Think MHK Podcast

In episode sixteen, Jason sits down with Shanna Goodman, the new Executive Director for Pottawatomie County Economic Development, as she shares her personal journey and experience in business development. The two discuss strategies for promoting economic development in Kansas, including utilizing partnerships, community career fairs, and entrepreneurship programs. Goodman emphasizes the importance of building relationships through networking and promoting the region as a whole and the role both have played during her first six months as director.

In this episode, Jason talks with consultant Matt Tarleton about Manhattan's updated strategic plan for economic development. Tarleton discusses strategies like understanding human behavior, regionalism, economic diversification, and job growth, emphasizing collaboration, right-sizing initiatives, and a growth mindset. The pair also address the challenges of implementing large-scale strategies and the importance of economic diversification for long-term sustainability.

In episode fourteen, Jason sits down with Nancy Burton, director of marketing, communications manager, and principal at BBN Architects and treasurer of the chamber's board of directors. Nancy and Jason discuss the business climate in Manhattan, highlighting BBN Architects' long-standing connection to the community and their position in the architecture and landscape architecture field. The two also touch upon challenges faced by businesses in Manhattan, including retention, and emphasize the importance of regional collaboration, economic development, and networking to foster growth and progress.

On this episode, you will hear from two of the 15 Under 40 recipients, Alexis Glessner & Zach Sheppard. Alexis discusses her experiences with quality improvement initiatives in healthcare, emphasizing the importance of providing a positive patient experience and the value of connections and relationships in their professional and personal lives. Zach shares his journey, navigating career and personal growth through community involvement, highlighting his passion for their work and dedication to improving their community.

On this episode, Jason sits down with Gavin Schmidt, the newest member of the Chamber of Commerce's executive committee. Gavin shares his personal journey from a small town in Kansas to becoming a market president at ESB Financial in Manhattan, highlighting the company's commitment to the community. Jason and Gavin discuss the current state of the banking industry in Manhattan, and Schmidt explains how the industry has evolved due to the city's economic growth potential. The two also discuss the significance of Manhattan's pro-growth culture and attractions, as well as the qualities of a successful entrepreneur.

In episode eleven, Jason sits down with Sarah Duggan and Natalie Gordon, two nominees of the 15 Under 40 program. Sarah Duggan shares her personal and professional journey, from growing up in Ottawa, Kansas, to becoming the Community Relations Director at Meadowlark. Natalie Gordon discusses her experiences living and working in Manhattan, highlighting the importance of networking, mentorship, and prioritizing one's health for career success.

In this episode, Jason has a conversation with Kale Terrill and Allison Muth, the Chair and Staff Liaison of the Helping Young Professionals Emerge (HYPE) program. The group discusses the importance of developing and supporting young professionals in Manhattan, emphasizing the need to bridge the gap and provide opportunities for young professionals. Kale shares his experience as the new chair of the Manhattan Young Professionals program, while Allison discusses her role at the Chamber of Commerce and how the organization supports young professionals. The three also talk about Manhattan Young Professionals' mission to engage, develop, play, connect, and give back to the community, highlighting the five pillars of the organization.

In episode nine, Jason interviews Lindsay Lowe and Stephanie Peterson, nominees of the 15 Under 40 program. Lindsay discusses her journey in the beauty industry, focusing on entrepreneurship and community involvement. Stephanie talks about her work with the Metropolitan Planning Organization in Manhattan, highlighting transportation planning and housing initiatives, and emphasizes patience, responsibility, and calculated risks in personal and professional growth.

In episode eight, Jason sits down with Tom Phillips, Chair of the Business Advocacy Committee. Tom shares his personal journey and experiences in Manhattan, highlighting his motivations for becoming engaged in local issues and his efforts to keep his finger on the pulse of key members in the community. Phillips discusses his experiences in political leadership and advocacy in Kansas, sharing insights on balancing community needs and political considerations, navigating dysfunctional political environments, and collaborating with other communities to advance common interests.

On this episode, you will hear from two of the 15 Under 40 recipients, Stephen Bridenstine & Kara Titus. Stephen Bridenstine discusses his career in public history and museum education, highlighting his personal and professional journey. Jason and Stephen talk about career development and personal growth, including not sweating the small stuff and taking opportunities as they arise. Kara provides insights into what her employer, Lightsource BP does, including solar farms and what they look like as well as how they are blending agriculture with solar. She also reveals why she and her husband chose Manhattan and what topic she would like to write a book about.

In episode six, Jason is joined by Patrick Schutter, President of BHS Construction. Patrick and Jason discuss the priorities of the economic development committee in Manhattan, focusing on site development, housing, and taxes. Schutter highlights BHS Construction's commitment to supporting local businesses and networking opportunities. Patrick talks about how clustering employment opportunities and leveraging the city's pipeline of talent are crucial for attracting and retaining businesses and talent. Schutter also shares personal anecdotes and experiences, revealing his preferences for working remotely or in the office, his first jobs, skills he would like to learn, and what instantly makes his day better.

In episode five, Jason sits down with Jurdene Coleman and Bailey Hinkle, two nominees of the 15 Under 40 program. Jurdene discusses her experiences and passions for community involvement, highlighting the importance of bridging the gap between physical and mental health. Later, Jason and Bailey share their experiences and insights on personal and professional growth, emphasizing the importance of taking risks, stepping out of one's comfort zone, and making an impact. The guests also highlight the significance of perseverance, hard work, creating connections and resilience in achieving success.

In the fourth episode of season four on the ThinkMHK podcast, Arthur-Green, LLP Partner Attorney Bill Bahr discusses the firm's receipt of the Small Business of the Year award at the 2023 Business Awards, highlighting its significance and commitment to the Manhattan community since 1950. Bill emphasizes the importance of adapting business practices to stay relevant and shares insights into the firm's efforts to recruit and retain young professionals. Additionally, Bahr reflects on personal aspects of life, including his ideal blog or book topic and sources of inspiration.

In episode three, Jason sits down with Lowell Kohlmeier, Executive Vice President for KS State Bank. KS State Bank received the Cornerstone Award at the 2023 Business Awards, which honors a business that exemplifies what being a “solid pillar of the community” is all about.Lowell discusses the importance of partnerships and sponsorships in fostering entrepreneurial ventures in the community. Kohlmeier also shares life lessons and reflections, highlighting the importance of enjoying life and people. Lowell also talks about his grandfather's life and the lessons he learned from him. Additionally, Lowell discusses his preference for working remotely or in the office, and provides advice he'd give to his 19-year-old self.

In this episode, Jason sits down with the Vice President of Pepsi Cola of Manhattan and the 2024 chairman of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce's Board of Directors, Jake Wassenberg. Jake discusses his experience managing a family-owned Pepsi distributorship and provides insight on maintaining independence in a corporate-dominated industry. He shares the techniques for stress management he applies while serving in his many leadership roles and emphasizes the importance of gratitude and saying yes to everything. Jake highlights Manhattan's favorable business climate and also discusses the challenges of creating affordable housing and addressing workforce issues. Jake also reveals what one question he wishes people would ask him less?

The Think MHK Podcast is back with season four! We are opening up our season by sitting down with City Manager, Ron Fehr, who is wrapping up two-plus decades of service to the City of Manhattan. In the episode, Fehr discusses how he got into city management, after starting with the parks and recreation department in 1982. He highlights how partnerships with the chamber, university, and business community were key to the city's success during his tenure and reflects on the challenges. Fehr also reveals a hidden talent that you do not want to miss!

For the final episode of season 3, we welcome Brian Peete, Director of the Riley County Police Department. In this episode, Brian shares his story from growing up with two parents in the Chicago Police Department to his time in the Air Force and his past Chief of Police experiences all the way to what attracted him to come to Manhattan. Brian also shares what he views RCPD's role in the community is and what surprised him most about Manhattan.

On this episode of the ThinkMHK podcast, Jason is joined by guest Mary Martell, Vice President and Regional Administrator of Stormont Vail. Mary recently moved to Manhattan to run Stormont Vail's new Manhattan location. She shares the history of Stormont Vail, why they decided to invest in Manhattan and details on their new location on N. Manhattan Ave. Mary also shares why she personally decided to move to Manhattan, the excitement she's found in The Little Apple® and why she has chosen to be a part of the Chamber world.

This week we hear from the new Director of Visit Manhattan, Marcia Rozell. Marcia has served Visit Manhattan for the last 13 years as the Sports and Leisure Manager and in May of 2023 she was promoted to Director. Listen in as Marcia shares what first brought her to Manhattan, some of her favorite events she's helped bring to Manhattan, her goals for the first year and so much more.

In April of 2023, we welcomed the new Military Relations Manager, Christian Bishop to the Chamber team. Christian has been at the forefront of engagement between Fort Riley and the Flint Hills community for nearly 15 years as part of the Fort Riley team. Listen to this week's podcast to learn more about Christian's past career working with Fort Riley, how she received the nickname "Ms. Manhattan", the key initiatives for her new position and ways to get involved with the Chamber's Military Relations Committee.

This week we welcome Vern Henricks President/CEO of the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation. Did you know that GMCF is the largest community foundation in the whole State of Kansas?! While on the podcast Vern dives into what the GMCF is, who they serve, their big events like Grow Green Match Day and more.

We are excited to welcome our final two 15 Under 40 guests to the ThinkMHK Podcast. This week we feature Sheila Ellis-Glasper, Founder and Marketing Strategist of SEG Media Collective and Marc Kent, Realtor at ERA High Pointe Realty. Listen in to learn more about how they have been involved in the community, the opportunities they have found in Manhattan, advice for young professionals and much more.

This week we welcome Dr. Steven Bellinger, CEO of Radiation Detection Technologies, Inc. to the podcast. RDT is a local Manhattan company that recently was recognized by the Kansas Department of Commerce as a statewide winner of the 2022 Business Innovation Award. During this episode you will learn more about what RDT does, the different industries they serve and their recent expansion plans.

This week we welcome our 2023 Young Professional of the Year award winner, Stephanie Pierce, back to the ThinkMHK Podcast. Stephanie is the Economic development and entrepreneur relations manager at K-State Innovation Partners. She is also the Chair of the Chamber's young professional program, Hype. Throughout the episode, she shares what her role in economic development looks like, the importance of Hype and entrepreneurship in the community and more. To hear more about Hype from Stephanie listen to season 2 episode 12.

This week we welcome Mary Vanier to the mic. Mary Vanier is the President of the Grand Mere Development, a 1,054 acres master-planned golf course community on the West Side of Manhattan. She also serves as Chair of the KSU Foundation Board of Directors. Vanier was awarded the Lud Fiser Citizen of the Year award at the Chamber's 2023 Annual Meeting. Throughout the episode, Mary shares her personal story that lead her to, and back to, Manhattan. She shares stories of her family's history of being long-time K-Staters, why philanthropy is important to her and her family and so much more!

We are excited to welcome Senator Jerry Moran to the ThinkMHK podcast this week. During this episode, our host Jason Smith dives into getting to know the senator from where he came from, where he grew up to how those experiences shaped who he is today. Senator Moran shares many great stories from his experiences working in the Kansas legislature to now in the U.S. Senate. He shares some of his most proud accomplishments, what inspires him the most, and even some intriguing travel stories. Learn more about your U.S. Senator, Jerry Moran, and listen to this week's episode!

Halfway through season three, and we continue to celebrate our inaugural 15 Under 40 recipients. This week we have Doug Barrett, Owner of 400 North Creative and Blade Mages, Owner of Middle with us. Doug shares his stories on why his efforts on improving the business climate in Manhattan are important to him as well as his experiences stationed at Fort Riley and why he chose to stay in Manhattan after his service.Blade shares his experiences with the launch of Hype, Manhattan's young professional program, his work with the Chamber's recruitment campaign called Made for Manhattan and his newest venture of renovating the Wareham Opera House.

This week we welcome back Matt Crocker, CEO of SPS Companies, Inc. During this year's Annual Meeting Matt was recognized as the C. Clyde Jones Volunteer of the Year. As one of just 4 Chamber awardees of the year, Matt shares how he felt receiving this honor during this episode. He also hits on the Chamber initiatives he is most proud to have assisted with and his work with many other community organizations. Listen to Matt's first episode, Season 1 Episode 4, where he discusses his previous role as Economic Development chair. Plus learn more about SPS Companies, Inc. in Season 3 episode 2 from chairmen Dennis Mullin.

This week we are back with two more 15 under 40 recipients. First we have, Ashley Urban. Ashley is the co-founder and principle at Cura Insurance, previously known as Alms Group Insurance. Ashley grew up in Topeka and came to K-State for college, where she met her husband. After graduation, she started working at Meadowlark before moving to insurance. Throughout the episode, Ashley shares why she decided to start her own insurance company as well as her experiences being involved in the Manhattan community through many different organizations. Then we have Rebecca Robinson, the newly appointed CEO of Kansas State University Innovation Partners. Rebecca shares her background and how she ended up at K-State, as well as the evolution and mission of K-State Innovation Partners. She also talks about her role as CEO and the importance of economic development and corporate engagement for the university and the region. Finally, Rebecca shares her thoughts on being named one of the top young professionals in the region and the importance of recognizing the contributions of young professionals to the community.

This week we are featuring two more of our 15 Under 40 recipients, Jayme Minton and Summer Ott Dierks. The 15 Under 40 program selects 15 nominees each year to honor and recognize the accomplishments of outstanding young professionals who make a positive impact in the community and excel in their industry.Jayme is the Support Services Director at Meadowlark providing leadership to the service area of sales, resident services, food and beverage, Home Health Services, and much more. She also has been an essential partner in the Chamber's Classroom to Career program. Summer is the past chair of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce and owns her own law firm, Dierks Law Firm. Listen in to hear more about their experiences building their career and families in Manhattan. Want to hear more from Jayme and Summer? Check out their previous ThinkMHK episodes from season 2, episodes 13 and 17!

This week we are joined by the 2022 Small Business of the Year award winners, Dan Knight and Tracy Anderson with Anderson Knight Architects. The Small Business of the Year award is awarded to a small business within the Manhattan community that exemplifies both business and civic leadership. Through years of involvement at the Chamber and throughout the community Anderson Knight Architects was more than worthy of this award. Listen in as Dan and Tracy share more about projects AKA is working on, how their business came about, their entrepreneurship advice and so much more.

We are back with another 15 Under 40 segment! This week we are featuring Jeff Sackrider and Catherine McKinley. The 15 Under 40 program selects 15 nominees each year to honor and recognize the accomplishments of outstanding young professionals who make a positive impact in the community and excel in their industry.Jeff is the Customer Relations Manager for WTC. He shares his experiences moving from Washington D.C. to Manhattan, how he brought murals and air guitar to Manhattan and how he has found this to be his perfect home. Catherine is an Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Would you believe us if we told you she could recite all the US English prepositions in alphabetical order? That's just one of the things we learn about Catherine on top of the extensive list of organizations she's involved with and why she believes Manhattan is one of the best places to grow your career and start a family.

For this week's episode, we have the 2022 Women/Minority Owned Business Award winner, Kasey Wilkinson with MHK Play Studio. Each year this award recognizes a diverse business leader who has a proven track record of excellence in advocating for others within their community and workplace. We were excited to sit down with Kasey to learn more about what MHK Play Studio is, her personal journey of entrepreneurship, the Chamber's Childcare task force and more!

For Season 3 Episode 3 we are featuring two of our 15 Under 40 recipients, Kate Ryan and Katie Say. The 15 Under 40 program selects 15 nominees each year to honor and recognize the accomplishments of outstanding young professionals who make a positive impact in the community and excel in their industry.Kate Ryan is the Business Development Manager at McCownGordon. Katie Say is the Chief Fiduciary Officer at The Trust Company. Listen in as they share their professional accomplishments in Manhattan, why they have stayed in the area and what makes Manhattan such a great place to live, work and play. They also share some noteworthy advice for other young professionals moving forward in their careers.

For the second episode of season 3, we are joined by Dennis Mullin, Chairmen of SPS Companies. SPS Companies was awarded the Cornerstone award at the Chamber's 2022 Business Awards Luncheon. Would you believe us if we told you that SPS Companies ended up in Manhattan by accident thanks to a broken-down car? Or that SPS Companies keep their headquarters in Manhattan because of the people in this vibrant community. Jason and Dennis discuss all of this and more throughout this episode!

We are back with season 3 of the Think MHK Podcast! To kick off this season we are joined by the Director of the Convention and Visitor's Bureau, Karen Hibbard. Karen has worked for Manhattan's CVB since 1997, serving as the director for the last 18 years. At the end of February 2023, Karen plans to retire. During this episode, we highlight some of Karen's biggest accomplishments, her favorite memories, and of course, her best jokes! We even bring in two surprise guests to help us reminisce on Karen's impact on our community over the last two decades.

Learn the facts about the Scorpion Biological Services project! To wrap up season two Jason Smith and Daryn Soldan take over the episode to share an update on the Scorpion Biological Services project. Jason and Daryn dive into the specifics of this project including size, scope, and the details of what exactly Scorpion Biological Services will do here in Manhattan, Kansas.

On the 20th episode of the ThinkMHK podcast, we are joined by Fort Riley Garrison Commander Colonel Michael J. Foote. COL Foote shares his past experiences with the Army. Jason and COL Foote discuss what the community and region can do to best support the soldiers and families stationed at Fort Riley. They discuss opportunities regarding spouse employment, childcare, schooling and engaging soldiers in the community. These are just a few of the many topics discussed during this episode so be sure to listen in to learn more!

This week we are joined by one of the Chamber's newest staff members, Mike Matson, Director of External Affairs. Mike joined the Chamber team on August 1 in this newly created position. Our leadership created this position to improve how we engage with our policymakers. Throughout this episode, Mike and Jason discuss their goals and objectives for this position as well as what makes Mike a great fit on our team.

This week Kansas State University's Vice President of Research, Dr. David Rosowsky joins us on the ThinkMHK Podcast. Dr. Rosowsky, Jason Smith and Daryn Soldan cover a wide range of topics from his career journey, what attracted him to Manhattan and K-State to why economic development is important to our community. They cover the unique town and gown relationship we have here in Manhattan and the benefits we have received from that. As well as other opportunities and challenges our community has.

In 2022 Board Chair Summer Dierks highlighted Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as a main priority of her chairmanship. As a result, the Chamber created its own DEI task force beginning in January of 2022. During this episode, we are joined by Summer Dierks, Lisa Sisley, chair of the DEI task force, and Doug Barrett, Chamber Board Member and VP of the Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills. During this episode, we cover topics including the current initiatives and specific goals of the task force, how embracing DEI helps our efforts to attract employers and much more.

Did you know 86% of all Manhattan Area Technical College graduates stay in the Manhattan Service Area? Jim Genandt, President of the Manhattan Area Technical College, joins us on episode 16 of the ThinkMHK podcast. Throughout this episode, we discuss all things MATC like their largest programs, partnerships with USD 383 and K-State, new lab editions, their facility strategies and much more. Jim shares the highlights of his tenure at MATC and the most important things people need to know about MATC.

Learn more about our local Kansas Senator Tom Hawk on this episode of the ThinkMHK Podcast. Senator Hawk represents District 22 for the Kansas Senate which includes Clay, Riley, and parts of Geary counties. Throughout this episode he shares his work with many great accomplishments including the State Highway Plan, establishing the 988 hotline and many more. He discusses how politics have changed since he first started serving and the difference between serving with the Kansas Senate vs. House. Plus he shares some interesting fun facts most people don't know about!

Jack Allston, Director of the Pottawatomie County Economic Development Corporation joins season 2 episode 14 of the ThinkMHK podcast. Jack shares his experience in the economic development industry from his first job to his future plans. Plus they discuss the history of the Pottawatomie County Economic Development Corporation, the importance of the Greater Manhattan Economic Partnership, and much more. Be sure to listen in!  

This week on the ThinkMHK podcast we are talking about Classroom to Career, one of our region's economic development programs. We are joined by Kiley Moody and Jayme Minton, co-chairs of the classroom to career program. Classroom to Career was formed as a part of the workforce development initiative and efforts to reinvest in our community schools. Throughout this episode, they share the ins and outs of this program including how businesses can get involved, what the day-to-day activities look like and several success stories.

This week's episode is all the Hype! We are joined by Hype Chair, Stephanie Pierce, and Hype's Chamber staff liaison, Amber Wilhelm. Throughout this episode, these ladies share what Hype, Manhattan's Young Professional Organization, is all about. From their mission and events, to why Hype is critical to the long-term economic success of Manhattan.

On episode 11 we are joined by the Director of the Aggieville Business Association, Dennis Cook. Prior to his position with the ABA, he worked as sales manager for Flint Hills Beverage and served on the ABA board for over 20 years. Dennis shares his experiences while being on the Aggieville Board and how it compares to his experience as the director. Throughout the episode, he also shares how you can join the Aggieville Board, the challenges and benefits of working for a membership organization, and why Aggieville so important to Manhattan. You'll also hear some of the latest redevelopment updates for the district. Plus listen until the end to hear what near-death experience confirmed Dennis shouldn't pursue a career in farming.

For our 10th episode of season 2 we are joined by Stacy Kohlmeier, Senior Director Customer Experience for Florence Corporation. Throughout this episode Stacy shares her career experiences including her past stent as the Chamber's Economic Development director when she helped recruit Florence to Manhattan. Stacy also shares the positive elements and challenges of being in Manhattan that she has noticed for a corporation like Florence. While also sharing her advice for a young professional getting started, why she joined the Chamber's Executive Committee and more.

This week are joined by Nadia Arbelo, Business Advisor for the Kansas Small Business Development Center's Manhattan District. Nadia is located at the (SBDC) office in the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce. Thought this episode our hosts and Nadia discuss the many free resources the SBDC provides entrepreneurs in our region including resources on education, business planning, financial forecasting, all the way to business succession plans. They also discuss the important partnerships between the Manhattan Chamber, Junction City Chamber, and Pottawatomie County Economic Development Corporation that work to keep an SBDC office in our region.

This week we are joined by Jill Sherman. Jill is the Office Manager at McCownGordon. Jill is currently on our Membership Committee and has volunteered with the Chamber on several different committees. Throughout this episode, Jill shares her experiences with the Chamber through serving with the Diplomats committee, Chamber Champions, Young Professionals and the Membership committee. She shares how starting with her early involvement with Young Professionals the Chamber has helped her make lasting relationships and how she and McCownGordon continue to grow through the many connections that have been built because of Chamber opportunities. 

Tori Berard, bank manager at ESB Financial, joins Jason and Sharla on Episode 7. Tori shares her experiences with Leadership Manhattan from when she was in the program herself to being board chair in 2021. They also discuss how by getting more involved with the Chamber of Commerce her perceptions and understanding of what the Chamber has to offer have substantially changed. Tori continues to stay involved with the Chamber and is currently serving on our Membership committee.