Young business leaders seek ways to be more involved in community

Saturday, December 1, 2007
Justin E. Silvers/Herald-Tribune-- Kendall Gammon addresses the crowd during a meeting of young professionals.

Fort Scott, Kan. -- A group of young business leaders in Fort Scott have taken the initiative to get the next generation of business leaders more involved in the community.

A local five-member planning committee, called the Young Professionals League, recently began working to create an avenue for young area business professionals, who are 45 years of age and younger, to network socially and for business reasons, according to Gary Palmer, a local business owner and committee member.

"The concept is not new," Palmer said. "We've identified a need for the community to work together and be involved so they can make a difference in the community."

The committee is targeting young professionals who are involved in their careers and who maintain a good position in the community, Palmer said.

"The bottom line is it's not a competition; we want good leadership in the community, so we're trying to find young professionals who can learn to be leaders," he said.

With much of the older generation of local business leaders already retired or preparing for retirement, there needs to be a group of young professionals ready to "take up the slack," Palmer said, and Fort Scott has a growing number of young professionals that should be prepared to do just that.

Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce Tourism Director Katie Casper, who is also on the group's planning committee, agreed with Palmer, adding that Fort Scott has been void of a fellowship of young businesspeople in that age group for some time, and that most of the people who are heavily involved in the community are at least 40 years of age.

"We want to get some people who will take ownership in the community," Casper said. "We're trying to get people involved."

The purpose of the group's plan is to allow young professionals the opportunity to network and make important connections in the community. The group also wants to allow out-of-town businesspeople who come to Fort Scott to become part of the community, and to feel more comfortable staying in town and raising a family, Casper said.

"It helps on a personal level as well as a business level," she said.

The Young Professionals League kicked off its efforts earlier this month with a special luncheon event conducted Nov. 15, at the Liberty Theatre. About 100 people attended the event, which was sponsored by UMB Bank.

Planners said about 80 businesspeople from Pittsburg and Nevada, Mo., who had an interest in the group's efforts, attended the event as well.

"We wanted to make it a regional event, to reach out and connect with the community," committee member Jamie Armstrong said.

Armstrong, who works at UMB Bank, said the committee wants to make a positive impact in the community for businesses and individuals. The purpose of the Young Professionals League is three-fold; to create opportunities for businesses, to build relationships, and to help people separate their professionals lives from their personal lives, she said.

The Nov. 15 event also featured guest speaker Kendall Gammon, a 15-year veteran of the National Football League and former 7-year member of the Kansas City Chiefs who retired last year. Gammon, a Pittsburg State University alumnus, spoke about his experiences as a pro football player, as a father, and now as a businessman in the Kansas City area. Gammon's speech was meant to inspire, inform and motivate the audience.

The 39-year-old Gammon, who is from Rose Hill, Kan., has written a book titled "Life's a Snap," about setting goals for success in life, and is currently working on another book. Gammon is now focusing on his next venture as co-owner of Paradise Nursery, a 43-acre retail re-wholesale nursery in the Northland of Kansas City. He has been active in building the company from the ground up, according to his Web site, www.kendallgammon.com.

Gammon also participates in many charitable events and performs community work in K.C. and Johnson County, and speaks periodically at some events.

The group's next event, which will not feature a guest speaker, will be a brainstorming session conducted from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Jan 17 at The Courtland Hotel and Day Spa, 121 E. First St., sponsored by the Meeks and Klutman law firm.

There is no formal agenda planned for this meeting, in which the committee will assemble to discuss possible community events the YPL will conduct in the future, Palmer said.

The committee plans to continue meeting every other month, organizers said.

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