Get to Know Your Chamber

The goals of the De Soto Chamber of Commerce include helping local businesses be more visible and creating opportunities for members.

ARTICLE BY Jill Dutton

PHOTOS BY Sarah Reeves

The De Soto Chamber of Commerce is a vital part of the local business community as it works to support businesses through education, networking opportunities, and community events. Its involvement with the Economic Development Council provides further resources alongside economic development.

The small team includes Sara Ritter, president of both the chamber of commerce and the Economic Development Council; Katy Fallon, vice president, a new position at the chamber; and Karen Rodgers, administrative assistant.

Now that Fallon is onboard handling chamber duties, Ritter says 90% of her time is spent on economic development.

The De Soto Chamber of Commerce

The De Soto Chamber is a member-based organization with a mission to support local businesses by increasing visibility and promoting growth for the businesses.

Fallon says one way they achieve this mission is with their monthly luncheons.

“At the membership luncheons, we connect our business members so that they can network and build better connections with each other. Then we have a speaker, most often from our underwriter for the month, and the speaker has an opportunity to keep the business community abreast of what is going on in their industry,” she says.

One of the most well-received luncheons featured Roberta Rowland speaking for Kansas Workforce. “She taught everybody about the free services available to them to help with workforce and their businesses,” Fallon says.

What the Chamber Can Do for You

In addition to the monthly luncheons, Fallon says the chamber’s most important goal is to be a resource to help area businesses grow and succeed. “We want to promote De Soto as a great place to live and work for potential residents and businesses,” she says. “We provide referrals as a benefit to our chamber members, and we want to promote all of their events, show what they’re doing, help them learn more about their businesses in these times. That seems to change daily, whether it’s technology or safety during COVID.

“So our goal is to promote our community and our business community and grow that—the more members we have, the more they can connect with each other and help each other out as well,” she says.

Other methods of connecting with membership include the chamber’s weekly newsletter, which increases frequency to a couple times a week leading up to an event.

The current staff for the De Soto Chamber of Commerce, from left, Sara Ritter, president; Katy Fallon, vice president; and Karen Rodgers,administrative assistant.

“At the membership luncheons, we connect our business members so that they can network and build better connections with each other.”

—Katy Fallon

Events to Connect Members

The monthly luncheons are one way for members to connect; there are additional events throughout the year as well. A spring golf tournament is designed, as are all the chamber events, as a fundraiser, in addition to connecting members with other members they may not see frequently.

“We get a lot of members who haven’t met each other professionally, but they love to play golf, so they’ll be present at the golf tournament, and they’ll be able to network that way,” Fallon says.

Other plans include a clay shooting event in May and Quarter Mania, where members bid with quarters. Members donate baskets for auction, and when their item is up for bid, the member gets an opportunity to discuss new things going on with their business.

While the spotlight at the Quarter Mania is on members, the annual dinner focuses on the previous year’s accomplishments. Other events are more for social networking and meeting other members.

Lessons from the Pandemic

Because of COVID, Fallon says the annual dinner was moved from January to March and was much more successful. Plans are to keep it scheduled for early March in coming years.

Fallon says one thing they learned from the pandemic was that the chamber could hold luncheons virtually. “We now have the ability to do those virtually, if necessary, so we can do them over Zoom to keep everybody updated,” she says. “If there are certain things that need to happen digitally, that are easier than in person, we do that as well.”

The De Soto Chamber of Commerce board includes, from left, front row, Katy Fallon, vice president; Heather Callaway, Huhtamaki; Sara Ritter,president; Alvie Cater, USD 232. Back row: Andy Heitmann, TurnerConstruction Co.; Rob Daniels, TechWyze; Mike Brungardt, City of DeSoto; Weston Elder, AdventHealth; Andy Jacober, board chairman, EdwardJones.

Collaborations with the EDC

Ritter says that a recent land annexation was the catalyst for several major developments for the city (turn to page 14 and page 22).

“Our goal is to provide more services for our existing members. Growth is fantastic— doubling our [city’s] acreage with the land option is great. But our goal as a chamber is to provide services to our members. We want them to be at the table and a part of taking advantage of the growth that is inevitably coming our way,” Ritter says.

The main message Ritter would like to share is that now is the perfect time to join the De Soto Chamber of Commerce.

“It is our time as a chamber. We are rightside-up with clear goals and objectives. We have the ability to determine our destiny, and not have it determine us,” she says.

FOR MORE

DE SOTO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

32905 W. 84TH ST.

P.O. BOX 70

DE SOTO, KS 66018

913-583-1585

WWW.DESOTOKS.ORG