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Category Archives: Business
Learn More About Tourism Initiative on June 7
PUBLIC INVITED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIG KANSAS ROAD TRIP
The Big Kansas Road Trip (BKRT) will be coming to Bourbon, Cherokee and Crawford Counties May 5-8, 2022. Marci Penner and WenDee Rowe of the Kansas Sampler Foundation will be leading meetings June 7-8 for anyone interested in learning how they might participate.
The BKRT operates as a tri-county open house and businesses, attractions and communities are invited to help the public get to know them “as they are.”
Marci and WenDee will conduct an hour-long meeting in each county to share some pictures to illustrate how the event works, to share some criteria, and to answer questions. Anyone in the three counties can attend any of the three meetings to learn more about the event.
The Bourbon County meeting will take place in Fort Scott on June 7 at 2 p.m. at the Common Ground Coffee Co. in the Loading Dock at 112 E. Wall.
The Cherokee County meeting will take place in Columbus on June 7 at 4:30 p.m. in the State Theater Event Center at 104 W. Pine.
The Crawford County meeting will take place in Pittsburg on June 8 at 9 a.m. in the Frisco Event Center at 210 E. 4th.
Your local contacts are Allyson Turvey and Rachel Pruitt in Bourbon County; Liz Simpson and Jake Letner in Cherokee County; and Devin Gorman and Chris Wilson in Crawford County.
To learn more about the BKRT go to www.bigkansasroadtrip.com.
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Lyons Realty Group: Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting June 2
CHAMBER-AFTER HOURS GRAND OPENING & RIBBON CUTTING TO CELEBRATE LYONS REALTY GROUP
Wednesday, June 2, 2021
5:15 to 6:30 p.m.
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members to a Chamber After-hours Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting as we celebrate the Lyons Realty Group establishing an office in the Downtown Historic District at 8 E. Wall St. The event will take place Wednesday, June 2nd from 5:15 to 6:30 pm with the remarks and ribbon-cutting starting at 5:45 pm.
The team of Lyons Realty Group is excited to share their new offices and learn more about how they can help reach the real estate goals of sellers and buyers.
Mark your calendars for an evening of networking, prize giveaways, food, drink and much more. There will be a $2 admission for the Chamber half-and-half drawing.
Contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce for more information at 620-223-3566 or [email protected].
Hot Wok Dine-In Open
New Fort Scott Business: Spyder, Inc.
Nedra Barr started her insurance career at age 16 in Fort Scott, and this week announces that she is bringing her new business home.
“I started my insurance career in Fort Scott while in high school,” Barr said. “After a great career in the insurance industry, I started developing software that served this market. I’ve designed various software products serving this industry. It’s very exciting to develop the Spyder (her new company) product. It will help producers and home offices modernize, digitize, standardize and simplify their business.”
She is the Cheif Executive Officer of Spyder, Inc., and Sharon Ross, Charlotte, SC, is the Chief Operating Officer, with Bob Peacock, Denver, CO the Chief Technology Officer of the business.
“All three of us are software executives in the insuretech/fintech industry,” Barr said. “I am an award-winning software executive. I have won a Top 50 Tech Visionary award in 2019, a Top 50 Tech Leaders award in 2021, and last week named one of the most impactful women in technology,” she said.
See the feature of her award here: https://www.analyticsinsight.net/The-10-Most-Impactful-Women-in-Technology-2021-Volume-5/#page=1
“Once our offices are ready, I will be spending lots of time in Fort Scott as well Sharon and Bob,” Barr said.
The office is located at 102 W 2ndSt, Fort Scott, with hours of 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Contact Barr at 620-531-0368.
“The first two Spyder products will be released in June,” she said. “The first two products will be cybersecurity device certifications and a document storage solution that is purpose-built for the insurance industry. Additional products will be coming in the fall timeframe as well.”
Barr has led teams and guided technology firms for many companies, including SunGard Insurance Systems, Insurance Technologies, Experian, and Docupace Technologies. Most recently, Nedra was Chief Revenue Officer for Skience,
See the business website: www.spyderloop.com
” We are excited to get our software company going strong to contribute to the economic growth and employment of Fort Scott,” Barr said. ” We believe we will be hiring employees in the fall timeframe. We will work closely with the Healthy Bourbon County initiative and the Chamber of Commerce to contribute to the well-being and beautification of Fort Scott.”
New Starting Wage $18.66/HR, ALSO, $500 SIGN-ON BONUS:Timken
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New Venture For the Shead Family: Organic Homestead Festival
Larry and Vickie Shead are opening their farm next week for the community to view the organic homestead they have created.
All the Sheads will be helping on the day of the Organic Homestead Festival, including themselves, their adult children and their spouses, along with their 20 grandchildren.
The Organic Homestead Festival has several purposes.
“To share our family farm’s story-touring the farm, which will be laced with the history….to show our gardens, orchards, high tunnel, animals, bees and others, to supply ideas and information from what we learned in 43 years, to stir up interest in sustainable organic lifestyle, to sell products: produce, plants, kittens and poultry, to serve lunch for hungry people, to strengthen the community with other like-minded people and to sign-up for future classes,” Vickie said.
The event is scheduled for Saturday, May 22 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with single tickets-$5 or a family, $20.
A walking taco meal will be available for an additional $5.
To view a Shead YouTube on spring planting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dk-j18Ox5Y
There will be a SheadStead Market Store with fresh produce picked that day, veggie powders-which add nutrients to any meal, Guatemala sun hats, egg-gathering aprons, and herbal salves.
In addition, they will be selling some of their animals: peacocks, turkeys, chicks, ducklings, and kittens.
“We have always been a farm where people would come to learn and help,” she said. “Now, we have seen an increase in people asking us for information on how to grow their own organic fruits and vegetables.”
“Gardening and homestead-type living off the land are becoming very appealing to many because of the uncertainty of our future and the number of chemicals farmers are using,” Vickie said. “Many are asking if we will teach them…to plant, harvest and preserve, which includes canning, dehydrating, and freezing, as well as have one’s own meat and eggs.”
“There will be lots of fun for the whole family,” she said. “Questions and answers session on sustainable organic lifestyle..for adults.”
“In the children’s areas, they can…milk a cow and learn how to churn cream into butter, pet the animals in the petting yard, take pictures in photo cut-outs, hear a story about working on a farm, gather eggs…play educational games and meet Kernal Corn himself!” Vickie said.
The Shead farm is located at 2468 Cavalry, Garland, south of Fort Scott.
For more information:http://sheadfarm.com or 620.224.4149.
Center for Economic Growth: Focus on Health and Economic Stability
The group that set up an office on the second floor, above the Star Emporium Downtown General Store, 17 S. Main, has changed the name, but not services.
“The partners that made up the Bourbon County Workforce and Entrepreneur Resource Center (BWERC) have decided to name ourselves The Center for Economic Growth,” Jody Hoener, director of the center, said. “We have the same space, model, operations, and services that were provided before.” The one exception is the Bourbon County Commission is not a part of the partnership, she said.
“Our mission is to increase access to physical activity and healthy food, promote tobacco cessation, enhance the quality of life and encourage economic growth,” she said. “We wanted our program and name to tie directly to our mission.”
“The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team Board and our partners re-branded our collaborative efforts,” Hoener said. “Our work to build healthy communities and address the social determinants continues, with health and economic stability as the focus of the center.”
“Specifically, we are working with community members and our partners on economic stability,” she said.
“Priority is given to those businesses owned by low-income, minority, female, or veteran,” she said. “Pittsburg State University Small Business Development Center uses the U.S. Small Business Administration small business definition…typically 500 employees or less with less than $5m in profit in a two-year period.”
“Poverty and low income are drivers of poor health,” Hoener said. ” Bourbon County is a rural community… with higher rates of poverty. Our community has seen low investment and low upward mobility in employment. We are working to create economic opportunities to generate wealth and income for Bourbon County residents.”
The partner organizations are the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, Fort Scott Community College, Kansas Works, Pittsburg State University’s Small Business Development Center, and BAJA Investments.
Hoener’s work as the Bourbon County Economic Director ended in March
Continue reading Center for Economic Growth: Focus on Health and Economic Stability
Chamber Coffee at Billiard Hammer Hartman Ins. May 13
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Tri-Valley 1/2 Price Plant Sale May 12
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| Special Thank You to our Chamber Booster |
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Union State Bank a Mainstay and Family Business for 120 Years
The Holt family started as bankers in Uniontown on May 10, 1901, with an investment of $5,000.
“The bank’s assets are around $60 million total,” said current Union State Bank President Bryan Holt. “That is an increase of about 20% over this time last year. There’s currently nearly $5 million in Tier 1 capital.”
For five generations they have served the banking needs of their community, starting with Emmit Holt, then his son, Curtis, then his son, Kent, then his son Kenny, then his son, Bryan. All these were in succession.
Kent Holt, 89, remembers the first job at 12 years old. He helped his parents, Curtis and Helen, where he could.
“One of my duties was the Address-o-Graph, that machine that addressed envelopes,” Kent said.
By that time in the early 1940s, his mom and dad were the owners of the bank.
Kent became president when his father died at 62 years old, he was 35 years old.
When he was the president he could do any job in the bank, he said. But through the years, the industry has become more complicated.
“The big change was computers coming to the bank,” he said. “it was slow coming in, and in stages. Then we had to hire more people.”
Kenny Holt was president and CEO of Union State Bank from 1993 until 2018 when he retired. He died in November 2019.
To view his story:
Baton Is Passed at Union State Bank
Fifth-generation president, Bryan Holt, became president and CEO of Union State Bank on January 1, 2019.
“I returned to the bank in 2005 after working for 10 years in the accounting and tax software industry,” Bryan said. “I had always wanted to work in the family business and was, and still am, grateful for the opportunity to do so.”
Changes that Bryan has seen in the banking industry also include technology.
“Most recently, the ability to conduct business via a mobile device has been a game-changer in terms of service,” Bryan said. “Our mobile banking app allows for users to deposit checks via their phone, which is extremely convenient. We’ve also added our debit cards to mobile wallets, which allow for payments via mobile phone. Personally, I didn’t see this as a great addition, but after I used it, I use it as often as I can.”
Through the years Kent’s wife, Marilyn, and sons, Kenny and his wife Nancy, and Randy and his wife Debbie, and daughter, Susan Eldridge, worked at the bank, along with some of their children. Then grandsons, Bryan and Chad, and his wife Amy.
Daughter, Debbie Likely, chose to teach for her career.
“Holt family members currently working in the bank include Randy Holt, Susan Eldridge, Chad Holt, Amy Holt and myself.,” Bryan said. “Aiden Holt( Chad’s daughter) works part-time in Uniontown during the summer and Claire Holt (Bryan’s daughter) works as a part-time teller in Fort Scott.”
In 1992, the bank opened a branch in Fort Scott, just off Hwy. 69 and 12th Street.
“We have 16 full- and part-time employees between the two branches.,” Bryan said.
Kent Holt Remembers a Bigger Community
Like most small towns, the population of Uniontown has shrunk.
Uniontown used to have more people, Kent Holt said.
He tried to remember all the businesses in town while he was working at the bank.
“Stroud’s Grocery Store, Griffith Elevator and Lumber, Bishard Grocery Store, there was an old folk’s home, Gates-the blacksmith, several filling stations-Ira Steele’s was one, a barber shop-Raymond Mosier, telephone company, two doctors-Dr. Miller was one, a dentist, Arch Ramsey, we were the only bank in town,” Kent said.
Flora Klenklen was his secretary for several years, then Alice Ramsey.
Kent Holt said he just faded out, he didn’t really retire, and was a member of the bank’s board of directors until about five years ago.
See the latest about the bank on its’ Facebook page.
Timken Job Fair May 14-15
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