State of the City Luncheon set for late October
The annual State of the City Luncheon will take place at 11:15 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 25 at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Olathe Conference Center. Come to hear Mayor John Bacon talk about all the great things the City of Olathe did over the past year and what’s ahead in 2025. Register today
The luncheon is presented by the University of Kansas Health System and Olathe Health.
Contact Susie Carson for sponsorship additional opportunities.
Miller joins Olathe
Chamber staff
We’d like to welcome Ava Miller to the staff. She joined the Olathe Chamber of Commerce’s Convention & Visitors Bureau as the new Destination Services Manager in August.
She joined the Olathe Chamber as an intern in August of 2023. She took over her full-time role this summer. She’s a 2024 graduate of MidAmerica Nazarene University earning a bachelor’s degree in marketing. Ava has lived in Olathe almost her whole life. She’s a graduate of Olathe East High School.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, going on trips, and enjoying the outdoors!
Secure your spot at the Olathe Chamber Foundation Benefit
The Olathe Chamber of Commerce Foundation Benefit is just two weeks away, and now is your chance to make a significant impact while enjoying a memorable evening at Topgolf.
Join us for the event from 6 – 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 2 at Topgolf, 10611 Nall Ave. in Overland Park. This annual event is one of our most anticipated gatherings, offering a perfect blend of fun, networking and philanthropy. It’s not just about golf — it’s about giving back to the community that supports us all.
Reserve your bay today. Purchase a full bay for $1,500 and bring up to six guests, or purchase a half bay for $850 and bring up to four guests. By reserving a bay, your company can enjoy the evening with colleagues, clients or friends while supporting a great cause.
The annual event to help raise funds for the Olathe Chamber Foundation is one of our more popular events and promises to be a great time for a great cause.
If you can’t make it, there’s still a great option to be a part of the event by donating an item for our silent auction. Your contribution will directly benefit the Olathe Chamber Foundation’s mission to enhance economic development, tourism, leadership, and community initiatives in Olathe.
For more details about the event, please call us at 913-764-1050. For information about the silent auction, contact Sara Misemer. To secure a bay, please reach out to Susie Carson.
A big thank you to our sponsors, Garmin, Gilmore Bell, John Deere, McCownGordon Construction, Simmons Bank, Subaru of Olathe/Honda of Olathe and WealthPlan Partners Coble McCune Team.
Thanks to all our members who’ve secured a bay to participate in the event at Topgolf. Our current bay sponsors are Atmos Energy, City of Olathe, Crossroads Real Estate Group, Foulston Siefkin, Garmin, GBA, Gilmore Bell, Harmon Construction, Grin Eye Care, Heartland Coca-Cola, HDR Engineering, Honda of Olathe, John Deere, Johnson County Community College Foundation, KVC Health Systems, Mainstreet Credit Union, McCownGordon Construction, MidAmerica Nazarene University, Nabholz Construction, Olathe Health, Olathe Public Schools, Olsson, Opus Group, Riega Foods, Strickland Construction, Subaru of Olathe, Temp-Con, Terracon Consultants, Tommy’s Express Car Wash, Turner Construction, and WealthPlan Partners, Coble McCune Team.
Leadership Olathe
registration open
The Olathe Chamber of Commerce’s popular and highly successful Leadership Olathe program is now accepting applications for the 2025 class.
This marks the 44th year of the program open to residents of Olathe. It will be conducted in nine, full-day sessions running January through May. For more information and applications, visit here.
Evolve, Leadership Olathe
events coming up
The Olathe Chamber of Commerce has a couple of cool events planned for the next couple weeks.
Join Evolve, our young professionals group, at 3:30 p.m. this Thursday, Sept. 19 at Tall Trellis, 25600 W. Valley Pkwy., for a chance to catch up with fellow Evolve members in a fun, casual atmosphere for some great networking.
Also, be sure to join Leadership Olathe alumni and Evolve for their next Serve & Social from 4 – 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3.
They’ll start at KidsTLC, 480 S. Rogers Road, where the Olathe Chamber leadership alumni and our young professionals will help decorate for their upcoming homecoming. The second half of the fun afternoon will be at Austin’s Bar & Grill, 2103 E. 151st St.
There’s no charge for the event, but please RSVP by Oct. 1 so we know how many people are coming.
The decorating will be for the youths living in KidsTLC’s Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility. Volunteers are needed to help create decorations and wall art for KidsTLC’s upcoming themed Homecoming week and pep-rally. Kids living at KidsTLC will participate in the project as well.
OUT & ABOUT
Registration open for 2025 Garmin Olathe Marathon
Registration for the 2025 Garmin Olathe Marathon is open and right now is a perfect time to sign up. Register here and start training!
The new logo and colors have been unveiled and 2025 is the year of the Wizard. Check out the cool new look here.
This year’s Garmin Marathon, organized by the Olathe Chamber of Commerce’s Olathe Convention & Visitors Bureau, will start and finish at Garmin International at 151st and Ridgeview.
The April 26 event will feature the largest full-marathon and half-marathon in the state of Kansas and a 10K, and Munchkin Marathon. Register here and join in on the fun.
And if that’s not enough, the Garmin Olathe Marathon is back in the Heartland Series in 2025. The Heartland 39.3 Series is a challenge for all of the half marathon fanatics who love to run half marathons and who want to take on the challenge of participating in three area half marathons in five weekends! The Garmin Olathe Marathon half marathon race is the final event in the series. Check out more info here.
CHAMBER CONNECTION
Participate in an interactive community kick off workshop for the City of Olathe Elevate Olathe Comprehensive Plan update from 6:30 – 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18, at the Olathe Community Center. This vital document will guide the future growth and development of Olathe for the next 15 years. Share your ideas, challenges, and opportunities for the community as we launch the plan update. All are welcome to attend, including residents, property owners, business owners, students and community stakeholders. A limited number of free childcare spots are provided for the event. Visit here for comprehensive plan participation opportunities.
Don’t miss the grand opening and happy hour for the brand new Stortropolis Self-Storage at 601 Millridge St. from 3 – 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26. Food and beverages will be provided by Taco Republic.
Mark your calendars now for the Olathe Community Prayer Breakfast at 7 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 8 at the Cook Center on the campus of MidAmerica Nazarene University. The voice of the Kansas City Chiefs, Mitch Holthus, will be the keynote speaker. Check here for more information about sponsorship opportunities and tickets.
The Lake Olathe Triathlon returns to Lake Olathe Beach & Marina on Saturday, Sept. 21. This event is sanctioned by USAT and this challenging course will take triathletes through scenic Lake Olathe Park. The three-part competition consists of a 500-meter swim, 10.45-miles bike, and 3-mile run around Lake Olathe. Visit here to learn more and register.
The 2026 World Cup will be here before you know it. The KC2026 group is already working to create mutually beneficial business opportunities for KC area business. The procurement process is in place that will enhance opportunities for regional and diverse vendors. Check here more information and to stay up to date on the business opportunities becoming available thanks to the World Cup.
Be sure to visit downtown Olathe and enjoy a weekend of celebrating local, regional and national artists with the Olathe Arts Festival, on Sept. 27 – 28. Experience live entertainment, family-friendly activities, food trucks and more! Visit here for a schedule of events and more information.
BOK Financial has received the 2024 Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award (GEWA). This award recognizes the most engaged workplace cultures in the world. After another year of disruption in the workplace, Gallup found that BOK Financial continued to engage and develop its people in innovative ways.
DID YOU KNOW
Are you too busy to make it to all of our networking events? Make the most of your Olathe Chamber of Commerce membership by engaging with us online through our social media channels. See more here. It’s your membership. Own it.
A LOOK AHEAD
NOTE: You can reach the Olathe community and beyond through the Chamber’s online calendar of events. Members can complete the online form and then submit their events online for approval by staff. If you have multiple day events, a form must be submitted for each day. Listings must meet the established criteria.
Sept. 19 – Olathe Chamber Coffee at the Center of Grace, 520 S. Harrison St., co-hosted by Johnson County Community College’s Adult Education, 9 a.m.
RECENT CHAMBER MEMBERS
COUPONS AND DISCOUNTS
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©2024 Olathe Chamber of Commerce