Daily Archives: May 28, 2009

Dave Wood no longer with Baton Rouge Area Chamber

May 28, 20095:56 p.m.

INDUSTRIALPARK.PICWICHITA — Dave Wood is a free agent.

Wood is no longer executive director of business development for the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, where he was for more than three years after leaving the Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition.

“My passion is start-ups and turnarounds,” Wood says. “I was brought in as a change agent, I implemented the changes. We were very successful, and now it’s time to move on to the next challenge.”

Wood says the theme of the Baton Rouge chamber the year he was hired was “revolution.”

“So I guess I would go with the old Will Rogers quote,” he says. “One revolution is like one cocktail. It just gets you organized for the next.”

Wood isn’t sure what he’ll do next.

“I have absolutely no clue,” he says.

So is returning to Wichita a possibility?

“I like Wichita,” Wood says. “I very much miss the Midwest, where ‘yes’ means ‘yes’ and ‘no’ means ‘no,’ and, ‘I don’t know, but I will find out and get back to you,’ is perfectly acceptable.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , Filed under Chamber, GWEDC | Comments Off

You don’t say

May 28, 20095:15 p.m.

“Change your life, change your career.”
— A sign outside White Chapel Memorial Gardens & Mausoleum, which is advertising for sales counselors

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: Filed under You don't say | Comments Off

Palette Coffee House and Fine Art Photography to move

May 28, 20092:57 p.m.

coffeeWICHITA — The Palette Coffee House and Bistro and its sister business (literally) Fine Art Photography are moving a block west of their current location in the former Travel Air Building in Delano.

Connie Dirks and her sister, Linda Grafton, will reopen their businesses at 613 A W. Douglas on Tuesday.

“We have to work really hard . . . and constantly push to get more and more business in here,” Dirks says of their current space.

The two retired from teaching and opened their businesses a year ago.

“We’d always wanted to work together,” Dirks says.

She handles the studio and Grafton handles the restaurant, which serves breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Saturday.

“We thought art and food was a good combination,” Dirks says.

But the 2,100 square feet they currently have — and the rent for it — is too much.

Their new space is 1,200 square feet.

Dirks says their businesses are growing and have good customer bases, but the smaller space will suit them better.

She says they simply want to “have some fun with it.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , Filed under Delano, Leases, Photography, Restaurants | Comments

Isn’t that Jack Pelton?

May 28, 200911:37 a.m.

jackpeltonWICHITA — Speaking of Cessna . . . .

I was dining at Chester’s Chophouse last night, and as I was walking through what seemed to be a sea of businessmen, I saw a familiar face.

As I stared like an idiot trying to figure out who it was, it finally occurred to me that it was Cessna chairman and chief executive Jack Pelton, who by now was looking at me, too. So, being the suave business reporter that I am, I immediately looked away in embarrassment and headed back to the patio.

The incident, stupid though it may have been, got me thinking. For reporters needing to track down businesspeople, Chester’s is a natural. It’s to dinner what Larkspur is to lunch: Business central.

Not that I like to accost people while they’re eating, of course. But, still, it’s handy to know.

The scallops are great, too.

By Carrie Rengers | Filed under Uncategorized | Comments

Cessna Aircraft selects Connecticut firm for media buying

May 28, 200911:16 a.m.

planes

WICHITA — Cessna Aircraft has chosen Connecticut-based Mediassociates to handle its global media buying.

“As we all know, that’s an art form,” says Cessna spokesman Doug Oliver. “There’s going to be more of a laser focus on publications that we think are going to be most supportive in leading to sales of aircraft.”

According to Adweek, Cessna spent $3 million nationally on media buys for 2008.

“I would naturally assume that’s not going to be the case in 2009,” Oliver says. “We’re not going to make as much money as we did in the past, and business is off a bit, and lots of things are being looked at for where we can cut.”

He says Cessna is looking for “where can we focus our resources for best results in these trying times.”

And that’s not likely to be trade journals that cater to operators and enthusiasts. Publications like The Wall Street Journal are better bets.

Cessna has made several advertising changes.

Read More »

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , , Filed under Advertising, Aviation | Comments Off