Your Chamber at Work - October 10, 2022

FROM THE KC CHAMBER'S PRESIDENT AND CEO

“When a woman rises up in glory, her energy is magnetic and her sense of possibility contagious.” – Marianne Williamson

Last week, the KC Chamber honored two Kansas City women whose accomplishments and commitment to service certainly deserve to be contagious. Too often, women’s accomplishments go unrecognized – providing that recognition is the motivation behind the Chamber’s annual ATHENA Awards.

Dr. Marjorie Williams, lifelong educator and co-moderator of our Public Safety Coalition’s recent listening sessions on what the community desires in a new Kansas City, Missouri Police Chief, is the 2022 ATHENA Leadership Award recipient. She spent nearly 40 years in education, including service as Superintendent of Schools for the Hickman Mills School District. She has also served in Higher Education as an Adjunct Professor with UMKC, Baker University, Ottawa University, and Kansas State University. Dr. Williams currently serves as a National Professional Development trainer for Black History 365 and as a Community Advocate for CommunityAmerica Credit Union’s Peace of Mind Center. In 2012, Dr. Williams founded The Marste Group, a consulting firm that serves school districts and businesses nationwide. She also serves on numerous community and civic boards.

Pooja Shah is the 2022 ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award recipient. She is a Senior Consultant within DNV’s Energy Storage and Emerging Technologies Advisory. Pooja Shah has worked on the engineering and design teams of some of the largest renewable energy projects in North America. She’s actively involved in the KC community, serving on the Boys & Girls Club of Kansas City’s Emerging Leaders Council, UnitedWE Kansas Public Policy Coalition and Climate Action KC’s Equity and Policy Advisory committees. She also volunteers with Global Women's Network for the Energy Transition (GWNET) and Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE).

Congratulations to both Dr. Williamson and Pooja Shah, and our thanks to the Chamber’s Executive Women’s Leadership Council for coordinating another wonderful ATHENA reception at the Little Theatre (a fabulous venue, by the way), sponsored by KPMG, UMB, and many more.

SMALL BUSINESS AND CHILDCARE SURVEY

Help the State of Missouri strengthen childcare across the state. Take this survey to help the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Childhood learn more about the needs of Missouri’s small businesses. The American Rescue Plan Act means the state received unprecedented funding for childcare – and your voice is critical. The survey takes 5-7 minutes of your time, but feedback is invaluable. The survey will be open until Friday, October 14.

NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKING – KANSAS CITY TEACHER RESIDENCY

Support teachers while connecting over hot coffee at our next Neighborhood Networking at the Kansas City Teacher Residency, Friday, October 21. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. at their 1712 Main Street location in KCMO. The Kansas City Teacher Residency prepares teachers through a teacher residency model, pairing them with a classroom mentor for a full school year. Register here. It’s free for Chamber members and $15 for non-members. Thanks for our 2022 overall networking sponsors Delta Dental and Mazuma Credit Union, and our 2022 Neighborhood Networking sponsors Unbound, Bardavon Health Innovations and Kansas City Current.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AUTHOR SERIES: DARA HORN, PEOPLE LOVE DEAD JEWS

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion author series continues with an unforgettable look at anti-Semitic violence, where it began, and what we can do to stop the attacks. Join us as author Dara Horn discusses her book People Love Dead Jews, Tuesday, October 25, 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. at the Commerce Trust Building, 922 Walnut St, 15th Floor Auditorium. Horn explores a pointed question: Why do far too many people seem to love dead Jews, but ignore the living ones? Is there any connection between recent antisemitic attacks and recent controversies about public Holocaust education? Horn says yes. Register here to attend this powerful event. Thanks to Humanities Kansas and Earl J. and Leona K. Tranin Special Fund. The Chamber’s Presenting Diversity Sponsors are CommunityAmerica Credit Union, Evergy and Hallmark. Our Workshop Presenting Sponsor is Commerce Bank.

135TH ANNUAL DINNER

Tables are selling fast, and you don’t want to miss being part of the most anticipated event of the year: the KC Chamber’s 135th Annual Dinner! Get your tickets now for this year’s celebration, Tuesday, November 22, at the Kay Barnes Ballroom in the Kansas City Convention Center, 301 W. 13th in Downtown Kansas City. Doors open at 4 p.m. for our networking reception; dinner and the program begin at 5:30. Our theme this year is Connected to KC. With so much heading our way - the NFL Draft, a new airport, the World Cup, new facilities from global companies like Meta and Panasonic – it's safe to say the world truly is Connected to KC! And of course, we make the big announcement: who will be the 2022 Kansas Citian of the Year! 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.