2009 Kansas MarketPlace Wrap-up
The conference began Monday, Nov. 9 and concluded on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at the Ramada Hays Convention Center in Hays, Kansas. Approximately 250 participants - entrepreneurs, community leaders, rural economic developers, resource professionals and more - attended. The high energy level at the event was contagious.
"The turnout for Kansas MarketPlace demonstrates that rural people are resourceful and are looking for ways to create a better future for their families, their communities and their farms, ranches and mainstreet businesses," said John Crabtree, Media Director for the Center for Rural Affairs. "We are excited to have brought this diverse group of people together, and are looking forward to continuing to learn from one another about new ways of overcoming the challenges we face in our rural communities."
Kathie Starkweather with the Center for Rural Affairs and Carole Jordan with the Kansas Department of Commerce Value Added Division, opened the event with a welcoming speech. Andrew McCrea ( http://www.andrewmccrea.com/home.html ) gave the opening keynote, sharing a knowledge of and enthusiasm about rural entrepreneurship that was extremely well-received. Don Landoll, owner and founder of Landoll Corporation of Marysville, Kansas, was the featured speaker Tuesday morning.
Landoll discussed being raised on a small family farm located near Hanover, Kansas. He explained how the principles taught in his high school FFA class can still be applied in business today. He started his business as a two-man welding, repair shop in 1963. Still located in Marysville, a rural northeast Kansas town, the company has grown to employ over 500 people. Landoll shared some of the key elements he has learned about business over the last 45 years, including the most important business principles to surviving in tough economic times.
In addition to these speakers, trainings and teach-in sessions were held throughout the conference - some 42 sessions in all on topics ranging from marketing, finance and business development to technology, community and agriculture. The Kansas Department of Commerce Mobile Technology Unit, a traveling, hands-on computer lab, was the setting for the technology sessions.
Meanwhile, more than 30 exhibit booths were set up in the Ramada Hays atrium. The booths were filled by successful small businesses, service providers, and other conference sponsors, providing attendees the opportunity to network and meet experts in a number of fields, including attorneys, economic development professionals, web designers, and others. Exhibitors were available throughout the day to answer participants' questions.
On Monday evening, conference participants enjoyed Kansas-grown foods at a Simply Kansas reception. The Simply Kansas trademark program of the Kansas Department of Commerce promotes Kansas food and agriculture products and experiences. The reception showcased a variety of products available from Kansas businesses across the state. Simply Kansas supplied lunch and refreshments throughout the day on Tuesday as well.
According to Starkweather, Marketplace has been a success, first in Nebraska and now in Kansas and Colorado, not just in drawing participants but in creating connections and sharing information that rural people can use to address the challenges they face in creating a better future for their community. "That's why we started organizing Marketplace events, to help demonstrate the importance of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial development to rural revitalization across the Midwest and Great Plains. We look forward to helping host the second annual Marketplace Kansas event in 2010," Starkweather added.
Find out more specifics about the event:
Review of the 2009 Kansas MarketPlace
