News and Media

4 Seasons Truck Wash Receives November Small Business Award

Tuesday, December 04, 2018

Dan Benewiat got his start with a cattle trailer clean out business in Halstead, KS. Over time he had driven by Tiona Truck Line on Hwy 50 and always thought he would like to own the property and the business. Shortly after closing his cattle trailer clean out business, Dan received a call out of the blue from Tiona who was wanting to sell her business and was told he was the one for the job. As fate would have it, Dan was offered an excellent opportunity to buy the property and start a new business of his own. Without...

Tickets Now on Sale for the 2019 Chamber Annual Meeting featuring Justin Skeesuck & Patrick Gray

Tuesday, December 04, 2018

The Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce announced today that tickets are on sale now to attend the 2019 Chamber Annual Meeting held at the Hutchinson Sports Arena on Monday, February 11, 2019. The meeting will feature Justin Skeesuck and Patrick Gray, inspirational adventurers, lifelong friends, and achievers of the impossible. Born a little over 36 hours apart, Justin Skeesuck and Patrick Gray have been blessed with a lifelong friendship. Their lives have been intertwined for 40 years and have brought them many adventures - most notably, their 500-mile trek across the vast terrain of Spain. Justin, who lives with a progressive...

eNGines-LPG to Locate in Hutchinson

Thursday, November 08, 2018

eNGines-LPG, LLC announced today their plans to begin operations at the former bakery facility at 120 E 3rd Avenue in Hutchinson, Kansas. eNGines-LPG is a family-owned and operated industrial engine distributor and generator manufacturer. This facility will serve as their flagship headquarters where they will assemble, distribute, sell, and support eNGines-LPG’s product lines and be a showroom for innovation for current and future products. President of eNGines-LPG, Matt Roeser, explains, “Protecting the environment is our passion and culture – providing environmentally-safe engine solutions. eNGines-LPG is a concept to operate an engine which can run off both natural gas (NG) and propane...

Chamber to Organize Trip to Ireland in 2019

Thursday, November 01, 2018

As the Hutch Chamber gears up for their 100th Anniversary in 2019, they are excited to announce that they will be partnering with First National Travel Agency to organize a trip to Ireland May 27 - June 5, 2019. The trip will feature a personally guided tour by Northern Ireland native Keith Neill, Youth Pastor at First Presbyterian Church. "I was born and raised in Portadown Northern Ireland about 30 minutes from Belfast. My wife Jennifer and I set up home in Portadown and raised our family in this wonderful town and beautiful country. Almost five years ago our lives changed...

Nisly Brothers Receives October Small Business Award

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Menno Nisly started the business in 1956 when he had a vision for recycling before recycling was cool. He opened his trash and garbage hauling business and also began taking food that was being thrown away and recycling it for animal food. Eventually that process became too labor intensive and they went back to strictly a trash hauling service until times progressed and they began offering recycling services again. Menno’s initial vision for the company was to provide good, old-fashioned, customer friendly and personalized trash service to friends and neighbors and that has stayed true today. Today, the business is...

NJCAA DI Men’s Basketball Championship Wins National Award

Wednesday, October 03, 2018

Visit Hutch announced today that the 2018 NJCAA DI Men’s Basketball Championship has won a SportsTravel Award for the Best Single-Sport Event in the Collegiate division. The award was presented at the SportsTravel Awards Ceremony at the national TEAMS Conference, put on by Northstar Travel Group. ‘The Tournament’, as it is known locally, was one of five events that were nominated in this category. The nominations were put to a public vote over a two-week period in August. Visit Hutch staff and NJCAA board members were present at the TEAMS Conference in Louisville, Kentucky to accept the award on behalf of...

2019 Annual Meeting Speakers Announced

Tuesday, August 07, 2018

Authors of the documentary “I’ll Push You” to Speak at the 2019 Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting Justin Skeesuck and Patrick Gray, inspirational adventurers, lifelong friends, and achievers of the impossible, will be the keynote speakers at the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting on Monday, February 11, 2019. The meeting will be held in the Hutchinson Sports Arena. "We feel very fortunate to have Patrick and Justin as the keynote speakers for the 2019 Annual Meeting," said Ken Johnson, President & CEO of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System and the 2019 Chamber Board Chair. "In business and in life,...

Retail, Downtown, and Target Industry Reports Released

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Greater Hutch, the economic development division of the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce, is pleased to release the Retail Market Assessment, Downtown Assessment and Target Industry Analysis. In October 2017, Greater Hutch contracted with Catalyst Commercial, Inc. to conduct these comprehensive studies regarding retail and industrial data and strategies. Catalyst conducted a customer intercept study using cell phone data to determine the primary trade area for the Hutchinson Market. The Retail Market Assessment reports that the primary trade area is over 85,000 people within an approximate radius of 21 miles around Hutchinson. This area has a purchasing power of over $1.1...

Public Restroom Company to Locate in Hutchinson

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Public Restroom Company announced today they will purchase the building at 714 Corey Road in Hutchinson, Kansas. The Public Restroom Company is a family-owned and operated growing national design/build business specializing in restroom buildings for parks. The new facility will allow the company to meet existing demands of the rapidly growing market. The plant in Hutchinson will primarily serve the Midwest and the eastern part of the United States. “Prior to our selection of Hutchison, Kansas, we brought in the national real estate firm of Cushman-Wakefield to search for available 50,000 square foot plants and above where labor needs for...

Kansas Protein Foods to open in former CHS facility in Hutchinson

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Kansas Protein Foods, LLC, a newly formed subsidiary of Kansas Ethanol, LLC, a large ethanol producer located in Rice County between Sterling and Lyons, announced today that it has purchased the closed CHS Foods facility in Hutchinson’s industrial district and will immediately begin the process of putting it back into production. While rebuilding the customer base for the business, which closed December 1, 2017, will take time, the plant is projected to reach employment of at least 50 within four years. “We will make the same flavored and unflavored soy protein products for which the plant was designed, “said Mike Chisam,...

New Business Opens in Hutchinson Mall

Thursday, January 18, 2018

The Hutchinson Reno County Chamber of Commerce and Greater Hutch are pleased to announce the location of a new business in Hutchinson, Kansas. Almont Studios of Boston, MA, has selected 10,000 sq.ft. of space in the Hutchinson Mall to manufacture the iC4K technology platform and create custom individualized content for users with cognitive impairment and anxiety concerns. This project was the direct result of Hutch Rising investor and Chamber member Dianne Blick, local real estate professional, and a collaboration of partners across the community. Blick said, "The work this company is doing in conjunction with Dr. Forbes at Wesley Towers seems...

Hutchinson to Host 2018 American Yankee Association Annual Convention and Fly-in

Wednesday, May 31, 2017

HUTCHINSON, KS – The International Grumman Pilots Association, a division of the American Yankee Association (AYA), Board of Directors voted for Hutchinson to be the host of their 2018 annual convention. The convention will take place at the Hutchinson Regional Airport and other attractions around the Hutchinson community. “This is an exciting event to bring to the Hutchinson Airport and the community. We have been working with the association for many months and we are honored that they have chosen Hutchinson as their next convention site” said Holly Leiker, National Sports and Destination Sales Manager for the Greater Hutchinson Convention/Visitors Bureau. The...

Big 12 Golf Championship Returns to Prairie Dunes Country Club

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

The 2017 Big 12 Men’s Golf Championship will be played in Hutchinson, at Prairie Dunes Country Club April 24-26th. This year marks the 21st Annual Big 12 Golf Championship and the 12th time that Hutchinson has hosted. The 10 teams of the Big 12 will arrive prior to the championship start for a practice round at Prairie Dunes on Sunday, April 23rd. “Prairie Dunes is a fantastic course and has great history in hosting this championship, we are excited to welcome the teams of the Big 12 back to Hutchinson this spring”, said Holly Leiker, National Sports & Destination Sales Manager...

Kansas State Fairgrounds to Host American Maine-Anjou and Chianina National Junior Show

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

The American Junior Maine-Anjou Association (AJMAA) and the American Junior Chianina Association (AJCA) will host the 2017 Maine-Anjou/Chianina Junior Show in Hutchinson, KS for the first time in June. The seven day show will bring over 550 head of cattle, nearly 400 youth exhibitors and their families from across the country. “The goal of both the AJMAA & AJCA is to provide opportunities that will help build and shape our young people into the great leaders we know they are”, said Lindsey Broek, Director of Shows, Communication and Youth for the American Maine-Anjou Association. The Kansas State Fairgrounds will host the show June 23-30,...

All-American Junior Sheep Show Will Return to Hutchinson in 2019

Monday, February 27, 2017

Five years after the Kansas Sheep Association hosted the All-American Junior Sheep Show (AAJS) at the Kansas State Fairgrounds, they will once again converge on Hutchinson in 2019. The board of directors recently voted to return to Hutchinson for the 26th annual show, July 4-7, 2019, with nearly 2,000 head of sheep and 350 junior exhibitors expected to be in attendance. Exhibitors are expected from around 25 states, from Oregon in the west to Pennsylvania and Maryland in the east. Overall, the show will bring 1,500 people to the Hutchinson community for the weekend. In addition to sheep showing, exhibitors will...

2018 Agri-Business of the Year Award

Tuesday, December 04, 2018

The Agri-Business of the Year Award is intended to honor the agri-businesses in Reno County and thank them for the important role they play in strengthening the local ag economy. This year’s Agri-Business of the Year Award went to PrairieLand Partners. In 2008, three successful John Deere dealerships in central and southern Kansas made the decision to prepare for the future business challenges and opportunities by coming together to form PrairieLand Partners, Inc. The former companies all had similar core values and operating principals, resulting in a strong commitment to this new organization. PrairieLand Partners has become the largest John Deere dealership...

2018 Farm Focus Family Award

Tuesday, December 04, 2018

The Farm Focus Family Award began in 1985 as part of National Farm City Week. 2018 marks 100 families in Reno County that have been recognized for their contributions to Reno County Agriculture. This year’s Farm Focus Family Award goes to Jim and Amy Theis. Amy grew up on her family farm in Hutchinson and Jim has worked on a farm all of his life with the hopes of one day owning a farm of his own. Jim and Amy began farming part-time with raising cattle until Amy’s parents decided to turn over their farm to them in 2010, allowing Jim...

Hutchinson Regional Medical Center Launches Telepulmonology Program

Tuesday, December 04, 2018

Written By Ken Johnson, President & CEO A telepulmonogy program to provide top quality pulmonary services to patients 24/7, seven days per week is the newest enhancement in medical services for patients of Hutchinson Regional Medical Center (HRMC). The telepulmonology program is made possible through a partnership between HRMC and Eagle Telemedicine, an Atlanta-based provider that is a pioneer in the field. We are pleased to bring the benefits of telepulmonology to our patients. The team of telemedicine pulmonologists we are working with are partners who collaborate with our own doctors and provide guidance and expertise to nurses and other clinical staff. The...

Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System Implements New Electronic Health Record

Monday, October 29, 2018

By: Ken Johnson, President & CEO The most recent milestone in the Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System (HRHS) transformation took place on September 24th, 2018 with the implementation of OZ, a new HRHS Electronic Health Record (EHR). Years of exhaustive planning and training resulted in a successful implementation as HRHS made this $20 million EHR operational. HRHS contracted Cerner Corporation (North Kansas City, MO), a supplier of health information solutions, services, devices, and hardware to facilitate the upgrade. Groups of as many as 40 employees spent several weeks at Cerner headquarters studying the numerous ways that electronic health records will benefit the overall operation of...

Horizon Mental Health Center to Observe 50th Anniversary

Wednesday, October 03, 2018

Written by: Mike Garrett, M. S., LCP Chief Executive Office of Horizons Mental Health Center Fifty years ago Horizons Mental Health Center was established in an era when mental health issues were largely misunderstood. The American Psychological Association defines mental health as the way our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors affect our lives. Good mental health leads to positive self-image and satisfying relationships with friends and others and is ma major component necessary for making daily decisions that impact our ability to be happy and successful. In the late 1960s, two young physicians and concerned individuals in Hutchinson and Kingman knew there was a...

Pools Plus, Inc. Receives September Small Business Award

Wednesday, October 03, 2018

Pools Plus was established in 1988 when Brad and Jane Easter decided to venture out on their own. They opened their business, which mainly focused on swimming pool service, at 20 N. Main St. and remained there for two years. While located on Main Street, Brad ran the store during the day until Jane arrived after her teaching job to help cover the store so Brad could go out on service. The business quickly expanded and grew, moving it to it’s current location at 21 E. 1st Avenue. Over the years the business continued to expand and Brad’s son Jake,...

Primary Residential Mortgage Receives August Small Business Award

Tuesday, September 04, 2018

Radley Brooks first go into the mortgage industry during the initial phase of the housing crisis during 2007. Property values were diminishing and foreclosures were on the rise. During this time especially Banks and Credit Unions were starting to restrict who they lent money to, making home ownership more challenging. Radley felt it was a great opportunity, and after researching all the options he decided to partner with a company called Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc. This allowed him access to over 50 different investors to offer a wide range of mortgage loan products. He started his first office in the...

Chamber Seeking Nominations for Farm City Week Awards

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

The Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce Agri-Business Committee is seeking nominations for the 2018 Farm Focus Family Award and the 2018 Agri-Business of the Year Award. Each year in November during National Farm City Week, The Chamber celebrates agri-business and the impact it has on Reno County during the Chamber Membership Breakfast. This year’s Farm Focus Family breakfast will be held on Wednesday, November 14, 2018. In addition to inviting all Reno County Farmers to attend the breakfast at no charge, one local farm family will be recognized for their contributions to Reno County agriculture. This award began in 1985 and since...

2018 Wage and Benefit Reports Released

Friday, August 10, 2018

Hutchinson, KS – Greater Hutch, the economic development division of the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce, is pleased to release the Wage and Benefit Reports for 2018. The 2018 Reno County Wage Report is provided by the Kansas Department of Labor, 2018 Kansas Wage Survey. The report details annual estimated wage and occupational numbers for all Reno County and separated by occupational code. In May 2018, Greater Hutch conducted a benefit survey open to all businesses in Reno County. The 2018 Benefit Survey Report is an aggregate of those participating companies. Information collected covers all benefits that a company may offer and...

Bookends Receives July Small Business Award

Wednesday, July 18, 2018

When Gwen and Wes Bartlett retired, they wanted to have something to do to keep them busy—Gwen had been a librarian and had always wanted to own a bookstore and Wes was an English teacher. They grew up here and wanted to retire closer to family. When they first opened the store, they had all of 3,000 books; today, they have over 20,000! According to their employees and customers, Bookends can be described as “warm and welcoming,” “cozy,” and “homey. At Bookends, they have a section of rare and antique books that are open and available to the public, as well...

Preferred Roofing and Guttering Receives May Small Business Award

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

The Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber is pleased to announce the May 2018 Small Business Award recipient is Preferred Roofing and Guttering. The business began as a guttering company in 2008 mostly serving Hutchinson and surrounding areas. As the business continued to grow, in 2010, the name of the business was changed from Preferred Seamless Guttering to Preferred Roofing & Guttering. With this they began offering additional services and expanding their service locations to Southwest Kansas and beyond Wichita. Most of their business comes from storm restoration and they take pride in restoring a home to pre-loss condition, sometimes making it even better than...

Chamber Announces New Logo and Brand Identity

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

The Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce a new logo and brand identity. This will unify, under one umbrella, the various divisions of the Chamber, which include Greater Hutch, the economic development partnership for Reno County, and Visit Hutch, the Greater Hutchinson Convention/ Visitors Bureau. In 2017, Chamber members and community stakeholders were invited to participate in focus groups as part of the development of a new brand. The first step of this branding strategy brought together online survey data, input from the City’s comprehensive plan, as well as local focus groups facilitated by Catalyst Commercial, helping gather...