2025 Business Symposium

The City of Leavenworth Business Symposium educates business owners, connects them to resources, and facilitates networking with other businesses. One registered Leavenworth business attendee will receive a scholarship for a 6-week online class for social media marketing including the latest on AI, TikTok, WhatsApp, YouTube and Google Business.

This year's keynote address is: "Chasing Opportunity, Keeping Community: Lessons for Today's Entrepreneurs" with Celeste Carlson, Kansas City Lead Organizer for 1 Million Cups and Founder of Growing Good. With more than 20 years of experience working alongside purpose-driven organizations, she has utilized her MBA and her decade of community foundation work to help groups across the globe.

This year's event is:
8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Monday November 3, 2025
Riverfront Community Center, 123 S. Esplanade St., Leavenworth, KS 66048

Lunch is provided with registration at no cost.

• 8:30 a.m. – Coffee, Check-In and Networking

• 8:45 a.m. – Welcome: Mayor Holly Pittman

• 8:50 a.m. – Federal Update: U.S. Senator Roger Marshall’s Office

• 8:55 a.m. – “What Regional Growth Means for Leavenworth” and Question and Answer Session with Chris Gutierrez, President of Kansas City Area Development Corporation’s SmartPort

• 9:15 a.m. – “Transportation Investments for Business Growth” with Public Works Director Brian Faust and Planning/Community Development Director Kim Portillo

• 9:30 a.m. – “Business Panel: Building Your Team” with Grow Leavenworth County

  Dr. Jonathan Reddell, Family EyeCare Center
  Dr. Ashley Reddell, Family EyeCare Center
  https://feclv.com/

  Megan Gilliland, Next to Nature Farm and Retail
  Chad Gilliland, Next to Nature Farm and Retail
  https://www.nexttonaturefarm.com/

  Aaron Collins, Green Waves Lawn Solutions
  https://www.facebook.com/greenwaveslawnsolutionsllc
   

• 10 a.m. - Breakout sessions
  • Session A – “Empowering a Strong Start Up” with Will Katz, University of Kansas Small Business Development Center https://connectks.info/
  • Session B – “Disaster Preparedness, It Can Happen to You” with Chuck Magaha, Leavenworth County Emergency Manager
     
• 10:25 a.m. – Break (Information Booths Open)
   
• 10:35 a.m. – KEYNOTE SPEAKER: "Chasing Opportunity, Keeping Community: Lessons for Today's Entrepreneurs" with Celeste Carlson, Kansas City Lead Organizer for 1 Million Cups and Founder of Growing Good
   
• 11:15 a.m. – “New State Resources” with Christian Hopkins, Deputy Director, Kansas Department of Commerce Small Business Office
   
• 11:35 a.m. – “Taking Advantage of Tourism: New Business Grants, Event Calendar and the World Cup” with Kristi Lee, Leavenworth Convention and Visitor's Bureau Director
   
• 11:45 a.m. – Lunch Buffet Opens
   
• Noon – “What’s Changing at the City” with Scott Peterson, City Manager
   
• 12:30 p.m. – Kansas City Kansas Community College Pioneer Career Center Director Marcia Irvine Announces Scholarship Recipient for "Finding New Customers: Using Social Media in Business" Class: https://www.ed2go.com/kckcc/online-courses/using-social-media-in-busines...

Vendor booths launch at 8:30 a.m. including regional business resources and economic development partners.