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Thirteen years ago, a group of local leaders recruited Jeff Fluhr from Baton Rouge to Wichita to serve as the president of the Wichita Downtown Development Corporation, now Downtown Wichita.

Six years ago, Jeff’s role was expanded to assist in creating the Greater Wichita Partnership, an economic development organization focused on developing a unique, holistic approach to community growth from downtown to the ten-county region.

The Partnership is designed to align and focus efforts to make our region more competitive through three strategic priorities – Jobs, Talent and Quality of Place. The Partnership is built upon teamwork and the idea that, when everyone is advancing in the same direction, the region can create a powerful force to effect change. Jeff credits the numerous investors and community partners with creating that change.

Jeff began in Wichita by working closely with the community and stakeholders to develop and implement Project Downtown: The Master Plan for Wichita, which was adopted in 2010, and has served as an economic driver for development. Since its adoption, total investment in Wichita’s urban core has exceeded one billion dollars.

During his time as President of the Greater Wichita Partnership, Jeff has led efforts to oversee and advance the three strategic priorities of the organization, including the concurrent development of three extensive strategic plans – the Regional Growth Plan, the Talent Marketing Blueprint and Project Wichita. Additionally, under his leadership, the Partnership has cultivated company growth within the region resulting in over 10,000 new jobs, $2.5 billion in total capital investment and approximately $500 million in total annual payroll since 2015.

Prior to coming to Wichita, Jeff served as the Assistant Executive Director of the City of Baton Rouge Downtown Development District. Jeff holds a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from the University of Kentucky and a master’s degree in landscape architecture from Louisiana State University, with an emphasis on urban planning and business.

Jeff is actively involved in the community, serving on various boards including the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce, Visit Wichita and previously on the Wichita Community Foundation and the International Downtown Association Executive Board. Jeff is also a member of the Rotary Club of Wichita.

Jeff is married to Melissa and they have two children, a son Matthew and a daughter Anna Joy.

As executive vice president of operations, Evan provides leadership to the Partnership’s internal operations, planning and organizational development. In the community, he also works to shepherd regional coalitions, including Project Wichita, the Riverfront Legacy Master Plan and a coalition of regional partners working toward economic recovery strategies in light of COVID-19. Evan also leads the Partnership’s entrepreneurship initiatives, including Accelerate Wichita.

Prior to joining the Partnership in March 2018, Evan practiced law in Kansas City, provided executive leadership to a growing church in the Kansas City metro area, and most recently served as Chief of Staff in the Missouri Attorney General’s office. The key uniting theme in Evan's leadership background is his passion and capacity for leading diverse communities and organizations toward transformational change.

A Wichita native, Evan received his Bachelor of Arts from Baylor University and his Juris Doctor with dean's honors from Washburn University School of Law. Evan is married to Jessie and most of his free time is spent with his family of four young children, spending time outdoors, serving on the board of the Classical School of Wichita and serving his local church.

As vice president of investor relations, Becca is focused on leading the Partnership's investor relations program by identifying and developing relationships with investors to support and empower the key vision and priorities of the organization. She is also responsible for the organization’s fundraising, stakeholder engagement and management of strategic projects and initiatives.

Becca is passionate about developing authentic, strong relationships and effecting positive change in the community, both professionally and personally.

Prior to joining the Partnership, Becca was the director of membership and events for the Wichita Independent Business Association and the executive director of the Wichita Police Foundation.

A Wichita transplant, Becca has emersed herself in the Wichita community earning several awards for her leadership, including the Women Who Lead in Public Service Award for the Wichita Business Journal, W/’s Community Service Award and the Cooper/McKee Volunteer of the Year Award for her work with the Wichita Police Department.

Becca grew up in a rural community in Washington state and went on to earn her bachelor's degree as a dual major in early childhood and elementary education from Central Washington University. She brings with her a diverse background in education, nonprofit development and event management.

Outside of work, you can find Becca playing softball, cycling, hiking throughout Kansas and Colorado and kayaking on the Arkansas river with friends.

To learn more about opportunities to engage with the Partnership, contact Becca today.

As executive vice president of economic development, Andrew develops, leads and facilitates business retention and recruitment initiatives; oversees the Regional Growth Plan, an economic strategy for the greater Wichita region and markets the community to existing and prospective businesses.

Prior to joining the Partnership, Andrew served as the executive director of the Shawnee Economic Development Council where he supported companies and area entrepreneurs in the creation of jobs and capital investments. Before that, Andrew served as business recruitment and retention manager for the Overland Park Economic Development Council where he implemented a systematic business retention and expansion program for more than 350 local companies utilizing a team of volunteers.

In addition to local businesses and volunteer leadership, Andrew has worked closely with area commercial brokers, national and international site selectors, the Kansas Department of Commerce and currently serves as the President of the Kansas Economic Development Alliance.

As an economic development project manager, Brandon is a leader in the attraction of new companies to the Greater Wichita region and the development of solution-oriented business retention and expansion services to regional employers.

Before joining the Partnership, Brandon served as the director of investor services for the Shawnee Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development where he managed investor development and retention initiatives for 600+ member businesses. He was also responsible for recurring monthly Chamber programs, sponsorship development, Chamber committees and young professionals programming.

Brandon is a proud Cornhusker having grown up in Lincoln, Neb. The Ottawa University alumnus is busy outside of the office as he and his wife, Christina, raise their sons, William and Bruce.

As an economic development project manager, Jonathon is responsible for the attraction, retention and expansion of businesses in the Greater Wichita region.

Prior to the Partnership, Jonathon, who has experience in marketing, communications and journalism, led economic development efforts at Thrive Allen County in Iola, Kan. In his role, he encouraged, developed and recruited businesses to improve the vitality and resilience of the Allen County economy.

The Inman, Kan. native received his bachelor’s degree from Tabor College and his master’s in public administration from Wichita State University. Jonathon is a fitness feen, having run outdoors every day for more than seven years. He is also said to have eaten a 5-pound hamburger in one sitting.

As director of industry engagement, Victoria plays a key role on the Partnership’s economic development team to leverage specific industry opportunities and create meaningful industry relationships to help attract more jobs, regional investment, and supplier diversity to the region.

Previously, Victoria served as the vice president of private banking and treasury management at Sunflower Bank where she was responsible for curating banking and business solutions for commercial and small businesses. Before that, she worked for United States Senator Jerry Moran’s Office for six years, most recently as the director of operations in Washington D.C. In her role, she worked to ensure effective processes were in place for the Senator and staff to efficiently pursue their mission.

The Kansas State University alumna and Wichita native is active in the community serving on the Mission Wichita Alumni Committee and Center City Academy Committee. She is also a Big with the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization and a Sunday school teacher at her church.

As director of business intelligence, James leads the research and analytic services supporting the economic development strategies of the organization, to drive the organization’s use of data to influence strategic business decisions, increase the economic development prospect pipeline, improve the ROI of business attraction and marketing efforts and help our region attract more family-supporting jobs.

Previously, James interned for the Partnership where he focused on updating the LocationOne Information System (LOIS), a commercial real estate database, while also working as a graduate research assistant for the Public Policy and Management Center at Wichita State University. Prior to this, he has worked in local government and the Kansas legislature.

James holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Pittsburg State University and is currently completing a Master of Public Administration from Wichita State University. He is also pursuing a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and a Certified Economic Research Professional (CERP) from the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER).

Heather Schroeder joined Downtown Wichita as executive director in August 2024. In this role, she champions downtown growth and investment by working with Wichita stakeholders on real estate development projects, business resources, public space improvements and streetscape activation projects.

Prior to Downtown Wichita, Heather led economic development efforts for nine years in Syracuse, NY. At the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, she secured and deployed millions of dollars in grant and philanthropic funding for programs ranging from historic building improvements to downtown master planning, vacant window activation projects, free live music performances, and the weekly downtown farmers market. Heather also managed the Downtown Committee’s annual placemaking budget and supervised staff in the economic development and environmental maintenance departments.

Heather was selected for the International Downtown Association’s (IDA) Emerging Leader Fellowship in 2021 and has presented at multiple national IDA conferences. She is a 2014 graduate of Leadership Greater Syracuse. She has served as a trustee of the Everson Museum of Art since 2020 and currently serves as board chair.

Heather holds a Master of City and Regional Planning degree from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a B.S. in Policy Analysis and Management from Cornell University. She and her husband Petter live in downtown Wichita and enjoy exploring new places with their rescue pup Greta.

As public relations manager, Emily manages and coordinates the Partnership’s communications strategies with stakeholders, civic leaders and the public to support and drive economic growth in the greater Wichita region. She also serves as the Partnership’s main media liaison, planning and organizing events, news conferences and economic development announcements.

Previously, Emily served as the main anchor for NBC affiliate, KSN News, in Wichita. Prior to her seven years at KSN, where she earned a National Edward R. Murrow award for her strong storytelling skills, she worked as an anchor and reporter for the CBS affiliate in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln alumna and Hays native is passionate about community and fitness. She is part of the Women United Read to Succeed initiative which helps local elementary students transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” Emily is also involved with Girls on the Run, Sunrise Christian Hoops Foundation and her church, St. Catherine of Siena.

As social media manager, Anna is responsible for developing, managing and implementing social media marketing strategies that align with the Partnership’s overall communications and aid in the growth, awareness and vitality of the Greater Wichita region.

Before joining the Partnership, Anna served as the retail marketing communications manager for Dairy Farmers of America’s flagship experiential store, known as The Creamery, in Beaver, Utah. There, she managed The Creamery’s brand direction and implementation. Anna also served eight years as a public affairs sergeant for the Kansas Army National Guard.

The Marion, Kansas native and Kansas State University alumna is thrilled to call Wichita home. In her free time, she enjoys exploring local coffee shops, spending time with her two dogs and serving as a Big in the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization.