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!