Monday Conversation is a question-and-answer interview with a local person. This week’s interview is with Jon Geitz who is finishing his term as chairman of the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce.
Q What have been some of your accomplishments this year as chairman of the chamber?
A I think the main accomplishment was partnering with other organizations in town to get the work going on the image campaign, and that will be an ongoing process over the next couple of years. I think this is something that is needed for Emporia to attract people to live and work here.
Q How did the idea of an image campaign develop and what stage is the campaign in right now?
A We have attended a lot of meetings around town for the last several years and the main theme we hear is how can we make Emporia the best place to live, work, and raise a family. Without a plan, we didn’t have a good way of making improvements. So the image campaign is a way to set goals and set a plan for what Emporia will look like in the next five years.
Q Is there anything you wanted to do that didn’t get done?
A Getting the young professionals group up and running has been a bit of a slow process. It has been a bit of a challenge getting people together, but I think it is something that will be continued into the next year. There are some people who are involved and interested in keeping that up and running.
Q What is the goal of the young professionals group?
A We just wanted some younger people to have a voice that might be moving up to leadership roles in the community as the baby boomer generation retires and moves on. We just think it is important for people to get involved when they are younger.
Q Where do you think the chamber needs to improve in the future to be successful?
A I think we need to do more to work with our government officials. The amount of voters that the chamber members represents is a very big block in Emporia and we don’t necessarily use that to the advantage of business. We are trying to improve that communication with our government officials.
Q Why is the chamber important to Emporia?
A The chamber prides itself on being the voice of business in Emporia. Business is really what drives Emporia through jobs, benefits and incomes. It is important to have a strong chamber because that means you have a strong business community.