A resignation and addition to the Regional Development Association of East Central Kansas leadership team were simultaneously approved during the RDA Board of Directors meeting Friday morning.
Following an executive session, now former Board Chair Brad Kraft announced his resignation from the board and relinquished the chairman position to then vice-chair, now chairman, Jeff Williams. Kraft’s resignation came as he is soon to be hired as the new interim vice-president of the RDA to serve under Interim President Lyle Butler.
Kraft declined comment to KVOE News following Friday’s meeting and deferred to Williams, who says the move will bring a more full-time leadership presence to the community.
Kraft was a City of Emporia appointee to the board, with a new representative to be selected at a later time. KVOE News asked Williams if Kraft is in the community more frequently, would it not make sense for him to simply take over as interim president, rather than vice-president, with Williams saying they wanted to keep Butler’s experience and combine it with Kraft’s knowledge of the community.
As has KVOE News has noted previously, the search for a permanent RDA President has now been ongoing for over two years and is now shifting to a search for an executive director for the new Flint Hills Economic Alliance, the developing plan to coordinate economic development efforts between the RDA, Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce, Emporia Enterprises, Emporia Main Street, Visit Emporia and the city of Emporia that was announced last month during a joint meeting of the Emporia City and Lyon County Commissions. During our interview with Williams Friday, KVOE News asked where the FHEA was in its formation process, with Williams saying there have been many conversations taking place over the last several weeks with members and board representatives of said entities, as the RDA is doing its best to be “inclusive and listen to everybody.”
He noted this takes time and also factored into the decision to create the interim vice-president role Friday.
KVOE News also asked what level of “buy-in” has been shown by the involved entities set to be absorbed under the FHEA umbrella. Williams says “everyone agrees we need to work better together,” but there are still several questions that have to be answered before that can occur.
In other business Friday, board members received the monthly president’s report from Butler, which included information on the Terrapower Natrium Reactor project, local employment numbers and the West Emporia Travel Plaza project, which followed a presentation of the RDA’s financial review.
The RDA Board of Directors will reconvene for its regular monthly meeting in April at the Trusler Business Center.
