Leawood Chamber of Commerce Member Memo — May 24, 2013

Upcoming events and news from around the Leawood area.

Leawood Chamber Events

A Taste of Leawood

Jun. 15, 2013, 07:00pm at Leawood City Hall, 4800 Town Center Drive, Leawood, 66211

It's time to get ready for A Taste of Leawood 2013!

Tempt your palate with delectable food and beverage samplings from the area's top establishments at one location!

Participating Restaurants:
801 FISH
blanc burgers + bottles
Bravo! Cucina Italiana
California Pizza Kitchen
Foo's Fabulous Frozen Custard
Gaslight Grill
Glacé Artisan Ice Cream
Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant
Hereford House Restaurant
Hy-Vee Leawood
La Bodega
Marv's Original Delicatessen
Mestizo Restaurant
Mio - an Italian trattoria
NoRTH Modern Italian Cuisine
On The Border
O'Neill's Restaurant and Bar
Room 39
rye
Sullivan's Steakhouse
Sushi House
Talk of the Town Leawood
Tavern at Mission Farms
Ya Ya's Euro Bistro

* Participating restaurants are subject to change

Back by popular demand, the band Souled Out will be performing at this year's event.

To see photos from last years event. PHOTO GALLERY .

Extend the fun all summer long by taking home your souvenir wine glass and gift bag full of treats, including valuable vouchers with savings of over $150! Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to make new connections and friends within the Leawood community all while enjoying Leawood's finest! Make sure you invite your friends, neighbors, business associates, and colleagues!

The ticket price is $70 plus tax or $75 at the door evening of the event (if available). The ticket price includes:
Enjoying extraordinary cuisine all evening long
5 drink tickets
The Souled Out Band
Complimentary soda and water
Souvenir gift bag
Souvenir wine glass

Attendees MUST BE 21 to ATTEND. This is a rain or shine event and tickets are non-refundable.

Use the link below to register today!

Tickets will be mailed to you. Any tickets purchased after May 31st can be picked up at Will Call the night of the event.

All tickets purchased June 3rd - June 14th can be picked up at WILL CALL the evening of Saturday, June 15th. If you would like these tickets before the event, you may pick them up at the Chamber office, located at 13451 Briar, Suite 201, Leawood, KS 66209, before 5:00 p.m., Friday, June 14th.

Tickets can be purchased night of the event, if available.

By purchasing tickets online, you agree to the chamber's refund policy as noted at www.leawoodchamber.org/refund_policy.cfm.

PLATINUM SPONSORS
AMC Theatres
Country Club Bank
Discover Vision Centers
Menorah Medical Center
Metcalf Bank
St. Joseph Medical Center
Shawnee Mission Medical Center
Town Center Plaza

WINE GLASS SPONSOR
National Bank Of Kansas City

SOUVENIR GIFT BAG SPONSOR
Shawnee Mission Medical Center

PRESENTING MUSIC SPONSOR
Menorah Medical Center

See you at A Taste of Leawood 2013!

— Register Online

COBRA Compliance Presentation

Jun. 19, 2013, 03:30pm at Bukaty Companies, 11221 Roe Ave., Ste. 200, Leawood, 66211

The Leawood Chamber of Commerce is partnering with the Bukaty Companies & the Department of Labor to bring an informative seminar for HR professionals and small business owners. This presentation will provide a more thorough review of COBRA. It includes what plans are covered under COBRA, who is entitled to COBRA and under what circumstances, duration of COBRA, early termination of COBRA and notice and election periods.

To register please contact Brandi Tubb at 913-345-0440 or email bukatycompanies@bukaty.com

Member Briefing

Jun. 21, 2013, 08:30am at Country Club Bank, 2nd floor conference room, 13451 Briar, Leawood, 66209 — Register Online
Cost: Free for Chamber members

Members use the link below to register:

If you are a new representative for an existing Chamber Member or are a representative for a brand new Member, we welcome you to join us for our informative Member Briefing.

This is your chance to meet the staff, representatives from the Board, representatives from the Ambassador Committee and fellow Chamber members. Learn the history of the Chamber and ways to maximize the value of your membership. Enjoy complimentary breakfast, coffee and conversation!

Please bring your business cards and be prepared to introduce yourself!

Members use the link below to register today!

If you have trouble registering for this event, please email us at Event Registration Assistance.

Leawood Community Events

Gatsby Gala

May. 24, 2013, 7:00pm at Sullivan's Steakhouse, 4501 W. 119th St., 4501 W. 119th St., Leawood, 66209
Contact: Rachel Thompson – rthompson@dfrg.com
Cost: FREE Weblink: http://SullivansSteakhouse.com/Gatsby

$6.00 SELECT COCKTAILS & bar menu items

LIVE MUSIC to cut a rug

Fellas & Flappers IN COSTUME ENCOURAGED

RAFFLE PRIZES

A swell PHOTO CONTEST to win your own Gatsby Bash for 10.  Visit facebook.com/SullivansSteak to enter

Derrick Johnson's Celebrity Waiter Night

May. 28, 2013, 6:30pm at Sullivan's Steakhouse, 4501 W. 119th St., 4501 W. 119th St., Leawood, 66209
Contact: Rachel Thompson – rthompson@dfrg.com 913-345-0800
Cost: VIP / $350 *includes VIP Pre-Event General / $250 - inclusive of tax & gratuity Weblink: http://www.derrickjohnson56.org

Join Kansas City Chief's linebacker, Derrick Johnson, along with other Chief's players and their celebrity friends, as they trade in uniforms and helmets for plates and aprons.  Enjoy world class cuisine, fine wine and an exciting auction... all in the name of a good cause. 

Proceeds will benefit Derrick Johnson's Defend the Dream Foundation.  The mission of this great organization is to provide low income and inner-city youth with opportunities and resources to reach their full potential.  Our goal is to impact the lives of more than 30,000 youth by the end of 2015.

VIP/$350 *includes VIP Pre-Event
Reception and signature series football

General / $250
Inclusive of tax, gratuity
6:30 PM / VIP Pre-Event Reception
7:30 PM / Reception and Silent Auction
8:00 PM - Dinner and Live Auction

Morgan Stanley Career Opportunities

May. 30, 2013, 5:30pm at Morgan Stanley, 11161 Overbrook Road, #225, Leawood, 66211
Weblink: https://www.seeuthere.com/event/m2625a55-4M5MKNF7CHK99

News & Announcements

Job Posting Service Added For Leawood Chamber Members

The right candidate for your job opening exists! They just haven’t found you.

The job market is full of excellent candidates. Help them find you by advertising your job openings on our online Job Search in the Leawood Chamber of Commerce Web site.

Click ADVERTISE or on the link below to start advertising your job openings today using your Member Representative login (the same as your Event Registation login).  If you don't have your login information, give us a call at 913-498-1514, or send us an email and we'll return this information to you during regular business hours.

Posted jobs will remain active for 30 days, or until you tell us the position has been filled.

If you have questions, contact us for assistance. 

Just another way the Leawood Chamber is "Building Connections, Building Community".

4th Annual Brookdale Barbeque Competition

Brookdale Senior Living Solutions recently held it's 4th Annual Barbeque competition at Brookdale Place in Overland Park.  Chefs from 8 local Brookdale communities competed for bragging rights in the preparation of Brisket, Sausage and Chicken for celebrity judges.  Attendees enjoyed a complimentary BBQ buffet and also had the opportunity to vote for their choice of "Best Brisket". The team names and competitors were:

Back to Back Flava - Dean Sheldon and Hugo Quevas - Brookdale Place OP, Carl Savuzzo - Foxwood Springs

Midnight Smokers - Jeff Vogelmeier - Grand Court Kansas City, Lisa King - Freedom Pointe OP, Colin Fuehrer - Town Village Leawood

Smoke on the Water - Bill Cardinal - The Sweet Life Rosehill, George Dupree - The Sweet Life at Brookdale Place, Ashley Howard - The Sweet Life Shawnee

Celebrity Judges were - Mayor Carl Gerlach of Overland Park, Cynthia and Ed Newsome - NBC Action News, Gary Amble KCTV5, EJ Becker - KMBZ News Radio, Kimberly Stern - Food Critic and Jasper Mirable of Jasper's Restaurant.

The Winners were:

Best Brisket: Back to Back Flava

Best Sausage: Smoke on The Water

Best Chicken: Back to Back Flava

People's Choice Brisket: Midnight Smokers

Grand Champion: Back to Back Flava

The event helpe ... (go to www.leawoodchamber.org for more information)

The Retirement Pilot introduces Kansas City Business Profiles

Leawood Chamber member Steve Hoover of The Retirement Pilot has begun a new program where he profiles chamber member businesses.  Below is his most recent profile with a new Leawood Chamber member.

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 I'd like to introduce you to Mark Whitlow, owner of Office Products Alliance. 

When & why did you decide to start this business?  I was coming out of the copier business in 1993 and saw an opportunity to start a office supply business.  When I started it was just me - no employees - just me.  As with any new business, the first 5 years were tough.  but after about 5 years it all started to come together.  Now, I have 6 sales people and have purchased 4 other office product dealers.

What is your business philosophy?  It's a pretty simple philosophy.  It's buy local and give back to the community.  We have a responsibility to keep the money in Kansas City.  It helps everyone if we keep our money local as opposed to sending it to some other state.

Click on the link below to learn more about Mark Whitlow and Office Products Alliance (www.officeproductsalliance.com)

... (go to www.leawoodchamber.org for more information)

Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program (HEMP

The Roasterie. Indigo Wild. Digital Evolution Group. Intouch Solutions. Alaskan Fur.  Emfluence. InkCycle —These are just a few of the fast-growing, award-winning companies who are benefitting from the Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program (HEMP). HEMP is the only one-to-one, three-year mentoring program for established entrepreneurs in the Kansas City metropolitan area that is taking growing business to the next level.

 

As Kansas City metro area's profile magnifies as an entrepreneurial leader in the U.S., the Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program (HEMP) is expanding the number of applicants it will accept in the Kansas City metro area. HEMP is now accepting mentee/mentor applications for the HEMP Class of 2013. HEMP's application deadline is August 1, 2013. 

Weekly Children’s Activities Returns to Park Place with Additional Option of Supervised Play

Park Place is bringing back children’s summer activities with a few additional highlights in 2013. Returning this summer, Rosehill Gardens provides Children’s Gardening Classes followed up by story time with The Learning Tree.

An additional two days of activities have been scheduled this year as Bambini Creativi extends their Summer Camp Experience to Park Place. The Bambini Creativi classes provide complete supervision, allowing parents to have some quiet time on their own for shopping at the many boutiques and specialty stores, a coffee break at Parisi Café or a work out at Bar Method.

Rosehill Gardens will offer one class on Wednesday while Bambini Creativi will offer two classes designed specifically for different age groups on both Tuesday and Thursday. Parents are strongly encouraged to pre-register to ensure enrollment. Weekly activities will take place June 4 – August 8, excluding the holiday week of July 4. Every Tuesday and Thursday, Bambini Creativi will provide fun, education and fully supervised experiences from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. for 3-5 year olds and 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. for 6-10 year olds. Every Wednesday, Rosehill Gardens will offer a parent/child creative gardening activity 10:00 – 10:30 a.m. followed up with free story time provided by The Learning Tree from 10:30 – 11:00 a.m. for all ages.

Bambini Creativi Summer Play Experience (Kansas Legislative Update for 05-21-2013

Kansas Legislative Update for 05-21-2013 for the Leawood Chamber of Commerce

From Bob Vancrum, Government Affairs Consultant

The so-called “veto session” (it should be called the second session) of the 2013 Legislature spilled into its third week with major issues the major challenge of filling the fiscal hole caused by last year’s largely unfunded tax reduction bill still unresolved.  There were some interesting developments in those areas that seemed promising for a time but the republican leadership in the two chambers appears to be still deeply divided over the sales tax extension the Governor recommended or letting it expire as written on July 1st and making deeper cuts, especially in higher education  as the House tax and budget measures recommended. There were interesting developments in other areas as well, details follow:

National and Agro-Science Facility

On Wednesday the Senate passed a bill authorizing an additional $200 million in bond for this facility by a vote of 32-8.  There was an interesting split however in the Johnson County delegation with Senator Julia Lynn (R-Olathe) speaking in favor of the great promise of economic development and research the facility holds while Sen. Jeff Melcher, (R-Leawood) although acknowledging that it was a tough vote, that it was unfair for Kansas taxpayers to bear 30% of the cost, especially because new return on in ... (go to www.leawoodchamber.org for more information)

Bank of Blue Valley Charity Golf Classic

Bank of Blue Valley Donates $35,765 to Sunflower House through Charity Golf Classic 2012.

Bank of Blue Valley held its 11^th annual Charity Golf Classic on September 25, 2012 at Loch Lloyd Golf Club. The tournament raised $35,765 for the Sunflower House: A Child Abuse Prevention Center in Shawnee, KS. http://www.sunflowerhouse.org/

Bank of Blue Valley is planning this year’s Charity Golf Classic to be held on September 24, 2013 at Loch Lloyd Golf Club. The recipient will be Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City (nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization). Their mission is to provide support and resources to individuals with Down syndrome and their families.
http://www.kcdsg.org/

“The BBV Charity Golf Classic has become the Bank’s largest annual event,” said Bob Regnier, Bank of Blue Valley President. “We are fortunate to have the support of our staff and sponsors to make this happen each year and benefit a worthy, local charity.”

The bank is currently accepting players, sponsors and donations. If you would like to participate in the tournament, please contact Todd Fitzpatrick at 913.234.2440 or tfitzpatrick@bankbv.com.

... (go to www.leawoodchamber.org for more information)

Member Profile

Arnold & Associates RE/MAX

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Leawood Chamber of Commerce 13451 Briar, Suite 201, Leawood, KS 66209 Web: www.leawoodchamber.org Email: chamber@leawoodchamber.org Voice: 913-498-1514   Fax: 913-491-0134

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