Jack Parr Customer Service Seminar

September 2008, Volume 4, Issue 9, www.manhattan.org
A publication of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce
Jack Parr Customer Service Seminar
Contact us:
501 Poyntz Avenue
Manhattan, KS
66502-6005
785-776-8829 phone
785-776-0679 fax
[email protected]
www.manhattan.org
TDD Kansas Relay Center:
800-766-3777
Here is an opportunity for you to capitalize on a professional and personal development process for improving customer satisfaction. Jack Paar Associates is an international recognized human resources development firm specializing in customer service training and management development.
session from 8:00-12:00 and afternoon from
1:00-5:00 on October 22, 2008 at Farm
Bureau Financial Services. Each session is
limited to 100 participants.
Jack Parr, former All-American and NBA basketball player started
the firm in 1969. He was inducted to the Kansas State University
Sport’s Hall of Fame in 2004. His roots run deep with Manhattan
and is bringing his successful seminar to us at special rate to give
back to the community. Jack Parr Associates, Inc. has developed a
unique WE CARE® approach. WE CARE® is a professional and personal development process for improving customer satisfaction by
teaching the skills to negotiate with customers under stress, understand themselves, maintain personal balance and leave at the end of
the day with a tally of successful customer exchanges.The result is
increased confidence and effectiveness with customers.
Please call Pam at 776-8829 for reservations:
“Early Bird” registration – through Oct. 8th
$59.00 each for four or more registering from the same business
$69.00 for a single registration
$79.00 for non-members.
After October 8th
$79.00 for members
$89.00 for non-members
Sponsored by:
This seminar is for everyone from the entry level positions to the
CEO. To make this available to everyone we are offering a morning
Good Morning
Manhattan!
Scheduled for
September 18
In keeping with the theme of fast-paced,
informative and the bonus of worthwhile
networking, we are hoping to see you at
this month’s GOOD MORNING MANHATTAN. The speakers, once again, are
being selected based on their involvement
in local issues of interest to the community.
Coffee will be served at 7:15 a.m., a
buffet breakfast at 7:30 a.m. followed by
4 speakers that will share information
about local topics of interest to the community. They will each have the floor for
5 minutes in order to complete the program by 8:30 a.m.
Be sure to bring your business cards for
networking and the door prize drawing.
Shake hands and introduce yourself!
There will be a secret member who will
award $50.00 to the 15th person who
shakes his/her hand.
RSVP’S are required and can be made
by calling 776-8829 or emailing [email protected].
The cost is $15 per member or $30 for
non-members.
Sponsored by:
Make your reservations now for the first time ever Mid-Year Business Leaders’ Summit to
be held on Wednesday, September 17. This event will take place at the Clarion Hotel
from 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
The Mid-Year Business Leaders’ Summit is designed for businesses that are not able to
attend the Leaders’ Retreat in Kansas City. This summit is for the leaders of the business,
civic, legislative and education community to retreat together, to learn and discuss issues
regarding the future of Manhattan.
Topics to be discussed will be Fort Riley, Flint Hills Regional Growth Plan, Regional Visitor’s
Center, Aggieville’s future and USD #383 Bond issue.
The cost for this event is $20, which includes lunch. Registration is required. To RSVP,
email Carol, [email protected], or call her at 776-8829 by Friday, September 12.
Sponsored by:
★
Page 2
Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Little Apple® Business Review
The mission of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce is to
foster a changing environment for business success that enhances
the quality of life in our region.We market the region,advocate for
business, and provide services to our members and customers.
Are you interested in being a member of the Manhattan Area
Chamber of Commerce? Give Rais a call at 776-8829 for more
information.
This is a publication of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce –
all advertising is the responsibility of The Manhattan Mercury.
To place an ad or for more information, contact Jemie Wataha at
776-2200, ext. 231 or [email protected].
By Lyle Butler, President/CEO
What Is the Chamber’s
Mid-Year Leaders
Summit?
For over 40 years the Manhattan
Area Chamber of Commerce has
sponsored an annual Leaders’
Retreat. The purpose of this
annual event is to bring business,
civic and elected officials together
to talk about our community, its
challenges, opportunities and priorities. In recent years the Leaders’ Retreat has become more
regional in scope by having both
the Wamego and Junction City
Chambers bring their leaders so
that discussions could also occur
around regional issues.
Now you might ask what is the
idea behind a Mid-Year Business
Leaders’ Summit? This event is
something brand new and actually was a request by several of
our area Chamber business members. Traditionally our annual
Leaders’ Retreat has been held
over a two day period in Kansas
City during January. The reason it
has been held out of town was to
allow the leaders attending the
opportunity to really focus on the
issues and planning at hand
rather than being too easily accessible to their business in town and
thus coming and going from the
meetings.
In recent years there have been
a growing number of requests
from area businesses that can not
attend the traditional annual
retreat to have something locally.
Therefore, the Chamber is
responding and is kicking off the
first ever Mid-Year Business Leaders’ Summit on Wednesday, September 17th to be held at the
Clarion Hotel in Manhattan. This
will allow local businesses who
have not been able to attend the
annual retreat the same opportunity to discuss community issues,
challenges and future priorities.
September 2008
which includes lunch and refreshments. You must RSVP your
attendance in advance by contacting the Chamber at 776-8829 or
email the Chamber at
[email protected]. The Summit is open to both Chamber
member and non-member businesses alike for the same cost.
We want to encourage all local
business leaders to attend. This
event is sponsored by Realty Executives Weis Real Estate Company.
The agenda for the day is still
being set but several topics will be
covered including updates on several city projects/programs, the
latest facts and figures from Fort
Riley, Housing Issues, Regional
Planning in Response to the
growth at Fort Riley, the proposed
USD 383 Bond Issue, the
Proposed Regional Visitors Center
and opportunities for the attendees to give feedback as to their
ideas and suggestions for the
future direction of the community.
We are also inviting our local and
state representatives to join us.
The Mid-Year Business Leaders’
Summit will run from 7:30 AM to
2 PM at a cost of $20 per person
Military Relations
The Military Relations Committee and its Little
Apple Brigade meet monthly with programs provided
by military personnel to keep the community updated
about affairs on Fort Riley and around the world.
These events alternate between luncheons and
breakfasts and are held the first Wednesday of each
month (except December) at various Chamber member locations in Manhattan. The breakfast social time
is from 7:00 - 7:30 am with the program to follow.
Luncheon social time is from 11:30 a.m. - noon with
the program to follow.
Active duty military of any rank are our guests for
the event at no charge. Chamber members and
guests are $10 per person.
The mission of the MRC is to plan, coordinate, and
execute programming and activities that will
strengthen the relationship between Manhattan and
Fort Riley and bring about a heightened awareness of
one community's importance to the other.
Our commitment is to support soldiers and their
families during both deployment hardships and
homecoming joy. In so doing, we hope to show active
and retired military that the Greater Fort Riley Community is not just another assignment, but a place to
call home.
For more information contact Bevin Landrum at
[email protected] or by calling 776-8829 ext.
228 or 341-4540. You can also surf to www.manhattan.org/militaryrelations.
September 2008
It was a perfect evening to meet
friends and members at the
Burnett Automotive ★ corner,
where along with neighbors,
Optical Perspectives and
Paquette Chiropractic, they
hosted us in fine fashion under
the tents and shade of the trees.
Blake Bauer, United Bank and
Trust was the winner of the Business After Hours passport.
Nathan Bergman, Barlett &
West won the $100.00 Chamber
cash prize. They were standing
next to each other so “conspiracy” was bantered around.
Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Little Apple® Business Review
Be sure to mark your
calendars for
Business
After Hours
Wednesday,
September 10, 2008
5:30-7:00 pm
ESB Financial
224 E. Poyntz
ESB Financial is a BANK and
much, much more!
Banking, Investments, Trust,
Mortgage
ESB Financial is an independent, family-owned community
bank with a proud history of serving the people in the Flint Hills
region since 1887. Their experienced team is proud to be a part
of the Manhattan area to help our
communities grow and be successful. They give personal attention and fast local decisions to
help every client achieve their
dreams.
ESB Financial has earned the
highest ratings for safety and
soundness as a BauerFinancisl’s
5-Star rated bank and a VERIBANC Blue Ribbon Bank.
ESB Financial….Effective Solutions for Banking in Kansas Since
1887.
Come meet their staff and enjoy
an evening of networking with
your fellow members!
Page 3
OUR HOSTS NEED
YOUR HELP
One of the many challenges in event planning is providing accurate
attendance numbers. As Business After Hours has grown and
become one of our most popular monthly events, it has also
become more precarious in forecasting accurate attendance as a
result of walk-ins and no-shows. The Chamber feels a responsibility
to the sponsors and their budgets to do all it can to provide a good
rsvp number that doesn’t create either a shortage of food and
refreshments or a substantial overage. After much thought and discussion we will implement the following changes to the pricing structure to help alleviate the discrepancies and be able to give reservation totals that reflect a correct anticipated attendance.
These changes will begin immediately with the
September BAH.
Advance RSVP – Members
Walk-In (No RSVP) – Members
Passport – No RSVP
$5.00 (unchanged)
$10.00
Double Punch
The ★ denotes these businesses as Investors in Advantage Manhattan 2.
The ★ denotes these businesses as Investors in Advantage Manhattan 2.
Page 4
Since our August newsletter, these
businesses have renewed their
investments in the Chamber. The
Board of Directors and staff thank
these businesses for their continuing
support of the Chamber.
15 Years and Over
Bockers II Catering
Career & Employment Services
Dara’s Fast Lane Inc.
Homestead Rental
Kansas Air Center
KSU Division of Continuing Education
Manko Window Systems, Inc ★
McCain Auditorium
Midstate Mechanical, Inc.
Optical Perspectives
Orazem & Scalora Engineering, P.A. ★
Pottawatomie County Econ. Dev’t Corp
Westloop Merchants Association
c/o Ben Franklin Crafts & Frame Shop
5-9 Years
Allscapes
Allstate Insurance Terry Voos Agency,
Inc.
Boy Scouts of America
Custom Wood Products
D.F. Osborne Construction, Inc.
Five Star Vending
Grand Mere Realty ★
Robert K. Larsen
McDonald’s
Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Little Apple® Business Review
September 2008
Nespor’s Wine & Spirits
RadioShack Manhattan ★
Sauder Manufacturing Co.
Standard Plumbing, Inc
Tuttle Creek State Park
Ron Wilson
1-4 Years
A Full House
Adult Learning Center, USD 383
American Academy of Cosmetology
Benjamin Moore—Allied Paints
Art DeGroat
John R. English
Farm Bureau Financial Services—
Michael Hodges
Frontier Farm Credit ★
Group Benefits Specialists
Knight Real Estate, Inc.
Medical Search Associates
Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio
Ray’s Apple Market
Scenic Valley Inn and the Wooden
Nickel Event Center
Stasyx Computer Solutions
The Growth Coach
Valentino’s of Manhattan
Motel 6
Michael K. Berges, General
Manager
510 Tuttle Creek Boulevard
Ph (785) 537-1022
Fx (785) 537-7307
www.motel6.com
Welcome to Motel 6 in Manhattan,
Kansas. Located 3.6 miles east of
downtown Manhattan. Along with
standard amenities Motel 6 #0152
includes coin laundry, outdoor pool,
and restaurants within 1 mile. Please
check rates and availability by calling
785-537-1022 or visiting motel6.com
Upcoming Events:
Tuesday, September 23, 2008, 11:30 a.m.
Presentation by United Way at the Manhattan Country Club.
Kieu’s Inc.
Thao Nguyen, Vice President
431 Poyntz Avenue
Manhattan, KS 66500
Ph (785) 320-7878
Fx (785) 320-7879
www.kieus.com
The ★ denotes these businesses as
Investors in Advantage Manhattan 2.
Rachel Soash with the Sunset Zoo gave a great presentation
on their program “Go Green” for the
Manhattan Young Professionals in August.
HOST A 2009 BUSINESS
AFTER HOURS!
It is remarkable to think we are planning 2009, but we have arrived.
As a member in good standing with the Manhattan Chamber of
Commerce, you are given the unique opportunity to host one of the
organization’s signature networking events. Business After Hours
is always well received and well attended. The event offers you the
occasion to showcase your company to the Manhattan business
community. We publish a promotional story in the pre-event newsletter and on the Chamber website. We will handle the invitation to be
sent to each Chamber member. Partnering with another member
business in sponsoring the event has proven to be another successful
avenue of hosting. If you would be interested in hosting 2009
please call Pam Teller 776-8829.
September 2008 • Volume 8, Issue 9
A publication of the Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau
Proposed visitors center one step closer to reality
A 14-year dream of the Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau
and the Manhattan Chamber of
Commerce is now one major step
closer to reality.
In late July the Chamber of
Commerce secured the lease to a
7.3-acre tract of land at the Northwest corner of the intersection of
Interstate 70 and K-177. The
desire of the Chamber and the
CVB is to develop a regional visitor’s center at the site as a means
of promoting attractions and communities throughout the Kansas
Flint Hills.
“The idea is for the visitor’s center to promote the Flint Hills and
the attractions associated with the
Flint Hills, as well as showing the
region’s history and importance to
Kansas and ultimately the world,”
said Chamber of Commerce president Lyle Butler. “The concept,
from day one, was to create a
regional visitors center, one which
will promote the entire Flint Hills,
and ultimately the entire state of
Kansas.”
The seed of an idea for such a
visitor’s center germinated in
1994 when the Chamber of Commerce began officially pursuing
the goal. This latest step comes at
the perfect time, as interest in the
Flint Hills is growing nationally. In
recent years, articles in National
Geographic, Midwest Living, and
The Boston Globe have put the
beauty and heritage of the Kansas
Flint Hills on the national map.
The recent publication of the
Kansas Flint Hills Travel Guide
(see the article below) by the
Kansas Flint Hills Tourism Coalition includes an article about
three young college students from
the East coast that made the trek
to the Flint Hills after reading
about the region in the National
Geographic. That’s just one example of many stories about visitors
coming to see the Flint Hills and
the tallgrass prairie.
“We want the visitors center to
point people in the right direction
and to enhance their experience
in the Flint Hills,” said Karen
Hibbard, vice president of the
Chamber of Commerce and director of the Convention & Visitors
Bureau. “At this location at I-70
and K-177, we hope to catch people traveling through on the interstate and point them to the many
attractions throughout the entire
Flint Hills region.”
Over the years, several studies
have suggested the I-70/K-177
intersection is the ideal location
for a regional visitor’s center. The
most recent of these studies is
the FERMATA Report, which was
created for the State of Kansas
and came out in the fall of 2005,
proposed the site as the best location for capturing people as they
pass through the region.
tives from the counties of Geary,
Morris, Wabaunsee,
Pottawatomie, and Riley, the task
force will seek to identify and
encourage stakeholders in the
project and come up with a vision
for what elements to include in a
visitors center. There is much
more work to be done before the
dream is realized, but with this
step, the dream is taking a very
real shape.
The next step is to create a task
force to direct the process of
designing and implementing the
visitor’s center. With representa-
The Kansas Flint Hills promote with a Travel Guide
Around the country the buzz about the Kansas Flint Hills is growing. With articles in magazines like Midwest Living and National
Geographic and in major newspapers like The Boston Globe and
through specials on PBS, people all across the country are learning Kansas’ secret: There’s something unique about the Flint
Hills.
The Flint Hills Tourism Coalition is working to help communities
throughout the region promote their attractions and events. The
goal of the coalition is to encourage visitors to come discover for
themselves the magic of the Flint Hills. To aid in that endeavor,
the FHTC has published the Kansas Flint Hills Travel Guide, a
48-page publication full of information about places to see, and
things to do throughout the Flint Hills.
The guide, which includes maps, listings, and feature articles, is currently available throughout the region. To get your
copy, stop by the Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau at
501 Poyntz Ave. You can also discover more about the Flint
Hills at the coalition’s website, www.kansasflinthills.travel.
Manhattan is mentioned frequently in the guide, including destination listings fro the Marianna Kistler
Beach Museum of Art, the Sunset Zoo, the Manhattan Arts and Humanities Coalition, The
Pathfinder, the First Territorial Capitol State Historic Site, the Goodnow House State Historic
Site, as well as businesses like Tallgrass Brewing Company.
Comfort Suites coming to
Manhattan
See page 2 for more information
Page 2
Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau Tourism Topics
Comfort Suites coming to Manhattan
Promote to Manhattan’s visitors
Each year, hundreds of thousands
of visitors make their way to Manhattan. Some come to see a KState game, others for a
conference. Some come to shop or
eat in one of our great restaurants.
Others come to visit friends or family. Many visitors come just
because we are Manhattan.
A Kansas-based business, S&B Hotels Inc., recently announced a new
addition to Manhattan’s hotel inventory. Stanley R. Weilert, owner of
S&B Hotels Inc., has run the family business for nearly 20 years by building, owning and operating franchises for Marriott, Hilton, Choice and Wyndham properties. The Manhattan Comfort Suites will be S&B Hotels’ 12th
property.
S&B Hotels Inc.’s associates are native to Kansas, with their corporate
office located in Wichita. Presently they own the Hampton Inn in Manhattan which is managed by Teresa Morris.
“We are excited to have the opportunity to build a new hotel in Manhattan,” said Weilert. “We feel this new property will be a welcome addition
to the hotel inventory in The Little Apple®. This community has been very
supportive of our Hampton Inn and we look forward to the continued support. On a personal note, our family has deep ties with the Manhattan
community. Our nieces Jessie and Annette Weilert as well as our
nephews Jeff and Bradley Weilert are all graduates of Kansas State University.”
The Comfort Suites hotel’s aesthetics will be state of the art, with complimentary internet, indoor pool, spa, sauna and fitness center. The property
will offer a small meeting room, market center for sundries, business center, and laundry facilities. Welcoming guests to the lobby will be a
fireplace and an extended hot breakfast. The exterior of the hotel will be a
3 story stone and drivet. The hotel will offer 80 suites each with a sofa
sleeper, ergonomic chairs, microwaves and mini refrigerator, lounge chair,
HD flat screen TVs with all beds either king or queen. The new property
will employ 25-40 employees with Leigh Weilert Price serving as the Director of Operations.
Comfort Suites is slated to open in the spring of 2009 and will be located
at Hostetler Drive
Got Talent?
The Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau
would love to hear about it!
As conventions and meetings come to Manhattan,
meeting planners are always looking for new and fun
ways to entertain attendees. If you can sing, juggle,
face paint, be a clown, impersonate, a
motivational speaker or have other interesting talents, please send your contact
information and estimated pricing menu to
[email protected].
It is our goal is to make the Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau a one-stop shop in
order to make conventions and meetings a memorable experience in “The Little Apple®”!
September 2008
Whatever the reason, these visitors all have one thing in common:
at some point while in The Little
Apple® they look for something to
do. Visitors want to know where to
spend the night or where to find a
great meal. They want to know
what they can do while they are
here.
For these reasons, the Manhattan
Convention & Visitors Bureau publishes a yearly Visitors Guide. This
award-winning publication contains
all the information visitors need to
have a great stay in Manhattan.
With 100,000 copies printed and
distributed each year, this publication is the No. 1 source of information for Manhattan’s visitors. The
guide contains information about
area attractions – from the arts to
the outdoors, from historical points
of interest to great places to shop
and dine, as well as lists of hotels
and restaurants and a map of the
community and K-State.
If you are part of a group, an
attraction, a unique business, or an
event that attracts Manhattan’s visitors, now is the time to consider
purchasing advertisement in the
2009 Visitors Guide. The staff of
the Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau is taking orders for
advertisements in the guide, all
priced reasonably.
Visitors Guide, contact the staff of
the Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau at 776-8829 or stop in
to see us at our office at
501 Poyntz Avenue in Downtown
Manhattan.
If you are interested in finding out
more about the advertising opportunities available in the Manhattan
Canoe the Kansas River
It just got a little easier to
explore the Kansas River
around Manhattan. Also
known as the Kaw River, the
Kansas River has always
played an important role in
the development of Manhattan. The arrival of the steamboat Hartford brought many
of the community’s first
inhabitants from Ohio in
1855. The river has also
been an important part of
outdoor recreation in the
area, and now, it’s a little easier to get on the river and
explore.
The Riley County Board of
A circular drop-off area beneath the K-177 bridge on the east side of Manhattan
Commissioners, in conjuncprovides a safe entry to the canoe launch, which gives access to the Kansas River.
tion with the Riley County
Parks Department,
announced plans to dedicate
funding from the Kansas DepartRivers are the only rivers in Kansas
a new boat and canoe launch in
ment of Wildlife and Parks. Conwhere public access is currently
Fairmont Park. The dedication will
struction of the launch was comallowed. The Missouri River is not
include a ribbon cutting ceremony
pleted by Riley County Park and
well suited for canoeing and small
and a group canoe launch by the
Public Works crews.
water craft operation due to its size
Kansas Canoe and Kayak Associaand barge traffic. The Arkansas
tion. The dedication will be held on
The goal of the project is to proRiver, while similar to the Kansas
Saturday, September 20, 2008
vide safe access for the public to
River, is somewhat distant. This
at 11:00 a.m. at the canoe launch
enjoy fishing and accompanying
leaves the Kansas River as the only
located underneath the Kansas
outdoor recreation on the Kansas
reasonable choice for stream recreRiver Bridge on K-177. Vehicles
River. A circular drive was
ation for the general public in
can access the ramp from McDowconstructed with trailer parking
northeastern Kansas. The lower
ell Creek Road. The public is
available. A drop-off area and sand end of the river has several access
invited to attend.
bank provides easy access for
points but quality access upstream
canoeists and boaters.
is limited.
The boat launch is a significant
component of the Fairmont Park
According to the Kansas DepartMaster Plan. The project was
ment of Wildlife and Parks, the
made possible in part by grant
Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas
September 2008
Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau Tourism Topics
Page 3
Thank you sponsors of Konza Prairie Visitors Day Welcome Marcia!
Visiting the Konza Prairie Biological Station on Visitors Day this year
will be a little simpler than in the past.
The event – which will be held on
Saturday, Sept. 27 from 8 a.m. to
4 p.m. – will feature a guided tour
of the bison enclosure, just as it
has in the past.
This year, to simplify the tour, the
Friends of the Konza Prairie have
worked to get sponsors for van and
bus rental. Visitors will take a spin
around the bison enclosure free of
charge.
There are still more sponsorships
available, so if you or your business
are interested in helping, contact
Dennis Toll at the Manhattan
Convention & Visitors Bureau at
(785) 776-8829 or email
[email protected] and ask for
information about sponsorships. A
tax-deductible donation of $75 will
get you or your business a sponsorship for the event, which includes
mention in signage in the vehicles
and at the Konza’s headquarters.
The Friends of the Konza Prairie
would like to share their appreciation and thank the Northern Flint
Hills Audubon Society and
Irvine’s Floor Covering who each
donated money for a bus sponsorship. Thanks also goes to those
who took a van sponsorship including Alltel, Don’s Stump and Tree
Removal, Chod Hedinger, Coldwell Banker of Junction City and
People’s Grocery.
For more information about Visitors Day at the Konza, contact Environmental Educator Valerie Wright
at (785) 587-0381 or by email at
[email protected].
Good Eats and Good Neighbors
Sometime in the coming weeks,
make a point to stop in Edesia’s
Bakery & Cafe in downtown Manhattan and congratulate the staff.
Be sure to say, “Good job, good
neighbors.”
Edesia’s, located at 406 Poyntz
Avenue, was recently announced as
one of two winners of the Kansas
Restaurant Neighbor Award as
selected by the Kansas Restaurant
& Hospitality Association.
“That’s pretty awesome,” said
Amy Nelson, one of Edesia’s coowners. “We are excited to be rec-
ognized with this award. One of
the things we really enjoy is being
able to give back to community, so
this award is special to us and we
are very proud.”
winner in the small business category, while the other state winner,
Papa Johns Wichita, LLC, was
selected in the mid to large size
business.
As a state winner, Edesia’s is now
eligible to compete for the National
Restaurant Association’s 10th
Annual Restaurant Neighbor Award,
a program which recognizes outstanding community service. The
award will be announced in September and presented in Washington, D.C.
Edesia’s was selected in part for
their weekly donation of bread to
the Flint Hills Breadbasket. Edesia’s
also supports Homecare and Hospice by participating in the Promenade on Poyntz Wine Walk in October and the silent auction on behalf
of the organization. The winners of
the national award will each receive
a $5,000 award to continue their
community programs.
Edesia’s was selected as a state
Travel Summit in D.C.
The 3rd Annual Travel Leadership
Summit will draw hundreds of
travel leaders from across the
nation September 24-25. Tourism
leaders will convene in Washington
to meet with congressional representatives as well as to be briefed
on the latest developments of the
industry’s legislative priorities.
The Keynote Speaker will be
MSNBC’s Chris Matthews, host of
“Hardball with Chris Matthews.”
Matthews is a former newspaper
bureau chief and Presidential
speechwriter, and has covered
American presidential campaigns
since 1988.
As the Kansas Delegation meets
with the Kansas Congressional Delegation, the message being carried
on behalf of TIA will be relating to
the Travel Promotion Act, Immigra-
tion, and possible updates on the
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. The Kansas Delegation will
also be briefing our elected officials
on Freedom’s Frontier Activities,
Flint Hills Tourism Region issues,
and the Kansas Tourism Initiative.
Karen Hibbard, Director of the
Manhattan Convention and Visitors
Bureau will be attending the summit.
Still time to show off “Manhattan’s Traditions”
The 2008 Discover Manhattan’s Great Traditions
Photo/Video Contest is still underway. It’s not too late; you
have until October 3, 2008 to submit your photo or a video
of Manhattan’s great traditions.
The contest, which includes $130 in prizes for the winner
of each category, was designed to find new and creative
ways to show off what there is to see and do in Manhattan.
To get a copy of the rules and an entry form, stop in the
Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau at 501 Poyntz
Avenue or go online to www.ManhattanCVB.org/contest.
To enter, read the rules, grab a camera, take your best shot,
and send them the Manhattan CVB. It’s easy and fun, so
get shooting!
The Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau is responsible to
welcome visitors, to provide information, give directions and make suggestions so visitors can have a memorable visit to The Little Apple®. The
CVB is pleased to announce has
joined the CVB team as the CVB Service Coordinator.
Marcia is a native of St. Louis, Missouri. She holds degrees from the University of Missouri- Columbia as well
as the University of Idaho. Marcia has had the opportunity to travel all
over the United States as well as internationally. For a year, she and her
family lived in Scotland and traveled extensively that year in Europe. Her
travel experiences have given her a passion for experiencing all you desire
within the time you have in a place. Marcia and her husband Tim, have
two children
In her spare time, Marcia enjoys the great outdoors, being involved in her
church and active in her children’s school.
Marcia’s responsibilities began with the CVB on August 11. She has
joined the CVB just in time for the school year and fall activities to be in
full swing. Be sure and stop in soon to welcome Marcia, as well as see
how you might become involved with the Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Kansas Mission of Mercy
Coming to Manhattan!
The Kansas Mission of Mercy will be
in Manhattan February 20-21, 2009 at
the United States National Guard
Armory located on Levee Drive.
The Mission of Mercy is a dental clinic targeted to low-income individuals
and families. The dental work is performed by licensed dentists and
hygienists will volunteer their time to provide care to the patients
absolutely free of charge.
Manhattan’s Armory will be transformed overnight to a dental clinic with
80 chairs and hundreds of volunteers ready to treat approximately three
thousand patients in two days.
The Kansas Mission of Mercy is a project of the Kansas Dental Charitable
Foundation and has treated more than ten-thousand patients with over
$4.5 million in free dental care. More details to be announced soon. For
more information or to volunteer please visit
www.ksdentalfoundation.org or email [email protected].
Manhattan is proud to partner with the KS Dental Charitable Foundation
on this project.
Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau Steering Committee
Joseph Barani’s entry in the contest shows a dramatic
look at fishermen at Rocky Ford during high water.
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
Visit the CVB’s
website for a
current listing
of local events -
Opening Reception for The •Alpaca Market, 9 amColumbian Artists Member- 5 pm, CiCo Park
ship Exhibit, 5-7 pm,
Manhattan Arts Center
•K-State Football hosts
Montana State, 6:05 pm,
Bill Snyder Family Stadium
Coach Ron Prince Radio
Show, 6-7 pm, Manhattan
Town Center
www.manhattancvb.org
•4th Annual Petpoolooza,
1-4 pm, CiCo Park
•Coach Ron Prince
Radio Show, 6-7 pm,
Manhattan Town Center
•Retire to Sunset Zoo,
9:30 am-5 pm, Sunset
Zoo
•K-State Volleyball hosts
Cal State Bakersfield, 7 pm,
Ahearn Field House
Coach Ron Prince Radio
Show, 6-7 pm, Manhattan
Town Center
Toddler Fair, 10 am-2 pm;
4-6 pm, Manhattan Public Library
K-State University Orchestra, 7:30 pm, McCain
Auditorium, K-State
K-State Volleyball hosts
Nebraska, 7 pm, Ahearn
Field House
•McCain Performance
Series: Garrison Keillor,
7:30 pm, McCain Auditorium
•9th Annual MCC
Golf Classic, 9 am-3
pm, Colbert Hills Golf
Course
•35th Annual Pumpkin
Patch Arts & Crafts Fair,
9 am-8 pm, CiCo Park
•Dr. Slawomir Dobrzanski
Piano Recital, 7:30 pm,
Manhattan Arts Center
•26-27 - Kiwanis
Peanut Day, Area
Grocery Stores
•26-28 - Theatre: Five Women
Wearing the Same Dress, FriSat 7:30; Sun 2 pm, Manhat•McCain Performance Series: tan Arts Center
•26-28 - Theatre: The Wizard
Sweeney Todd, 7:30 pm,
of Oz, 7:30 pm, Columbian
McCain Auditorium
Theatre, Museum & Art Center, Wamego
Landon Lecture: Vicente
Fox, 3:30 pm, McCain
Auditorium
Ongoing events:
•Sept 6-Oct 18 - The Columbian Artists Membership Exhibit, Mon-Fri 10 am-5 pm; Sat 1-4 pm,
Manhattan Arts Center
•Sept 12-Dec 7 - Exhibit: First Person – National Geographic Society Photographs,
T W F Sat 10 am-5 pm; Th 10 am-8 pm; Sun 12-5 pm, Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art
•Through Sept 13 - As Big as All Outdoors: Watercolors from the Permanent Collection,
Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat 10 am-5 pm; Thurs 10 am-8 pm; Sun 12-5 pm, Beach Museum of Art,
K-State
•Through Sept 27, Exhibit: Kim Casebeer – From the Ground Up: Studies to Studio,
Mon-Sat 10 am-6 pm, Strecker-Nelson Gallery
Coach Ron Prince Radio
Show, 6-7 pm, Manhattan
Town Center
Manhattan
Convention &
Visitors Bureau Staff
•6th Annual Leadership Breakfast, 7:30-9
am, MCC
•Gallery Tour of BLAB! by
Bill North, 5:30 pm, Marianna
Kistler Beach Museum of Art
•McCain Performance
Series: East Village Opera
Company, 7:30 pm, McCain
Auditorium
•From Highbrow
Comics to Lowbrow
Art – lecture by Bart
Beaty, 5:30 pm, Beach
Museum of Art
•Coach Ron Prince
Radio Show, 6-7 pm,
Manhattan Town Center
21-22 - Jim Colbert Intercollegiate Golf Tournament, 8 am each day,
Colbert Hills Golf Course
11-14 - Strawberry
Junction Arts & Crafts
Show, Thurs-Sat 10 am9 pm; Sun 12-6 pm,
Manhattan Town Center
•McCain
Performance Series:
Ensemble Galilei, 7 :30 pm,
McCain Auditorium, K-State
•12-13 - K-State Volleyball
hosts K-State Tournament,
12 pm and 7 pm, Ahearn
Field House
Karen Hibbard
Dennis Toll
Summer Dierks
Marcia Rozell
Director
[email protected]
Tourism Sales Manager
[email protected]
Convention Sales Manager
[email protected]
Service Coordinator
[email protected]
•Kiwanis Pet Parade
on Poyntz, 10:30 am,
Downtown Manhattan
•BirdHouse Acoustic
Music Series: Kansas
All-Star Bluegrass Jam
Session, 8 pm, Manhattan
Arts Center
•35th Annual Pumpkin Patch Arts &
Crafts Fair, 9 am-4
pm, CiCo Park
•K-State Volleyball hosts
Colorado, 7 pm, Ahearn
Field House
•27-28 - Sports Card
Show, Sat 10 am-9 pm;
Sun 12-6 pm, Manhattan
Town Center
•Visitors Day at the Konza, 8 am-4 pm,
Konza Prairie Biological Station
•K-State volleyball hosts Baylor,
TBD, Ahearn Field House
•Family Day Open House, 1-3 pm,
Beach Museum of Art
•K-State Football hosts LouisianaLafayette, 2:35 pm, Bill Snyder
Family Stadium
The Mission of the
Manhattan
Convention &
Visitors Bureau is
to expand the local
area economy
through increased
visitor spending.
501 Poyntz Avenue
Manhattan, KS 66502
(785) 776-8829
(785) 776-0679 fax
PRESORTED
STANDARD
US POSTAGE PAID
MANHATTAN KS
PERMIT NO 359
Convention & Visitors Bureau
501 Poyntz Avenue
Manhattan, KS 66502-6005
September 2008
Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Little Apple® Business Review
Noteworthy News
Friday, August 1st, Kieu’s Inc. celebrated its opening with a ribbon cutting. The colorful, trendy clad
mannequins drew in shoppers throughout the entire event. Thuy and Thao Nguyen were happy to
accept the welcome basket presented on behalf of the Chamber Champions. The Nguyen sisters also
own and operate a Kieu’s Inc. in Lawrence, KS. They decided to open their second store in Manhattan
because they are fans of K-State and the Manhattan Area.
The golden shovels stood in the soil, firm and ready for the groundbreaking for Hy-vee, Pet Co, and
Bed, Bath & Beyond which took place on Thursday, August 7. Members of the community, including some city officials welcomed representatives of Hy-vee and Dial Realty Corp. Rob Eslick, Hy-Vee’s
Assistant Vice President of Operations is expecting its 225th store to be built in Manhattan by the end
of the summer 2009. Hy-vee will resemble the one in Topeka, KS and is estimated in size to be near
ten thousand square feet. Rick Kiolbasa of Dial Realty Corp ★ and Rob Eslick tossed soil with smiling
faces.
Chamber staff and members of the Chamber Champion’s committee were met by the smiling owners
and proud parents of the owners of the Manhattan Running Company. The ribbon cutting which
took place on Friday, August 8, was well attended as the store’s opening was highly anticipated.
A welcomed retailer that sells running and walking shoes, apparel, and accessories, the store is especially unique because it offers free gait analysis so that you get the right shoe the first time.
The ★ denotes these businesses as Investors in Advantage Manhattan 2.
Page 9
Page 10
Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Little Apple® Business Review
September 2008
be welcomed by your customers. At the top, of
course, is your logo or
business name, keeping
you fresh in the minds of
your most important
Five ways to Strengthen
your Engagement and
Retention Strategies
Derived from Workforce Management by Adrienne Hedger
Five factors to consider when analyzing and fine-tuning your
company’s engagement and retention strategies: 1) Look at the Big
Picture, 2) Ask the Right Questions, 3) Be Smart about Rewards,
4) Get Creative, 5) Make it Easy for Managers.
1. Look at the Big Picture: See what you already have in place.
Diagnose where the pain is. The top five “stay” factors in order of
preference:
a) exciting, challenging work environment,
b) learning and development,
c) working with great people,
d) fair pay, and
e) great boss.
According to Beverly Kaye, founder and CEO of Career Systems International, “Pay is important, but it’s not a stay factor, it’s a go factor. In
addition, although ‘great boss’ appears last, it strongly influences the
first three items on the list.”
2. Ask the Right Questions: First question to ask, “Are your strategies
tied to your corporate, vision, mission, and values?” As Dana Slockbower, Director for marketing for Rymax, “You want employees to
know that they are valued and recognized. If they feel like they contribute to the company’s vision and success, they’ll be more engaged.
That in turn helps you retain employees and move away from the
revolving three-year door that is the general trend.”
3. Be Smart about Rewards: Sometimes the simplest gift has the
biggest impact. Beverly Kaye stated that a company had an unusual
question on their applications, “What is your favorite candy?” Kaye
remembers that, “later if employees did a good job, they would find
that candy on their desk.” The effect was powerful. As Kaye notes, the
company wasn’t saying “good job,” but rather “we know you.”
4. Get Creative: As the articles accesses, this could include incentives for smoking cessation, gym membership, losing weight, etc. As
Slockbower sums it up, “The message to employees is, ‘We care
about you and want you feeling your best. And to reinforce that, companies deliver rewards that encourage you to stay healthy.”
5. Make it Easy for Managers: According to Michael Fina, VP of
Michael C. Fina, “If the manager isn’t doing an effective job of recognizing employees frequently, consistently, and positively, that will negatively impact engagement. It’s important to make it easy for managers
to participate in a recognition program”
Show your employees that you appreciate them, it’ll go a long way in
them staying put with your company.
Keeping in touch
The Small Business Development Center has been presenting a popular seminar entitled
“Marketing on a Shoestring” at
various Chambers and locations
throughout northeast Kansas.
One of the lessons is viewing the
lifetime value of a customer. A
dry cleaner, for example, would
be better served to look at a customer bringing shirts to be laundered not as $2.25 per shirt but
rather as $550 per year, plus all
of the additional revenue from
related services. Over their lifetime, that one customer could
bring in many thousands of dollars – so it pays to keep them
happy and to keep in touch.
One of the most effective
methods of keeping in touch is
through e-newsletters. We’re not
talking about spam or unsolicited
mail but rather monthly or quarterly newsletters to your present
customers. They are your best
prospects for future sales and
they know your next-best
prospects; they’re your target
market. We aren’t talking about
an “ad” in the traditional sense,
but rather useful information.
Any business owner can easily
come up with tips, recipes,
reviews, guides, etc. that would
clients.
Step one is to capture your customers’ contact information, and
we hope that you’re already
doing this. Creating the newsletter can be done in your own email program, but even better
are services that make the
process easier, personalized and
more professional. Constant
Contact and Vertical Response,
http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp and
http://www.verticalresponse.com/ are two well-known examples and the expense is minimal.
Aside from the ease, the feedback you can get is invaluable:
how many people opened the
newsletter (so you can find out
the best time to send), how
many forwarded it to a friend,
which links were clicked, and so
on. Give them a try – you’ll not
find a better bang for your marketing buck.
Future area seminars offered by
the Small Business Development
Center include:
Researching Your Business
Idea - September 11, 2008
Writing the Business Plan September 18, 2008
Legal & Registration Requirements - September 25, 2008
Creating the Marketing Plan October 2, 2008
Keeping the Books October 9, 2008
The cost for the series is $150.
Classes are held from 6:00 –
8:30 p.m. at the Manhattan Area
Chamber of Commerce, 501
Poyntz Ave. Please call
785-234-3235 to pre-register or
for more information.
Contact Information:
Manhattan Small Business Development Center
John Addessi
Business Consultant
Washburn University / Kansas Small
Business Development Center
Manhattan Chamber of Commerce
501 Poyntz Manhattan, KS 66502
[email protected]
PH: (785) 587-9917
FAX: (785) 776-0679
"Company culture—or how management
treats employees, and management’s
attitudes and behaviors toward workers—
determines how much of a downturn in
enthusiasm there will be."
Sirota president Douglas Klein
September 2008
Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Little Apple® Business Review
Military Update
By Bevin Landrum,
Military Relations Manager
Page 11
Business Barometer
July 2007
July 2008
BUILDING PERMITS - source: City of Manhattan
Total Issued
32
58
$ Amount
$3,175,7914
$5,244,543
Permit Fees
$22,035
$24,695
RETAIL SALES (Manhattan) - source: City of Manhattan
Retail Sales
$71,434,400
$77,613,000
Sales Tax Collections $714,334
$776,130
LABOR - source: Kansas Labor Market Information Services
Manhattan
Civilian Work Force
26,505
28,476
Employed
25,434
27,418
Unemployed
1,071
1,058
Rate
4.0%
3.7%
Riley County
Civilian Work Force
34,112
36,645
Employed
32,691
35,241
Unemployed
1,421
1,404
Rate
4.2%
3.8%
U.S. Senator Sam Brownback and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius sign the Greater Fort Riley
Community covenant while Brig. Gen. Perry Wiggins, commanding general of the
1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley, looks on Aug. 20 at Fort Riley.
The Greater Fort Riley Community, which includes Riley County and Manhattan, reaffirmed their longstanding support of the local military on August 20, 2008 in a formal Army Community Covenant signing
ceremony. Local and state leaders gathered to celebrate the joining of seven counties and 22 communities
in a network of effective partnership focused on improving the quality of life for Soldiers and families at Fort
Riley and the Big Red One. The covenant reads as follows:
Together, We are committed to building strong communities.
We, the Community, recognize…
-The commitment Soldiers and their Families are making every day.
-The strength of Soldiers comes form the strength of their Families.
-The strength of Families is supported by the strength of the Community.
-The strength of the Community comes from the support of employers, educators,
civic and business leaders, and its citizens.
We, the Community, are committed to…
-Building partnerships that support the strength, resilience, and readiness of Soldiers and
their Families.
-Assisting in the implementation of the Army Family Covenant.
Hiring Heroes Career Fair
The Hiring Heroes Career Fair, on July 29 was a great success for the 75 employers and 430 transitioning
soldiers, veterans, spouses, and civilians that attended. At the event, The Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce provided job information and material on the area. Many of those at the event intend on staying in the
area. Brody Hillstock with the Junction City Workforce Center said that it was announced at the end of the
Fair that between 30 and 40 individuals had been offered positions on the spot by employers. The KansasWorks Mobile Van was available Monday, July 28, as the job applicants were provided with assistance writing
resumes and the second day for the Career Fair the mobile unit was available for transmitting on-line applications to public and private employers. Vicky Sheve said for the first day of the event the Mobile Unit was
the busiest it has ever been. What a great event for these deserving folks!
Page 12
Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Little Apple® Business Review
September 2008
Think Chamber First
As a member of the Manhattan
Area Chamber of Commerce, you
are aligned with more than 800
member firms, representing over
1800 individuals, in an organization
that is working to strengthen the
long-term economic vitality of its
members and the region. The
membership has representation
from retail business, services and
industry, private associations, civic
organizations, homebased
businesses, education, government
and individuals.
When you are in need of a product or service “Think Chamber
First”. If you reference your Membership Directory, you will most
likely find another Chamber member that can fill you request or
need. It’s a way to let other businesses know that you support each
other and the common goal of a
stronger local economy.
In addition, we are entertaining a
new program for members only.
The program is designed to encourage people to do business with
other Chamber members.The pre-
liminary format would look like this:
• A member business chooses to
make a discount available to
Chamber members.
• It would be offered ‘FREE’ to all
members.
• ONLY CURRENT MEMBERS IN
GOOD STANDING participate in
the program
We are always interested in programs that will give you access to
new clients and what better way to
start than within our own membership!
• The list would be posted on the
Chamber website and included
twice a year in the Member 2
Member mailing.
If you would be interested in this
type of a program, please call Pam
Teller 776-8829 or email
[email protected].
• This is another way for a
member offering a discount to
gain increased exposure and
become more visible in a
crowded marketplace.
• The item/service being
discounted can be changed
twice a year.
• The Chamber of Commerce
would issue a laminated
identification card to be
presented in advance when
asking for a discount.
This new event was introduced in March and it was very well
attended. Designed for those members that have schedules that don’t
allow for early morning or evening networking events this is for you!
Let’s do Lunch will be held Wednesday, Sept. 24 from 11:30-1:00
at the Manhattan Country Club. There will be plenty of time to network and catch up with friends before a hot, luncheon buffet is served
at 11:45. At 12:15, Steve Shields, President/CEO of Meadowlark
Hills Retirement Community, will be introduced as our guest speaker.
Steve is a sought-after national speaker and presenter on leadership
and transformation in long-term care. Steve is on the faculty of the KState University’s Center on Aging and is also on the Center’s Advisory
Board. He provides presentations, retreats and strategic planning services surrounding organizational transformation. We will then have you
on your way back to the office at 12:45.
The cost to attend is $15 per member. Reservations are required
and may be made by calling 776-8829 or emailing [email protected].