Your Chamber at Work - June 27, 2022

FROM THE KC CHAMBER'S PRESIDENT AND CEO

Congratulations to the KC Chamber’s two Champions of Diversity and our three ACE Award winners. We’ll honor them all at our upcoming Power of Diversity Celebration Wednesday, July 20 at 7:30 a.m. at The LEX, 301 W. 13th Street, located in the lower level of Municipal Auditorium. (Click here to register.)

Commerce Bank was named the Champion of Diversity, and GEHA was named the Non-profit Champion of Diversity. The Champion of Diversity Award recognizes a regional business and non-profit that have made an impactful commitment to embrace diversity in their workplace, diversity supplier partnerships, and the community. The award winners also demonstrate their organizational practices are inclusive of all people.

The Ace Awards are awarded to up-and-coming senior level managers who are advocating for expansion of their company's DE&I and/or supplier diversity efforts. The 2022 Ace Award winners are:

• Drew Eanes, Senior Client Solutions Manager at JE Dunn Construction
• Emanuel McCrainey, Department Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Talent at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
• Tiffany Willis, Licensed Clinical Psychologist at Children’s Mercy Hospital

At the July 20 breakfast, you’ll also learn how to expand your workforce by broadening your talent pool. The Marshall Project’s Ebony Reed will lead a panel of area small business owners who have found success by including returning citizens, people with disabilities, and immigrants and refugees.

Making Kansas City a welcoming place for immigrants and refugees is the goal of the KC Welcoming Plan, an initiative developed by some 40 local organizations.

This past Friday, we hosted the Welcoming KC International Food Tour in collaboration with the Northeast Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. Fresh fruit popsicles, enchiladas and tacos, chorizo, tres leches and flan, KC Cheesesteak, and homemade ice cream were just a few of the delicacies available at the immigrant- and refugee-owned restaurants.

I don’t think anyone was counting calories!

ATHENA NOMINATIONS

Nominations are due this Thursday, June 30, for the ATHENA Leadership Award and the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award. Submit your nominations here. The ATHENA Leadership Award is presented to a person who stands out in professional excellence, community service, and actively assists women in their attainment of professional excellence and leadership skills. The ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award honors emerging female leaders. These are some of the most prestigious awards in the region. Once nominated, a candidate will then complete the application form. Award recipients will be honored at the ATHENA Awards Reception on October 6 – make sure you save the date and submit today! The awards are sponsored by KPMG and UMB.

NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKING: AMBASSADOR HOTEL

Enjoy great KC Chamber networking at one of the most elegant and gorgeous spots in Downtown KC – the Ambassador Hotel. Join us for Neighborhood Networking on Friday, July 15 from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the Ambassador’s 1111 Grand location. The hotel is nestled in what was once the Gates City National Bank more than 100 years ago and is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Chamber members can register now for free; non-members are $15. The KC Chamber's 2022 Neighborhood Networking sponsors are Unbound, Bardavon Health Innovations and Kansas City Current. The KC Chamber's 2022 overall networking sponsors are Delta Dental and Mazuma Credit Union.

GENKC’S GROW TO GENKC: WHY KANSAS CITY IS A KEEPER

Kansas City is growing and so are the most talented young members of your workforce. Make sure they’re attending genKC’s Grow to genKC: Why Kansas City is A Keeper event on July 13 from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the T-Mobile Center. Hear from Chris Long, co-owner of the Kansas City Current, as he shares why the team is investing in KC and how sports play a significant role in our city’s growth and development. Then current genKC Board members will talk about the opportunities and importance of getting involved with the community. After, join genKC members for a drink and appetizers for a networking happy hour at the Power & Light District. Make sure your team registers now for this great free event so they can meet and get to know other early career professionals and interns.

APPLY TO BE HEALTHY KC CERTIFIED

Do you have a healthy workplace? Apply now to become Healthy KC Workplace Wellness Certified. You have until August 31 to apply here. This certification program recognizes organizations for innovation in promoting a culture of health in the workplace. Certifications range from Honorable Mention all the way up to Platinum. Beginning this year, the criteria are based on guidelines from the World Health Organization's healthy workplace framework and model, offering a more holistic approach to health and wellness. Special thanks to our Healthy KC Overall Presenting Sponsor Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City.