Your Chamber at Work - May 1, 2023

FROM THE KC CHAMBER'S PRESIDENT AND CEO

Pat yourselves on the back, Kansas City, for the most-excellent NFL Draft this past weekend!

Sincere congratulations to Sports Commission CEO Kathy Nelson, who juggled all the logistics and demands and set our town up for the national spotlight that shone on our town. She is, without a doubt, a regional treasure (and a member of the Chamber Board). Kudos to her staff as well. It was a nearly perfect weekend and the preparation involved was unimaginable.

(Not sure why the Twitterverse was grousing about the first night presence of the Chiefs and the Lombardi Trophy. Just jealous, I guess.)

Attendance was slightly higher than expected. Hopefully that means the expected $125-million in economic benefit was higher as well.

My oldest son and I attended the Draft on Friday and came away very impressed by the crowd, the set-up, the Chiefs Experience, and, of course, the Draft itself.  (No, I didn’t try to run the 40 yard dash!)

The success of the NFL Draft bodes well for Kansas City’s next big moment in the sun – the upcoming 2026 World Cup with millions of dollars in economic benefits as well as a much larger spotlight than the NFL Draft with millions of viewers around the globe.

Expect some exciting World Cup news in the coming weeks.

WORLD TRADE DAY

Soccer is the biggest sport in the world, and bringing the World Cup to KC is about more than sports. Hear why this will have a major impact on KC’s presence across the globe at World Trade Day. Join The World Trade Center Kansas City May 10, 3 to 5 p.m. in the Chamber Board Room on the first floor of Union Station. Hear from thought leaders focused on what it takes to position KC as an international talent attraction and tourist destination and how businesses across the Metro are preparing. This event is free, but registration is required. This event is brought to you by the Kansas City International Steering Committee.

COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSION FEATURING KCMO CHIEF OF POLICE STACEY GRAVES

Kansas City is at a crisis point when it comes to escalating violent crime. Engagement between the community and the Kansas City Police Department is key to finding a solution. Register for the first of several quarterly Community Listening Sessions with Kansas City, Missouri Chief of Police Stacey Graves, May 11, 6 to 7:30 p.m. at United Believers Community Church, 5600 East 112th Terrace in KCMO. It will be modeled after the listening sessions the 16-member Public Safety Coalition held prior to Graves’ selection as Chief of Police. She’ll open the session by sharing her ideas on ways to reduce KCMO’s high rate of violent crime, then community members will engage in world café-style conversations around tables, reporting out their thoughts and concerns. This event is free, but please RSVP. The Community Listening Sessions are a partnership between the Coalition and the Police Department, facilitated by KC Common Good. The KC Chamber is part of the Coalition.

THE ROI OF DEI

Join the Centurions for the 2023 DEI Symposium, May 24, 8 a.m. to noon in the KC Chamber Board Room. This year’s topic is The ROI of DEI. Learn how the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion can help with your recruitment and retention from Michael Gonzales, NE&E Consulting & Co-Founder of the DEI Consortium. This free session is open to all, and executives, line managers, directors of operations and HR and DEI professionals are strongly encouraged to attend. A complimentary breakfast will be provided for all attendees!

SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS LUNCHEON

Find out which Top 10 Small Business will be named Small Business of the Year at the Small Business Awards Luncheon, Wednesday, June 14 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Marriott Muehlebach Tower Imperial Colonial Ballroom, 1213 Wyandotte in Downtown Kansas City. Not only will we name the Small Business of the Year, but we’ll announce 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. Special thanks to the 80 small businesses that applied. The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is the Presenting Sponsor of the 2023 Small Business Celebration Awards Luncheon! The Small Business Presenting Sponsor is Evergy.