Category: Chamber Blog

With 2023 coming to a close, we want to stop and celebrate what an amazing year it’s been for us at the OIathe Chamber of Commerce. From our Annual Meeting in early March to our weekly Coffees and wildly successful Business Lunch Series events, 2023 has been truly remarkable. As much as we appreciate every single one of our members and everything you do to make the Olathe Chamber a 5-star Chamber, the biggest news of 2023 was our 100th anniversary celebration. What started at our Annual Meeting early in 2023 hit its peak on March 23 when we were invited to Topeka and were honored with proclamations on both the House and Senate floors celebrating our 100th anniversary of being incorporated in the State of Kansas. Making that day extra special was the fact that our forefathers signed those aforementioned incorporation letters on March 23, 1923. The Chamber was honored by Representative Robyn Essex during the House session. She read the proclamation and introduced Chamber staff in attendance. The Chamber was then honored by Senator Beverly Gossage during the Senate session. She also read the proclamation and introduced Chamber staff in attendance. “What a tremendous honor to be recognized by both the Kansas House of Representatives and the Kansas Senate,” Chamber CEO Tim McKee said. “We appreciate Representative Essex and Senator Gossage for their efforts in helping to shine a light on our organization on such a monumental occasion. We’re truly humbled.” Check out some photos from that day here. Yup, 100 years later, we were back in Topeka being honored for the amazing accomplishment that you helped us achieve. Without all of our Olathe Chamber members – past and current – there’s no way we were able to celebrate such a milestone. Just a few weeks after being honored in Topeka, we were lucky enough to be honored with a similar proclamation by City of Olathe Mayor John Bacon at the April City Council Meeting. We were humbled by all three proclamations. What began as a gathering of business owners as an outgrowth of the existing Merchants & Farmers Association, the Olathe Chamber of Commerce began as an informal organization for a few years before being incorporated with the state of Kansas and earning our charter back in 1923. Check out this video we shared at the Annual Meeting in early March. We spent the past 12 months celebrating our milestone, talking to longtime members about what it meant to be a member of an organization that was celebrating 100 years, as well as talking to new members about what it means. Check out some of those videos. We heard great a great message from Dr. Brent Yeager, superintendent of the Olathe Public Schools and a touching, match-making moment from Greg and Anne Oswald of Sir Speedy. Check out more of the videos here. What a year it’s been. Thanks for sharing it with us!

As the largest chamber in Johnson County, and the second largest in the Kansas City metro area, the Olathe Chamber of Commerce has a number of benefits. We also provide the ideal platform to promote business development and growth in the Olathe and metro Kansas City business communities. The Olathe Chamber is Five-Star Accredited by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a designation obtained by only one percent of the nation’s chambers. Here are just a few of the outstanding benefits that come along with a membership in the Olathe Chamber. Networking Opportunities Exciting events and programs Thursday morning coffees (largest weekly networking event in K.C. area) Annual Meeting Luncheon Olathe Chamber Foundation Benefit Business After Hours Business Showcase Business Lunch Series Legislative and government forums, breakfasts, and luncheons Leadership Olathe Chamber Golf Classic Career Expo Garmin Olathe Marathon State of the City Dynamic groups Business-2-Government Advocacy Council Young Olathe Professionals Human Resources Roundtable Leadership Olathe Alumni Association Committees and task forces Economic Development Council Learn about incoming businesses and new development with quarterly reports Attend one Economic Development Luncheon meeting at no cost Convention & Visitors Bureau Be the first to know of conferences and sports tournaments coming to the area Partner with the chamber to promote your business to Olathe visitors Free advertising in “Explore Olathe” Coupon Guide – More than 10,000 distributed to travelers each year Free Visit Olathe visitors guides to give to your customers How the Chamber works for you Helps small business grow and succeed through its dynamic GrowOlathe initiative Attracts new business and supports and helps existing businesses expand Broadens and balances Olathe’s tax base through economic development, tourism, and sports marketing efforts Creates and maintains a healthy climate for business growth and a high quality of life Serves as a business advocate in city, state, and national government affairs Provides credibility for businesses through association Assists businesses with workforce development and transportation needs Serves as a custodian of the community’s vision, pulling together partnerships to achieve results Benefits of Membership Internet visibility Online referrals every day to members Exposure on olathe.org Post job openings on our Career Connection page Alphabetical and categorical directory listings in print and online Complimentary links to your website Opportunities to promote special offers through enhanced website listings, online discounts, e-newsletters, website ads, and text messages Locator map for your business Notary service Great marketing opportunities Free listings in the annual Membership Directory & Relocation Guide Sponsorship opportunities for visibility at popular chamber events Advertising opportunities: website, Membership Directory & Relocation Guide, Olathe Visitors Guide, e-newsletter and more Opportunity to purchase mailing labels Post events in Community Calendar Important information and programs Support for new businesses: media releases, social media, grand openings, ribbon cuttings, ground breakings Access to database information: major employers, organizations, demographics, resources, employee size and more Economic development information and research Business start-up and expansion information Valuable updates via free e-newsletter, e-mail updates, EDC alerts Legislative updates from Topeka, access to Muster app to connect with legislators Career Connection and support for member businesses Seminars, professional and personal development Dynamic Leadership Olathe program Valuable member-to-member savings Certificates of Origin for international business Taking care of business Whether you are a large corporation, a small business, or a home-based business, chamber membership will pay dividends. With your annual investment, you are empowering the Chamber to serve as your business advocate. The chamber works on your behalf to ensure a prosperous economic climate for all businesses. In our work to preserve and enhance the quality of life in Olathe, we are dedicated to taking care of your business.

We’re less than a week away from adding the newest and hottest hangout spot in Olathe swinging open the doors. The Reserve at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center opens at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19. The rebranded, refreshed and relaxing Reserve is now your go-to spot for a cocktail after work, after dinner or after whatever. You may remember the spot as the J Bar, but now, the stunning views, refreshing vistas and sharable entrees are courtesy of the Reserve. You won’t want to miss out on the second level terrace at the Embassy Suites Olathe, 10401 S. Ridgeview Road. The 21-and-over bar will be open from 4 – 11 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday and from 4 p.m. – midnight on Friday and Saturday. The Reserve will have wine, craft cocktails, drafts and delicious sharable menu items that are sure to please any palate. Guests are more than welcome to stop by the Burger Shed downstairs anytime, but the Reserve just adds another option to the bustling K-10 and Ridgeview area. From Johnny’s Tavern to Minsky’s Pizza and the Salty Iguana and the Rub BBQ, you’re sure to find just what the doctor ordered.  Check The Reserve out. You won’t be disappointed.

Today is the day we’ve been waiting for. It’s the day we’ve planned for and talked about for more than a year. It’s March 23, 2023 – our 100th anniversary! Back on March 23, 1923, a group of 11 Chamber Board members were in Topeka signing our letters of incorporation with the state of Kansas. That Board represented 132 Chamber members that year, a list that included the Dennis Motor Company, the Grange Store, First National Bank, Hyer & Sons, the Olathe Mirror newspaper, the Olathe Light & Power Company and Patrons Bank – just to name a few. What began as a gathering of business owners as an outgrowth of the existing Merchants & Farmers Association, the Olathe Chamber of Commerce began as an informal organization for a few years before being incorporated with the state of Kansas and earning our charter on March 23, 1923. Not only are we celebrating our 100th anniversary today, we’re also celebrating the launch of our brand-new Olathe Chamber blog. In this space – and on the companion Economic Development Council blog – you’ll find everything you need to know about what’s going on at the Olathe Chamber of Commerce. More than just an area for the latest news about the Chamber and EDC, the blogs will feature some more insight into what, why and when. We’ll discuss the benefits of the Chamber, give readers an inside look at how the Chamber works, as well as information about upcoming events. Our news section gives you the information you need, but our blogs will give you the story behind the information you need. Both will be similar to our Visit Olathe Blog that has been helping keep you informed about everything our Olathe Convention & Visitors Bureau has been doing to help promote our amazing community. As far as our celebration goes, it’s not just about today, it’ll last all year long. We’ll celebrate our rich history and some of our longtime members. You’ll see these celebrations here on our blog, in our weekly eFlash and all over our social media channels. Here’s to the next 100 years.