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
Vacancy Development
Identifying our actual supply can help satisfy regional demand. Emporia Main Street worked with Simon Stewart, an Emporia State University analytics intern to develop a research project. The proposed project would identify both commercial and residential vacant buildings and vacant lots inside the city limits of Emporia. Development of the project proposal required partnerships with…
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Shop Local for Mother’s Day
With events, proms, upcoming graduation ceremonies and more we thought that it was very important to deliver a critical message: DON’T FORGET MOM!!! This Sunday is Mother’s Day, and it is important to reach out to your customers and remind them about the products and services you can provide to honor mothers, grandmothers, and great…
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Upcoming Event Street/Lot Closures. Emporia has A LOT of activities coming up in the next few weeks; here are the closures you need to know about.
Event season is in full swing, and that means street and parking lot closures will occur for certain activities during certain times of the day. Please look through the following list of closures for upcoming locations and times of event activities. Street and Parking Lot Closure DatesApril 30th– Dynamic Discs Open Block Party and Food Truck Festival…
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Emporia Main Street Hires Fabrication Lab Manager
Emporia, KS – There is a new face in the Emporia Main Street Fab Lab. Harford native and Flint Hills Technical College graduate, Jeremy Wharton, started his position as the new Fabrication Lab Manager at Emporia Main Street this week. Located in the Dale & Carolyn Davis Fabrication Lab room at 727 Commercial, the Emporia Main…
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Show of Hands: The Entrepreneurial Funding Opportunity for Every Business Startup or Significant Expansion in Lyon County
A couple of years ago, Emporia Main Street had an opportunity to participate in a study by the Brookings Institute. The study focused on the practices of three Main Street programs in the rural communities of Laramie, Wyoming; Wheeling, West Virginia; and Emporia, Kansas. While researchers were busy studying us, each community got the chance…
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The Value of Mentorship
Mentorships are one of the oldest and most successful forms of personal and organizational development. Finding individuals that can be open and honest with you about your ideas, goals, and strategies can help you fulfill your potential and avoid costly missteps. At its core, the concept of mentorship relationships allow the mentee to view issues…
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