 |  2010 Small Businesses of the Year Named by Wichita Chamber Wichita, KS (May 12, 2010) – Professional Software, Inc. and PWI, Inc. are the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce’s 2010 Small Businesses of the Year. The Chamber made the announcement at a luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Professional Software, Inc. represents small businesses with one to 26 full-time employees and PWI, Inc. represents small businesses with 25 – 100 full-time employees. Tier One (1 – 25 FTEs) The past decade has seen PSI acquire three companies, allowing the client base to expand to nearly 300 companies throughout fourteen states. PSI continually keeps clients educated on technological advances through many value-added services such as training seminars, a quarterly newsletter, and timely information accessible through the PSI website. A key factor to PSI’s success is its flexible work program tailored to the specific needs of each employee. PSI fosters a team-orientated working environment that encourages creative problem-solving. This flexibility has resulted in an impressive average employee tenure of 12 years and a 100% employee retention rate over the last three years. Tier Two (26 – 100 FTEs) Since Miki’s retirement in 2000, his vision has been carried on by two of his children. Robi Lorik serves as President and Judy Baldwin is Vice-President and Secretary/Treasurer. Over the years, tough economic times have been handled through tight inventory controls, working with employees to cross train, and adding equipment to improve efficiency in production. Looking toward the future, PWI recognizes the need to partner with the local academic community to equip the future work force with real world experience by developing an Electrical Engineering internship program for technical college students and participating in the high school Co-Op program. “Both Intake Studio and Ink Commercial Contractors have an impressive business philosophy which personifies what matters in business today—quality employees and the measurable impact well-led companies make with both their customer base and the greater community,” said Bryan Derreberry, president and CEO of the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce. A panel of judges selected the Small Businesses of the Year in both tiers based on community involvement, diversity, employee relations, entrepreneurship and performance. Eligible companies had to be for-profit, headquartered in the Wichita metro area, employ no more than 100 full-time employees and be in business a minimum of three years. Professional Software, Inc. and PWI, Inc. were selected from an impressive group of Top 10 small businesses that demonstrated a tremendous commitment to the Wichita metro area. The 2010 Top 10 Small Businesses: Tier Two (26 – 100 full-time employees) The Wichita Metro Chamber’s small business awards program is designed not only to provide small business the recognition they deserve but to also give other small businesses in our region a chance to learn from the best. Doug Stanley Elected 2010 Chairman of GWEDC Wichita, Kan. (3/17/2010) – The Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition (GWEDC) Steering Council elected Doug Stanley Chairman of the Coalition. He serves as the volunteer leader of the public-private organization charged with creating and executing the region’s business recruitment, retention and expansion efforts. Stanley is the Managing Partner of the Foulston Siefkin law firm. In addition to serving as the Chairman of the GWEDC Steering Council, Stanley has served on numerous community and business boards and is currently Vice-Chair of the Newman University Board of Trustees. GWEDC investors recently re-elected Stanley to a second two-year term on the Steering Council. The Steering Council also elected: Other private sector steering council members are: Public sector representatives are: “The strength of this Coalition is the strength of its volunteer leadership, and we thank them for their time and effort on behalf of the community and companies who want to invest here,” said GWEDC President Vicki Pratt Gerbino. GWEDC Reports on 2009 Economic Development Activities Wichita, Kan. (2/25/2010) – The Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition (GWEDC) reported on 2009 economic development activities at its annual investor meeting today. During 2009, the economic development coalition closed projects with nine companies that together represent nearly 700 projected jobs, more than $37 million in projected annual payroll and more than $47 million in capital investment in Wichita and Sedgwick County. For every dollar of city and county money invested in economic development activities through GWEDC, including local incentives for these projects, the public will receive $1.70 in public benefits.* “During this very difficult recession, we were pleased to be able to work with these great companies to help them invest here, especially as we were facing so many challenges in so many industry sectors,” said Lyndon Wells, GWEDC Chairman. “We realize that every investment a company makes here during these tough economic times is valuable to them and to our community.” The nine retention, recruitment and expansion projects that GWEDC facilitated during 2009 were: Nex-Tech Aerospace, Premier Processing, LDF Properties, Airbus North America Engineering, Cox Machine, Cargill Oilseed Division, LKQ/Keystone Automotive, Liebherr-Aerospace and Document Resources. The GWEDC annual meeting was held at the Wichita Hyatt. In addition to releasing project results, GWEDC President Vicki Pratt Gerbino reported on progress toward marketing the greater Wichita region through new initiatives such as site location software LocationScout, additional industry-specific events and advertising and a focused business retention effort. “In 2009 GWEDC staff and coalition partners visited more than 100 companies located here,” Pratt Gerbino said. “We listened, tracked trends and connected them to resources to help keep their investments here.” Two new Steering Council members elected by the business investors were announced. Paul Allen of Allen Gibbs & Houlik and Doug Stanley of Foulston Siefkin were elected to a second term. Linda Brantner of Delta Dental was nominated by the Steering Council to serve a second term and Jim Ludwig of Westar Energy was nominated to serve the remainder of Pam Siddall’s unexpired term. GWEDC public sector partners include the City of Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kansas Department of Commerce, and Regional Marketing Partners: Butler, Cowley, Harper, Harvey, Kingman, Marion, Reno and Sumner counties, and the Regional Economic Area Partnership (REAP) – a council of 37 city and county governments. Private sector investors include more than 90 businesses that invested in the initiative and the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce that manages and staffs GWEDC. GWEDC Chairman Lyndon Wells also announced that there will be an upcoming meeting where Site Selection Group, LLC (SSG) of Dallas, will present findings from the competitive analysis of the region and recommended target industries. “We are excited to begin the community conversation about how we advance our competitiveness,” said Lyndon Wells, GWEDC Chairman. “As site selectors, these groups look at our community on multiple levels and this analysis will help us see our strengths and how to build upon those to be even more competitive.” Specific 2009 numbers from the nine projects are: The Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition is the regional public/private partnership charged with creating and executing the region’s business recruitment, retention and expansion plans. # # #
| Contacts: Tammy Nolan, Marketing Manager Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition 350 W. Douglas Wichita, KS 67202-2970 P: (316) 268-1128 tnolan@gwedc.org |
Interactive Partner: Howerton+White