Your Chamber at Work - April 17, 2023

FROM THE KC CHAMBER'S PRESIDENT AND CEO

Two items of note this week:

NFL Draft

Preparations for the NFL Draft are underway, and we’ve got a front row seat here at our Chamber offices in Union Station. The Draft will be held April 27-29 and is expected to bring thousands of visitors and millions of dollars to Greater Kansas City.

The Draft activities around Union Station and the World War I Museum are free, but you’ve got to download the NFL’s OnePass app to get in. The app is also, as the NFL says, your “go to guide” for all the event details, resources, and on-site interactive games. Here’s the link to get it.

Worried about transportation to and from the Draft? VisitKC has all the information you need – park and ride locations, buses, the streetcar, parking. Just click here for details.

Our offices will be closed during the NFL Draft and both parking and attractions at Union Station are affected as well. Here are the details.

As Sports Commission CEO Kathy Nelson says, “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” We can expect $125-million in economic benefits from the three-day Draft, not to mention visitors and attention from around the country. A moment to shine!

Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern

On another subject, the merger of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern was official as of last Friday, and the newly-combined railroad held a “final spike ceremony” to celebrate, along with groundbreaking for the railroad’s new dispatch center. I was pleased to attend.

The new Class I railroad is called Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC). CPKC President & CEO Keith Creel told us, “Today, we celebrate this historic combination creating a truly unique single-line rail network that begins a new chapter of railroad history in North America. As we mark this once-in-a-lifetime occasion by driving the Final Spike in Kansas City, where CP and KCS come together, we stand ready to bring new competition into the North American rail industry at a time when our supply chains have never needed it more.”

TOP 10 SMALL BUSINESSES & SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS LUNCHEON

Mark your calendars for two important dates! This Friday, April 21, we announce the Top 10 Small Businesses! Stay connected to the KC Chamber social media channels on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram as we begin the announcement at 8:30 a.m. Thanks to our Top 10 Small Business Announcement Sponsor UMB. Then, save the date for the Small Business Awards Luncheon, Wednesday, June 14 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Marriott Muehlebach Tower Imperial Ballroom, 1213 Wyandotte in Downtown Kansas City. Join us as we announce the 2023 Small Business of the Year, as well as the winners of the Emerging Business Award, the Small Business Equity Award, the Weida Award for International Small Business of the Year, and the Legacy of Kansas City Award. The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is the Presenting Sponsor of the 2023 Small Business Celebration Awards Luncheon! The Small Business Presenting Sponsor is Evergy. 

APPLY FOR THE CHAMPION OF DIVERSITY AWARD

Is your workplace known for an incredible commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion? The Chamber is ready to celebrate businesses and organizations moving the needle on DEI. Apply for The Champion of Diversity Award by May 12. This award recognizes both a for-profit business and a nonprofit organization that have each made an impactful commitment to embrace diversity in their workplace, diversity supplier partnerships, and the community. These Champions of Diversity will demonstrate their organizational practices are inclusive of all people and serve as a role model to others in the business and nonprofit community. Award winners will be honored at the POWER of Diversity Breakfast this summer. The KC Chamber’s 2023 Diversity Sponsors include Presenting Sponsor CommunityAmerica Credit Union; and Cornerstone Diversity Sponsors American Century Investments, Bayer, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, JE Dunn Construction, Lockton Companies, REACH Healthcare Foundation, Saint Luke’s Health System, T-Mobile, and The University of Kansas Health System.

NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKING: UNBOUND

Couldn’t make it to our April Neighborhood Networking? Don’t worry. Registration is open for our May 12 Neighborhood Networking at Unbound, 1 Elmwood Avenue in KCK. Doors open at 8:30. Make new connections and learn how Unbound partners with families in poverty to change their future. The morning includes coffee and a light breakfast, and of course that great KC Chamber networking. This is free for Chamber members and $15 for non-members. The KC Chamber's 2023 overall networking sponsors are Delta Dental and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City.

WE DON’T SAY THAT ANYMORE: THE LANGUAGE OF ALLYSHIP

One of the big fears of allies is saying the wrong thing. Language is fluid, meanings and subtexts change over time. Register now for the next in our DEI series We Don’t Say That Anymore: The Language of Allyship, May 23 from 9 to 10 a.m. in the KC Chamber Board Room on the first floor of Union Station. Attendees will hear some of the reasons behind evolving language and help participants understand some of the nuances and important considerations informing their word choice – and to create a more productive and engaged workforce. Our Presenting Diversity Sponsor is CommunityAmerica Credit Union. Our Allyship Series Presenting Sponsors are Evergy and Hallmark.