Organization

Bringing people together to work toward the same goals

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Our board of directors leads our organization. The board of directors works along with Emporia Main Staff to engage and grow our membership, steer our overall vision, and forge partnerships with other community organizations.

Our organizational initiatives create a strong foundation for a sustainable growth of Emporia's downtown commercial district. In addition, organizational initiatives with our city and county partners benefit the entire area.

Organizational Initiatives

Community Initiated Development

In partnership with the City of Emporia, this project is for the community to proactively identify and initiate redevelopment.

Membership

Emporia Main Street was founded to serve the business needs of our members. Our board of directors works to grow our membership by ensuring that our programs provide educational, financial, and promotional value to our members.

Vision 2030

A strategic vision for the next decade, led by input from the community and our members.

Homegrown Capital Campaign

Our capital campaign raises funds to grow local business and employment in Emporia, by fostering entrepreneurship. The campaign has funded the new Emporia Main Street facility at 727 Commercial, which includes a business incubator space.

Other Organization Projects

Strategy
Operations
Fundraising
Partnership building

Want to be a part of an active organization who gets things done?

Emporia Main Street makes visible and measurable impacts to help our community prosper.

Board of directors

Jeremy Johns – President
Radius Brewing Company

Aaron Sewell – Vice President
EK Real Estate

Mark McAnarney – Treasurer
City of Emporia

Tracy Weltha – Secretary
IM Design Group

Cory Falldine
Emporia State University

Eric Porter
ESB Financial

Staci Hamman
Coffelt Sign Company

Caron Daugherty
Flint Hills Technical College

Sally Sanchez
Hispanics of Today and Tomorrow

Aaron Otto
Brown's Shoe Fit

Jim Lauer
Town Royal

Organization Articles

Unbound Gravel – Expo and Finish Line Festival Details.

By Jessica Buchholz | May 24, 2023

You might have noticed some extra lycra in town with new cyclists getting their legs ready for the Unbound Gravel events. There are a variety of things you need to know about upcoming events. Below, we will have times, locations, and basic structure of events as the Unbound Gravel activities get closer.All Things Gravel Expo:The…

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Thinking Ahead: How futurism can help you build a better business or organization.

By Casey Woods | May 17, 2023

I’m kind of a nerd. I admit it. Growing up I watched and read a healthy diet of science fiction that fed my personality. As a Gen X’er, the science fiction was a lot different than what we see in the modern genre. Instead of persistent dystopian futures, science fiction often talked about more utopian…

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Emporia Main Street Names as an 2023 Accredited Program!

By Jessica Buchholz | May 3, 2023

EMPORIA MAIN STREET RECEIVES 2023 MAIN STREET AMERICA ACCREDITATION Emporia, Kansas (May 2, 2023) – Emporia Main Street has been designated as an Accredited Main Street America™ program for meeting rigorous performance standards. Each year, Main Street America and its partners announce the list of Accredited programs to recognize their exceptional commitment to preservation-based economic development…

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Identifying the top threats to rural small businesses, and what Main Street is doing to mitigate issues.

By Casey Woods | April 26, 2023

In businesses and organizational speak; many leaders use a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats). For those with the mind of an entrepreneur, they understand that a “threat” and an “opportunity” are really the same thing. Both represent the changing nature of the market, but opportunity may be a little clearer in the mind of…

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How Can Your Business Thrive with Upcoming Events?

By Jessica Buchholz | April 19, 2023

Over the past several years, people have wondered aloud about the same strange behavioral issue. They say, “Casey, I don’t understand why people park the equivalent of two blocks away from the (big box store) but they get weird when they have to park behind a business.” People like to see business frontage, and the…

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One perception changing conference session that people need to understand

By Jessica Buchholz | April 7, 2023

I’m more of an evidence based thinker. I am willing to change my mind or stance on an issue if there is data to back up a shift, so it’s rare that I’m exposed to a viewpoint that makes me immediately reconsider a perception. I had one of those rare moments at the closing plenary…

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