6/5/25

By FHSU University Communications

HAYS, Kan – Earlier this spring, the Professional and Continuing Education (PCE) group at Fort Hays State University launched an innovative pilot educational program designed to equip business, government, economic development, and higher education leaders with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to lead economic and workforce development-focused task forces in their local communities. This program is intended to challenge, engage, and guide participants in the practical application of business retention and expansion principles.

The pilot program was commissioned by FHSU President Tisa Mason, Fort Hays Tech North | Central President Eric Burks, and Fort Hays Tech | Northwest President Ben Schears as a way to focus the work of the three strategic affiliation partnering institutions and generate momentum and interest in coordinated economic/community growth and development in rural Kansas.

“The rural areas of Kansas that our three institutions serve continue to face an exodus of skilled talent, economic decline, and a resulting drop in the quality of life enjoyed by Kansans,” Mason said. “This pilot program is a demonstration of our commitment to what we call the “True North” of this affiliation - our commitment to support businesses, communities, and learners in rural Kansas.”

The BRE pilot course is built around three community-based cohorts progressing through six program modules as a team. The delivery methods used in this training vary between independent study, remote online learning delivered via Zoom, and on-site at the FHSU campus. Additionally, as requested, Dr. Andrea Luoma, certified BRE professional and course facilitator, will offer one-on-one coaching sessions for each cohort and the individual learners.

“When designing this program, we wanted to balance self-study, remote, and in-person learning, which offers flexibility, accessibility, and engagement to support diverse learning styles,” said Interim Director of Professional & Continuing Education Kaley Klaus. “Dr. Luoma’s professional coaching also adds a unique, personalized element with immediate real-world application for our participants.”

Module One, “The Big Picture, Setting the stage for BRE Success,” kicked off on May 12 as a self-directed learning experience. This first module focused on the core economic development principles and how to apply them to Western Kansas's unique context. 

Module Two, “Assembling a BRE Dream Team,” was delivered live and online via Zoom. Participants worked to clarify the community assessment activity and ecosystem mapping introduced in Module One. They also reviewed possible task force team roles and recruitment strategies and explored best practices for building strong partnerships essential to creating powerful BRE initiatives.

Modules Three and Four will be hosted on the Fort Hays State University campus on June 9. During the in-person sessions, members of each cohort will work on strategy development and begin to plan a BRE initiative in their community. They will develop action plan timelines, explore regional collaboration opportunities, and create business engagement and communication strategies. The participants will also employ survey research tips and data analysis techniques to identify key trends and challenges facing local businesses. 

Module Five is an independent study activity focusing on gathering data and building rapport with stakeholders.

The BRE pilot program finishes on June 27 with a live, on-site gathering at FHSU, where the cohort members will work to refine their action plans, address known and potential challenges of businesses, and explore how to use BRE retreats to drive solutions.

Participants will also learn how to summarize data to make recommendations for economic development initiatives, compile community reports, translate data into tangible outcomes, and wrap up the program.

2025 Business Retention and Expansion Pilot Program Cohorts

Beloit

Eric Burks, President-Fort Hays Tech| North Central

Emily Benedick, Solomon Valley Economic Development

Morgan Bailey, Beloit Area Chamber

Cole Eberle, Mitchell County Commissioner/Small Business Owner

Many Fincham, Mitchell County Tourism Director/Small Business Owner

Juila Rabe, Solomon Valley Community Foundation

Halley Roberson, Beloit City Manager

Sherri Smith, Farmway Credit Union

Ethan Deneke, Guaranty State Bank

Hays

Doug Albin, Dane G. Hansen Foundation Trustee

Michael Berges, Ellis County, KS Commission

Eric Brown. Hutton, North Central KS Business Development

David Clingan, Grow Hays

Josh Dreher, Bank of Hays

Dan Lara, Kansas Small Business Development Center

Tisa Mason, President, Fort Hays State University

Friday Otuya, Nex-Tech

Susan Penka, Kansas Small Business Development Center

Abby Ward, Business Owner

Peter Laipson, Director of Strategic Affiliation, Fort Hays State University

Goodland

Kent Brown, Goodland City Manager

Gennifer House, Dane G. Hansen Foundation

Tina Wolak, Sherman County Community Foundation

Bert Mosier, Sherman County Community Development

Geremy Cloyd, Sherman County Community Development

Koal Artzer, Sherman County Community Development

Josh Dechant, Western State Bank

Sarah Artzer, Goodland City Commission

Rory Kling, Fort Hays Tech Northwest

Jessica Bonner, Sherman County Community Development

Benjamin Schears, President-Fort Hays Tech | Northwest

To learn more about the Fort Hays strategic affiliation, go to https://www.fhsu.edu/president/affiliation/