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
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
Why Your Support Matters
The concept of “joining” means vastly different things to different generations. The Baby Boomer generation had committee upon committee, and social organization upon social organization that created a fairly hierarchical community approach. Members of Generation X typically hate meetings, and they prefer the more organic approach of coming together to achieve something specific and actionable.…
Continue Reading >The Meaning of Membership
The concept of “joining” means vastly different things to different generations. The Baby Boomer generation had committee upon committee, and social organization upon social organization that created a fairly hierarchical community approach. Members of Generation X typically hate meetings, and they prefer the more organic approach of coming together to achieve something specific and actionable.…
Continue Reading >The Tenets of “Doer-ship”
We have two full time staff members, a part time college intern, and a lot of very helpful volunteers associated with Emporia Main Street. When other organizations talk to us about accomplishing specific tasks in the context of every day activities, the question usually comes back to “how”? How do organizations and businesses…
Continue Reading >Honoring our History
One of the great parts about working for Emporia Main Street is the ability to compare Emporia to other communities. Comparative analysis is often used to determine best practices for development, or common problems that towns should avoid. If you look at Emporia’s early history, compared to other Kansas communities, it becomes abundantly clear that…
Continue Reading >2016 Year in Review
Emporia Main Street works with a variety of members and partners to push new initiatives and create new opportunities every year. We appreciate everyone’s support as we work to create a better Emporia, and it is important to occasionally look back at what has been accomplished before moving forward. The following is a brief look back at…
Continue Reading >Thanks For Making Us Number One
A little preface to the press release we sent out in conjunction with the award announcement: The Top 10 Best Main Streets Award nominees were chosen by a panel of economics experts that have access to economic and community data from cities- large and small- throughout the United States. Simply being nominated for our innovative…
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