Foundation president and Kansas governor to speak at KCK Chamber’s annual meeting

Janis Bowdler, left, and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, right

Janis Bowdler, president of JP Morgan Chase & Co. Foundation, will be the guest speaker at the Kansas City, Kansas, Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting, with welcoming remarks by Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly.

The annual meeting will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, April 4, at the Reardon Convention Center, 5th and Minnesota, Kansas City, Kansas.

The theme of the event is “Building Equitable Cities: How to Drive Economic Mobility and Regional Growth.”

According to a spokesman, JP Morgan Chase & Co. Foundation made a commitment in January 2018 to invest $1.75 billion over the next five years to strengthen workforce systems, revitalize neighborhoods, grow small businesses and improve the financial health of individuals.

“We are excited at the opportunity to hear Ms. Bowdler’s global, corporate perspective as it relates to our emerging region,” said Daniel Silva, president and CEO of the KCK Chamber. “Part of our mission at the chamber is to propel economic growth and sustainability through strengthening our workforce, empowering small businesses and improving the lives of individuals throughout our region.”

Doors open at 11:15 a.m., followed by the annual meeting lunch at 11:30 a.m., Gov. Kelly’s remarks, board chair comments, and the keynote speech starting at noon.

The event is open to the public, KCK Chamber members, chamber guests, and the media.

The cost of the luncheon is $75 per person for individual chamber members or $90 for individual nonmembers.

For more information, call the KCK Chamber at 913-371-3070 or email Katelyn McInerney at [email protected].

KCK CVB director receives hospitality leadership award

Bridgette Jobe

One of the top awards from the Hotel and Lodging Association of Greater Kansas City recently went to Bridgette Jobe, executive director of the Kansas City, Kansas, Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Jobe received the Hospitality Leadership Award from the association during the annual recognition dinner Saturday, Feb. 16.

Other awards included Hotelier of the Year, to Brad Verkamp, general manager of Four Points by Sheraton in Kansas City; and Supplier of the Year, to Anthony Brancato, owner of Excel Linen Supply.

“Bridgette has 20 years of hospitality experience and is passionate about promoting and leading tourism in Kansas and in the Kansas City metro area,” said Kurt Mayo, the executive director of the HLA.

Starting as the tourism manager, Jobe has been with the Kansas City, Kansas, Convention and Visitors Bureau since 1998.

During her tenure as executive director, Jobe has led the bureau through significant organizational transformation, spurred by the phenomenal growth of tourism in Kansas City, Kansas.

Jobe serves on several tourism related boards and is the chair of the Kansas Governor’s Task Force on Tourism. Jobe was the 2017 president of the Travel Industry Association of Kansas and continues to serve on the board.

Sales tax distributions jump 13 percent in January in KCK

Sales tax distributions in Kansas City, Kansas, and Wyandotte County were up in January, according to a recent report from the Kansas Department of Revenue.

Sales tax distributions in Kansas City, Kansas, were $3,556,593.72 for January 2019, as compared to $3,127,344.05 for January 2018, according to KDOR figures, an increase of 13.7 percent. The January report includes the November holiday shopping period in 2018. There is usually a two-month delay from the time the retailer collects the sales tax to it being distributed to the city and county, according to KDOR information.

Wyandotte County had sales tax distributions of $2,374,084.55 in January 2019, as compared to $2,113,542.51 for January 2018, an increase of 12.3 percent.

Sales tax distributions for July 2018 through January 2019 for Kansas City, Kansas, were $22,617.778.82 as compared to $22,158,682.58 for July 2017 through January 2018, an increase of 2.1 percent.

Sales tax distributions for July 2018 through January 2019 for Wyandotte County were $15,253,238.02, as compared to $15,066,290.11 for July 2017 through January 2018, an increase of 1.2 percent.

December 2018 sales tax distributions for Kansas City, Kansas, were $3,086,763.69, up two-tenths of one percent from December 2017. December 2018 sales tax distributions for Wyandotte County were $2,061,899.49, down 2.1 percent from December 2017.

The December 2018 sales tax distributions compared to the January 2019 figures for Kansas City, Kansas, were an increase of about 15 percent.

For more information, visit

https://www.ksrevenue.org/prsalesreports.html#city.