Interconnectivity, interoperability, networking, or whatever you call it. People have to listen to people. Institutions have to listen to institutions. Leaders have to listen to leaders.

That’s the kind of environment the Western Kansas Rural Economic Developers Alliance (WKREDA) creates. That’s why Nex-Tech proudly supports WKREDA. Indeed, WKREDA is the beating heart of a region craving development.

At WKREDA, the local broadband and technology provider is listening to the local energy companies, and both are positioning themselves to engage the regulatory agencies on behalf of the communities they serve; the city/county economic development leader is listening to the Kansas Department of Commerce Rural Prosperity Office and vice versa; the state agribusiness office is listening to the local university, while the university is providing research that benefits local communities; the technical colleges are listening to the regional employers and training the needed workforce; the chambers of commerce are listening to industry resource partners on ways they can help stimulate commerce; and the state small business development office is connecting entrepreneurs with resources like Network Kansas.

Similarly, all of these economic actors are listening to the youth development organization, all are listening to local legislators, all are cascading updates from their national partners, and all are figuring out ways they can support one another.

As these continue to happen, coalitions are built, best practices are shared, siloes are broken down, and a healthy rural development ecosystem is being developed. All of us will succeed, all of us will thrive, and all of us will be impactful. As Ron Wilson will say: now that’s #rural.

I am grateful to Mike Parsons and the WKREDA leadership for continuing to foster such a culture and environment.

Photos are from the WKREDA meeting in Concordia, KS: Trisha Purdon, thanks for giving us a proactive legislative update. Jonnathan Salazar, I will continue to involve you whenever I can. 😊

WKREDA veteran and western Kansas hero, Nikki Pfannenstiel, thank you for your stewardship.