Dear Chamber Supporters,
Last weekend was a blast, with the 37th annual Ol’ Marias River Run taking place in Ottawa. Thousands of people joined in on the festivities from outside our community to see the 1,300+ cars in attendance. Makayla and I hosted a dozen or so friends and family to come enjoy the cruise portion of the event (pictures from above). Even though Saturday got cut a little short with the incoming storm, it still felt like a great weekend with a lot of fun had. Great work Over the Road Gang!
Victory Drives Forward: Celebrating the Grand Opening of Ottawa’s Newest Dealership
It was a big morning for local car dealership, Victory Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM of Ottawa, this Tuesday as they cut the ribbon to their new location at 508 E 23rd Street (pictures here). Formerly located just west 0.5 miles, this new location was built from the ground up. The process to accomplish this was no easy feat and they endured several challenges along the way, but Kallan LaForge and his team were persistent, and their patience and endurance paid off. Every aspect of this beautiful dealership was intentionally pieced together with customer and employee satisfaction in mind. The new service side of the dealership holds twenty state-of-the-art bays in a temperature-controlled space. The waiting room on site was designed to provide comfort for any length of time, whether you need a quick oil change or an all-day fix is in order (pictures here). Their brand-new cement lot can hold three times the vehicles they could at their previous location. Along with the cars on site, their network of ten dealerships in and around the metro gives car buyers an extensive selection to choose from.
Kallan said that they have been stunned by the growth they've seen in the last ten years of operation. This store's and others' growth is a testament to the type of business they run. Their philosophy towards operating a car dealership is rooted in principles much deeper than selling and fixing vehicles. They provide a place for their employees to utilize their talents and make a steady living. They also realize their potential to give back to those less fortunate in the community. One initiative where they accomplish this is through their Thanksgiving turkey giveaway. An offering that was so popular last year was that the Ottawa Police Department had to support traffic congestion along W 23rd St. as there were too many vehicles lined up to participate in this giveaway. This program entails giving away 250 turkeys (with the whole works) with no strings attached.
This investment in our community, our workforce, and the needy are all reasons why we are lucky to have Victory here in Ottawa. Talking about investment in this dealership, Kallan and his team are not satisfied with just one location off East 23rd. They have already broken ground next door where they will build a Chevy dealership. Along with another brand new structure, it will also employee another 30+ individuals, growing our local economy. While there is plenty to celebrate with the opening of this new location, I know their team is already looking forward to the work that is needed to build once more. I can't wait to do another ribbon cutting here soon!
Panasonic Visits Ottawa During Midweek Luncheon
Ottawa University partnered with our Chamber and local economic development to host the soon-to-be biggest battery plant in the US, De Soto's newest industry, Panasonic. Their team came to town for an educational luncheon with community leaders to share what is happening up the road at their location (pictures here). This multinational corporation is known for its electronics and are an industry leader in battery technology, particularly for electric vehicles like Tesla. There are currently 275,000 Panasonic employees worldwide, which will be growing with those they hire for their Kansas location. This five million plus square feet factory is just 37-47 miles away from Ottawa, depending on which highway you take, and only 20 miles from Wellsville. A common question the Panasonic team receives is, "Why did they choose Kansas to be the location for the new plant?" And there are several reasons for this. One big reason was our area's educated workforce. Another is the geographical center Kansas has in the United States, as well as the simple access to the interstate, allowing their trucks to head as far north, south, or west in just a day's time.
This is not their first gigafactory in the US, but it will be their biggest upon completion. In 2014, Tesla and Panasonic jointly built a location in Reno, Nevada. As one of the primary suppliers for Tesla and the ever-growing popular electric vehicles, there was a demand to build another facility. One of the misconceptions I had about the batteries inside EVs was that they were an engine-sized battery that sits in the vehicle. But actually, EV batteries are made up of 4,000-8,000 individual cells that come together to power the automobile. This technology is still expanding, and Panasonic is pioneering a more efficient cell called the 4680, which may require less than 1,000 '4680' cells to operate future cars (pictures here). To put into perspective how many cells are currently being produced, it took Reno's factory four years to reach maximum efficiency, and now, on average it produces 2 billion cells a year.
Up to this point, the De Soto factory is nearing completion of one of two wings that will make up the site. Though this is less than half complete, this looks like 12,000 trucks of concrete to date, 85,000 tons of steel, and 2,800 construction workers on site daily to erect this massive structure. To put the size of this facility into perspective, the new MCI airport is just over a million square feet, meaning that Panasonic De Soto is roughly 3.5 times the size of Kansas City's airport. For some other fun comparisons, check out this image that the Panasonic team shared (photo here). Though they are still 6-7 months away from beginning production, the work that has been accomplished in just ten months (groundbreaking to now) is hard to wrap my mind around. The start of production will begin in Wing 1, and Wing 2 will remain in construction until 2028 is the projected date for completion. They shared that this has been an efficient build but is not the fastest in Panasonic history as other locations in other countries have poorer codes/safety requirements that have even further expedited this process.
Some of the popular questions asked at the luncheon include workforce. Currently there are 250 employees with that number rising to 500 by the end of the year. With the completion of the factory in 2028, an estimated 4,000 Panasonic jobs will be created. They guess that this workforce will be made up mostly of Kansans, but will likely also pull from surrounding states like Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. There was an enquiry about salaries, which is a complex answer to give with the many roles that will exist within the company. With that being said, they did share that average production jobs will begin at mid-20 dollars an hour. They believe that their presence in Kansas will undoubtedly bring ancillary industry, which is projected to generate another 20,000+ jobs outside Panasonic. This will obviously contain growing pains as De Soto and nearby communities continue to build out. Still, it's important to note that these jobs and bodies that will fill them are not an overnight process but an ongoing slide.
This opportunity to hear from their staff was valuable, and we're thankful they were able to come and put a face on this massive industry name. I look forward to hearing further updates and seeing how this new addition will affect our entire state.
Optimism in Action
This morning's Chamber Coffee highlighted our local Optimist Club as they have now been chartered for fifty years (pictures here)! This group of dedicated volunteers put on community activities annually, such as scholarship programs, youth sports, and educational initiatives. This past year, they participated in/hosted 27 programs/projects across Franklin County (info here). Some of the more notable ones include the essay contest that they organized, which led to middle schooler Ella Sherpy winning first place at the state competition for our region (more here). Another significant evening for area high schoolers each year is the Unsung Hero Awards. This includes twenty youth being recognized for their impact in their area of influence, but maybe not the star of a sports team or often recognized for their academic achievement. At the center of all these activities is a culmination of individuals partnering together to choose to inspire young people to achieve their full potential. The results they see each of these fifty years are not possible by themselves but rather by a cohesive team working together to create opportunities for youth development and community enrichment. It also takes optimism and a drive to servant leadership.
Dale Fox has been a member for nearly twenty years of the fifty that this club has existed and has served in practically every position at the state level. He and their 47 members ask an essential question when they pursue a new program or evaluate a current one: "How does it affect youth?" They believe that the actions of this club need to impact youth in our community directly. When they serve, they don't do so by redirecting funds or writing a check for activities to happen; they have boots on the ground serving the kids in our county. When the Franklin Optimists deliver books/dictionaries to area schools, they don't drop them off at the front door but instead personally hand them to the student. Dale shared that, in his opinion, this is one of the best parts about being an Optimist: seeing the face of the child you supported is worth the time and energy towards the cause. Without specific numbers, their groups would guess that over 800 students are touched by their club each year. This cultivation of promising youth does not go unnoticed; thank you, Optimists!
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Ladies Night Out has begun! This is the 19th year of this shopping scavenger hunt, and our Events and Promotions Committee wants you to participate in the fun. From now until 7pm, stop by Legacy Square to check in and receive your bag (while supply lasts) and map before heading to our 40+ participating business locations. Whether you're with a group or riding solo, this afternoon/evening event is a blast. I'd bet you're bound to head into stores you've never seen and find items you can't live without. We expect 400+ ladies and thousands of dollars to be spent over the course of the six hours. We also know there will be plenty of memories made and laughs had from those who partake. Hope to see you there,
Ryland Miller
President/CEO
Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce
ryland@ottawakansas.org
785-242-1000
