Wichita Downtown Development Corp. receives merit award

The Wichita Downtown Development Corp. was recently recognized with a merit award following its work on a 2014 speaker series, according to a news release.

The International Downtown Association designated a downtown merit award for the corporation during its recent annual conference in San Francisco, which concluded on Oct. 2. The corporation was singled out for its role in the implementation of the Fuel the Fire Speaker Series, an initiative completed in conjunction with the Wichita Community Foundation and the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce Leadership Council last fall, according to the release.

The Fuel the Fire series was ranked among qualified entries in the category of downtown leadership and management at the conference. The series consisted of three presentations from national speakers, including Carol Coletta of the Knight Foundation, James Chung of Reach Advisors and Brad Segal of Progressive Urban Management Associates.

The series was made possible through a grant from the Knight Foundation Fund, as well as funds from the partner organizations, according to the release.

“The goal of the Series was for the community to hear insights from subject matter experts to stimulate community conversations and create the spark that Wichita needs to position itself for the future,” said corporation president Jeff Fluhr in the release.

With 500 members, the association bills itself as a “guiding force in creating healthy and dynamic centers that anchor the well-being of towns, cities, and regions,” according to the release. The non-profit Wichita Downtown Development Corp. was launched in 2002 with a mission of revitalizing and enhancing the city’s core.

This story was originally published October 8, 2015 at 10:06 AM with the headline "Wichita Downtown Development Corp. receives merit award."