Your Chamber at Work - July 24, 2023

FROM THE KC CHAMBER'S PRESIDENT AND CEO

I’m looking forward to Wednesday morning and the Chamber’s annual POWER of Diversity Breakfast – the KC region’s premier celebration of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

DEI isn’t just the right thing to do, there’s also a strong business case for it. According to Fortune, research shows the most diverse companies typically outperform less diverse peers in terms of profitability: “It makes sense,” the magazine writes. “The added perspective that comes from diverse teams’ different experiences and backgrounds deepens conversations and broadens the decision-making lens.”

So on Wednesday, we’ll celebrate those whose DEI efforts have gone above and beyond. The Nonprofit Champion of Diversity this year is KC Scholars and our for-profit Champion of Diversity Award goes to Lockton Companies. We’ll also honor our ACE Award winners – mid- to senior-level employees who have contributed to their companies’ DEI efforts. ACE Award winners include Dr Ronald Knight-Beck, Kansas City Art Institute; Jackie Nguyen, Café Ca Phe; and Godfrey Riddle, ArtsKC and founder of Civic Saint.

Our keynote speaker for the morning is master storyteller Suzanne Hogan, the creator and host of “A People’s History of Kansas City” on KCUR 89.3 FM, Kansas City’s NPR affiliate.

And finally, we’ll celebrate Welcoming KC and the efforts of immigrants and refugees in our community as Kansas City prepares to become a Certified Welcoming City – a regional effort led by the Chamber and our 40 partners.

The POWER of Diversity Breakfast is one of the Chamber’s most popular events. I hope to see you there!

With thanks to our Presenting Sponsor CommunityAmerica Credit Union, and our Allyship Series Presenting Sponsors Evergy and Hallmark.

MISSOURI CHILDCARE ISSUES FORUM

Join the KC Chamber and the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry for a Child Care Issue Forum for Business Leaders and Legislators on Thursday, August 3 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. in the KC Chamber Board Room at Union Station. Click here to register.

It will be an afternoon of networking and learning, with a roundtable discussion between legislators and business leaders to discuss Missouri’s childcare crisis and its significant impact on employers and working families. Panelists include Rep. Brenda Shields (R-St. Joseph); Senator Lauren Arthur (D-Kansas City); Jamie Birch, Director of Policy for Governor Mike Parson; Wendy Doyle, CEO, United WE; and Dallas Polen, Vice President of Government Relations for Children’s Mercy Kansas City.

DEVELOP YOUR MENTAL HEALTH ACTION PLAN

Join us Wednesday, August 2 from 8 to 10 a.m. in the KC Chamber Board Room at Union Station and create an action plan for addressing your employees’ mental health. You’ll connect with organizations and leaders ready to help you individualize your workplace’s mental health plan. The session is designed to be creative and interactive, providing the most value to you and your organization. You’ll have the opportunity to dive deep into topics such as DEI; Tools and Vendor Management’ Equipping Leaders, and Workplace Culture. It’s all based on the “Mental Health at Work: Take Action Guide created by the Chamber’s Healthy KC.

Registration and networking will begin at 7:30 with the program set to start at 8:00. The session is free for Chamber members. Click here to register. Thanks to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City for their support of Healthy KC.

DEVELOP YOUR ALLYSHIP ACTION PLAN

Move beyond intention and conversation into practical, strategic action with the help of this event: “Diversity and Inclusion Allyship: Allyship Action Plan Part 1. It’s scheduled for Tuesday, August 22 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in the KC Chamber Board Room at Union Station. It’s free – just click here to register.

Each participant will develop a personalized ally action plan to help them work on weaknesses and grow their strengths. The course uses a Cultural Inteligence framework and a self-assessment to help participants hone in on areas for improvement and cultivation. This first session is a prerequisite for the second session coming next.

NOW HIRING

The KC Chamber is hiring! We’re currently looking for the following:

• Director of Communications: Responsibilities include media relations, social media coordination, and writing for Chamber publications.
• Program Coordinator: This role focuses on Chamber strategic plan areas of strong workforce, robust transportation, and inclusive prosperity. The portfolio of this position also includes the Welcoming KC Certification Plan and the Heartland Export Accelerator.
• Public Policy Coordinator: This position provides operational and administrative support to the Chamber’s Public Policy Department, focusing specifically in the areas of strong workforce, robust transportation, and inclusive prosperity.

We’re also taking applications for paid internships for Events & Marketing, Public Policy, and Civic and Community Initiative and World Trade Center.

Click here for more information.

Our members are hiring, too. Go here to find out more.