Mountain View
Wichita Business Journal
Wichita aviation supplier furloughs 20% of its workforce
Cox Machine, Wichita's third-largest aviation subcontractor, confirmed Wednesday that it will furlough a portion of its local workforce.<\p> Company president Jason Cox said via email that the company will furlough roughly 56 employees, temporarily reducing its workforce by roughly 20%. He added that the decision comes "as a result of multiple strikes affecting our industry." <\p>
Textron Aviation changes course on NBAA-BACE attendance
Amid an ongoing Textron Aviation machinists strike, the company is making another pivot on its plans surrounding the 2024 National Business Aviation Association Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in Las Vegas.<\p> After announcing last week it would not attend the prominent annual industry convention, running Oct. 22-24, Textron Aviation changed course on Wednesday.<\p>
What Chase Koch says gives him joy outside of work
At Tuesday's Wichita Business Journal ICT Summit, Chase Koch shared why his current role at Koch Inc. suits him well, which included not being tied up all day at the office in meetings.<\p> Koch — who is executive vice president of origination and partnerships — also dove into other areas of his life that drive him, pointing to family, philanthropy and music.<\p>
ICT Summit: 'Exciting things can happen' doing business in Wichita
Why is Wichita a good place to build businesses?<\p> Panelists discussed what Wichita offered themselves, their businesses and organizations at the Wichita Business Journal's ICT Summit on Tuesday as they decided to operate in the city.<\p>
Small-business grants you can apply for in October 2024
Small business may be feeling a bit of relief after the Federal Reserve lowered its interest rates by 0.5% — but owners still have a number of challenges to overcome.<\p> That includes higher prices, trouble finding workers and navigating the increasingly complex world of generative AI and other technology.<\p>
Political talk in the office has risks. How can managers handle it?
The presidential election is in full swing — and with that, many workers are worried about potential fallout from talking politics at the office.<\p> A recent survey by MyPerfectResume found that 71% of workers want political chatter at the office to stop, and 89% believe employers should limit or discourage political discussions. Additionally, 79% believe talking about their political beliefs or their activism away from work can lead to negative repercussions with their employer.<\p>
Chase Koch says new Koch role is 'what's right for me right now'
When Chase Koch moved out of his role as Koch Disruptive Technologies CEO to become Koch's executive vice president of origination and partnerships earlier this year, he said many people may not have understood.<\p> "A lot of people probably saw that and were like, 'How does that work?' And 'that doesn't seem like a track to be CEO?'" said Chase Koch, son of Koch Inc chairman and co-CEO Charles Koch, at Tuesday's Wichita Business Journal ICT Summit. "It might not be. It's just ... that's what's right for me right now."<\p>
New policies attempt to make Andover more 'developer friendly'
Andover is attempting to make development easier and faster for developers.<\p> This month, the city of Andover's Council unanimously approved changes to its policy on public infrastructure financing for developments up for special assessments. The changes will reduce the financial guarantee requirements of developers and modify bond servicing terms for the city — among other things.<\p>
How a serial Wichita business owner opened 2 locations in 45 days
Derek Sorrells calls himself a retail business owner, not an operator. The past 12 months show exactly what he means.<\p> This time last year, Sorrells was set to open the first of two locations for his new soda business Just A Sip. A month later, he opened the second one. <\p>
The NAR lawsuit rocked an industry. It's now taking its toll on agents
If there's is a primary consequence real estate agents expect from the National Association of Realtors' commissions lawsuit settlement announced earlier this year, it's that it will pressure agents to quit their jobs.<\p> A new survey by real estate firm Clever Real Estate found that 86% of agents surveyed believe the settlement will lead to agents leaving the industry. Additionally, 48% of the agents surveyed said they are more pessimistic about their careers since the settlement announcement; just 16% feel more optimistic.<\p>
Medical Provider Resources hires new CEO to replace Vicki Bond
Medical Provider Resources, considered the state's largest medical credentialing and insurance enrollment company, has announced its new CEO who will take over following Vicki Bond's retirement at the end of the year.<\p> Marla Booher, who for the last 15 years has served as director of medical staff services at Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System, will begin transitioning into the CEO role starting Oct. 14, according to a news release.<\p>
See who's maxing out contributions in county commission race
The race for the District 2 seat on the Board of Sedgwick County Commissioners is between two experienced municipal elected officials, each of whom are well-funded headed into the final five weeks of the campaign.<\p> Incumbent Sarah Lopez, a Democrat, and Republican challenger Jeff Blubaugh each had solid cash-on-hand numbers at the end of the August primary season, when each ran unopposed and advanced to the Nov. 5 general election.<\p>
Uncertainty looms as Textron Aviation strike hits Week 2
UPDATED 7:15 p.m. Sept. 30: The IAM issued a new statement Monday evening. In part, it said: "The IAM Local 774 Negotiating Committee remains ready, willing and able to reengage with the company at any point to negotiate a fair contract. We look forward to reaching an agreement that benefits our members, the Wichita community and the company."<\p> A week after nearly 5,000 Textron Aviation machinists went on strike, there is still uncertainty as to when both sides will return to the negotiating table.<\p>
Wichita Public Schools Foundation hires its first director
Wichita Public Schools has brought on a former HumanKind Ministries leader to head its new philanthropic foundation.<\p> Greer Cowley, who has been senior director of strategic partnerships and donor relations at HumanKind since 2019, has been hired as the first executive director for the Wichita Public Schools Foundation.<\p>
New owners have 'nothing imminent' for land use outside ballpark
Two full seasons into Diamond Baseball Holdings' ownership of the Wichita Wind Surge, and there doesn't seem to be any buyer's remorse.<\p> In a WBJ interview after the Double-A baseball club's season wrapped earlier month, Diamond Baseball Holdings CEO Peter Freund said he's enthusiastic about the direction of both the organization and Wichita.<\p>
A look at the 5 hottest WBJ 'Open Houses' of 2024
The last two years, "Open Houses" features have consistently drawn some of the most engagement from WBJ readers.<\p> Inspired by our previous "Dream Homes" installments, these articles and photo galleries showcase some of the Wichita area's most luxurious homes currently on the market for $1 million or more.<\p>
The National Observer: Pay takes another turn; Southwest eyes changes
Welcome to The National Observer, a roundup of top business news and actionable insights from across The Business Journals. Let's dig into how a strike could affect ports representing about half of the imports in the U.S., some big changes coming for Southwest Airlines, and how waning electric vehicle demand caused Hyundai Motor Co. rethinking its plans for a manufacturing plant. First, however, we'll look at trends in wage growth and the job market.<\p> Get more stories like these every day in your inbox by subscribing to The National Observer newsletter.<\p>
The WBJ's Executives of the Year Awards luncheon is a sellout
The Wichita Business Journal is pleased to have such a notable and successful class of Executives of the Year for 2024, and plenty of people want to see them be recognized next week.<\p> The Thursday luncheon at Mark Arts is officially a sell-out with no tickets or tables remaining.<\p>
Why Peoples Bank and Trust bought Kanza Bank
Peoples Bank and Trust's Wichita market growth is taking another leg up.<\p> PBT Bancshares Inc., the holding company of the McPherson-based bank, announced Friday it is acquiring Kanza Bank, which has two branches in the city, through a stock purchase agreement.<\p>
WBJ summit brings Chase Koch, Brad Elliott, more to the stage
We feel like we have a bunch of heavy hitters appearing at Tuesday's Wichita Business Journal ICT Summit. If it were a baseball team, we'd have a playoff-caliber lineup.<\p> The summit's theme is "Made in ICT." We look at success stories through the eyes of the people who have been large parts of those companies, and get their views on why it can happen in Wichita.<\p>
Wichita Business Journal
3K+
Posts
283K+
Views
The Wichita region's source for local business news, breaking news alerts, newsletters, business intelligence and local business networking. An American City Business Journals publication.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.