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Great Bend gives fond farewell to long-time eco-devo director
Peters to consult for Kansas firm
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Jan Peters’s last day as executive director of the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce is Friday, Dec. 19. Thursday afternoon, the chamber held a farewell reception in her honor. Pictured with Peters are Megan Barfield, the new Great Bend Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, and United Way of Central Kansas Executive Director Gaila Demel.

It’s been a week full of smiles and tears, memories and looking forward as longtime Great Bend Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Director Jan Peters marked the end of this chapter in her career. Soon, she will begin work with Kansas Manufacturing Solutions, a firm located in Olathe that provides consulting services to manufacturers of all sizes throughout the state. 

During the past 14 years, Peters developed relationships with elected leaders on the national and state levels, as well as numerous local leaders in government and business, and that was apparent Thursday afternoon at a farewell reception at the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce office. Chamber Ambassadors, consultants and numerous business owners she has worked with and mentored over the years turned out to wish her well. The get-together followed a similar reception Wednesday morning, and the Thursday morning Chamber Coffee where results of Dec. 3’s Giving Tuesday were announced. 

According to a story about Peters in the December edition of the Outlook Business Journal published by the chamber, Great Bend became one of the first Network Kansas E-Communities under her guidance. It was also during her leadership that the Barton County Young Professionals group was started and eventually became an extension of the chamber. 

When the organizers of the 3i Show made the decision to make Dodge City its permanent locations, Peters worked to establish The Great Bend Farm and Ranch Expo.

Peters is leaving as a result of the Great Bend City Council’s decision to reorganize economic development efforts and renegotiate a contract with the chamber that had been in effect for 20 years. In October, the city finalized the bylaws for a new economic development commission run by a five-member board of directors, two of which are appointed by the city, two by the Chamber, and one by the other four board members. 

Barry Bowers and Jolene Biggs are the city’s members, and Mark Calcara and Mark Chalfant are the chamber’s representatives. They selected Dennis Neeland for the at-large position. They will now hire a full-time director. 

After all initial board members were appointed, Peters has been assisting with the transition. 

While she will have an office in Olathe, Peters told well-wishers she will be keeping her house in Great Bend and plans to spend significant time in the area in the future.