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WEEKLY CHAMBER COFFEE REMINDER
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Category Archives: Business
Westar Energy Recognized as 2019 Best Employer
Westar Energy was recently recognized as one of America’s Best Employers for 2019 by Forbes.
In partnership with market research group, Statisa, Forbes surveyed 50,000 Americans working for companies with 1,000 or more employees. Participants rated how likely they’d be to recommend their employer to other job seekers. Participants also nominated other employers in their industry. Forbes used this information to create a list of the best large and midsize companies. Westar was recognized in the midsize category.
“We work every day to create a culture of engagement and inclusion, where our employees can grow and succeed. We’re grateful to be recognized by Forbes as a top employer,” said Jerl Banning, senior vice president and chief people officer.
Career opportunities can be found at www.westarenergy.com/careers-overview.
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About KCP&L and Westar Energy:
Serving approximately 1.6 million customers in Kansas and Missouri, Kansas City Power & Light Company (KCP&L), KCP&L Greater Missouri Operations Company and Westar Energy are the electric utilities of Evergy, Inc. (NYSE: EVRG). Together we generate nearly half the power we provide to homes and businesses with emission-free sources. We support our local communities where we live and work, and strive to meet the needs of customers through energy savings and innovative solutions.
Young Entrepreneur: Brian Griffin
This is the first in a series featuring young people who found a need and are seeking to fill it with a business venture.
To nominate local young entrepreneurs, send name, phone number/email to [email protected].
Brian Griffin: Bike Fixer
Fort Scott High School Student Brian Griffin, 16, loves all things bicycles.
” I began fixing bikes because I love bikes, I love to ride, build trails, tinker with bikes, ” Griffin said. “I’ve even built three bikes from the frame up! It helps me relax in such a stressful world.”
“My training/ experience started at a young age of around eight, fixing chains, airing up tires and other basic stuff,” he said. “I didn’t really get into the hard depths of the hundreds of small parts and how to fix, replace, and maintain them until late 2017, thanks to the help of Frank Halsey and other bicycle enthusiasts!”
A business idea came from Halsey.
“The idea first came to mind by a good friend and mentor Frank Halsey,” Griffin said. “He and I were talking back in the summer of 2017, about an operation to get small kid’s bikes going to make sure kids are on their bikes having fun, instead of finding trouble. I started to buy tools and extra parts and advertising that I’ll fix kid’s bikes for free, which is still in effect.”
“Last year I came up with the name,” Griffin said. “Brian’s Back yard Bike shop or the Triple B. I chose this name because I started in my back yard. I have since upgraded to my own section of the building.”
“There are several ways that people can get in contact with me if they wish to do so,” Brian said. “My phone number is (620)215-2247. Or my Facebook page Brian’s Backyard Bike Shop. I’ll also have an Instagram for the shop soon!”
“Thankfully I’m conveniently placed only a few blocks (on Judson Street) away from some of the finest mountain bike trails in Kansas, at Gunn Park,” he said. “So if any anyone has trouble, I could even bring some of my bike shop to them!”
Editor’s note: I recently needed my bike repaired and Brian Griffin did an excellent job-Loretta George
Effective Leadership Training June 4
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G & W Spotlighted by Ks. Department of Commerce
Awards Spotlight Kansas Businesses
Topeka, Kan. – The Kansas Department of Commerce is proud to announce the beginning of Business Appreciation Month by announcing several award winners, including the finalists for the Governor’s Award of Excellence.
The Kansas Department of Commerce’s Business Appreciation Month program has been in place since 1995 and serves as a statewide tribute to Kansas businesses for their contributions to our state. Individuals and organizations are invited to nominate businesses that contribute jobs and support their local communities.
Businesses are nominated in one of four categories:
- Service
- Retail
- Manufacturing/Distribution
- Hospital/Non-Profit
One winner in each category is chosen from each of the seven designated regions of the state by a panel of judges from the business and economic development community.
Once regional winners are determined, the judges select the top nominees as the finalists for the Governor’s Award of Excellence, which is the highest award given to a business by the state of Kansas.
Before the judging team makes its final recommendation for the winner of the Governor’s Award of Excellence, the finalists are given a chance to make presentations to the panel of judges. This gives the finalists an opportunity to expand upon the information that was submitted in their nomination.
The following companies are finalists for the Governor’s Award of Excellence:
- Leeway Franks of Lawrence, KS
- Mi Rancho Tequila of Kansas City, KS
- Morningstar Care Homes of Fredonia, KS
- ColdPoint Logistics of Edgerton, KS
The official selection for this award will be announced at the Team Kansas Awards Banquet on June 4 at the Kansas State University Alumni Center in Manhattan, KS.
Alongside the Award of Excellence, the Department of Commerce is announcing awards in the Regional and Merit categories.
The following companies are this year’s Regional Award Winners:
- Backroad Atlas
- Clay County Medical Center
- CleaverFarm and Home
- Courser Lap Clinical and Family Services
- Cumbernauld Village
- Florence Corporation
- Fox Home innovations, LLC
- Gella’s Diner and LB. Brewing Co.
- Genco Manufacturing, Inc.
- Guardian Home Health, LLC
- Kimbroy’s Properties
- Kowpoke Supply
- Pars Consuting/ Pars Bioscience
- Prairie Horizon Agri-Energy, LLC
- Rooks County Health Center
- Standard Beverage Corporation
- The Building Center
- Union Bank & Trust
- Wichita State University and Innovation Campus Expansion
The following companies are this year’s Merit Award Winners:
- 6th Avenue Boutique & Bronze
- Arthur’s Pizza and Mexican Foods
- Artistic Works by Lu
- Atchison Community Health Clinic Inc.
- B-Hive
- BlackHawk Development
- Bourbon & Baker
- Brant’s Market
- Caney Drug
- Chestnut Ave Venue
- CK Pharmacy (Moundridge, McPherson & Peabody)
- Clorox (M&M Manufacturing)
- Coast to Coast Title company
- Crop Service Center-Beverly
- Downs Community Garden
- Downtown Hays Development Corporation
- Driscoll Law Office
- E & K Retail Inc
- Elite Physicals
- Ernest-Spencer Metals, Inc
- Flame Engineering
- Forte Products
- Fredonia Outdoor Equipment
- G & W Foods
- Harvest Video
- Heartland Hay
- Hiawatha Ford
- Insurance Smart
- Irsik & Doll Feed Services, Inc
- J&J Precision Machining LLC
- JenRus Freelance
- Kansas Barbed Wire Collectors Association, Inc
- Kansas Country Store
- Kanza Mental Health and Guidance Center
- KC Hemp Co.
- KJ’s Pizzeria
- LaHarpe Communications
- Land Pride (division of Great Plains Manuf.)
- Mcarty Office Machines, Inc
- Melby’s Home Center
- Midland Marketing
- Monroe 816
- Moundridge Communications Network
- Muir Law Office
- Old 40 Bar and Grill
- Outback Guidance Division of Hemisphere GNSS(USA) Inc
- Pine Village
- Porto do Sul
- Potwin Store/ Nuser Foods
- Prairie Land Gamebirds
- Pratt Glass Enterprises LLC
- R and R Manufacturing
- Regeena’s Flowers and Events
- Rejuvv Spa
- Republic County Hospital
- Russell Food Bank
- Ryan Disbrow State Farm Agency
- Saint John Hospital
- ServPro of Leavenworth & NW Wyandotte County
- Silly Swedes Cycle Source
- SKOL South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad
- Solid Rock Café
- Soul Sister Ceramics
- State Farm (Hiawatha)
- The Bean Coffee Company
- The Bradbury Group
- The Closet Boutique
- The Depot
- The Hideout Coffeehouse
- S. Stone Industries
- Village Lines
- World’s Largest Things
- Young Sign Co. Inc
Ryan Brinker
Public Information Officer
Kansas Department of Commerce
1000 SW Jackson St. Ste. 100
Topeka, KS 66612-1354
Phone: 785-296-4931
Cell: 785-276-9723
Lowell Milken Center Celebrates 75th D-Day Anniversary on June 6
The Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes invites you to attend the 75th D-Day anniversary events throughout the day of June 6th.
The Center will honor unsung hero, Andrew Jackson Higgins with the following events:
8 am Chamber Coffee
10 am The unveiling of the new Higgins children’s book by author, Cathy Werling
3 pm Question and Answer with Skipper Higgins
4 pm Wine and Cheese.
All events are at the Center, 1 South Main Street in Fort Scott.
Hope you can attend!
Fort Scott Special Events May 17-19
Woodland Hills: One of Top Ten In Kansas
Fort Scott’s publicly owned golf course is one of the best in Kansas.
“It’s one of the top ten in the state,” Fort Scott’s Community Development Director Robert Uhler told the weekly Chamber of Commerce Coffee attendees on May 9 at Woodland Hills Golf Course.
To view others on the list of top ten golf courses in Kansas, click below.
https://bestthingsks.com/public-golf-courses/?fbclid=IwAR0T2ujyKdgy8wgaNo2x6zw6pBF3
Woodland Hills Golf Course is busy with community events.
“The next Saturday’s are busy,” Clubhouse Manager Shannon O’Neil told the coffee attendees, “The Kiwanis Golf Tournament is May 18, there is a three-person scramble on Memorial Day weekend May 25 and a Tiger Baseball Fundraiser on June 1.” The Kiwanis fundraiser is for student scholarships and the Tiger baseball fundraiser benefits the local baseball team, he said.
O’Neil is also the head golf professional at the course.
An introductory course for beginning golfers ages 8-13 begins Tuesday, June 11, for six weeks of one-hour group lessons.
Coffee attendee, Fort Scott Community College President Alysia Johnston said the college has a great partnership with the golf course. This partnership has allowed two girls to hone their skills to excel at the sport.
“In our first year with a golf team, two girls have qualified for nationals,” she said.
City Manager Dave Martin commended Golf Course Superintendent Jon Kindlesparger for his work on upgrading and maintaining the picturesque course.
“We hired him when the course was in disrepair,” Martin said. “Jon, with his experience has done a lot of great work out here.”
1516 E. Wall For Lease
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Chamber Coffee at Paws and Claws, Includes Ribbon Cutting
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WEEKLY CHAMBER COFFEE REMINDER
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Hosted by:
Fort Scott Paws and Claws
New Location:
8 N. Judson St.
Thursday, May 16, 2019 at 8:00 a.m., with remarks and ribbon cutting immediately following
Visit Fort Scott Paws & Claws’
web page by clicking HERE.
Chamber members and guests are encouraged to attend for networking, community announcements, and to learn about the hosting business or organization.
Members may pay $1 to make an announcement about an upcoming event, special/sale/discount, or news of any kind.
Upcoming Coffees:
May 23 – Niece Products
May 30 – Good Ol’ Days Committee (at Skubitz Plaza)
June 6 – Lowell Milken Center (D-Day 75th Anniversary)
June 13 – Accent Dental
Walmart Remodeling For Online Shopping
Shoppers at Walmart in Fort Scott can see boxes in the former self-checkout area and the removal of a few cash register stations at the front of the store.
In addition, the cell phone area has been relocated to the electronics department.
Walmart is remodeling.
“We are getting ready for online shopping,” said Scott, an associate manager at Fort Scott. “That’s where you order online, then come and pick it up. It will be sometime in June.”
“The self-register area will be bigger,” he said. “And there will be one on the north (of the line cash register stands), within the next two weeks.”
The number of cash registers has been reduced to make room for the expanded self-registers.
The empty space, formerly the cell phone sales area, as you enter the southeast door of Walmart, is closed.
“It is undecided right now what the previous cell phone area will be used for,” Scott said.
Ribbon Cutting For Paws and Claws May 16
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