KCCED Conference a success

 Hi-end international business can flourish in even very rural Kansas communities, and small rural towns don't have to die. These were the themes as more than 100 people from across Kansas attended the 18th annual Community Economic Development Conference April 26 and 27 at The Columbian Theatre in Wamego. The event was presented by the Kansas Center for Community Economic Development and featured success stories from rural communities that motivated, inspired and empowered.

The first day of the conference, attendees heard from Chuck Comeau, CEO of Dessin Fournir http://www.dessinfournir.com . The company is headquartered in Plainville, Kan., from where it owns and manages six renowned home furnishing, lighting and fabric design and manufacturing firms for the wholesale trade market, with storefronts in Chicago, LA, New York and other large metro areas. Comeau is the co-founder, co-owner, CEO, CFO and creative and marketing director.

Chuck told of his start in the oil business, how he tired of it and then decided to chase his dream of making high-end furniture in Kansas and selling it to celebrities – even though he had no idea how he was going to do it. He explained several “epiphanies” he had which shaped his business. These included people who came to work for him, decisions to move most of his initial Los Angeles offices back to Plainville. Comeau noted most of his employees were trained at Fort Hays State University.

His furniture, lighting and fabrics have been purchased by Oprah Winfrey, Elton John and other celebrities, and have been used in movies such as “What Women Want” and "Ocean's 12."

Comeau's presentation also included photos of the Chestnut Street District in Hays www.chestnutstreetdistrict.com.

Another of his companies, Liberty Group, Inc., is the primary developer charged with the renovation and management of more than 20 buildings in this historic downtown district. New businesses have been started throughout the district, which has transformed downtown Hays.

“I wake up every day and get to do what I love,” he said.

Dedication to keeping small communities thriving is evident in his work and demeanor. He encouraged attendees to work with local business owners and to give them all possible support.

After a short break, attendees had a choice of two sessions: “Rural by Choice: Bright Lights, Small Cities” was a panel discussion featuring Comeau and Clark Balderson of Wamego, both of whom own and operate successful businesses doing international trade from small towns in Kansas.

“Rural Life: What Makes It Thrive” featured Vickie Flattery of Onaga, and panelists from Eastern Cowley County and Smith Center - all of who are involved with the Governor's Rural Life Task Force in specific projects to enhance and stabilize local economies and communities. These sessions included a moderator and three panelists who answered questions and provided their experiences and advice in how to create the community you want.

From 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., everyone explored downtown Wamego and then returned for a networking and resource event. The “Made in Kansas” foods ranged from tortilla chips, buffalo meat dishes, vegetables, dips, sauces, cheese and beverages.

On the second day of the conference, a breakfast of fresh pastries was provided by Friendship House, followed by a keynote address from Terry Woodbury.

Woodbury spent 26 years immersing himself in the development of Wyandotte County and leading United Way to a prominent role in community development both in that county and the greater Kansas City area. He is a teacher and frequent public speaker on community leadership. He founded Kansas Communities LLC to “build and rebuild community across Kansas.” Terry is currently working with Chanute, and two very rural districts in Western Kansas.

He referred to a town-square model which emphasizes the need for all parts of a community to work together in “The Public Square,” which is where business, education, health/human service and government join hands in order to preserve struggling rural communities.

"A lot of forces are pulling apart our sense of community,” he said. “My effort is to connect leaders in our communities and build partnerships and a spirit of collaboration. That's basic to the survival of those communities. The school board can't do it alone. The city council can't do it alone. The county commission can't do it alone and the same with others. All sectors need to come together."

  “Community Conversation at Work Across Kansas” and “Small Efforts Create Big Results” explored community empowerment and engagement in two additional concurrent sessions.

The conference concluded with a wonderful lunch combined with an entertaining “Parade of Festivals," which demonstrated examples of successful rural tourism projects. “Explorers” in “cars” navigated their way around tables to several stops, showcasing the “Bi-County Mystery Tours” through Osborne and Russell Counties. A Scenic Miami County Spring and Fall Farm Tours, Wah-Shun-Ga Days of Council Grove and Wamego's Oztoberfest were also featured in the Parade of Festivals.

This conference was a useful display of rural community successes in business development, business retention, community development and rural tourism. It was particularly useful in its emphasis on using successful examples to illustrate the potential of rural communities and businesses. The common denominator in these success stories was entrepreneurship - bold and energetic leadership in both business and community development. The message is: Where vigorous leadership is present and communities work together, even seemingly unlikely business and community success is possible.