20 GOING NORTH NEWSLETTER JAN-FEB 2013 ISSUE 126 406 ARMOUR RD, SUITE 240, NKC, MO 64116 816-472-7700 WWW.NKCBUSINESSCOUNCIL.COM NKC First Look Presidents Level Sponsors Several initiatives are moving forward to assist North Kansas City busi- nesses find appropri- ately skilled workers for an emerging array of jobs which are experiencing a diminishing supply of qualified candidates. These in- clude plans for increased plant tours by North Kansas City High School students, more opportunities for internships with North Kansas City businesses and proclamation of Clay County as a “certified work ready community”. You can also expect to see the first fruits of a unified effort by seven cooperating Northland school districts and other organiza- tions to create a “center for applied professional studies”. This will yield high school elective courses and projects driven by business needs and, eventually, a higher number of high school graduates with a bet- ter sense of what businesses need and how they can move into a rewarding career. The initial focus will be on ad- vanced manufac- turing, informa- tion technology and healthcare medical records professions. FILLING THE NEED FOR SKILLED WORKERS TWENTY WAYS TO LEVERAGE YOUR MEMBERSHIP INVESTMENT Not counting attending Monthly Membership Luncheons there are at least 19 other ways your invest- ment in Business Council member- ship can help your business. You can see them all on the North Kansas City Business Council website www. nkcbusinesscouncil.com. Here are some you may overlook when you think of belonging to the North Kan- sas City Business Council: • Stay informed about happenings at City Hall and with other busi- nesses in North Kansas City through e- newsletters we send nearly every week (and as needed), only to our members. We attend every City Council meeting and make sure business news from those meetings is made available to our members. • Request assistance or guidance concerning issues with the City or County affecting your business. We maintain good working rela- tionships with elected officials and paid staff so we know who you need to connect with. • Collaborate with other North Kansas City business leaders with similar issues—find new custom- ers, find new suppliers, find space for expansion, learn how to deal with troubling regulatory issues, etc.—using contacts provided by the North Kansas City Business Council Executive Director or from personal contacts made at Business Council events. • Engage in internships and other activities supported by the Business Council to improve your sources of high quality employees. • Utilize Business Council newslet- ter inserts for special promotions or to promote your business in gener- al. Business Council newsletters are printed every other month: January, March, May, July, September and November. Newsletters go to more than 1,000 recipients—to non-mem- ber businesses as well as to mem- ber businesses throughout North Kansas City. • Let the Business Council help you do a ribbon-cutting or grand re- opening with press releases, in- volvement of City officials and publicity using Business Council e-newsletters. • Set up a Business Spotlight table at one (or more) Monthly Member- ship Luncheons and utilize 5 min- utes of the luncheon program to “tell your story”. • Utilize the dynamic listing in the online Membership Directory and Buyer’s Guide that you can update and enhance as changes at your business occur which now includes a map to direct customers to your business location. Best wishes for a super-successful 2013!
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GOING NORTH NEWSLETTER JAN-FEB 2013 ISSuE 126 406 ARmOuR Rd, SuITE 240, NKC, mO 64116 816-472-7700 WWW.NKCBuSINESSCOuNCIL.COm
NKC FirstLook
Presidents Level Sponsors
Several initiatives are moving forward to assist North Kansas City busi-nesses find appropri-ately skilled workers for
an emerging array of jobs which are experiencing a diminishing supply of qualified candidates. These in-clude plans for increased plant tours by North Kansas City High School students, more opportunities for internships with North Kansas City businesses and proclamation of Clay County as a “certified work ready community”. You can also expect to see the first fruits of a unified effort by seven cooperating Northland school districts and other organiza-tions to create a “center for applied professional studies”. This will yield high school elective courses and projects driven by business needs and, eventually, a higher number of high school graduates with a bet-ter sense of what businesses need and how they can move into a rewarding career. The initial focus will be on ad-vanced manufac-turing, informa-tion technology and healthcare medical records professions.
Filling the need For Skilled WorkerS
tWenty WayS to leverageyour memberShip inveStment
Not counting attending Monthly Membership Luncheons there are at least 19 other ways your invest-ment in Business Council member-ship can help your business. You can see them all on the North Kansas City Business Council website www.nkcbusinesscouncil.com. Here are some you may overlook when you think of belonging to the North Kan-sas City Business Council:
• Stay informed about happenings at City Hall and with other busi- nesses in North Kansas City through e- newsletters we send nearly every week (and as needed), only to our members. We attend every City Council meeting and make sure business news from those meetings is made available to our members.
• Request assistance or guidance concerning issues with the City or County affecting your business. We maintain good working rela- tionships with elected officials and paid staff so we know who you need to connect with.
• Collaborate with other North Kansas City business leaders with similar issues —find new custom- ers, find new suppliers, find space for expansion, learn how to deal with troubling regulatory issues, etc.—using contacts provided by the North Kansas City Business Council Executive Director or from personal contacts made at Business Council events.
• Engage in internships and other activities supported by the Business Council to improve your sources of high quality employees.
• Utilize Business Council newslet- ter inserts for special promotions or to promote your business in gener- al. Business Council newsletters are printed every other month: January, March, May, July, September and November. Newsletters go to more than 1,000 recipients—to non-mem- ber businesses as well as to mem- ber businesses throughout North Kansas City.
• Let the Business Council help you do a ribbon-cutting or grand re- opening with press releases, in- volvement of City officials and publicity using Business Council e-newsletters.
• Set up a Business Spotlight table at one (or more) Monthly Member- ship Luncheons and utilize 5 min- utes of the luncheon program to “tell your story”.
• Utilize the dynamic listing in the online Membership Directory and Buyer’s Guide that you can update and enhance as changes at your business occur which now includes a map to direct customers to your business location.
Best wishesfor a super-successful 2013!
Holiday Celebrations
Once again, highly successful outcomes came with the help of North Kansas City businesses for the two holi-day activities the North Kansas City Business Council conducts. Fifteen North Kansas City restaurants and bakeries – all Business Council members – donated an abundance of their specialties for the nearly 200 people who attended The Big Event Holiday Reception & Auction on December 6. North Kansas City Hospital was the title sponsor. Other corporate sponsors were Ingredion, Country Club Bank, Mid-America Contractors and Wagner
Logistics. Another 35 North Kansas City businesses do-nated items for the auction.
Thirty North Kansas City businesses sponsored and decorated Christmas trees that adorned Armour, Swift – and Burlington for the first time – in support of North Kansas City’s Winter Wonderland. Credit also goes to the Public Works department of the City of North Kansas City for putting the Christmas trees in place, keeping them watered and then hauling them away.
The North Kansas City Business Council Business of the Year is ProPrint Digital, owned and operated by the Hayes family. This business has distinguished itself by repeatedly supporting nearly every endeavor of the Business Council, either by volunteered time or do-nated services. This business has also brought repeated high standards of quality recognition to North Kansas City with a multitude of industry recognitions. The Business Council Board Member of the Year, Carolyn Henry, with Concerned Care, served not one, but two years, as President of the Business Council after her predecessor moved away only a few months into his term. And then after becoming Immediate Past President, Carolyn volunteered to lead the new Rec-ognition Committee, which is committed to bringing
recognition to businesses who make a special effort to make their building or landscaping more attractive or which lead in other exemplary ways.
Holiday Celebrations
Edwards McDowell Donut King Tanan Floral Arctic Glacier Premium Ice
First Friday Coffee—hosted by North Kansas City Business Council, 406 Armour Rd., Ste 240
Fri, Jan 4, 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.Business Focus Forum—Jeff Lanza, Identity and Cyber
Theft – First Watch back room, Tue, Jan 87:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. – sponsored by Wells Law Office
and Thomas Hershewe, CPA
Business After Hours—hosted by liNKCity, 312 Armour Rd., Wed, Jan 16, 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
The Cerner StoryMonthly Membership Luncheon—Thu, Feb 28Finnigan’s Banquet Venue, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Andy Homoly, Homoly Construction
upcoming eventS
Winners of the decorating contest were: Edwards McDowell, Inc. —Most Innovative; Donut King—Best Business Theme; Arctic Glacier Premium Ice—Best Traditional; Axel Americas—Best Centennial Theme; Judi’s Bakery Café – Best on Burlington; and Tanan Floral—Best Overall.
The Council’s Board Member of the Year is Carolyn Henry.
The Council’s Business of the Year is ProPrint Digital.
buSineSS council aWardS
NKC Business Council406 Armour Road, Suite 240North Kansas City, MO 64116
executive levelSponSorS
2012 was the year of North Kansas City’s Centennial. We celebrated historic businesses in January to start off the Centennial celebration. A five minute Centennial video has been on the Business Council website all year. It was developed by Times Two Creative and paid for by donations from Ingredion (formerly National Starch) and CCP Composites (with roots from Cook Paint & Varnish). Snake Saturday had a Centennial theme. We had a scorching good time with CentennialFest the last week of June. In November we had a birth-day party with a gigantic “cake” built by Don Stielow and a gala at Harrah’s as the finale. Numerous North Kansas City businesses were generous supporters of the Centennnial. An excellent Centennial coffee table book, Bridging the Century, written by Gus Leimkuhler, can still be purchased at the Business Council office.
2012 was the year of tearing down the ADM mill and leveling the land to be ready for new development. It was also the year Meierotto’s announced plans to move their headquarters and jewelry store to North Kansas
City. Improvements and expansions were made to several buildings, including the start of construction of new dwelling units at CityView Urban Flats, Lofts and City Suites and the Gardens of Northgate Village, the completion of Smokin’ Guns BBQ’s new building and a major expansion of Exltube’s facility on Burlington.
2012 was a year of significant strategic and economic progress for liNKCity, North Kansas City’s high speed fiber optic network. It serves all corners of North Kansas City – commercial and residential. liNKCity’s network is a forward-thinking North Kansas City asset rivaling the highly publicized Google internet development which is getting so much attention in both Kansas Cities across the river. 2012 was also the year North Kansas City voters approved a new hotel/motel tax which will provide funding for better promotion of North Kansas City leading to improved economic development.
2013 will be the year pointing the direction of the re-development of the ADM “brownfield” site when a developer is named and design concepts are revealed. 2013 will be the year when we begin to utilize more resources for promoting the unique advantages of having a business in North Kansas City or working here or coming here to enjoy the multitude of good restaurants and bars.
2013 will also be the year of moving forward with new initiatives to promote workforce development, otherwise stated as finding new sources to fill the emerging need for skilled workers of North Kansas City businesses. This will include coopera-tive efforts with Northland school districts, Metropolitan Community College and other educational, workforce and business organizations.
Rich Groves
Executive Director’s Comments: Looking back at 2012…and forward to 2013 by Rich Groves
recent event hostsNorth Kansas City Fire Department—at the First Friday Coffee on Nov 2 Business Council members met North Kansas City’s new Fire Chief, Gary Fisher, and had the opportunity to tour the main fire station at 1815 Howell in addition to enjoying a huge array of treats.First Federal Bank—this long-time North Kansas City bank at 1200 Armour hosted a Business After Hours on Nov 14, sharing delicious, creative snacks prepared by members of the bank staff. In addition, attendees got a better understanding of the bank’s mission of serving retail customers.
