May

21

May

29

Business After Hours
Sponsor:

Central Bank and Trust Co.

2008 Operation

Thank You

Volunteers Needed

Interested in making contact with other Chamber members? Then volunteering for Operation Thank You is for you. Operation Thank You team members will personally call on every local Chamber member business.

What is Operation Thank You? It's an effort by over 50 Chamber members (including you?) to deliver the 2008-2009 Membership Directory and to thank ALL Chamber members for their support of the Chamber and community.

Interested in being part of the team? Contact Holly Schmidt or Tom Dooley.

Each participant is asked to visit 10 to 12 businesses sometime during the day. Territories will be organized so that minimal travel is required.

Advertise in the 2008 Street Map and Resource Guide for Hutchinson/Reno Co.

As a valued member of the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce, you are invited to have your business spotlighted on 10,000 copies of the full color Street Map and Resource Guide for the Hutchinson/Reno County Area distributed by The Chamber.

This publication is an extremely useful and valuable resource for reaching residents and businesses. New residents spend nine times more in the first year after a move than established residents.  This is an excellent way to reach them with your advertising message!

The Business and Professional Showcase Directory of Members section offers the opportunity to directly promote your business.  Premium advertising space on the back and a limited number of interior panel display ads are also available.

Participating advertisers will receive a complimentary supply of the folded maps with a countertop display dispenser.

Limited space is allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis. Spotlight Publications may be reached at 800.530.0307.

Membership Services:

Wray & Sons Roofing Receive Small Business Spotlight Award
Chamber Membership Breakfast
Central Bank and Trust Co. Sponsor Business After Hours
Chamber Web Report

Tourism:
8 Wonders of Reno County Winners Announced
2008 8 Wonders of Reno County FAM Tour

Economic Development:

Dole VA Outreach Clinic Opens in Hutchinson

Career and Technical Education Academy Prepares Students for Internships

Housing Market in Reno County vs. National Housing Market

Left Bar:

This issue could be sponsored by your company. For more information please contact Holly Schmidt at 662.3391

or via e-mail.

The Greater Hutchinson Convention/Visitors Bureau is excited to announce the winners of the 8 Wonders of Reno County campaign!  The six-month process to

determine the 8 Wonders ended April 30th, and the winners were announced and recognized at the Hutchinson City Council meeting yesterday. 

In alphabetical order, the winners are:

• ·         Dillon Nature Center
• ·         Hutchinson’s Historic Fox Theatre

• ·         Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center
• ·         Kansas State Fair and Fairgrounds
• ·         Kansas Underground Salt Museum
• ·         Longest Grain Elevator
• ·         Quivira Wildlife Refuge
• ·         Yoder and the Amish culture

The winners were chosen from 18 finalists that had been nominated by the public last fall and narrowed by a selection committee.  Final voting took place over a 3-month period ending last week.  LeAnn Cox, Director of the Greater Hutchinson Convention and Visitors Bureau, says it was interesting to see the results of the vote.  “We are

very proud that Hutchinson has a number of destination attractions that attract visitors from all over the world.  The Cosmosphere and the Kansas Underground Salt Museum had already been voted as two of the ’8 Wonders of Kansas’, and all our finalists could claim regional or national significance.”

Over 1,600 people from 40 different states weighed in on the final vote.  “About 220 were from out of state,” reports 2020 Tourism Task Force Chairman Martha Slater.  “Most of those were former residents of Reno County reading about the contest online in the Hutchinson News. It was great to have their perspective.”

An added benefit to being a winner in the 8 Wonders of Reno County is their role in conjunction with National Tourism Week, which is May 10 -17.  In celebration of what Reno County has to offer tourists, local residents will have a chance to take a Grand FAM Tour of the 8 Wonders on Friday May 16th. 

The Greater Hutchinson Convention and Visitors Bureau and Reno County 2020 Growth Coalition are sponsoring a free Familiarization (FAM) bus tour of all the 8 Wonders.  It starts at the Kansas State Fairgrounds and will make stops at all 8 winning locations.  The Grand Tour includes a free lunch, and is limited to 45 people.  Make a reservation by calling the CVB at 662-3391.

The 8 Wonders of Reno County campaign was launched to encourage people to appreciate the wonders in their own back yard.   The FAM Tour is an annual part of National Tourism Week activities, with the goal being to educate our own citizens of the wonderful attractions we have in Hutchinson and Reno County.  Our community entertains over 1.5 million out-of-county visitors every year.

The 8 Wonders of Reno County contest was modeled after the 8 Wonders of Kansas initiated by the Kansas Sampler Foundation.

It is a project of the Tourism Task Force of the Reno County 2020 Growth Coalition, in partnership with the Greater Hutchinson Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Hutchinson News. For more information about the 8 Wonders of Reno County, go online to www.visithutch.com.

The May Chamber Membership Breakfast, sponsored by the Cox Communications, will be at the Grand Prairie Hotel and Convention Center, May 21, at 7:15 a.m. The

featured speakers are Chris Orwoll, President & CEO, Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center and Linda Schmitt, Executive Director, Kansas Underground Salt Museum.

If you are interested in attending contact Belinda McClanahan at 662-3391, or register on-line. Cost is $10 per person or use your 2008 Flash Pass!

Dole VA Medical Center Opens Clinic in Hutchinson

Hutchinson/Reno County will soon have an addition to the already vibrant medical services provided in the area with the opening of the new Hutchinson Veteran Affairs Community Based Outpatient Clinic, an outreach of the Dole VA Medical Center in Wichita. The 7,000 square foot clinic, located at 1625 E. 30th, will provide primary care and mental health services to patients from Hutchinson and the outer-lying areas. It will allow many Hutchinson Veterans the option to receive treatment locally and not have to travel to the facility in Wichita.

The clinic will not only bring many patients into Hutchinson, it will also employ at least 12 medical professionals. “Hutchinson is a draw for the health care services and the new VA Outreach Clinic will only strengthen the medical services available in our community,” said Dave Kerr, President of the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce.

The clinic will host a Grand Opening Event on Friday, May 16th at 3:00 p.m. at 1625 E. 30th.

Continue your workday at the Chamber’s Business After Hours where you can make contacts with fellow business professionals. This is the perfect chance to build new business relationships and strengthen established relationships at a great venue with

good food and atmosphere.

Take part in this networking event at Central Bank and Trust Co, at 700 East 30th Ave. on Thursday, May 29, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

The cost is $5.00  per person or use your 2008 Flash Pass. For more information or to register contact Belinda McClanahan at 662-3391 or register online.

Bernard and Lorena Wray started their roofing business, Wray and Sons Roofing Co., Inc., in their home in South Hutchinson in 1939. The family business, now located at 229 E. 3rd, in Hutchinson, is in its 69th year. Three of the Wray's seven children own and manage the business; Jerry Wray, President, Greg Wray, Vice President and Cliff Wray, Secretary and Treasurer.

"We're honored to carry on the family business," said Cliff Wray. "Our parents were hard working people and they were very involved in the community and took pride in their relationships with their clients." Carrying on the family business, the Wray brothers are the 5th generation in the Wray family to work in the roofing industry. Their location on E. 3rd was built in 1930 and was roofed by a member of the Wray family.

Wray & Sons Roofing Co., Inc. serves both commercial and residential clients with about ninety percent of the business being commercial. The company tries to maintain a service area within a sixty mile radius of Hutchinson. “We pride ourselves with good service, good products and being honest with our customers,” said Jerry Wray. “We have been fortunate to build quality relationships with local customers and this has allowed us to keep about ninety percent of our business within the area.”

Wray & Sons Roofing Co., Inc. currently has 30 employees and believes their success has been dependent on their employees. “We’re fortunate to have a good staff to work with,” said Debbie Jansen, Office Manager. “We have a number of employees that have been with the company over 20 years.” In addition to the staff, the owners agree that working with family also makes the business easier to manage.

When asked why Wray & Sons Roofing Co., Inc. joined the Chamber, Jerry Wray stated, “We believe it’s important to carry on our parent’s tradition of giving back to the community. We feel it is important to support the local economy and we’re pleased to be a member of the Chamber.” Cliff Wray followed by saying, “We’re pleased to be a part of a successful community. We like Hutchinson, the people are very loyal, friendly and honest. It’s a great place to live, work and raise a family.”

The Small Business Council selected Wray & Sons Roofing Co., Inc. from nominations made by Chamber members. The award is given monthly to a Chamber business that exemplifies community spirit and superior business practices.

The Small Business Spotlight Award is proudly sponsored by First National Bank of Hutchinson and Hutchinson Credit Union.

In the fall of 2009, students are expected to begin classes in USD 308’s newly completed Career & Technical Education Academy building. Part of the 2006 bond issue, the Academy will house 100,000 square feet of leading edge training facilities for students looking for an early start on career preparation whether that means higher education or continued training.

Currently, the center has 16 programs with approximately 1,165 enrolled students at any one time from Hutchinson High School, Hutchinson Community College, and other high schools throughout Reno County.  Upon program completion, students can receive certificates based on specified  competency mastery linked to work place skills, or in some cases, industry level certification that would be recognized by employers within associated industries.  Existing programs include Auto Body | Collision Repair, Auto Mechanics, Building Trades, Business Technology, Communications – Journalism, Broadcasting, Computer Graphics, Web Development, Drafting, Electronics, Family & Consumer Science, Machine Technology, Marketing & Lodging Management, REDI, Networking & Telecommunications, Pre-Collegiate Teacher Preparation, Pre-Engineering, Welding Technology, and Woodworking.

As the Academy moves into the new facility, new programs are under consideration. These include Health Sciences, Culinary Arts, Commercial Construction, and Recreational Vehicle Repair.

Several programs work cooperatively with local businesses to provide real-world experiences via internship programs.  This year, an estimated 27 students have interned with business partners in the areas of Business Technology, Marketing, Welding, Auto Body/Collision Repair, Auto Mechanics, and Machine Technology.

“The internships provide students with valuable experiences and expand their training beyond the classroom. It also connects employers with the school and ties the community together,” said Don Thomas, Director of the Career & Technical Education Academy.

Students are enrolling for 2008-2009 classes and are currently looking for internships. If your business is interested, please contact Don Thomas at 620.665.4521 or thomasd@usd308.com.