On April 16 at the K-State Alumni Center,

the Leadership Manhattan Class of 2008

Graduation took place, with over 110 people

present for the event. Brad Roberts, Leader-

ship Manhattan course instructor, was recog-

nized for his 7 years of service to Leadership

Manhattan. Wayne Sloan received the Dis-

tinguished Service Alumni Award.

The Leadership Manhattan Scholarship

Award recipient was Manhattan High School

Senior Jacob Wagner.

Kansas State Treasurer Lynn Jenkins was

the featured speaker. She challenged the

class 1) that to learn you must look back at

history; 2) that trust is the glue that holds a

group together; 3) to get different perspec-

tives when solving a problem; 4) that every-

one has something to bring to the table; 5) to

reinvent, retool, revitalize; 6) take hold of

opportunities; 7) to move, adapt, re-examine;

and 8) that where freedom flows so does

ingenuity. Treasurer Jenkins also shared sev-

eral challenging quotes:

• The best executive is one who has sense

enough to pick good people to do what he

wants done, and self-restraint enough to

keep from meddling with them while they

do it. –Theodore

Roosevelt

• Do not go where the

path may lead, go

instead where there

is no path and leave

a trail.—Ralph Waldo

Emerson

• Never tell people

how to do things.

Tell them what to do

and they will surprise

you with their

ingenuity.—General

George S. Patton

Class-elected speaker, Jeff Pfannenstiel

spoke on his journey through Leadership

Manhattan and the closeness of the class.

Jeff ended with the Ernest Borgnine quote

from the Poseidon Adventure, “Take it easy

baby. I’ll be back.”

A publication of the Manhattan Area Chamber of CommerceMay 2008, Volume 4, Issue 5, www.manhattan.org

Leadership Manhattan Graduation

Contact us:501 Poyntz Avenue

Manhattan, KS66502-6005

785-776-8829 phone

785-776-0679 faxchamber@manhattan.org

www.manhattan.orgTDD Kansas Relay Center:

800-766-3777

The Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce

has just taken delivery of the newest street

map of Manhattan. The full-color street map is

designed to serve those visiting as well as

those considering relocation to the area. Local

residents will also find the map a useful tool,

since points of interest and various business

locations will be noted.

15,000 copies of this publication will be

distributed throughout the region and there

is an online version. This professional street

map is crafted with local input and relevant

highlights — such as libraries, schools,

governmental buildings and other special

points of interest — and features an index of

area resources and attractions. The online

MagniMap™ counterpart gives the community

multiple platform marketing capabilities and

makes Manhattan accessible to newcomers

on the Web.

This street map features the latest residen-

tial developments in Manhattan including a

new inset highlighting the Timber Creek addi-

tion. Other insets include the airport, the lake

area, Kansas State University and Fort Riley.

The map is expected to have a shelf life of

two years.

The new maps are available now and are

being distributed at the Chamber office, the

Manhattan Public Library, the USD 383 office,

Fort Riley’s Welcome Center at Marshall Field

and Mercy Regional Hospital.

2008 Manhattan Street

Maps Available Now

Get the Buzz on Benefits: Attracting and Retaining

Employees with Affordable Benefits

Date: Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Time 8:30am-10:30am

Location: Manhattan Union Pacific Depot

Fee: Free to members, $25 per person for non-members

Eight panel members with expert knowledge will speak and answer your ques-

tions regarding employee benefits for small businesses such as Retirement

Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Employee Rewards Programs, Supplemental

Insurance, Disability Insurance, 401 K Accounts, Flex Spending Accounts, Group

Health Insurance, Tax Advantages, Child Care Help, Keys to Write-Offs, and

Free Business Help.

Sponsored by: In This Issue:

Mayor receives plaque . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Web Referrals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Member Service Committee . . . . . . . .2

New Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Effective Rewards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Noteworthy News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Manhattan Young Professionals . . . . .12

Leadership Manhattan class speaker Jeff Pfannenstiel wearing his “honor cord.”

Continued on page 10

Page 2 Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Little Apple® Business Review May 2008

The mission of the Ma n h attan Area Ch a m ber of Co m m e rce is tofo s ter a changing env i ro n m e nt for business success that enhance sthe quality of life in our re g i o n .We market the re g i o n ,a dvocate fo rb u s i n e s s, and provide serv i ces to our members and custo m e r s.

Are you inte re s ted in being a member of the Ma n h attan Are aCh a m ber of Co m m e rce? Gi ve Kim a call at 776-8829 for morei n fo rm at i o n .

This is a publication of the Ma n h attan Area Ch a m ber of Co m m e rce –all adve rtising is the re s po n s i b i l i ty of The Ma n h attan Me rc u ry.To place an ad or for more info rm at i o n , co nt a ct Jemie Wataha at7 7 6 - 2 2 0 0 , ext . 231 or classdisplay @ t h e m e rc u ry. co m .

Is Your Business Promoting

to Newcomers?

Thousands of people are coming into our community this year. One of the first places newcomers look for

information about their soon-to-be community is the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce website

www.manhattanchamber.org.

9,965 referrals were made through the website in the past 30 days. Over 6,000 of them used a keyword,

such as “bank,” “cleaners,” “apartment,” “home,” etc. to make a business connection. Chamber member

businesses are automatically referred through the website.

Top categories for referrals this month were:

Apartments

Attorneys

Banks & Banking Associations

Construction Companies

Dental Specialties

Financial Planning

Furniture

You can take advantage of your Chamber membership by highlighting your listing.

Contact Beverly Orr 776-8829 for details.

Jeff Levine, Manhattan Area

Chamber of Commerce Board

Chair, presented Tom Phillips

with a plaque in appreciation for

his service as Mayor of Manhattan

at a reception held at the

Chamber on April 15.

Manufacturing

Organizations

Printers & Publishers

Real Estate

Restaurants

Schools, Colleges & Education

Spotlight: Member Services

Committee

As a member in good standing, you are cordially invited to join the Member Services Committee.

The purpose of the Member Services Committee is to develop ideas, seminars and programs that will

benefit the members and promote better business.

Members identify member business needs and desires; evaluate current affinity programs; foster new

and innovative ideas; and make recommendations to the Board of Directors.

Current projects include an evaluation of the Business Showcase and member retention.

Members receive special invitations to ribbon cuttings, a better understanding of Chamber programs and

services, and networking with members.

If you are interested in joining the committee, please contact Committee Chair Jennifer Hill of

Farmers State Bank at 539-9002 or Beverly Orr at 776-8829.

May 2008 Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Little Apple® Business Review Page 3

Special thanks to the exhibitors of

the 2008 Business Showcase:

Boeing Wichita Credit Union

C a tholic Charities of Manhatta n

Central National Bank ★

Century Business Systems, Inc.

Chiropractic Family Health

Center

CompetitivEdge Business

Solutions

Directorate of Morale, Welfare

& Recreation

Express Employment

Professionals

EXPRESSTAX

Farmers State Bank ★

First National Bank of

Wamego ★

Friends of Sunset Zoo

GTM Sportswear ★

Holiday Inn at the Campus

Key Office Equipment

KSU Division of Continuing

Education

KTMJ Fox 43

Manhattan Broadcasting

Manhattan Day Care and

Learning Center

Manhattan Town Center

Pawnee Mental Health

Services

Purple Wave Auction, Inc.

RadioShack Manhattan ★

Restore of the Heartland, Inc.

Robel Graphics

Simply Wireless

Sunflower Insurance Group ★

Sunflower Publishing

T2 Wireless, Inc.

The Phone Connection

The Trust Company of

Manhattan ★

U.S. Cellular

UFM Community Learning

Center

UMB Bank ★

Special thanks to our sponsors:

Bockers II Catering

Complete Music & Video

Heartland Beverage, Inc.

You are invited to attend

Business After Hours

Wednesday, May 21

5:30pm-7:00pm

Clarion Hotel

530 Richards Drive

The Clarion Hotel is Manhattan’s

largest hotel and convention cen-

ter. Owned and operated by K-

State graduates, the hotel offers

196 sleeping rooms, over 12,000

feet of renovated convention/

meeting space and a professional

and friendly staff. They provide

free wireless internet in all of the

sleeping rooms, indoor

swimming, hot tub, putt-putt golf,

ping-pong, and free, spacious

parking. The Clarion Hotel is the

home of the Plum Tree Restau-

rant, serving daily breakfast and

Paddy O’Quigley’s Pub & Grille

covering lunch and dinner. Come

watch the game in Paddy’s and

enjoy the action on one of their

many big screens or on the TV at

your very own booth. Clarion pro-

vides a full catering service both

on property and off site anywhere

in town. Come see the many

changes that have been made

and make the Clarion Hotel your

choice in Manhattan!

The ★ denotes these businesses as

Investors in Advantage Manhattan 2.

This is a cooperative bulk mailing program designed to save Manhat-

tan Area Chamber of Commerce members a great deal of the expense

of a direct mail program. The program is usually sold out one or more

months ahead of the mailing.

It works like this: The Chamber receives each participating business’

promotional material, collates and mails in distinctive red envelopes to

approximately 1800 representatives within the membership.

• The mailing dates are always the third Friday of March, May,

August and November.

• Participants’ materials must be received at the Chamber office

by the second Friday of March, May, August and November.

• Participants’ materials must fit inside a 6” x 9” envelope and

must weigh no more than an 8 1/2” x 11” paper.

• The mailer is limited to the first 12 participants.

• Materials must maintain the quality consistent with the images

and goals of the Chamber. Therefore, the Chamber reserves

the right to reject any material it deems inappropriate.

• The cost is $175 and is available to members only.

This is an excellent opportunity to promote your new products,

services and menus. Participating businesses will save over

$400 in mailing costs alone and reach the perfect pool of

prospective customers.

For more information, contact Beverly Orr 776-8829.

Another Chamber Benefit: M2M –

Member-2-Member Mailing Program

Since our April news l et te r, these busi-

nesses have re n ewed th e i r

i nve stments in the Chamber. The

B o a rd of Dire c to rs and sta ff th a n k

these businesses for their c o n t i n u i n g

s u p p o rt of the Chamber.

15 Ye a rs and Ove r

Endacott Lighting ★Brinker Tree Care, Inc.

Bruce McMillan AIA, Architects P.A. ★Midwest Concrete Materials ★Stigge Vision Care

Lee Construction Co.

Pat Bosco

GTM Sportswear ★Borck Brothers Clothing

ThyssenKrupp Elevator

Flint Hills Area Builders Association

10-14 Years

Kansas Kollection

Hittle Landscape Architects

Rock-A-Belly Bar & Deli, Inc.

Heartland Aviation, Inc.

N Zone Sportswear

5-9 Years

Certified Angus Beef Program

Manhattan Army Recruiting Company

Chipotle

KTKA TV 49

Gastro-Intestinal Consultants of

Manhattan, P.A.

Riley County Farm Bureau Association

1-4 Years

Central National Bank ★Country Meadows

Little Apple Chorus

Tindal Orthotic & Prosthetic Associates

Kistners Flowers and Greenhouse

Alex’s Affordable Eyewear

M. Duane Nellis

Home Options Made Easy

Prairie Wynds, Inc.

Courtney Bolte

Reece & Nichols Corn e rstone Re a l t y, LLC

KVC Behavioral Healthcare

Star Lumber & Supply Co., Inc.

Olsson Associates

M a n h a t tan Area Habitat for Humanity, Inc.

Paquette Chiropractic

Steven W. Graber P.A.

Steven W. Graber, Attorney

714 Poyntz Avenue, Suite C

Ph (785) 565-0104

Fx (785) 565-0294

www.swgraber.com

It is the goal of our firm to equip our

clients with the legal tools necessary to

create a firm foundation for the structure

and security of your family's estate or

business, for generations to come. Our

firm is networked with other attorneys

who focus their practice in various areas

of estate and business planning.

Together, we provide a resource for our

clientele, as well as long-term stability.

Positive Air LLC

Michael & Cindy Barnhart

1312 Westloop Place

Ph (785) 320-7622

Fx (785) 320-7624

Positive Air LLC specializes in Oxygen,

CPAP/Bilevel, and durable medical

equipment. This new business is owned

by a board certified and state licensed

respiratory therapist who is trained in

polysomnography (sleep apnea). Posi-

tive Air LLC also carries a variety of

recliner/lift chairs and electric scooters.

Special or custom order items are

always welcome. Military, veterans, law

enforcement, firefighters and EMT's

receive discounts on cash sale items.

Great Lakes Airlines

Mary Osborne, Regional Sales Rep

1022 Airport Parkway

Cheyenne, WY 82001

Great Lakes Airlines offers convenient

and reliable service with daily flights to

both Denver and Kansas City right from

the Manhattan Regional Airport. Why

drive when you can fly?

FlyGreatLakes.com.

My Virtual Genie

Kenya Halliburton

1948 Victory Lane

Junction City, KS 66441

Ph (785) 223-4292

Fx (877) 834-1323

www.myvirtualgenie.com

My Virtual Genie is a Multi-Virtual Assis-

tant firm, dedicated to providing offsite

administrative support to small busi-

nesses and busy professionals. Our

Virtual Assistants work as independent

contractors from their home offices and

communicate and complete projects via

e-mail, instant messenger, cd-rom,

diskette and US mail.

Manhattan Track Club

Jeremy Lehning, Head Coach

Darnell Vargo, Club President

1228 Westloop Place #243

www.manhattantrackclub.com

The Manhattan Track Club is a non-profit

organization that offers a program of

track and field instruction, training, and

competition that is suited to all levels of

ability and experience. The club and

coaches will encourage your athlete to

set personal goals and develop discipline

and techniques needed to reach those

goals. MTC also believes in providing a

positive, fun and supportive atmosphere.

The Manhattan Track Club has been

providing these services since 1963.

Wellness Council of America

Bill Kizer, Director of Marketing

9802 Nichols Street, Suite 315

Omaha, NE 68114

Ph (402) 827-3590

Fx (402) 827-3594

www.welcoa.org

As North America’s premier resource for

worksite wellness, the Wellness Council

of America (WELCOA) is dedicated to

helping organizations of all kinds build

and sustain results-oriented wellness

programs.

Baker University

School of Professional and Graduate

Studies

Amie Hoss, Program Representative

2641 SW Wanamaker Road, Topeka

Ph (785) 272-6442

Fx (785) 272-8196

www.bakeru.edu

Through the School of Professional and

Graduate Studies, Baker University

brings its respected undergraduate and

graduate degree programs to people for

whom attending college full-time is not

an option.

1st United Methodist Church

Kay Scarbrough, Senior Pastor

612 Poyntz Avenue

Ph (785) 776-8821

Fx (785) 776-3502

www.fumcmanhattan.com

Page 4 Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Little Apple® Business Review May 2008

The ★ denotes these businesses as

Investors in Advantage Manhattan 2.

Member-Get-A-

MemberAs a Chamber member, you – more than anyone – can articulate

how valuable chamber participation has been for you and your busi-

ness. Help us extend that value to other businesses and profession-

als in the area and region. By relating your enthusiasm to your

peers, you help spread the word about our services and benefits to others –

and enlarge the circle of contacts for all of our members!

Bring in a new member and get your name listed in The Little Apple® Business Review each month and be

entered in a year-end drawing for $270, to be applied towards all or a portion of your annual dues investment.

Congratulations to the following members who brought in a new member for 2008.

Therese Adams – Coldwell Bankers/Realty Group One ★

Susan Stitt – Community First National Bank ★

Tammy Bryant – Varney & Associates, CPAs, LLC ★

Amanda Eilders – First Command Financial Services

Garett Roop – Aligned Roop Chiropractic. P.A.

Blake Bauer – United Bank & Trust

Future members are everywhere: in your Rolodex, vendor file, office building or neighborhood! Start prospect-

ing now for your new member to sign up!

Help spread the word about the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce and make it a win-win for everyone!

The Little Apple® features many

great traditions and attractions.

With all there is to see and do in

Manhattan, it’s no surprise visi-

tors love coming to town.

The Manhattan Convention &

Visitors Bureau staff wants to

know what you love best about

Manhattan and they want you to

put it in a picture.

As part of National Tourism

Week, the Manhattan Convention

& Visitors Bureau is hosting the

2008 Discover Manhattan

Photo and Video Contest. This

contest is designed to promote

The Little Apple® and show off

what attracts folks to our commu-

nity.

It’s a simple contest. Just sub-

mit a digital photo or a digital

video that promotes tourism to

Manhattan along with a

completed entry form. The Man-

hattan CVB staff will pick out the

best photo and the best digital

video and award a package of

prizes to the winner in each cate-

gory. All photos and videos will be

judged on their originality, creativ-

ity, quality of image, and how well

they promote a Manhattan event,

attraction, or tradition. Use of

humor in videos is encouraged,

but not required.

Accepted photo entries will be

posted at the Manhattan CVB

Web site, w w w. m a n h a t ta n c v b . o rg.

Accepted videos will be posted on

a Manhattan CVB YouTube page

and linked to the Manhattan CVB

Web site. Entries will be accepted

beginning on Monday, May 12

when the entry form and contest

rules will be posted online. The

contest will run through Friday,

October 3, giving contestants 21

weeks to take their best shot or

create their best video.

Look for more details on May

12 on the Manhattan CVB

Web site. Contest entry forms

and rules will be available at

the Convention & Visitors

Bureau at 501 Poyntz. A list

of prizes will also be

announced at that time.

National Tourism Week,

which runs May 10-18, seeks

to promote travel to and

within the United States. National

Tourism Week is sponsored by the

Travel Industry Association, which

works to increase awareness of

the travel and tourism industry's

economic, social, and cultural

contributions to the United States.

For questions about the Discover

Manhattan Photo and Video Con-

test, be sure to contact the Man-

hattan CVB at (785) 776-8829 or

visit our Web site at www.manhat-

tancvb.org.

Springtime means wildflowers are blooming in the prairie. The Kansas

Flint Hills and the tallgrass prairie are home to hundreds of species of

native flowers and now is the perfect time to get outdoors and enjoy

the show.

On Sunday, June 8, the Konza Prairie Biological Station is offering

the perfect opportunity to discover the natural beauty of the region at

its annual Friends of the Konza Prairie Wildflower Walk, which will be

held from 6:30-9:00 p.m. along the Butterfly Hill Trail at the Konza

Headquarters. Guided tours of this 1.2-mile trail – an area not often

open to the public – will be offered by reservation.

“An evening walk in June on Konza may include a

beautiful sunset,” said Dr. Valerie Wright, Education

Director for the Konza Environmental Education Pro-

gram. “For people with interest in prairie wildflowers

we have expert guides who can answer your ques-

tions.”

Beginning at 6:30 p.m., the Friends of the Konza

Prairie will also offer merchandise for sale, including

Konza Prairie t-shirts, hats, posters, mugs, and other

items.

Cost for the guided tour is $5 per person, with pro-

ceeds going to support the Konza Environmental

Education Program. Reservations for the tour will be

taken, beginning Thursday, May 1, by leaving a message

with the number in your party at (785) 587-0441. The

tour is free to members of the Friends of the Konza

Prairie.

For more information, visit the event’s Web page at

www.ksu.edu/konza/keep/visit/wildflower.htm or

send an e-mail to keepkonza@ksu.edu.

Discover Wildflowers of the Prairie at the Konza

Stampede Lineup . . . . . . . . . . .2

Arts in the Park Summer Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Manhappenin’s . . . . . . . . . . . .4

In This Issue

Discovering Great Manhattan Traditions and National Tourism Week

May 2008 • Volume 8, Issue 5A publication of the Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau

Page 2 Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau Tourism Topics May 2008

Country Stampede LineupThe hottest lineup of country

music stars is coming to

the 2008 Country Stam-

pede, at Tuttle Creek State

Park on Thursday through

Sunday, June 26-29.

For information on tickets, see

the Country Stampede Web site at www.countrystampede.com or

call (800) 795-8091.

Here’s a quick look at this year’s complete lineup.

Thursday, June 26

4:30 pm – 94.5 Country WIBW

6:00 pm – Kellie Pickler

7:30 pm – 38 Special

9:30 pm – The Charlie Daniels Band

Friday, June 27

12:00 pm – Jason Brown

1:30 pm – Fisher Stevenson

3:00 pm – Phil Stacey

5:00 pm – Little Big Town

7:15 pm – Randy Owen

9:30 pm – Sugarland

KSAE Annual Conference

& ExpoThe Kansas Society of Association Executives will be holding its

annual conference and expo and Association Appreciation Day this sum-

mer. Join other representatives from Kansas associations on July 17 and

18 at the Topeka Capitol Plaza Hotel for educational seminars, an expo,

and a golf tournament at the Lake Shawnee Golf Course. The schedule of

events has yet to be announced. More details can be found at

www.kansas.gov/ksae/events.html or by calling (785) 234-0155.

June events at Sunset ZooJune is Zoo & Aquarium Month at Manhattan’s Sunset Zoo. To encour-

age visitors to come celebrate, Sunset Zoo will host Kids FREE Day on

Saturday, June 7. Like the name implies, kids are free with an accompany-

ing adult from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Sunday, June 15, it’s dad’s turn

when Sunset Zoo celebrates Fathers’ Day. All fathers are admitted free

from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a paying child.

Let’s Go Fishing Have you been itchn’ to go fishin’? Spring is here and we are all overdue

for some much needed time outdoors. Be sure to check out the Kansas

Department of Wildlife and Parks Web site www.kdwp.state.ks.us to gain

information on fishing ranging from length and creel limits to open waters.

You will even find a great section that will tell you where the fish are biting

at across the state. Now that is something!

If you like competition and you like to fish, you need to head out to Tuttle

Creek. The Crappie Master Crappie Tournament was held on Satur-

day, May 3 (sorry, print time came before the tournament). On May 18

the Riley County Fish and Game Association will be hosting a four-species

tournament consisting of Crappie, White Bass, Walleye and Channel Cat.

More information can be obtained by checking out:

www.weisbenderhomes.com

Congratulations to Ely Sprenkler. Ely has been selected to replace

Chuck Bever as the Fisheries Biologist for Tuttle Creek. Ely is very famil-

iar with this area. Welcome! Chuck was promoted to Regions 2 Fisheries

Regional Supervisor.

Saturday, June 28

12:00 pm – Ashton Sheperd

1:00 pm – Rio Grand

3:00 pm – Bucky Covington

5:00 pm – Terri Clark

7:15 pm – Taylor Swift

9:30 pm – Rascal Flatts

Sunday, June 29

12:30 pm – Gayla Earlene

2:00 pm – Western Underground

4:00 pm – Williams and Ree

6:00 pm – Rodney Atkins

8:00 pm – Josh Turner

The past, present, and future of

the Kansas Flint Hills were the

topics of interest at the second

Flint Hills Heritage Conference,

which was held on Friday, April 18

at Rock Springs 4-H Center.

The conference focused on the

possibility of pursuing a National

Heritage Area designation for the

Kansas Flint Hills, much like the

designation that has already been

obtained for the Freedom’s Fron-

tier National Heritage Area. In the

case of the Flint Hills, the focus

would be on the heritage and

landscape of the tallgrass prairie

as preserved in the Flint Hills.

A national heritage area is simply

a model for preserving a nation-

ally-significant story of a particu-

lar region. The Flint Hills tell a

story of the preservation of the

prairie landscape through a spe-

cific kind of cattle ranching that

developed in the region. Those in

attendance at the conference are

considering if the heritage area

model would be beneficial for the

region.

Basically, the heritage model

seeks to develop local partner-

ships of those who are stakehold-

ers in the region, including resi-

dents, area attractions,

businesses, agencies,

governmental organizations, and

any group who wants to see the

story of the Flint Hills preserved

and promoted. The unique

approach of the heritage model is

that every part of the region

remains under local control, with

respect for individual property

rights. Stakeholders enter into a

voluntary partnership to tell the

region’s story.

During the heritage conference,

Emporia State professor Dr. Jim

Hoy shared what made the Flint

Hills cattle ranching industry suc-

cessful and the unique methods

developed in the hills to raise cat-

tle. John Cosgrove, executive

director of the Alliance of National

Heritage Areas, then discussed

the heritage movement and how

across the country many groups

have found success by partnering

together for the economic viability

of their region through the preser-

vation and promotion that

region’s stories. Cosgrove empha-

sized the local nature of these

partnerships and how the

heritage areas are managed from

a grassroots level, with no man-

agement from higher organiza-

tions.

Sue Pridemore, the National

Park Service’s Midwest coordi-

nator of heritage areas, then

shared how local groups go

about building partnerships

and forming a grassroots

organization that wants to pro-

mote the region. Tourism is not

the goal, but a means to the

end of preserving local

heritage. Linda Craghead, the

executive director of the Flint

Hills Tourism Coalition, then

gave an update of the efforts of

the coalition. Finally, Judy

Billings, the director of the

Lawrence Convention and Visitors

Bureau shared how the

Freedom’s Frontier National Her-

itage Area came about. That her-

itage area, which includes several

eastern Kansas counties and sev-

eral western Missouri counties, is

focused on sharing the story of

bleeding Kansas, and the pre-Civil

War struggles in the two states

over the question of slavery and

abolition.

The Flint Hills Heritage Task

Force, which organized the con-

ference with the sponsorship of

several regional organizations

including the Manhattan Conven-

tion & Visitors Bureau, will build

on the discussions held at the

conference as the possibility of

using a similar strategy in the

Kansas Flint Hills is considered.

Flint Hills Heritage Conference held at Rock Springs

The Manhattan CVB’s Dennis Toll served

as emcee for the April Flint Hills

Heritage Conference.

During May, diamonds are The

Little Apple’s® best friends.

That is, the baseball and softball

diamonds. On Friday and Satur-

day, May 23-24, Manhattan will

be the location for the Class 3A

State High School Baseball

and Softball Championships.

The eight best girls’ Class 3A

softball teams will converge for

the two-day state tournament at

Twin Oaks Softball Complex in

Anneberg Park. At the same time,

the top eight boys’ Class 3A base-

ball teams will take the field at

Wayne Norvell Field in the Eisen-

hower Baseball Complex. The

state champion in each sport will

be crowned at the end of the sin-

gle-elimination tournament on

Saturday.

The Manhattan Convention &

Visitors Bureau is proud to part-

ner with the tournament organiz-

ers. The Manhattan Parks and

Recreation Department will run

the softball tournament, while

Rod Franz will organize the base-

ball tournament. Several

members of the Conven-

tion & Visitors Bureau’s

Little Apple Corps will

help out at the softball

tournament as

volunteers.

The tournament will

bring families, school-

mates, and fans from

each of the communities

competing. For many

schools, the weekend tour-

nament is often one of the

last major events on the school

calendar. If the weather cooper-

ates, there will be plenty of other

activities going on in The Little

Apple® to entertain our guests

when their team is not competing

on the playing field.

State baseball, softball swings into Manhattan

Haven came to Manhattan in 2007 and took

home the third-place trophy at the

Class 3A state softball championship.

May 2008 Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau Tourism Topics Page 3

May 27-30 there will be a lot of

blue jackets in Manhattan. The

Little Apple® is the site for the

Kansas Future Farmers of Amer-

ica Association 80th Annual State

Convention. The theme for this

year’s event is “Blue Jackets,

Bright Futures.” Attendance will

include approximately 1,800 stu-

dents and faculty members from

FFA chapters all around the state

of Kansas. This is an opportunity

for FFA members to be

recognized for their successes

and accomplishments throughout

the year.

Included in the three-day confer-

ence will be a number of leader-

ship workshops, a public speaking

finals contest, a state band con-

cert, multiple keynote speakers,

election of next years officers and

many awards ceremonies. For

several of the events, the spon-

sors, advi-

sors,

award win-

ners and

parents of

winners

are all

invited to

attend.

Shawn Harper, an MTV Made

Coach will give the keynote

address on Thursday. Shawn is a

speaker who motivates his audi-

ence to develop themselves per-

sonally and professionally. Shawn

has overcome four learning dis-

abilities, poverty, speech

challenges and the lowest GPA in

his senior class. He is a former

professional football player for the

Indianapolis Colts and is currently

the CEO of American Services

and Protection in Columbus,

Ohio.

Becky Sullivan, the 2007-2008

National FFA Secretary and a cur-

rent K-State student will be giving

a keynote address on Friday.

Becky grew up near Hillsdale,

Kansas and serves on the

national officer team with another

K-State student, Morgan Parker.

Blue Jackets in Town

Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau Steering Committee

Barbara Nelson, Chairman - Strecker-Nelson Gallery

Dave Lewis, Ex-Officio - All Star Midwest Entertainment

Curt Loupe, Ex-Officio - Manhattan Parks & Recreation

Nancy Bartell - Holiday Inn at the Campus

Lynda Spire, Ex-Officio - KSU Conference Office

Jennifer Fritchen - Clarion

Bernie Haney - Kansas State Athletics

Brad Everett - Fairfield Inn

Teresa Morris - Hampton Inn

Diana Nickel - Scenic Valley Inn

John Pence - KSU Housing & Dining

Arts in the Park Coming

to The Little Apple®

Summertime in Manhattan brings music to City Park and summer

2008 will be no exception.

The Manhattan Parks and Recreation Department recently

released the summer 2008 schedule of Arts in the Park, the free con-

cert series held at the Larry Norvell Band Shell in the City Park, near

the corner of Fremont and 11th Streets.

This year’s schedule begins on Friday, June 6, with the Reggae group

Muzizi and ends on Saturday, Aug. 2 with a Cajun group, the Beau

Soleil. In between will be concerts and theatre performances for every

taste. The schedule also includes the two-day Family Music Festival

on Friday and Saturday June 13-14 – in celebration of the 40th anniver-

sary of UFM – and the all-day Little Apple Jazz Festival on Saturday,

July 5.

Here’s the schedule of Arts in the Park performances. All shows start

at 8 p.m., unless stated otherwise. All shows subject to change and or

cancellation due to weather or other circumstances.

June

6 Muzizi (Reggae)

7 Streetside (Doo-wop)

13 Family Music Festival

6:00 pm - Johnsmith (Folk)

8:00 pm - The Wailin’Jennys (Tradl/Roots)

14 Family Music Festival

1:00 pm – Various activities

6:30 pm – Hans Mayer (Folk/Kid’s Music)

8:00 pm – Robin and Linda Williams and Their Fine Band (Folk)

19 1st Infantry Division Concert Band

20 Juneteenth Gospel Fest

21 Red State Blues Band (Blues)

27-28 Children’s Theater “Dear Edwina” – 7:00 pm at Nichols Theatre

(Tickets on Sale at MPRD office)

July

5 Little Apple Jazz Festival (4:00 pm)

10 1st Infantry Division Rock Band

11 Clearview (Classic Rock)

12 The Benders (Oldies)

18-19 Youth Musical “The Pajama Game”- 8:00 pm at Nichols Theatre

(Tickets on sale at MPRD office)

24 Dan Rhoads Band (Blues)

25 Shevy Smith (Country)

26 Scratch Track (Alternative)

31 1st Infantry Division Band

August

1 Watermelon Slim (Jazz/Blues)

2 Beau Soleil (Cajun)

Personal letters from some of the

most important artists of the 19th

and 20th centuries are now on dis-

play at Kansas State University's

Marianna Kistler Beach

Museum of Art in the exhibition,

"More Than Words: Illustrated

Letters from the Smithsonian's

Archives of American Art."

The exhibition provides a different

perspective on such artists as

Thomas Eakins, Frida Kahlo, Mar-

cel Duchamp, Dale Chihuly and

Andy Warhol through their hand-

written letters to family members,

friends and business associates.

The exhibit will remain on view

through July 13 before continuing a

10-city national tour.

"We are pleased to bring this fine

exhibition of illustrated letters by

well-known artists to the Beach

Museum of Art," said Lorne Ren-

der, museum director.

"The personal letters in 'More

Than Words' uncover new insights

into the personalities and creative

processes of some of America's

finest artists," said Liza Kirwin,

the curator of manuscripts at the

Archives of American Art who

organized the exhibition. "In this

age of modern technology, the

works are designed to inspire us to

communicate more thoughtfully

and remind us to cherish handwrit-

ten, personal communications."

Although some of the letters are

personal notes, others explore the

travels or business relations of the

artists. Most of the letters include

drawings, caricatures, watercolors

and collages that shed light on

each artist's individuality.

For more information about K-

State's Beach Museum of Art, call

(785) 532-7718 or drop by the

museum on the southeast corner

of the K-State campus at 14th

Street and Anderson Avenue.

Admission is free, and free visitor

parking is available next to the

building. Museum hours are 10

a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednes-

days, Fridays and Saturdays; 10

a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays; and

noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. The

museum is closed Mondays.

Smithsonian Collection Of Artists' Letters

Arrives At K-State's Beach Museum

Run for the wall to overnight in Junction CityJunction City will be a host overnight city for the Run For The Wall participants on May 18, 2008. On

Wednesday, May 14, 2008, veterans from all wars and their supporters will leave from the Victoria Gardens

Mall in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, on their annual pilgrimage across the heartland of America. Most will be

riding motorcycles.

On May 18th, approximately 400 Run For The Wall riders will arrive in Junction City between 4:45 pm –

5:00 pm at I-70 exit 296 and proceed to the Courtyard by Marriott Convention Center. A dinner will be pro-

vided for the riders and Wounded Warriors from Fort Riley, and following dinner, a Memorial Service at

7:30 pm will be held in front of the Kansas State Vietnam Veterans Memorial, located in Heritage Park.

“We are very excited to have these veterans overnight here. This will be the 20th Run For The Wall.”

stated Donald C. Melella, SFC, USA Retired, Vietnam 69-70. “A simple memorial service will be held with

a guest speaker, wreath laying and a POW/MIA balloon release with tags of those Kansas POW/MIA’s listed

on them. For many Vietnam veterans this is a moving and healing experience.” he added.

501 Poyntz AvenueManhattan, KS 66502-6005

PRESORTEDSTANDARD

US POSTAGE PAIDMANHATTAN KSPERMIT NO 359

Visit the CVB’s

website for a

current listing

of local events -

w w w. m a n h a t ta n c v b . o rg

Manhattan

Convention &

Visitors Bureau Staff

Karen HibbardDirector

karen@manhattan.org

Dennis TollTourism Sales Manager

dennis@manhattan.org

Summer DierksConvention Sales Manager

summer@manhattan.org

Elizabeth SieloffService Coordinator

liz@manhattan.org

501 Poyntz Avenue

Manhattan, KS 66502

(785) 776-8829

(785) 776-0679 fax

Convention & Visitors Bureau

•ADOBE PHOTO-

SHOP CLASS, 5:30-

8 pm, Manhattan Public

Library

•May 8-10 - CRAFTY

SENIORS CRAFT SHOW,

all day, Manhattan Town

Center

KAW VALLEY CENTER

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH-

CARE, INC. PRESENTS:

KVC OPEN HOUSE,

4:30-6:30 pm, Strecker-

Nelson Gallery

•MERCY’S WILD RUN

AT SUNSET ZOO,

Sunset Zoo

•SUMMER FASHION PREWIEW,

1 pm, Manhattan Town Center

•THE FRIENDS OF THE KSU

GARDENS SPRING CONSERVA-

TORY PLANT SALE & ANNUAL

FRIENDS DAY, 9 am-noon,

KSU Gardens

CHILDREN’S DAY AT THE

PRESERVE, 10 am-1 pm,

Tall Grass Prairie

National Preserve

May 28-30 - 80TH

ANNUAL STATE FFA

CONVENTION, all day,

McCain Auditorium

•RHAPSODY RINGERS,

7:30 pm, Manhattan

Town Center

•May 9-11, 16-18, 23-25-

G R E ATER TUNA, Thurs-Sat 7:30 pm;

Sun 2 pm, Columbian Theatre

•May 10 - P I N E WOOD DERBY, 10

am-5 pm, Manhattan Town Center

•May 10 - INTERNATIONAL

MIGRATORY BIRD COUNT, 7-11

am, Tall Grass Prairie National

Preserve

The Mission of the

Manhattan

Convention &

Visitors Bureau is

to expand the local

area economy

through increased

visitor spending.

•K-STATE BASEBALL

HOSTS KANSAS (BIG

XII BASEBALL), 6:30

pm, Tointon Family Stadium

•4 SPECIES TO U R NA M E N T,

check-in as early as 11 am,

Tuttle Creek Lake

•MHS Graduation, 2 pm,

Bramlage Coliseum

SCHOOL DAY, 10 am-1 pm,

Tall Grass Prairie National

Preserve

•Through August 31, COPPER TRUCK, ELLIOTT

PUJOL, Tue Wed Fri Sat 10-5, Thurs 10-8, 12-5, Stolzer

Sculpture Gallery, Beach Museum of Art

•Through October 26, TOUR THE PRAIRIE-BY BUS!,

11 am, 1 pm, 3 pm daily, Tall Grass Prairie National

Preserve

•IRIS DAY, 12-4 pm, KSU

Gardens

•MOTHER’S DAY AT SUN-

SET ZOO, 9:30 am-5 pm,

Sunset Zoo

K-STATE BASEBALL HOSTS

ARIZONA STATE, 6:30 pm,

Tointon Family Stadium

May 2-3, CRAPPIE

MASTERS TOURNA-

MENT, Tournament

competition from 6 am-2:30

pm on Saturday, May 3,

Registration at the Clarion

Hotel from 5-7 pm on Friday,

May 2, followed by the tour-

nament seminar at 7, Tuttle

Creek Reservoir

May 1-4 - THE FANTA-

STICKS, Thurs-Sat 7:30

pm; Sun 2 pm,

Manhattan Arts Center

•BIRDHOUSE ACO U ST I C

MUSIC SERIES: KANSA S

HEART, 8 pm, Manhattan

Arts Center

•FRIENDS OF THE SUNSET ZOO’S

WINE IN THE WILD, 7-9 pm, Sunset

Zoo

•YARD ART CLASSICS CAR CLUB

PRESENTS: THE 18TH ANNUAL

DUAL CAR SHOW, 8 am-3:30 pm,

City Park

•K-State Graduation

•K-STATE BASEBALL

HOSTS KANSAS (BIG XII

BASEBALL), 6:30 pm,

Tointon Family Stadium

•HORSE-DRAWN HAY-

ING AND RAKING

DEMONSTRATION, 10

am-3:30 pm, Tall Grass Prairie

National Preserve

•May 24-25, LITTLE APPLE

CAT FANCIERS ACFA CHAMPI-

ONSHIP AND HOUSEHOLD

PET CAT SHOW, 9 am-4 pm

both days, Pottorf Hall-Cico

Park

•BIRDS OF PREY

PROGRAM, 2-3 pm,

Tall Grass Prairie

National Preserve

•May 31-June 1,

BIRDING HIKES AT THE

PRESERVE, 8 am-3 pm,

Tall Grass Prairie

National Preserve

May 2008 Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Little Apple® Business Review Page 9

Effective rewards will not only

motivate employees in the short

term, but also may help engage

them for the long haul.

59.1% of employers use cash

rewards and 65.5% use gift certifi-

cates to motivate employees

according to a survey of 235

managers by the Forum for Peo-

ple Performance Management

and Measurement.

The Manhattan Area Chamber of

Commerce has a program that

combines the two: Little Apple

Dollars®. This program has the

added benefit of keeping money

circulating in Manhattan.

Little Apple Dollars may be

redeemed by the bearer at most

Manhattan area businesses for

goods and services. For added

convenience, retail and service

businesses who signed up specifi-

cally to accept Little Apple Dollars

are listed and included with each

check. Those members are:

4 Olives Wine Bar

A Full House

Ann-A-Lees

Appleseed Art & Frame

Barry's Drug Center

Baskin Robbins

Ben Franklin Crafts & Frame

Shop

Best Buy

Blueville Nursery, Inc. ★

Borck Brothers Clothing

Brown's Shoe Fit Co.

Campus Hair Styling

Carlos O'Kelly's

Catholic Charities

Chili's Grill & Bar

Claflin Books & Copies

Cold Stone Creamery

Copies 4-Less, Inc.

Copy Co Corporation

Danenberg Jewelers

Dara's Fast Lane

Dillard's Department Store

Dillons Food Market - Eastside

Dillons Food Market - Westside

Doe's Eat Place

Dry Clean City, Inc.

Dunne's Pharmacy

Eastside & Westside Markets ★

Endacott Lighting ★

Faith Furniture

Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que

Glass Impressions

Golf USA

Griffith Lumber Company ★

GTM Sportswear - K-State Super

Store ★

Gymnastics Plus

Hair Experts Salon & Spa

Harry's

HB Stereo

Hey Baby!

Hibachi Hut/Texas Star

Hobby Lobby

J.C. Penney

Jimmy John's

K-State Student Union - Bookstore

Kansas Kollection

Kistners Flowers and Greenhouse

Kitchen Capers

Little Caesars

Manhattan Town Center

Customer Service Center

Mead Lumber Do It Center

Merle Norman Cosmetics

Mid-America Piano, LLC

Nespor's Wine & Spirits

Orscheln Farm & Home

Pfeifley Jewelers

Planet Sub

Pop's Collectables

Prime Time Fitness Club, Inc.

Purple Wave Auction, Inc.

Quiznos Sub

RadioShack - Manhattan ★

Ray's Apple Market - Downtown

Ray's Apple Market - Westside

Reed & Elliott Jewelers

Riddles Jewelry

Rod's Hallmark

Scrappy Chicks, Inc.

Select Comfort

Shear Dynamics Salon & Day Spa

Sirloin Stockade

Staples

Steve's Floral

Strecker-Nelson Gallery

The Buckle

The Pathfinder

Valentino's of Manhattan

Varney's Book Store

Varney's K-State Place

Vista Drive-In

Wal-Mart

Waters True Value

WestLink Communications

Westport Dry Cleaners, Inc.

Whiskey Creek Woodfire Grill

Wildcat BP

Wildflower Yarns & Knitwear

The check will be accepted at

face value, the same as a check,

and each genuine Little Apple Dol-

lars check is guaranteed by the

Manhattan Area Chamber of

Commerce.

There is absolutely no cost to

this program – you will not pay

one penny more than the face

value of the check.

For more information on the pro-

gram or to order Little Apple® Dol-

lars, call 776-8829 or visit the

Chamber office at 501 Poyntz

Avenue in Manhattan.

Effective Rewards for Employees

You Want to Keep

Page 10 Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Little Apple® Business Review May 2008

2008 Economic Stimulus Act

for Businesses

April is behind us, our personal

tax returns have been filed and

we happily await those economic

stimulus checks to arrive this

month. The hope, of course, is

that spending that money will

have a ripple effect. Consumer

spending has long been the

engine of our economy, account-

ing for two-thirds of the Gross

Domestic Product; those $600+

checks are just a little extra

octane for that engine.

Businesses have incentives of

their own this year, although per-

haps not as much fun as receiv-

ing a check in the mail. The

business incentive is a tempo-

rary increase, to 50%, that busi-

nesses may depreciate certain

purchases this year, and

is commonly known as a

“bonus depreciation.”

Generally, assets that

have a life of more than

one year are depreciated

over their expected life to

account for wear and tear. For

example, if you purchase a new

piece of machinery that should

last seven years and costs

$21,000, you may deduct 1/7 or

$3,000 each year from your tax-

able income. In 2008, the

deduction would be $10,500 and

this could mean significant tax

savings. The amount a business

may expense on new and used

equipment in 2008 has also

been raised to $250,000, up

from $128,000. Check with

your accountant for details or

see:

h t t p : / / w w w. i rs . g ov / n ews ro o m

/ a rt i c l e / 0 , , i d = 17 9 2 27, 0 0 . h t m l

The Economic Stimulus Act

doesn’t mean you should rush

out to buy something just

because of the bonus deprecia-

tion, but if your business is con-

sidering purchasing equipment,

2008 is a good year to buy.

Contact Information:

John Addessi

Business Consultant

Washburn University / Kansas S m a l l

Business Development Center

Manhattan Chamber of

Commerce

501 Poyntz Manhattan, KS 66502

john.addessi@washburn.edu

PH: (785) 587-9917

FAX: (785) 776-0679

Economic

Development

Institute GraduateJohn Pagen, Director of

Economic Development, graduated

from the University of Oklahoma’s

Economic Development Institute

(OU/EDI) on April 3, 2008 at the

OU/EDI session held in Reno, NV.

Begun in 1962, OU/EDI now has

over 3,500 graduates.

OU/EDI is a three-session program, each one week long, which pro-

vides a broad spectrum of advanced education for the economic devel-

opment professional and is accredited by the International Economic

Development Council.

OU/EDI classes focus on three major core areas of Business Reten-

tion and Expansion, Real Estate, and Finance as well as areas of con-

centration in Marketing, Strategic Planning, Managing Economic Devel-

opment Organizations, and Entrepreneurial Development. Students

complete 117 hours of instruction selected from more than 50 semi-

nars, workshops and discussion groups.

Leadership Manhattan Session VSession V—Economic Development was held April 16 at Kansas Farm

Bureau. The session’s leadership topic was The Attitudes and Actions

You Need to Be Innovative and Visionary. Interesting points shared by

Brad Roberts, course instructor, were: 1) Nothing is more dangerous

than when you only have one idea; 2) If you hit the target every time,

the target is either too close or too big and 3) You are what you are,

you are what you think you are, you are what other people think you

are. Steve Shields spoke on Changing the Senior Life Paradigm, Lyle

Butler and Don Wissman shared concerning Economic Development,

and Tom Roberts expounded on Attitudes Toward Vision and Innova-

tion Based on Generational Differences.

As it was Brad Roberts’ last time teaching Leadership Manhattan, this

session was a bit emotional and as always challenging. The day ended

with Brad imparting the fact that the class is all stars but their goal

now is to be star-builders.

The class chose Tanna Thompson and Mark Skochdopole to be on

the Leadership Manhattan Board. Katie Van Vleet and Jeff Pfannen-

stiel will be the newest members of Friends of Leadership.

Leadership

Manhattan

Graduation

Continued from page 1

Congratulations

to the Leadership

Manhattan Class

of 2008!

•Tracy Anderson,

Anderson Knight

Architects

•Trent Armbrust,

Kansas Sta te Un i ve rs i t y

• S h a ron Bro o ks h i re,

Kansas Sta te Un i ve rs i t y

•Brady Childress,

Steel & Pipe Supply★

•A n gela Cunningham,

Waddell & Reed

•Shilo Heger, Riley

County

•Chad Jackson,

NISTAC

•Jeff Pfannenstiel,

KSU Foundation ★

•Cheryl Philippi,

Peoples Choice Mort-

gage

• M a rk Sko ch d o p o l e,

Kansas State Bank★

•Gina Scro g g s,

P u rple Wave Au c t i o n

•Rick Smith, Com-

munity First National

Bank★

•Tanna Thompson,

Commerce Bank★

•Katie Van Vleet,

GTM Sportswear★

•Sally Vonada,

Manhattan Area Tech-

nical College

•Barry Wilkerson,

Riley County

Featured in HR Magazine by

Patrick Lencioni

Three signs that employees are

miserable on the job:

1) Anonymity-Managers should

get to know their employees.

As the article states, “People

who see themselves as invisi-

ble, generic or anonymous

cannot love their jobs, no

matter what they do.”

2) Irrelevance-The articles states,

“All employees need to know

that their jobs matter, to

someone.”

3) No n - m e a s u re m e n t - “ E mp l oye e s

need to be able to gauge their

progress and level of contribu-

tion for themselves. Without a

tangible means for assessing

success or failure, motivation

eventually deteriorates as

people see themselves as

unable to control their own

fate.”

Overcoming the three signs:

1) Anonymity-“The best way to

remove any sense of

anonymity or invisibility that

surrounds an employee at

work is simply to get to know

him or her.”

2) Irrelevance-One of the most

important things a manager

can do is to help their

employees see why their work

matters to someone.

Managers need to help

employees answer the ques-

tion, “how am I helping?”

3) Non-measurement-People

want ways to measure their

work so they can get an intrin-

sic sense of accomplishment.

As declared, “Ask most employ-

ees whether their managers are

genuinely interested in them as

human beings, whether their jobs

have relevance to someone other

then themselves or whether they

can measure the success of their

jobs, and most will say ‘no.’”

What a wa ke-up call for manage rs.

Reasons managers fail to give

their people the basis for a mean-

ingful career:

1) Social convention-In the inter

view process, managers are

taught not to ask personal

qu e stions; once hired emp l oye e s

are kept at arm’s length.

2) Amnesia-Managers often for-

get what it was like to be a

junior employee. They’ve for-

gotten the impact that

manager’s have on employee’s

sense of self-esteem, enthusi-

asm and job fulfillment just by

taking an interest in

someone’s life outside of work,

reminding them of the impact

they have on others and help-

ing them set goals for them-

selves.

3) The human factor-The man-

agers seem to forget that their

employees are three-dimen-

sional humans and not robots.

So, managers must realize that

job misery at work is costly,

unnecessary and treatable. Mov-

ing forward from there they can

then have a successfull work unit.

Minimizing Misery

May 2008 Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Little Apple® Business Review Page 11

Military UpdateOperation Welcome

Home in Full Swing

The 4th Brigade, 1st Infantry Divi-

sion unit returned over 3000 sol-

diers to Fort Riley in April and mem-

bers of various K-State sororities

and fraternities worked on a contin-

uing program to welcome home

single soldiers. Operation Welcome

Home is designed to ensure that

soldiers who might not have family

or friends able to attend their rede-

ployment ceremony still have some-

one to greet them. Many of the stu-

dent volunteers had a parent or

someone in their family in the mili-

tary and they all feel a strong sense

of support for the program.

Fort Riley Spouses Tour

Local Gallery

This spring Manhattan continued a

long standing tradition of hosting a

reception for Fort Riley command

spouses. Around 45 Manhattan

and Fort Riley ladies met at the

Strecker-Nelson Gallery on a beauti-

ful Sunday in mid-April for an after-

noon of art, food and fun. This is

one of several events throughout

the year that strives to promote the

friendly interaction between Fort

Riley and Manhattan residents.

Military Relations

Committee Hosts

Fort Riley Luncheon

Manhattan representatives and Fort

Riley families met for lunch on April

2 at Riley’s Conference Center on

Fort Riley. Over 75 soldiers and

family members were in attendance

at this first ever “State of the City”

event. Mayor Tom Phillips shared

with a packed room about the devel-

opment in Manhattan and presented

an update on the city’s response to

the growth of the Big Red One.

Business BarometerMarch 2007 March 2008

BUILDING PERMITS - source: City of Manhattan

Total Issued 54 30$ Amount $9,797,975 $4,034,994Permit Fees $58,874 $21,150

RETAIL SALES (Manhattan) - source: City of Manhattan

Retail Sales $71,239,700 $77,021,100 Sales Tax Collections $712,397 $770,211

LABOR - source: Kansas Labor Market Information Services

ManhattanCivilian Work Force 27,136 27,423Employed 26,148 26,590Unemployed 988 883Rate 3.6% 3.0%

Riley CountyCivilian Work Force 34,920 35,283Employed 33,609 34,177Unemployed 1,311 1,106Rate 3.8% 3.1%

Fort Riley Career Expo

The April 17th Fort Riley Career Expo was a great opportunity to meet

with area job seekers and to also help familiarize newcomers with the

area. The majority of job seekers were military spouses. The 3-hour

event saw the largest amount of employers ever to be present (79).

Nearly 200 job seekers came and found an abundance of job opportu-

nities in the area.

Keeps Tabs on Your

Retirees – You May Be

Able to Lure Them Back!

A large percentage of managers within Kansas businesses are, or

soon will be, eligible for retirement. This fact adds yet another chal-

lenge to the general workforce shortage being felt not only in Kansas,

but across the U.S. and in other parts of the world. To address this

issue, your business may want to consider creating a database of your

retired employees. It is quite possible some may be interested in com-

ing back to work for you on a part-time or project-by-project contract

basis.

The creation of this type of database would allow your business to

maintain contact and background information regarding individual

retiree’s department and classification, skills and employment goals.

Of course, this strategy alone isn’t going to solve workforce shortage

issues, but it is one more idea to implement in addressing the talent

shortage. Not only would this approach help grow more employees,

but it could also save your business a lot of money in headhunter/

recruitment company fees. An important benefit to keep in mind, too,

is the savings in training time and dollars you would have by re-hiring

your retirees who are already equipped with a wealth of knowledge

about your business.

Often overlooked and untapped, the individuals retiring from your

business are a valuable market of talent to keep tabs on. If you know

where to find them, you may just be able to lure them back!

K-State students pose with their welcome signs before a recent

redeployment ceremony on Fort Riley.

After the MRC luncheon, Mayor Tom Phillips talks with

a soldier about his future in politics.

Janice Lee (Manhattan) and Theresa Piscal (Fort Riley) meet up at

the refreshment table for a visit.

Page 12 Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Little Apple® Business Review May 2008

Upcoming Events:

May 2008, 5:30 p.m.

Aggieville Olympics

Thursday, June 26 , 2008, 11:30 a.m.

“How to have a positive impact on your company, customers and

colleagues” presented by the Cindy Kulp with CompetitivEdge

Business Solutions

The Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce invited the main contact of each business member to take the

2008 Business Outlook Survey, giving their views on business expectations this year. The survey received a

20% response rate – a very good response!

This survey is not scientific and reflects the opinions of only those Internet users who have chosen to

participate. The results cannot be assumed to represent the opinions of the Manhattan Area Chamber of

Commerce members in general, its Board of Directors, nor the membership as a whole. The results are

disclosed to respondents and are studied by Chamber staff and Chamber committees for informational

purposes only. No personal information is collected and all respondents remain anonymous.

Manhattan Business Have Great Expectations No t e w o rthy Ne w sNo t e w o rthy Ne w s

The Manhattan Vet Center hosted its Grand Opening on Tuesday, April 8th,

at 9:00am. The Manhattan Vet Center, located at 205 S. 4th Street, Suite 1B,

is a Readjustment Counseling Services Program of the Department of Veter-

ans Affairs (VA). The Manhattan Vet Center provides readjustment counseling

and outreach services to veterans who served in any combat zone and to vet-

erans who have been sexually traumatized or harassed while serving on active

duty. Services are also available for their family members for military related

issues. Bereavement services are provided to families of service members

who die on active duty status. Veterans have earned these benefits through

their service and all are provided at no cost to the veterans or families. The

Manhattan Vet Center’s business hours are from 8am – 4:30pm, Monday

through Friday, and by appointment. You may contact the Manhattan Vet Cen-

ter at 785-587-8257.

Ray’s Apple Market Owners HonoredAssociated Wholesale Grocers of Kansas City, Kan., recently presented the

Lou Fox Community Service Award to Mike and Nelda Floersch, who own and

operate two Ray’s Apple Market stores. The Lou Fox Community Service is

awarded to people within the grocery industry that work in the area of commu-

nity service. Today the Floersch family support the Broken Arrow Blind Camp,

match employee donations to Hometown Improvement Fund, support the

American Cancer Society and serve as volunteers for the Meals on Wheels

and Up With People.

The Trust Company Recognized by magazineThe Trust Company of Manhattan was recognized by Financial Advisor maga-

zine as being among the fastest growing independent, registered investment

and financial advisors in the United States. The firm was named the 15th

fastest growing among advisory firms managing between $300 million and

one-half billion in client assets.