A Monthly Publication of the

SMOKY HILL RIVER FESTIVAL!

JUNE 2018 Volume 58, Number 6

See Page 4

PASS IT ON!n Human Resourcesn Communicationsn Salesn Staff Break Area

AT A GLANCE...Business After Hours . . . . . . . . June 14 Salina Tech 2562 Centennial Rd • 5 to 7 pmBusiness After Hours . . . . . . . . June 28 VFW Post 1432 1108 W . Crawford St • 5 to 7 pm

Details inside!

ON OUR WEBSITE...When you see this icon, it indicates that more information can be found

on our website . Watch for it in all our publications!

2

OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONThe Salina Area Chamber of Commerce Chamber Connection (USPS 478-100) is published monthly by the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce, 120 W . Ash, Salina, Kansas 67401 . Periodical Postage paid at Salina, Kansas . Subscription rate to members is $1 .25 per year . Sylvia A . Rice, Editor . Consolidated Printing, layout and design . Postmaster: Send address changes to: Chamber Connection, PO Box 586, Salina, KS 67402-0586 .

BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIRMAN Mark Ritter Crown Distributing, LLC VICE CHAIRMAN Dr . Matt Thompson Kansas Wesleyan University CHAIR-ELECT Joyce Volk Joyce Volk Insurance Agency TREASURER Dahx Marrs Marymount Properties, Techniqol Consulting, Kansas Bankers Technologies PAST CHAIRMAN Guy Walker Blue Beacon International PRESIDENT/CEO Don L . Weiser Salina Area Chamber of Commerce Kristy Balthazor Assurance Partners, LLC Jennifer Brantley Schwan’s Global Supply Brandon Ebert Waddell & Reed, Ebert-Stein Group Julie Goetz Salina Regional Health Center Dave Hiechel Eagle Technologies Brandon Hughes Harbin Construction Peter Johnston Clark, Mize & Linville, Chtd . James Lambert Kansas Gas Service Dr . Scott Owings, MD KU School of Medicine Bob Protzman Rocking M Media LuAnn Puvogel Salina Surgical Hospital Amber Renfro Coldwell Banker Antrim-Piper Wenger Realtors Father Bobby Smith Saint Francis Community Services Barb Young Triad Manufacturing Mark Zimmerman Salina Supply Company

Downtown NewsBy Penny Bettles, Salina Downtown, Inc.pbettles@salinadowntown.com • 825-0535

SDI AND CHAMBER

Downtown is OPEN for business!

Santa Fe from Walnut Street to Iron Avenue

During construction all your favorite

boutiques, diners and entertainment

establishments will be open for business!! Remember there is

PLENTY of long term parking off 5th and 7th

street, with easy access to Santa Fe! Support your locally owned,

family businesses downtown TODAY!

Visit our website at salinadowntown.com

and follow our Facebook page to

current on all things dowtown!

A quick driving guide of Santa Fe from Mulberry to Walnut Streets

3

Follow theSalina Chamberand Visit Salinaon Facebook.

CHAMBER NEWS

Ribbon Cuttings & Ground Breakings

Chipotle celebrates their Grand Opening with a Chamber Ribbon Cutting!

Salina Innovation Foundation is joined by Visit Salina to open a new Visitor Welcome Center in their grand lobby!

Chamber Announces 2019 International Trip Plans

The Chamber will continue our International Trip program in 2019. There will be a 9-day Scotland/Northern Ireland Explorer trip featuring Belfast, the Scottish Highlands and Edinburgh, which will depart Kansas City on March 25. An informational meeting about this spring 2019 trip will be held in the Visit Salina Annex, 120 W. Ash, on Thursday, June 21 at 5:30pm. If you

want to learn more, please RSVP for that meeting to Sandy Cole by email at scole@salinakansas.org or by phone to 785-827-9310, ext. 123.

There is also a fall 2019 trip to China in the planning stages. More information about that trip will be available in the coming months.

4

River Festival 2018 will be an exciting “Sensory Feast” on Thursday through Sunday, June 7-10. Highlights include 20 new artists, stunning outdoor Art Installations, the fun Artyopolis kid’s area and more.

Seven new vendors will offer tempting Food Row fare, including Philipino lumpias in 10 flavors, fried ravioli, designer hotdogs and flavored funnel cakes.

On the Festival’s four live stages, headliner acts The Main Squeeze (Chicago), Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas (Detroit), Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal (Lincoln, NE), and Sunday-afternoon tribute band Elton Dan & The Rocket Band lead off a “hard to beat” entertainment schedule.

Other new Festival acts include the KU Brazilian Steel Band, Sirens of South Austin and Kansas-based bands The Skirts, Page

CHAMBER NEWS

42 AND Counting!!!Smoky Hill River Festival always delivers!

Industry responds to Launch of Destination Salina Program!

As part of National Travel and Tourism Week 2018, Visit Salina officially launched the Destination Salina program, an online orientation for hospitality frontline employees. This self-paced, individual curriculum presents sessions featuring Visit Salina, the impact of tourism, cultural arts, sports, family fun and more. Incentives for frontline employees – Salina’s tourism ambassadors to visitors – are provided along the way. Additional sessions are in development now. For more information, contact Visit Salina, 785-827-9301.

7 and Pale Fire Kings. On Arty’s Stage and roving: Mr. Kneel, The Que Pastas, Jason D’Vaude, the Hip-Hop Wagon and balloon artists Up, Up & Away will delight children and families.

While Festival-goers each have their own favorite Festival thing, all agree that they love the River Festival’s safe, relaxed atmosphere. Set in beautiful Oakdale Park in the midst of Salina’s many downtown improvements, the Festival draws locals, those back for a few days and first-time Salina tourists or business guests. In essence, the River Festival is a success story in cultural partnerships, from innovative performances to hands-on collaborations to revenue that supports the arts year-round.

Scheduled for June 7-10, Festival hours are Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m. for Festival Jam and food vendors only. Friday and Saturday all activities are open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and again on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is by Festival Button only - $10 in advance, $15 at the gate. Advance-price admission Buttons are on sale at the SAH offices at 211 W. Iron Avenue, online, at 43 Salina location, including the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce, and in 20 other cities through late Tuesday, June 5. Children 11 and under get in free. Visit riverfestival.com or Facebook.com/SHRiverFestival for details.

5

MarqueeWelcomesJune 1-3 KS Square Dance Convention

June 1-2 USSSA Midwest Crossroads Reg’l Youth Basketball

June 7-10 Smoky Hill River Festival

June 14-17 American Dexter Cattle Assoc .

June 20-22 KS Assoc . of Airports

Recent groups Visit Salina worked with and the estimated visitors’ spending they created in the community:

VISIT SALINA

DollarsSense

KS County Highway Assoc.150 people - $76,144

KS State of Wellness200 people - $59,064

KS Bankers Assoc.120 people - $80,300

Good Sports! Salina selected to host KSHSAA Girls

State Golf through 2021

Visit Salina is pleased to announce that KSHSAA has selected the Salina Municipal Golf Course to host the KSHSAA State Girls Golf Tournaments each October for the years 2018 (Class 6A), 2019 (Class 3-1A), 2020 (Class 5A) and 2021 (Class 4A). While Salina has hosted the Girls State Tournaments in previous years, the commitment is often on an annual basis. To confirm a 4-year agreement from KSHSAA shows the excellent service and coordination efforts by the community and the Salina Municipal Golf Course.

KSHSAA Asst. Executive Director Jeremy Holaday commented, “The KSHSAA is always confident and excited to host events in Salina. Visit Salina and the City staff do a wonderful job making people feel welcome when they travel and stay to compete and spectate during our events. Salina offers a more centralized location no matter the classification which is important for our schools. The Salina Municipal Golf Course does a great job of hosting our tournaments.”

Mike Hargrave, General Manager and Head Golf Professional at the Salina Municipal Golf Course is enthusiastic about the 4-year commitment to host, “We’re very happy to host this event, which brings about 100 golfers to the course. In addition to enjoying the athletes, the event brings parents and spectators that will often rent a cart to keep up with viewing. Participants and spectators come in during the days prior to the tournament and play practice rounds. The attendees are certainly staying in Salina more than one day in most cases. It’s definitely a WIN WIN situation for the golf course and the community.”

The event will require volunteers with knowledge of the golf game to work as markers that verify scores. Approximately 20 to 25 volunteers will be needed. The course will provide volunteers with a golf cart to assist in verifying scores. Interested volunteers should contact Mike Hargrave by e-mail at Mike.Hargrave@Salina.org.

Measuring Visitor ImpactWichita State University has conducted a study to determine what the appropriate multiplier for tourism spending is for the Salina area . That immediate multiplier rate was determined to be 1 .6, meaning that for every $1 .00 spent directly by a tourist/visitor for lodging, meals, entertainment, retail, and so on, our economy is actually impacted $1 .60 . We believe this to still be a conservative estimate, and we are now using this in calculating our estimated visitor spending . If you have any questions, please contact Sylvia Rice at Visit Salina – srice@salinakansas .org or 785-827-9310, ext . 138 .

June 1 – 2 Salina welcomes the 66th Kansas State Square Dance Convention with special guest callers Jerry Story and Mike and Pat Schrant, June 1-2 . The event is open to the public on Saturday at 7pm in Heritage Hall at Tony’s Pizza Events Center . Come and enjoy!The American Dexter Cattle Association will hold its “Last Round up in Kansas” June 14-17 at the Saline County Expo Center and 4-H building . The General Business meeting, National Show and Auction will have over 200 participants and many head of Dexter cattle .The Salina Airport Authority will host the annual Kansas Association of Airports (KAA) conference at the Hilton Garden Inn & Convention Center on June 20, 21, and 22 . KAA represents Kansas airports by providing a collaborative environment for networking, education, information sharing and research . More than 200 will participate in the conference as registrants and vendors . Attendees will enjoy a guided walking tour downtown featuring SculptureTour Salina, with a taste of Italy, and followed by the “funniest stand-up alive”, Brian Regan at the Stiefel Theatre . Guests will also get a tour of the Smoky Hills Weapons Range which will include aircraft activity and a gunnery demonstration . For more information about the event, contact Michelle “Shelli” Swanson at the Salina Airport Authority, (785) 827-3914 .

6

In The NewsUNITED launched 50-seat regional jet service from Salina to both Chicago and Denver on April 9 . The airline is impressed with the marketing efforts thus far . Salina’s jet service in the first three weeks of April out-boarded prop service for the full month of April 2017 by 21%, underscoring the power of Salina’s new service. Book your flights now at United.com.

Spectra by Comcast Spectacor, venue management provider of TONY’S PIZZA EVENTS CENTER, named Marjorie Anderson as the facility’s new Director of Sales and Marketing . Anderson is responsible for the promotion of events, sponsorship sales and premium seating, implementing marketing plans, managing event marketing budgets, promotions and oversight of group sales . Her 20 years of sales and marketing experience include the Wichita Thunder, Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission, Lindsborg Chamber of Commerce and most recently the Salina Journal . You can reach Marjie at 785-826-7200 .

UP WITH PEOPLE is coming to Salina September 17-24 . The Chamber is partnering with Kansas Wesleyan University, Sunflower Bank, Saint Francis Community Services and UMB Bank as local sponsors of the event . In addition to cultural exchange, activities during their time in Salina will include community service projects related to homelessness, clean-up and beautification, and leadership and diversity programming in Salina schools . The week culminates with a performance featuring all 100 cast members on stage performing songs and dances from different eras, countries and genres . Salina is the only Kansas stop on their world tour . The organization is looking for families to host cast members in their homes . More information about hosting members of the cast will be forthcoming in the next few weeks .

First responders and public safety officials in law enforcement, f ire, emergency management and city governance are invited to attend the Unmanned Aircraft Systems First Responder Symposium from 10am to 2pm Friday, June 1, at Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus in Salina . Co-sponsored by Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus and the Unmanned Aerial Systems Cluster Initiative of Oklahoma and Kansas, which is known as the UAS Cluster Initiative, this networking event will bring agencies from across the state and Midwest to discuss UAS opportunities for first responders.

HERITAGE REAL ESTATE ADVISORS LLC, 110 E . Iron, is Salina’s newest real estate company . Owned by Managing Broker Gabe Grant and Realtor Heidi Brown, the company also includes Realtors Carly Eilert and Christina Simpson . Heritage is who we are, where we are from, the relationships we build, and the future we help create . It is a company built on experience, integrity and trust . Serving all of Saline County, Heritage specializes in assisting buyers and sellers, including first time home buyers, relocation, and investment properties, in the residential real estate market . Contact Gabe and Heidi at 785-825-7073 .

New MembersCHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL2375 S . 9th Street • John Hollowaylicensing@chipotle .com

U.S. ARMY AND ARMY RESERVE RECRUITING 2259 S . 9th St • SFC Ryan Quinn785-827-3666Ryan .m .quinn14 .mil@mail .mil

J. BELL MEDIAJaron Bell • 785-416-0784jaronbellceo@gmail .com

HERITAGE REAL ESTATE ADVISORS, LLC110 E . IronGabe Grant & Heidi Brown785-825-7073gabe@heritagesalina .com

OPPORTUNITY FUNDING, LLCDoug Kinsinger785-554-8785kinsinger@opportunityfunding .netwww .opportunityfunding .net

ROBERT J. DOLE VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER5500 E Kellogg Drive Wichita, KS 67218Mr . Laura Weir or Mr . John D . Muther316-681-5580wichitabusinessdevelopment@va .govwww .wichita .va .gov

JOHN MAXWELL TEAM SPEAKER, TEACHER, COACH AND TRAINERWilliam Jones785-577-3748willjones@jmt@gmail .comJohnmaxwellgroup .com/williamjones

ABNER’S AUTO212 E . Iron Ave .Abner Perney785-827-0722

GOT NEWS? Do you have news to share about your business or organization? Email srice@salinakansas .org and we’ll publish it in an upcoming issue of Chamber Connection .

Meet Chamber Members Dallas and Lisa Hasenbank, Owners of Geisler Roofing and Home Improvement as you read excerpts from our 5-minute/5-question interview.

Can you please give us a three sentence summary of your personal background?

Mike Peterson our Salina Manager has lived in Salina for over 30 years. All of his adult life Mike has worked in the construction industry in various positions, the last 15 years renovating the exterior envelope (windows, doors, siding and roofing) of houses.

What is it about your business that is unique or special? What separates you from your competitors?

Geisler Roofing and Home Improvement is family owned and operated and has been so for more than 38 years. We place our focus on customer service, customer satisfaction and quality materials.

See the entire interview, and others, posted at www.salinakansas.org/chamber/take_5.aspx.

Want to be interviewed about your business? Contact

info@salinakansas.org!

MEMBERSHIP NEWS

7

MEMBERSHIP NEWS

Business Hall Of Fame Nominations Sought

Nominations are being solicited for the 2018 class of the Salina Business Hall of Fame. The Salina Business Hall of Fame program is designed to honor prominent business leaders, both past and present, who have made extraordinary contributions to Salina, earned the respect of the local community and called attention to the Free Enterprise System and to its value to our country and citizens in shaping our local way of life. Individuals inducted into the Hall of Fame have demonstrated business excellence, courageous thinking, vision, innovation and inspirational leadership.

For your convenience, an application form has been inserted in this Chamber Connection issue. Applications are also available at the Chamber office, 120 W. Ash, or can be downloaded on the Chamber’s website. The induction ceremony for the Class of 2018 will be held in the fall.

Apply for Leadership Salina 2018 Now

Preparations are underway for the 2018 Leadership Salina class! Applications are now available at salinakansas.org/leadership-salina.html. Approximately 30 applicants will be chosen for this year’s class, beginning sessions in

August. For more information, contact LaCrista Brightbill at the Chamber, lbrightbill@salinakansas.org or 785-827-9301.

Marjie Anderson

Ambassador of the Month

Marjie Anderson has been named May Ambassador of the Month. Marjie is a new Ambassador this year, and has secured two new members so far. She is the new

Director of Sales and Marketing for Tony’s Pizza Events Center. “Marjie is a great addition to our Ambassador team,” stated LaCrista Brightbill of the Chamber. “We are very proud of her!”

For her efforts, Marjie will receive $25 in Smoky Hill Silver. Congratulations Marjie!

Looking for something AWESOME to do in Salina? Check out the arts & entertainment calendar at SalinaAE.com for concerts, sports, special events and more. Share it with your friends!

BUSINESS HOURSREFRESHMENTS • TOURS • DOOR PRIZES

PERIODICALPOSTAGE

PAIDSALINA, KS 67401

120 W. Ash, P.O. Box 586 • Salina, KS 67402-0586785-827-9301 • fx 785-827-9758 • www.salinakansas.orgHELP US KEEP YOUR ADDRESS CORRECT If address is wrong in any respect, please correct directly on the label and return to Chamber of Commerce . Thank You!

Salina Tech 2562 Centennial RdThursday, June 145-7pm • $5 per person or Fast Pass($40 in 2018)If you haven’t seen Salina Tech lately, you haven’t seen Salina Tech! Various types of mobile and technology simulators will be on display & opportunities to try out their semi-truck simulator cab are among the few Tech toys you’ll have a chance to explore . Come on out to building A, and hear about their new programs, new lab and discover all that their new learning resources center has to offer .

VFW Post 1432 1108 W. Crawford StThursday, June 285-7pm • $5 per person or Fast Pass($40 in 2018)The all new VFW Post 1432 invites you to tour their facility while you enjoy delicious appetizers and cold drinks . The Military Affairs Council will be there to greet you and to share the importance of their presence in the community . So come on out and hear about the special events, social aspects & various programs that support and enhance not only our veteran’s lives, but yours as well .

So far this year, $1,000 has been given away.

$ It Pays to Attend $Come on out, network with fellow Chamber members and discover all that Salina Tech and VFW Post 1432 have to offer.

For reservations call 827-9301 or email dsmith@salinakansas.orgDOOR PRIZES (MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN) $100 CASH ATTENDANCE DRAWING $500, $500, $1,000 MEMBERSHIP DRAWINGS

Summer guests coming? Make a memory with a photo op/selfie downtown at the 67401 mural. Post on social media with #67401derful and #visitsalina and see your pic on salinakansas.org!