell's Service Denison State Bank - Topeka Branch Family Service & Guidance Center Henson, Hutton, Mudrick, Gragson & Vogelsberg LLP

THESE ARE THE ANNIVERSARY DATES FOR MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN WITH THE CHAMBER

Kansas Secured Title Kansas Van & Storage-Criqui Corporation Land Air Express Inc/Emporia Freight & Delivery Marian Dental Clinic Newbery, Ungerer & Hickert, LLP Performance Tire & Auto Sowards Glass, Inc Schmidt Vending The Overlook Topeka Public Schools Foundation Topeka Rescue Mission Topeka Smiles, PA Dr. Cheryl Houck, DDS UV&S

25YEARS Briggs KIA Fastsigns Futamura USA Hyatt Place Kansas Financial Resources Kansas Gas Service-A Division of ONE Gas Inc. US Foods

30YEARS BRB Contractors Kelley Construction Co Lewis Toyota McDonald’s Restaurants Mohan Construction

[ MEMBERSHIPMISC ]

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR 2023

40YEARS

Finney & Turnipseed, RR&CE, LLC Foley Equipment Goodell, Stratton, Edmonds & Palmer, LLP Hamilton, Wilson & Hendrickson Orthodontics Kansas Association of Insurance Agents Kansas Contractors Association Kansas Electric Cooperatives Kansas Motor Carriers Association Kansas Sand and Concrete, Inc. Mainline Printing McElroy’s Inc Mid-American Credit Union Mize CPAs inc The Goodyear tire & Rubber Company UMB

45YEARS Brewster Place Dillon Companies MCP Group Wendy’s Restaurants

50YEARS

Salisbury Supply Co, Inc Security Benefit Topeka Area Building Association Topeka County Club U.S. Bank

Looking to get more involved with the Greater Topeka Partnership in 2023? Sponsorships for the year are available for all initiatives, events, educational programs and advertising!

Let our resource development team put together a package that will best fit your community engagement efforts — with initiatives like DEI, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Downtown Activation, Youth Sports, Young Professionals and more. Make sure to mark your calendars for our biggest events in 2023 and reserve your tables and teams now!

• Annual Meeting – April 6th • Spring Golf Tournament – April 24th • DEI Summit – August 31st • Economic Outlook Conference – October 3rd • Fall Golf Tournament – October 16th • State of the Community – November 9th

GTP SURPASSES 2022

YEARLY SPONSORSHIPS GOAL The Partnership wrapped up 2022 with $1,012,740 in sponsorships, surpassing our $1 million goal for the year!

The team is eager to keep working on 2023 sponsorships.

The 2023 sponsorship guide is now available and features new events, programs and initiatives kicking off in 2023.

Please reach out to Ashlee Spring at Ashlee.Spring@ TopekaPartnership.com if you are interested in seeing the guide and learning more about new opportunities to get involved in the year ahead!

Winter 2022 | 29

MEET OUR

NEW MEMBERS PLEASE HELP US WELCOME THESE BUSINESSES THAT RECENTLY JOINED OUR MEMBER FAMILY Arcare, Inc. Asset Lifecycle, LLC Bluestocking Interiors Braden Heidner Lowe & Associates Bright Skies Childcare B&T Construction Camo Cross Dog Training Cedarhurst Senior Living Childcare Connecting through Communities Communities in Schools Community Care Network Computer Services, LLC DAS Author Services Decades Garage Del-Metrius Herron, Realtor Donaldson's Jewelers Elwood Staffing Farmers InsuranceThe Mike Emmert Agency Forever Pet Creamations, Inc, DBA Heavenly Pet Gabriel Shatto, Allstate Gentiva Hospice Heritage Management Corp Intrepid Companies, LLC JEO Consulting * Kansas Association of Osteopathic Medicine Kansas Spray Foam Insulation, LLC KCamp Kids Stuff Marketing Laces, LLC Meadlark Home Health Morninglight LLC 30 | TOP

Nine Bridge Painting, LP One ADP Boulevard Roseland, NJ Onyx Wellness Salon & Spa * Oral Health Kansas Poppin Minis, LLC ppB enviro-solutions Primamerica Reed Dental Center * Rise N Shine Child Care, LLC * RJ's Discount Sales, Inc Safely Sunning Professional Airbrush Tanning Salut Wine & Cocktail Lounge Spark Nutrition Stone & Story Real Estate Group, LLC Stumpy's Cheese The Olive Café The Sassy Basset Biscuit Company, LLC Thrive Chiropractic Walmart Distribution 4Real 4Real Drip Boutique

[ DOWNTOWNTOPEKAINC. ]

DOWNTOWN GETS FESTIVE

D

owntown Topeka Inc. got into the holiday spirit, with decor and more lining Kansas Avenue! Decorations included street banners, tree lights, wreaths and garland — all of which were placed in late November. DTI was pleased to join Evergy Plaza and the City of Topeka on Nov. 26 for the mayor’s tree lighting at the plaza.

On Dec. 3, holiday cheer spread through the streets of downtown Topeka with the Miracle on Kansas Avenue parade. An estimated 10,000 spectators filled downtown to view about 200 floats and participate in this annual community event, celebrating its 27th year.

The 2022 parade Grand Marshal was recently retired Washburn University president, Jerry Farley, and the Junior Grand Marshal was Jardine Middle School student, Lorenzo Perez.

WELCOME NEW BUSINESSES Downtown Topeka welcomed three new businesses in late 2022 to the Kansas Avenue corridor! In November, Safely Sunning, an airbrush tanning salon at 828 S. Kansas Ave., opened, along with With Jules, a new shop in the 700 block of S. Kansas next to Leaping Llamas. In December, Mingus Leather Studio joined the Kansas Avenue corridor, opening at 929 S. Kansas.

WINDOW CONTEST BACK FOR 2022 SEASON

EVERGY PLAZA ICE SKATING COMES TO DOWNTOWN

E

vergy Plaza hosted the grand opening of its CoreFirst Ice Rink Nov. 12, which proved to be a popular downtown activity for the winter. The rink remained open through Jan. 29, with 90-minute skating sessions offered daily. We hope to see you back at the rink next season!

DTI awarded a trophy and $500 to downtown business The Vintage Fox, which was chosen as winner of the annual Downtown Topeka Holiday Window Decorating Contest.

Windows were decorated by downtown businesses, and the public had the opportunity to vote via text for their favorite displays. Congratulations to the winner, and thank you to all who participated!

Winter 2022 | 31

[ TOPEKAPARTNERSHIPEVENTS ]

GTP FALL

GOLF CLASSIC DEI SUMMIT The Greater Topeka Partnership held its annual Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit on Sept. 27, with nearly 200 people in attendance! The 2022 event was hosted by Prairie Band Casino & Resort, and it kicked off with a special opening ceremony (pictured here) curated by the Prairie Band Cultural Department. Following the introduction, speakers took the stage, an ally panel was held, and participants took part in multiple breakout sessions. Keynote speakers included Kenston Henderson, Sr., of Live With Lyfe LLC, and Christopher Szamosszegi, a tribal member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and an LGBTQ business owner.

Ayesha Simmons, director of supplier diversity for ColgatePalmolive, also shed light on how to improve diversity in your business’ supplier pool. It was a great day of education and connection!

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T

he GTP’s Fall Golf Classic in October was well attended and brought members out for a friendly-yet-competitive day of sport and prizes.

With 48 teams competing, McElroy’s nabbed first place and the right to display the GTP cup until our next golf event in the spring!

[ GENERALGTPNEWS ]

FINANCE LOOKS TO

2023, AUDIT PREP UNDERWAY

T

he GTP finance department took a well-deserved break over the holidays and is looking forward to a strong 2023. Audit preparations are already underway, with a proposed completion date for all three audits in time for the May Chairs Council meeting.

Projects planned for 2023 include enhancements to the reserve policy and a rollout of online pay features for invoices.

GTP LEADERS ADDRESS COUNTY DELEGATION On Dec. 1, Topeka Chamber President Curtis Sneden addressed the Shawnee County delegation at the Kansas Statehouse. He was joined by the CEO of the GTP; the presidents of GO Topeka, Visit Topeka, and Downtown Topeka; and the executive director of Forge Young Talent. Sneden delivered highlights of 2022 and outlined the Chamber’s priorities for the coming year. VTI President Sean Dixon also shared Visit Topeka’s accomplishments and goals with the delegation.

ORIENTATION FOR

INCOMING MEMBERS

I

n early December, incoming members of each of the GTP governing boards were invited to an orientation at which they heard presentations from GTP staff leaders, received an overview of the GTP structure and learned how their board fits in. They then received a detailed briefing by the president of their respective organizations.

Following the orientation, all board members (a total of over 100 community volunteers who help guide the GTP’s efforts) were invited to attend an All-Boards Reception in the 6th Floor St. Francis Community Boardroom. This is among the few occasions when board members have the chance to see all of their fellows in one place and absorb the magnitude of service each of them is providing to the community.

Winter 2022 | 33

[ TOPEKACHAMBERNEWS ]

CHAMBER BOARD APPROVES 2023 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

I

n December, the Topeka Chamber Board approved its 2023 Legislative Priorities. The Chamber will:

TOPEKA CHAMBER PRESIDENT ELECTED TO STATEWIDE CCEKS BOARD Curtis Sneden has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce Executives of Kansas (CCEKS). CCEKS is a group of more than 50 local chamber of commerce executives from across the state. It meets regularly to consider issues of common concern to all chambers, enabling members to network and share best practices.

Sneden took his seat on the board at the annual CCEKS conference in early November alongside peers from chambers across the state. Attendees learned about the economy and its effect on communities, as well as ideas for building productive relationships with elected officials and driving chamber membership.

At the conference’s final plenary session, Sneden presented his program entitled “How To Build a Super Memory.”

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• work with legislators to find policy-level answers that contribute to a broader solution to the lack of available child care in Shawnee County and Kansas.

• work with legislators to find ways to restore equilibrium to the residential housing market.

• collaborate with city officials, KTA and KDOT, legislators, and our federal delegation to marshal the resources necessary to build new turnpike interchanges in our community.

• work with elected officials and our partners at the MTAA and GO Topeka to identify the strategic investments that will be necessary to ensure Forbes, and the workforce in Shawnee County, are poised to take advantage of opportunities like the NIAR Boeing 777 Conversion program.

• continue to support expansion of Medicaid and strategies and solutions that help control health care costs, improve outcomes, expand access, support wellness initiatives, and create a culture of health in the workplace.

METL COALITION

DISCUSSING 2023 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

T

he METL (Manhattan, Emporia, Topeka, Lawrence) Coalition has been discussing its 2023 legislative agenda. The agenda will touch upon such perennial issues as transportation and economic development. Topping the agenda in 2023, though, will be addressing the lack of available childcare in the region. This is a material impediment to parents reentering the workforce and is, therefore, an important business issue. METL also plans to ask legislative leaders to look for ways to ease the housing shortage which, in a similar way, constrains regional economic growth.

CITY COUNCIL APPROVES SOUTH TOPEKA

REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT

O

n Oct. 11, following months of discussion and earnest input from the public, the Topeka City Council unanimously approved the establishment of a redevelopment district in south-central Topeka. The Chamber-driven effort ended successfully when council members agreed that developers within the district (which includes the former White Lakes Mall, certain commercial properties to the west and north, and properties extending south from 37th Street to the site of the new Kansas Turnpike Authority building) would now have a clear path to negotiate tax-increment financing agreements with the city. This type of partnership fosters development in an area which has, in recent years and with a few key exceptions, become blighted. The new district materially advances the interests of the group working to Bring Back the Boulevard, and developers are already working to produce possible project plans to discuss with the city. The future of south-central Topeka just got brighter!

CHAMBER LEADS GROUP OF LEGISLATORS

ON TOUR OF NIAR FACILITY

O

n Sept. 20, the Topeka Chamber led a small group of Shawnee County legislators on a tour of the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR). This is the facility working to reconfigure Boeing 777s into freight aircraft. According to NIAR officials, there are enough of these jumbo planes awaiting conversion that Wichita does not have the capacity to do the work. Therefore, long runways and hangar space in Salina and Forbes Field in Topeka will be needed. Shawnee County legislators were there to learn firsthand what will be required in order for Forbes to take on a portion of this exciting new work. Several officials from the MTAA were also present to explain their plans for preparing Forbes to host the first 777s that come thundering into Topeka.

CHAMBER BOARD APPROVES 2023-2025 STRATEGIC PLAN At its December meeting, the Topeka Chamber Board of Directors approved its next two-year strategic plan. The plan aims to achieve legislative success at the federal, state and local levels on such issues as highway infrastructure, addressing the child care crisis and preserving Kansas’ economic development tools. The Chamber will do this through a focus on relationships with elected officials and continued integration of those officials into Chamber activities. The Chamber will also amp-up its collaboration through the METL (Manhattan, Emporia, Topeka, Lawrence) Coalition and look for opportunities to utilize the strong voice of the more than 30 local chambers across Kansas that come together on an as-needed basis as the Coalition of Local Chambers. Finally, the Chamber will aggressively recruit and train candidates for upcoming city council races.

Winter 2022 | 35

[ ENTREPRENEURSHIP&SMALLBUSINESS ]

2022 SMALL

BUSINESS RECAP I

n 2022, GO Topeka’s small business development efforts included the following:

• Introduced a competitive application process for the Small Business Incentives Program, adding new incentive categories related to innovation and commercialization

GO TOPEKA, WASHBURN ENTER PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT GO Topeka and Washburn University in November signed an Innovation & Entrepreneurship Resource Partnership Agreement, strengthening ties between the economic development agency and the Washburn School of Business. As GO Topeka works to build the area’s innovation and entrepreneurship-led development, we expect there to be unique opportunities for impactful collaboration between GO Topeka and the Washburn School of Business.

The signed agreement expresses a commitment to being very intentional about collaboration, to advance shared interests when it comes to promoting the university’s role in our community; creating opportunities for students, faculty and staff and engaging them in GO Topeka activities and initiatives; and working together to grow our economy through innovation and entrepreneurship.

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• Dr. Laurie Pieper was elected to the NASBITE International Board of Governors in March and attended the BOG meeting in Annapolis, MD, in September. NASBITE International is the leading organization for setting standards for global trade education, training, credentialing, and practice to grow small businesses strategically through international trade.

• Dr. Laurie Pieper represented the GTP’s Small Business Council at U.S. Chamber of Commerce meetings in Salt Lake City in April and September and joined U.S. Chamber SBC members in Washington, D.C., to advocate for small businesses.

• The Small Business Awards were held in May, with 23 finalists across nine categories. Tarwater Farm and Home Supply was selected as Top City Business of the Year.

• The Small Business Council was active in providing feedback to the GTP on issues of importance to the small business community and new member recruitment.

• The Small Business Council elected Tobias Harvey of Create Uplift to succeed Kathleen Urbom of Urbom Law as council chair.

• In November, U.S. SBA Kansas City District Director Michael Barrera visited Topeka to meet with the Small Business Council and to offer a Small Business Saturday Proclamation.

• Held six webinars for entrepreneurs and small-business owners on topics ranging from “How to Create a Value Proposition for New Tech Ventures” to “Strategies for Coping with Inflation”

GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP WEEK

SEES SUCCESS

G

O Topeka and its partners held a successful slate of Global Entrepreneurship Week events in Topeka

Nov. 14-20. There were more than 175 people estimated to be in attendance at events, not including the GTP’s November Business Unwind or the Women in Business Conference organized by the Kansas Chamber of Commerce. Other local GEW activities included an innovation breakfast, entrepreneurship panel discussion, entrepreneur showcase at Washburn University, “Opportunities in International Trade” information session, “Boots to Business Reboot” programming for military families, and more.

CAM

GO TOPEKA HELPS PLAN

INAUGURAL EVENT

T

o close out the year, GO Topeka worked with Washburn Tech to plan the first local “Made for Manufacturing” event scheduled for Jan. 26!

With Washburn Tech as the host sponsor, this inaugural event offered the opportunity for local manufacturing companies to connect with high school and tech students considering careers in the manufacturing field.

Each participating company was provided a booth space to offer samples, swag items and demonstrations, and to give students information about their industry. High school students also had the opportunity to tour Washburn Tech and visit with instructors and were asked to complete a “passport” to show their participation at various booths. Lunch was provided, with a special guest presenting during the lunch hour. Close to 200 students, representing all Shawnee County school districts, were expected to be in attendance, along with 15-20 manufacturers in the area.

SPECIALIZED FUNDING SUPPORTS

MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESSES

A

ccording to research, eight out of 10 minority-owned businesses fail in their first 18 months. In combination with Network Kansas and Shawnee Startups, the GTP and its partners have created a set of financial tools that serve as a safety net offering support to minority-owned businesses. Below are the numbers through Quarters 3 and 4: Funding

Clients YTD

Total

First Opportunity Fund

2

$150,000

Empower Fund

5

$78,500

Pitch Contest 4 $34,000

SHOP SMALL SHOP LOCAL On Nov. 9, Michael Barrera, district director for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Kansas City District Office, visited Topeka to deliver a Small Business Saturday Proclamation at downtown shop Leaping Llamas. The proclamation kicked off GO Topeka’s “Shop Small, Shop Local” holiday campaign, designed to recognize the importance of our small businesses and to show appreciation and support for their contributions to the community. Following the proclamation, Barrera and SBA Business Opportunity Specialist Carolina Vargas joined the GTP’s Small Business Council for a lunchhour discussion of successes and challenges experienced by small business owners in the area. During the month of November, GO Topeka’s Laurie Pieper and volunteers from the GTP also visited more than 75 local small businesses to deliver shoplocal swag, to help them celebrate Small Business Saturday.

Winter 2022 | 37

[ DEIUPDATE ] IMPROVING ACCESS TO RESOURCES FOR SPANISH-SPEAKING BUSINESS OWNERS In 2022, GO Topeka’s MWBD office set out to remove barriers that have hindered certain business owners from accessing resources. In line with that effort, staff, along with a Spanish-speaking translator, visited about a dozen Latinoowned businesses. Several site visits were conducted over the summer, and financial opportunities were uncovered for those owners.

MWBD staff has begun tracking these businesses more closely and plans to follow their growth and report on the impact MWBD resources can make.

GO Topeka’s Minority & Women Business Development office hosted its first Minority Enterprise Development Week in September, aligning with national MED Week activities organized by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency.

Local activities included a kickoff event, educational opportunities and an afterhours reception.

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MWBD HOSTS INITIAL

ATHENA

PROGRAMMING

G

O Topeka’s Office of Minority and Women Business Development (MWBD) hosted 30 women in December who showed interest in participating in the 2023 Becoming Athena Women’s Leadership Program. The program is scheduled to officially kick off Feb. 7. Phelica Glass and Angel Glass will serve as program facilitators

UNITED WE

TOWN HALL FINDINGS RELEASED

I

n the spring, United WE — a nonprofit that works to address barriers to women’s economic growth and potential — held town hall listening sessions across the state, including in Topeka, through its Kansas Women’s Economic Development Task Force. The GTP’s Glenda Washington, a member of the task force, helped host the local Topeka/ Shawnee County meeting. Findings from that listening tour were released in November. The topics Kansas women are most concerned about are as follows: • Cost of child care • Entrepreneurship and its associated barriers for women • Healthcare and the high cost of insurance for business owners and individuals • Paid family leave and family-friendly workplace policies • Pay equity and financial stability • Toxic cultures in the workplace Other areas identified as key opportunities for impact include broadband access and occupational licensing.

MWBD PITCH CONTEST

WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Nine Topeka-area entrepreneurs showcased their talents and business concepts at a Minority and Women Business Development Pitch Contest held in early November by GO Topeka. Those nine participants were chosen from a pool of more than 30 entrepreneurs looking to stand up a new business or expand an existing enterprise. Of the nine selected, four business owners with winning ideas took home cash prizes totaling $38,000. The winners were as follows: • 1st place — Yes! Athletics ($15,000) • 2nd place — Sun Hero Magazine ($10,000) • 3rd place — Taper Loc ($8,000) • 4th place — Tender Loving Care Pet Nursing Hotel ($5,000)

GO TOPEKA RELEASES 2022 BLACK OWNED BUSINESS DIRECTORY GO Topeka’s Office of Equity and Opportunity recently released the 2022 edition of Topeka’s Black Owned Business Directory. More than 100 Black-owned businesses are listed in the directory. This directory will serve as a tool for buyers and procurement managers, as well as for consumers.

Plans have also been made for a Latino/ Hispanic Directory and a Women Owned Business Directory.

Winter 2022 | 39

CIAL [ MOMENTUMCAMPAIGN ]

Momentum M27 HOUSING TASK FORCE MOVES FORWARD The Topeka/Shawnee County housing advocacy task force, created to align with the goals of Momentum 2027, has continued to meet and is currently researching potential housing and labor tax credits and incentives at the state and local levels that may be available for developers looking to stand up housing options here. A few members of the task force attended the Kansas Housing Conference in Wichita Aug. 30 through Sept. 1, where they joined housing professionals across the state to network, learn and explore the latest trends and innovations in housing. The taskforce reconvened after the conference to discuss next steps and how best to move forward.

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M27 CHILD CARE

TASK FORCE

MAKING MOVES

M

27 Child Care Task Force Making Moves — Momentum 2027’s Child Care Task Force made progress in November on creating a Child Care Symposium to be held in the spring of 2023. The symposium will bring diverse leadership together to address next steps in responding to Shawnee County’s child care challenges. Meanwhile, GTP organizations received final approval or were finishing up their 2023 strategic plans in late 2022, to ensure their work aligns with the Momentum 2027 strategy.

FOR MORE INFO If you are part of an organization interested in learning more about Momentum 2027 and your organization’s potential impact, a Momentum 2027 representative is available to speak to your team! Email the GTP’s Michelle CuevasStubblefield, SVP of strategy, at Michelle.Stubblefield@ TopekaPartnership.com to learn more.”

[ MEDIAHIGHLIGHTS ] D I V E R S I T Y

UP

6.8 GROWTH

HIGHEST FOR YOUNG FAMILIES

LATINO +4.8%

IN KANSAS Among Top 5 Kansas Counties

ASIAN +24.8% BI-RACIAL +68%

MEDIAN AGE 38.4

YOUNG ADULTS 25-44

7.8

CHILDREN UNDER 18

1.9

2265

FASTEST GROWTH IN 10 YEARS

SHAWNEE COUNTY GDP $12B GDP MAKEUP BY INDUSTRY

Momentum

#5 MOST AFFORDABLE

CITY

IN THE UNITED STATES

- KIPLINGER MAGAZINE, 2023

Winter 2022 | 41

THANK YOU TO OUR

AD ASTRA MEMBERS

Scott Gendersen Edward Jones PARTNERSHIP SUPPORTERS • The Home Depot RDC • Axe and Ale • Goodell, Stratton, Edmonds & Palmer, LLP • The Kansas Rehabilitation Hospital • Sloan, Eisenbarth, Glassman, McEntire & Jarboe LLC • Alpha Media (AM 580, 94.5 Country, Country Legends 106.9) • United Rentals • CBD American Shaman of Topeka Wanamaker • SnapIT Solutions

42 | TOP

• Nex-Tech • Community Care Network • Nine Bridge Painters, LP INFLUENCERS • Haus Property Partners • Denali Home Design • Two Men and A Truck • Meadowlark Home Health • Endeavor Private Wealth • Cumulus Media, Inc. Topeka • Wells Fargo Advisors • KBS Constructors, Inc

• Kansas Gas Service-A Division of ONE Gas Inc. • Lincoln Center OB-GYN, PA • Brennan-Mathena Funeral Home • My Gym Children's Fitness Center-Topeka • Shopper's Kitchen • The Sweet Tee • The Tee Box • Wheatfield Village Apartments • Taco Bell • Del-Metrius Herron, Realtor • Shockwave Aqua Fitness • ppB Enviro-Solutions

SPRING IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER! With a variety of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, including the annual parade downtown and the new Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood exhibit at the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center, there’s something for every member of the family this spring in #TopCity.

VisitTopeka.com

SPACE TO GET TECHIE! The Level 2 Tech Center features a digital art studio, recording studios, small meeting rooms, computers and training.

INQUIRE WITHIN

1515 SW 10th Ave | Topeka, KS | 785 580-4400 | tscpl.org | M-F 9am-9pm | Sat 9am-6pm | Sun NooN-9pm ©2023 TSCPL

TAPINTOTHEPOWER • 1000 member businesses • Five Star Accredited Chamber • Internationally recognized economic developer • Nationally recognized for Tourism • Serving the Greater Topeka Area

OF THE PARTNERSHIP

JOIN

Contact: membership@topekapartnership.com

Winter 2022 | 43

Greater Topeka Partnership 719 S Kansas Ave.

Topeka, Kansas 66603-3515 Periodical postage paid at Topeka, Kansas TOP (USPS 576520) is published quarterly for members of the Greater Topeka Partnership, 719 S Kansas Ave. Topeka, Kansas 66603-3515, 785.234.2644. Periodical postage is paid at Topeka, Kansas.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: TOP 719 S Kansas Ave. Topeka, Kansas 66603-3515 Editor: Bob Ross

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