All Posts Archive

Chamber Link Newsletter – October 2022

Stay connected with Chamber happenings as we highlight past events and preview what's next on the Chamber calendar. It's all found in the Link! Oktoberfest 2022 RecapThe Chamber hosted its' 33rd annual Oktoberfest on September 23-24, 2022. We saw thousands of festival...

Chamber Link Newsletter – August 2022

Stay connected with Chamber happenings as we highlight past events and preview what's next on the Chamber calendar. It's all found in the Link! Chamber Member Appreciation Night at the K! To show appreciation, the Chamber staff and board hosted a KC Royals tailgate...

Chamber Link Newsletter – July 2022

Stay connected with Chamber happenings as we highlight past events and preview what's next on the Chamber calendar. It's all found in the Link! 2022 Truly the Best Business of the Year Award Winners Announced at June LuncheonWinners for the 2022 Truly the Best...

2022 Truly the Best Business of the Year

Winners for the 2022 Truly the Best Business of the Year awards were announced at the Chamber monthly membership luncheon on Friday, June 17. The University of Central Missouri Lee's Summit took the award in the 1-20 employees category and GEHA was named the winner in...

Around the World in Lee’s Summit: Cam Awesome

The list gets long quick when you start adding up the accomplishments of Cam F. Awesome, Keynote Speaker & Diversity Consultant at Awesome Talks. Six-time USA National Boxing Champion, four-time Golden Gloves National Champion, three-time Olympic trials Champion,...

Chamber Link – June 2022

Stay connected with Chamber happenings as we highlight past events and preview what's next on the Chamber calendar. It's all found in the Link! 2022 Golf Classic RecapWe had another great year at the Chamber Golf Classic on May 13! Seen here is Jim & Debbie...

Around the World in Lee’s Summit: Ahadu Coffee

Three years ago, Teddy and Anna Astatke fulfilled their long-time dream of opening their own coffee shop, Ahadu Coffee, in Lee’s Summit.  While it is their first venture in entrepreneurism, they are quite familiar with the world of coffee. You might say they were born...

Chamber Link Newsletter – April 2022

Stay connected with Chamber happenings as we highlight past events and preview what's next on the Chamber calendar. It's all found in the Link! Truly the Best Top 3 Finalists Announced at the Chamber Luncheon on March 18 The Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce was...

Quality Gourmet Food Sources in Lee’s Summit

Colonial Kitchen Colonial Gardens proves once again they are more than a garden center. Their newest farm to table restaurant is another example of staying true to their mission of inspiring the community through food. By working with farmers who are committed to...

Person to Person: Kirt Mosier, The Lee’s Summit Symphony

Kirt Mosier is an internationally known and critically acclaimed composer and conductor. Mosier is the Artistic Director for the Kansas City Youth Symphony, as well as, the co-conductor of the Lee’s Summit Symphony Orchestra. National Composition Award winner on two...

The Art and Science of Video + Sound Production

Featured Writer: Kirby Asplund The Asplund Group, LLC Summit Video Services and the Work of Chad Godfrey There is a shelf in the studio of Summit Video Services lined with golden statuettes of a man holding high a five-pointed star. This is the Hanley Award for...

Technology is Shifting Workforce Demands

By: Rick McDowell Lee’s Summit Economic Dev. Council Manufacturers are having a difficult time finding workers due to an increase in technology, which is changing the skills required for jobs. That is according to a 2018 skills gap study from Deloitte Insights and the...

Geeking Out Over STEM in Missouri

By: Brian Crouse Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry It's like any engineering problem. Just start with the end user. In the case of workforce, that's employers. The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry is working to bridge the divide between industry and...

The Science of Brewing Beer

Featured Writer: John Beaudoin KC Communication & Media Matters For many homebrewers, trial-and-error are just part of the beer-making process. Some batches finish just as you'd hoped while others might miss a flavor or fermentation mark. No problem, you drink 'em...

LSR-7 Robotics Team in Action

Featured Writer: Kirby Asplund The Asplund Group, LLC The FIRST Robotics Competition On the first Saturday of each new year, robotics teams around the world eagerly await the release of the new FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) – a challenge that will dominate a great...

Traditional Roots Adapt to Modern Technologies

There are few, if any, industries that the technology boom hasn’t touched, but, of course, some businesses are affected more than others. Architecture is an interesting industry that was traditionally very manual. Manual drawings with physical overlays to rework...

Foodie Fun: Lee’s Summit Patios for Any Occasion

Springtime is officially here and our local member restaurants want to invite you to enjoy the outdoors with patio seating. There are options all around Lee’s Summit, most with happy hour specials any day of the week and sunny spots to get fresh air. Stuey McBrew's:...

Mathnasium Provides Math Support for Struggling Students

What is Mathnasium? Think of a gymnasium where you exercise your body. Mathnasium is where you exercise your math skills. Mathnasium is a math tutoring franchise that has been around since 2002. It started in Los Angeles where a well known math teacher decided he...

DIY Weekend Warrior Projects

Springtime is the perfect time to prepare for the coming months of enjoying the outdoors – including your own outdoor space! Ambitious weekend warriors may be able to tackle projects on their own, but depending on the project you may or may not have the needed...

Chamber Update: Chamber Member Superlatives

We are celebrating the 2021 graduation season and having a little fun with this special section to highlight individual members with Chamber Member Superlative Awards. Our Chamber is blessed with an array of talented people and lively personalities and we know it's...

Celebrating Frontline Heroes

The year 2020 has undoubtedly been a year to remember. With little warning the COVID pandemic hit our community like a wrecking ball requiring major changes in everyday life, forcing new practices for the way we do business, altering education models, disrupting...

Unwinding 2020

By: Tammy Garrison, Unwind Fiber Arts, LLC On March 8, 2020, I sat at the table in the center of Unwind Fiber Arts with a cup of coffee and my laptop, reviewing sales reports with a sense of accomplishment and gratitude. The last two weeks had been the best for Unwind...

Restaurants Find Success Despite Pandemic Experience

By: Jordan Straits When I asked Bethany Neal, Vice President of Sales, Marketing & Technology, what Stroud’s Express has experienced through the pandemic she responded emphatically: “It’s been wild!” This response is probably to be expected when you consider that...

Getting to Know a CEO: LSR-7 Superintendent Dr. David Buck

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background in education? My wife (Jennifer) and I have three daughters who attend LSR7. Jennifer ran a horse boarding/lesson/training business for about 15 years prior to our move here. I was born in St. Louis and...

The Power of One: Emily Crawford

Entrepreneurial powerhouse, Emily Crawford, is changing the game one invention, website and company at a time. Despite an over all eventless year thanks to the Covid Pandemic, Crawford has had an exceptionally eventful year. We reached out to her to catch up on her...

Power of One: Hilary Tichota of Paths Elder Law

THE BASICS Name: Hilary Tichota Title: Community Relations Coordinator How long have you been with Paths Elder Law? Almost 6 years Describe yourself in one word: Creative GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS Can you describe the Paths Pen to Pal program for readers? The Paths Pen...

Prioritizing Mental Health During A Global Pandemic

By: Jennifer Craig, ReDiscover We are living in unprecedented times. Within the last few months the world as we know it has changed and we continue to face many unknowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently the YouGov COVID-19 Tracker reported levels of depression...

Chamber Members Unite During Crisis

  Despite the difficult times we are faced with in our community and around the world, our Chamber members are banding together and serving each other when it really counts. We have been touched by so many stories of service, giving and selflessness that it has...

Kids with Cancer Enjoy Summer at Camp Quality

  When a cancer diagnosis comes to a child, in a lot of ways, childhood stops. Vacations, family time, crafts, and campfires are replaced with doctor visits, chemo, isolation and restrictions. With children’s safety and medical needs in the forefront, Camp...

Text Marketing: The Ultimate Way to Reach Your Customers

  By: Kari Simpson, Digital Marketing Inc. Navigating these uncertain times is a learning process as most of us haven’t experienced anything like the mandatory stay at home order issued for Kansas City and surrounding areas. Going on walks to see playgrounds...

Summit Lakes Middle School Nearly Doubles Over 20 Years

  Summit Lakes Middle School (SLMS) opened in the fall of 2000 with 481 students and 33 teachers. A team representing the school community created the school’s name, including the word “Summit” representing the name of the city Lee’s Summit and “Lakes” due to the...

20 Young Professionals Influencing Lee’s Summit

  Our Lee’s Summit Chamber is filled with so many great leaders. A number of young professionals are showcasing their leadership and making a big impact on the business community. Influencing all generations of work in a variety of industries, we want to...

First Stages of the Streets of West Pryor

  A new year is upon us and with it, a new sense of excitement. Lee’s Summit is poised to make large strides in 2020 and the Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council is proud to be a part of the progress. This year, we are welcoming a new development to our...

LSR7 2020 No-Tax Increase Bond Proposal

By Matt Baird Breaking Down the Details The 2020 election year kicks off in April with a number of items to vote on. One ballot initiative that will have a major impact on Lee’s Summit will be a no-tax increase bond proposal from the Lee's Summit R7 school district...

Life, In Focus!

Eyecare Associates Share 120 Years Combined Experience More than 33 years ago, brothers Doug and Mark Herriott graduated from optometry school. They knew they wanted to help people see better and lead healthier lives, so they came together and started a joint practice...

Lee’s Summit Veterans Downtown

By: John Beaudoin As we look forward to celebrating Veterans Day on November 11, we took inventory of the veterans in our community and realized we are blessed with several right here in the downtown area. These five men, now taking on the role of business owner, sat...

Leading the Future of our Air Force in Lee’s Summit

By Heather Thompson Walking into Lee’s Summit West High School on a Wednesday afternoon, I saw multiple students in uniform as I was scheduled to meet with Lieutenant Colonel Tim Lyon, USAF (Ret), the new Senior Aerospace and Science Instructor (SASI) for the Air...

Horses, Monkeys, and Tarantulas…Oh My!

By: John Beaudoin The year is 1956. There are less than 2,000 people in the City of Lee’s Summit and farmers and livestock likely outnumber the citizens. Between Jackson and Cass County, there are 400 dairies and a dire need for trained and educated veterinarians....

The Business of Influence

By: Carol Sours, Treo Marketing Once upon a time in marketing, if you hired a spokesperson to represent your brand, you sought an individual with some sort of celebrity status. You looked for someone with a fan-following and a platform from which to tout the benefits...

Bridging the Gap Between Whiteman Air Force Base and LS

By Matt Baird Many new efforts have been generated over recent months with the Lee’s Summit Chamber’s Military Affairs Committee. Their purpose is to bridge the gap between the City of Lee’s Summit and Whiteman Air Force Base. Disseminating valuable information to...

Colonial Gardens: Celebrating 50 Years!

Colonial Gardens was founded in 1969 and is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. For many years it was just known for nursery plants in south Blue Springs, a lot of flowers and seasonal plants within a greenhouse setting for your garden and home landscape,...

Interns Vital to Local Workforce

  By: John Beaudoin When Glen Watson of Polytainers and other local companies are in the hunt for talented, young students and future employees, they know they're in a target-rich environment right here in Lee's Summit. Watson, the Human Resources Business...

Candace & Kelly: Sisters in Food

More than best friends "“ Candace Jennings and Kelly Olson are sisters, moms, and wives, all while running successful businesses. These sisters love food, especially when it comes to being creative and experimenting with new ingredients and recipes. Best of all, they...

LS Oktoberfest: Cheers to 30 Years!

What started as a replacement for Cole Younger Days and way to raise funds to renovate the historic depot in 1989 has since grown into the Chamber's largest fundraiser. Celebrating it's 30th anniversary this year, Oktoberfest has now grown into a festival spanning...

Five Key Elements for your Marketing Roadmap

By Kevin Oldham, Diffactory Marketing can be overwhelming and confusing. These two feelings can disappear by having a simple roadmap that increases your confidence and sales. The Remarkable Marketing Roadmap will help you to reflect the business you've built, attract...

Sitting is the New Smoking

3 Ways You Can Counter the Negative Health Effects of Sitting By Rachelle Hochgraber, trUbalance Nutrition Did you know that 70 percent of all employees move only a maximum of one hour per day? An analysis of over 10 studies on sitting time found that those who sat...

How to Reinvest Your Tax Dollars

By Clint Haynes, NextGen Wealth It's everybody's favorite time of the year; tax season. Sometimes we are pleasantly surprised and sometimes not so much. If you happen to be the former, then you might be wondering what some fiscally responsible ideas are for that tax...

Beyond P.E., Grade Schools Make Activity a Priority

By John Beaudoin Memories of grade school physical education may bring back recollections of kickball games on the playground, dodgeball in the gym, games of "steal the flag" or just good, old fashioned tag. And while many of those activities still exist, grade...

Power of One: Meet Angi Landis

Owner/Photographer of Angi's Art, LLC THE BASICS How long have you been in business? Since 2004  How did you get started in the photography field? When? I got my degree in photography at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg Describe yourself in one word:...

Getting Active in Lee’s Summit: Rock Island Trail

The Rock Island Rail Corridor is a 17.7 mile out of service railroad corridor acquired by Jackson County in April of 2016 in partnership with the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority. There are three main components of the Rock Island Rail Corridor Project:...

43rd Annual Air Race Classic

The Air Race Classic (ARC) traces its roots to the 1929 Women's Air Derby, in which Amelia Earhart and 19 other daring female pilots raced from Santa Monica, California, to Cleveland, Ohio. That contest, aka the Powder Puff Derby, marked the beginning of women's air...

New to Town: Local Foundery

ONE MAN'S TRASH CAN MAKE FOR GREAT LOCALLY MADE TREASURES You've probably heard of Dave Eames and Ben Wine, or at least seen their works around town. They're responsible for many of the storefront signs, public art pieces and restored antique fixtures seen in downtown...

Celebrating Creativity in Lee’s Summit

If you look around Lee's Summit, it doesn't take long to notice the deep creative roots sprawling out around the city. We see in it our business climate, our shopping centers, entertainment options and many other areas. We reached out to some of Lee's Summit's top...

Podcasting: Not the Creative Outlet I Sought

By Nick Parker Podcasting was not in my original business plan. Grabbing a microphone was not the creative outlet I sought. I (and you can, too) blame my friend Jason's resistance to penning a regular column for Link 2 Lee's Summit. Well, Jason and maybe the fine...

Hollis + Miller: Inspired by Learners

Designing learning environments that inspire creativity is Hollis + Miller's passion, and so we find the most inspiration in the learners we serve. Working with students, teachers, administrators and community members to develop a vision for the design is a first...

Travis O’Guin: Man Behind Strange Music

Even before graduating high school from VanHorn of Kansas City, Mo. in 1988, Travis O'Guin was quite the entrepreneur. He spent the years  after graduation running a furniture service business with 32 locations across the country, getting into real estate, and...

Dancing the Night and Days Away: BPM Dance

Local dance studio owner Blake Piatczyc makes his professional dream a reality. By John Beaudoin If you know Blake Piatczyc, then you're just one degree from knowing Rihanna, Paula Abdul and Jennifer Lopez. That's because the young, energetic, dance-focused, Lee's...

The Man Behind the Mavs: Brent Thiessen

Growing up playing ice hockey since he was three years old in Colorado, it is really no surprise that Brent Thiessen is passionate about what he does. Having been the President and General Manager of the Mavericks for nine seasons, Thiessen is looking forward to their...

Kind Words Abound in Downtown

It all started with a handmade sign propped up against a concrete block in downtown Lee's Summit. It read: "You Are Loved" From there, the #randomwordsofkindness movement sprouted into positive messages and encouraging signs in windows, on park benches and on light...

Incorporating Videos into your Marketing Strategies

by Chad Godfrey As business owners and entrepreneurs, we all desire happy customers and more market share for our products, services, or non-profit. As you consider your business goals and marketing strategies for 2019, I'd like you to consider one approach you...

Small Business Saturday is a Big Deal to Local Businesses

by John Beaudoin On Nov. 27, 2010, a small business revolution began in the United States. On that Saturday, Small Business Saturday was observed for the first time. The credit card company American Express (a company that heavily promotes small-business shopping)...

JDRF Has One Goal: Create a World Without Type 1 Diabetes

by Rebecca Silverman Blue is the color to wear this November. A simple color conveys a much bigger message for thousands of families in the KC Metro, showing the world what type 1 diabetes (T1D) looks like. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) community...

Lee’s Summit’s Pastry Queen: Nicolette Foster

At just 18-years old while taking classes at UMKC, and needing a job, Nicolette Foster walked into McCormick & Schmick's Seafood and Steaks where she was hired as a line cook. It was her first role in the restaurant industry, and one that taught her the ins and...

Growing Farmers Market Demands New Space

by Donnie Rodgers, Jr.The Downtown Lee's Summit Farmers Market was planted at the corner of 2nd and Douglas in 1991 as part of the newly formed Downtown Lee's Summit Main Street's efforts to revitalize the heart of our community. At that time, downtown Lee's Summit...

Kids in the Kitchen at The Cooking Station

by Heather ThompsonTiffany Crowther, owner of The Cooking Station, grew up in Tennessee, but her parents were originally from Kansas City and just after her high school graduation the family moved back here. Tiffany went on to Central Missouri State University in...

LSEDC Sets Sights on Business Attraction

by Rick McDowell The Lee’s Summit EDC has undergone a strategic overhaul over the past three years. In 2016, the LSEDC staff reimagined the organization from the inside out with new structures, programs and initiatives. In 2017, we focused efforts on creating a...

One Good Meal: Serving Lee’s Summit for 23 Years

by Jordan StraitsOne Good Meal has 130 clients, 11 delivery routes, nine board members, 10-15 daily volunteers, five days a week, and one passionate woman behind it all. One Good Meal Director, Roberta (full name Roberta McArthur, but she insists to work on a first...

Don Kahan’s Half Century of Selling Cars, Giving Back

by John Beaudoin Don Kahan has said that his “location became my vocation.” That's because the 50-plus-year resident and auto expert has literally lived over his dealership since the 1970s, just a few short years after moving to Lee’s Summit and opening up in 1965....

LSEDC Development Update

by Rick McDowellThe Lee's Summit Economic Development Council is best known for its mission of promoting and enhancing the City of Lee's Summit as a model community for economic innovation and growth. LSEDC typically makes headlines for its role in attracting new...

Four generations of family owned business

by Heather ThompsonI had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Mike Smith, president of Twin Lakes, for an afternoon of stories. Born a business man, he encourages that in life and business, you just have to treat people the way you want to be treated.There is...