Your Chamber at Work - November 7, 2022

FROM THE KC CHAMBER'S PRESIDENT AND CEO

One of the best things we do at the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce is work with our members to bring you benefits that will help your business grow. That’s why I am excited to announce our newest partnership, designed to support the Kansas City business community.

Starting today, the KC Chamber and Southwest® Business have teamed up to help Kansas City area businesses make business travel work for them. Together, we are thrilled to provide solutions that make managing your company’s travel easier than ever.

Here’s how it works.

Head to this exclusive Southwest Business–KC Chamber landing page and submit your business travel information.

Once you’ve submitted your information, you’ll hear from Southwest about potential next steps. A Southwest Business Account Manager may reach out to learn more about your business travel needs. After all, this isn’t a one-flight-fits-all kind of partnership.

If Southwest Business is a good fit for your company’s travel needs, you’ll be eligible for exclusive travel benefits and tools that help simplify the way you manage your business travel.

With Southwest Business eligible companies can:

• Earn points for qualifying flights¹ with Rapid Rewards Business^®2 or receive customized corporate travel agreements.
• Use SWABIZ, an easy-to-use self-service booking tool.
• Manage their account with their self-service travel portal, Southwest Business Assist™.

Plus everything you already love about flying Southwest—bags fly free^®3, plus no change⁴ or cancel⁵ fees.

We’ve got a lot to look forward to when the new single terminal airport plans to open in about five months. With KC’s prime location in the heart of the country, this partnership is designed to take your business to new heights. Connect with Southwest Business today!

¹Qualifying flights include flights booked and flown through Southwest^® and flights paid entirely with dollars, Southwest LUV Vouchers^®, gift cards or fight credits, and with no portion of the purchase price paid for with Rapid Rewards^® points or Rapid Rewards Business points.
²All Rapid Rewards Business Program Terms apply and can be found at business.southwest.com/Terms-and-Conditions.
³First and second checked bags. Weight and size limits apply.
⁴Fare difference may apply.
⁵Failure to cancel a reservation at least 10 minutes prior to scheduled departure may result in forfeited flight credits.

135th ANNUAL DINNER

Our 135th Annual Dinner is two weeks from tomorrow, Tuesday, November 22 at the Kay Barnes Ballroom in the Kansas City Convention Center, 301 W. 13th in Downtown Kansas City. We’re excited to announce our keynote speaker is helping to keep Hollywood #Connected2KC: Filmmaker Morgan Cooper, Executive Producer and Director of Bel-Air, the acclaimed dramatic reimagining of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. While the show is set in California, Cooper makes sure Kansas City is represented in his work. He features KC artists, designers, and other creators on everything from wardrobe to set design. Hear what’s next from Cooper and the impact Bel-Air is having on local KC artists! We’ll also announce the Kansas Citian of the Year and celebrate all the amazing things #Connected2KC (the NFL Draft, World Cup, new businesses, and more). Doors open for networking at 4 p.m., followed by dinner and our program beginning at 5:30 p.m. Get your tickets now. Special thanks to our 2022 Annual Dinner Presenting Sponsor is Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City. Our Visionary Sponsor is Kansas City Southern. Our Premier Sponsors are Hallmark, JE Dunn Construction, and UMB Bank. Our Executive Sponsors are CommunityAmerica Credit Union and McCownGordon Construction.

TRADE ESSENTIALS: LEARN HOW TO EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS GLOBALLY

Join the World Trade Center Kansas City and U.S. Commercial Service – Kansas City November 17 for Trade Essentials: Learn How to Expand Your Business Globally. International trade experts will show you how to drive international business to your doorstep. You’ll learn how to identify the best global market for your business, compete in those markets, network on a global scale, and much more. This event is free at 10:30 a.m. at Restless Spirits Distilling Company, 109 E 18th Avenue in North Kansas City, but you must register.

NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKING: LAUNCHCODE

See how LaunchCode is helping people grow in the tech industry at our upcoming Neighborhood Networking, Friday, November 18. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. at LaunchCode’s offices at Plexpod Westport Commons, 300 E. 39th in KCMO. You’ll meet your fellow Chamber members, make some good connections heading into 2023, and visit LaunchCode to hear how they’re impacting the tech fields and reshaping the way employers think about hiring. Register here. Neighborhood Networking is free for KC Chamber members and $15 for non-members. Thanks to our overall networking sponsors  Delta Dental and Mazuma Credit Union, and our 2022 Neighborhood Networking sponsors Unbound, Bardavon Health Innovations and Kansas City Current.

ECONOMIC FORECAST VIRTUAL EVENT

Post-pandemic recovery. Jobs. Workforce. Inflation. There’s a lot to unpack from 2022. We look to the future by recapping this past year at our annual Economic Forecast Virtual Event, December 8, 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Frank Lenk of Mid-America Regional Council and Chris Kuehl of Armada C.I. focus on Kansas City’s workforce and jobs outlook, supply chain, and key economic recovery indicators. You’ll also hear thoughts about the region’s growth as it compares to other parts of the country, any possible effects from the midterm elections, and international geopolitical impacts. Don’t forget to bring your own questions to submit in the chat. This event is $10 for Chamber members; $20 for non-members. Join us from wherever you are! Register here. Thank you to our 2022 Economic Forecast Sponsors. Our Presenting Sponsor is UMB. Our Cornerstone Sponsor is BMO Harris Bank.