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

2023 Veterans Banner Placements

By Jessica Buchholz | October 23, 2023

We are excited to announce that all the Veterans Banners are officially hung for 2023! Click here for the Veterans Banners 2023 list for the downtown banner map. Click esu banner list for the list of Banners at ESU. Click here for the ESU Banner Positions 2023 map. Click HERE to view our online photo album and biography collection.

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HEAL Grant Updates: A Huge Opportunity for Qualifying Downtown Projects.

By Casey Woods | August 28, 2023

The Department of Commerce and Kansas Legislature are working through the Office of Rural Opportunity, Kansas Main Street and the State Historic Preservation Office for a new round of the HEAL (Historic Economic Asset Lifeline) program. HEAL allows for grants to support building and/or façade redevelopments. There are several guidelines that must be followed to…

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Capacity Building-Long term regional improvements require a strategic approach.

By Casey Woods | August 3, 2023

Community building is a lot like any other investing. You need a diverse portfolio, it’s important to grow your own wealth as opposed to hoping someone just gives wealth to you, and understanding the nature of risk versus potential return often puts people and regions into longer term positive trajectories. At a recent Kansas Main Street Quarterly…

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Building Momentum: Achieving Results

By Jessica Buchholz | June 14, 2023

In today’s rapidly changing world, rural communities, faced with the challenge of keeping up with the ever-evolving economic landscape, must respond to these challenges by adopting innovative approaches and generating momentum through community and economic development initiatives to achieve remarkable results. This past year, Emporia Main Street focused on areas of development, such as infrastructure,…

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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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