The Partnership brought investors together on Aug. 20 at INTRUST Bank Arena for an Investor Meeting and summer social.
The event highlighted progress across the Partnership’s three strategic priorities: Jobs, Talent and Quality of Place.
A common theme emerged at the meeting: vision becomes reality when the community works together to make it happen.
Jobs
Partnership President Jeff Fluhr shared an update on the region’s economic development activity and the continued momentum across a diverse pipeline of industry projects.
Fresh off the 2026 Farnborough International Airshow, Fluhr highlighted the growing global presence of the Air Capital of the World. The Partnership’s delegation held 122 meetings with companies from more than 11 countries, securing seven new projects and advancing six projects already in development.
The annual Air Capital of the World Reception also drew more than 600 attendees, including nine U.S. senators, two members of Congress and NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman.
The connections made at Farnborough are helping open doors in the rapidly growing space industry. Wichita’s presence in the Space Zone this year reflected the region’s expanding role in space and defense.
The impact of that global engagement extends well beyond the air shows themselves. The Wichita region’s aerospace supply chain has secured more than $2.3 billion in work tied to relationships and opportunities developed through Senator Moran’s leadership and the Farnborough and Paris Air Shows.
The Partnership also continues to focus on diversifying the region’s economy. As the Wichita Biomedical Campus℠ takes shape, that vision is becoming tangible. The building now carries the logos of its partner institutions, a milestone Fluhr described as a powerful moment after years of work to bring the vision to reality.
The Partnership recently engaged Hickey Global to identify natural market opportunities connected to the campus, regional assets, talent and project pipeline. Digital health and medical equipment manufacturing have emerged as two areas of opportunity, with additional work planned alongside Wichita State University, WSU Tech and the University of Kansas.
Quality of Place
Downtown Wichita Chair Sam Chandler highlighted the recent adoption of the Downtown Wichita Action Plan by the Wichita City Council and the Sedgwick County Commission into the city-county Comprehensive Plan.
The 10-year roadmap provides a clear vision for a more connected, vibrant, full-service downtown and, importantly, gives the community a framework to move that vision forward.
Several pieces of the Action Plan are already taking shape, including the Downtown Wichita Clean Team, plans for a downtown grocery store and the development of a downtown history trail.
Talent
Partnership Board Member Ed O’Malley provided an update on the continued activation of the Talent Roadmap, which brings industry and education leaders together around a shared vision for the region’s future.
Many of the roadmap’s recommendations are already complete or underway. Today, one of the Partnership’s primary areas of focus is economic mobility.
Economic mobility is about ensuring people have access to the opportunities, education and career pathways they need to improve their economic circumstances.
O’Malley also shared why the Kansas Health Foundation invests in the Partnership’s work.
“The Partnership is an organization that gets things done. It sets a vision, develops a plan and brings partners together to move that plan forward,” said O’Malley.
Moving Forward
The progress shared at the Investor Meeting reflects what is possible when businesses, institutions, government and community leaders work together toward a common vision.
Charlie Chandler, Partnership Co-Chair, reinforced that message as he thanked investors for the time, expertise and resources they contribute to the Partnership’s work.
The following organizations were recognized as new investors: MXA Manufacturing Experts & Advisors, PURE Workplace Solutions, Southwestern Electrical Co., Inc., and Hyper, while Gardner Design was recognized for its increased investment.
If your organization is not currently engaged with the Partnership, now is the time to get involved. For more information, please email Becca Newman.
