The Cowley County Economic Development Department, also referred to as Cowley First, is a unique partnership between Cowley County, City of Arkansas City and the City of Winfield. Funded by the three government entities and a host of Cowley County Business Partners, Cowley First represents and serves the entire county. As one cohesive group, Cowley First focuses on economic and community development to drive the economy.
Through a combination of paid staff and collaborative efforts with participating member organizations maintain and coordinate the Cowley First program to foster and achieve the following:
- To maintain a business climate conducive to the expansion and retention of existing businesses and industry within Cowley County. Maintain regular contact with firms within the communities, industrial parks and county to determine if there are opportunities with which the program might assist.
- To promote, support and encourage creative local entrepreneurship, business incubation & small business development efforts to stimulate the start up of new businesses and industrial enterprises in the county that will import wealth into the local economy. To work with local school districts, universities, & community leaders to create entrepreneurship education programs & to enhance the local entrepreneurship culture.
- To work with program partners to strengthen the quality and quantity of the local workforce.
- To undertake targeted business recruitment efforts and to provide information and coordinate site visits for firms that might wish to investigate Cowley County as a desirable location in which to locate a new business operation. This activity will include:
- responding to requests for assistance from the Kansas Department of Commerce as well as parties to this agreement
- maintaining a high quality Cowley County Economic Development program website
- developing, printing and distributing information pertinent to attracting new business and industrial firms to the county
- providing a point of contact for phone calls, faxes, email, letters and personal visits relating to economic development
- To encourage rural development through the expansion of tourism activities and initiatives in agritourism.
- To assist community partners in their efforts to implement quality of life initiatives and efforts to enhance community appeal.
- To work with program partners to formulate and execute strategic & long-range plans to enhance the economic viability and quality of life in Cowley County.
- This countywide partnership is dedicated to assist in expansion and retention of existing businesses, support local entrepreneurs, attract new businesses and industries while utilizing Cowley County’s prominent business atmosphere, high quality of life, recreation and tourism opportunities and excellent education facilities.
- Cowley First’s emphasis is business recruitment, expansion and retention projects. Through Economic Development Cowley First strives to ensure there is an educated and talented labor pool for area businesses and industries for not just this generation, but for the next generation as well.
Community Development focuses on the improvement of quality of life which has a direct effect on businesses and their employees. By addressing health care needs, educational and training gaps, and access to housing, the community is better served.
This partnership enables us to perform more effectively as we pursue our common goal of making our communities the best place to work, live and play. Let us connect you with Cowley County and see why it is the right place for your business.
Benefits to Doing Business in Cowley County
- Quality of Life
- Skilled Labor
- Lower Utility Costs
- Lower Labor Costs
- Central Location
- Excellent Transportation
- Lower Taxes
Coordinating Council
A nine member coordinating council made up of one representative selected by Arkansas City, CornerBank, Cowley County, Union State Bank, Cowley College, Strother Field Commission and Winfield respectively and two at-large members appointed by the other seven collective members shall act as an executive committee for the Cowley First: Cowley County Economic Development Partnership.
| Entity | Representative | Appointing Authority | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas City | Scott Rogers, alt. Nick Hernandez | City of Arkansas City | No Term Limit |
| RCB Bank | John Sturd, Greg Conklin | RCB Bank | No Term Limit |
| Cowley County | Wayne Wilt | Cowley County | No Term Limit |
| Cowley County Community College | Dr. Dennis Rittle | Cowley County Community College | No Term Limit |
| Union State Bank | Eric Kurtz | Union State Bank | No Term Limit |
| Winfield | Taggart Wall | City of Winfield | No Term Limit |
| Strother Field | Shawn McGrew | Strother Field Commission | No Term Limit |
| At-Large Member | Mark Paton | Coordinating Council | 2 Yr Term through 12-31-2020 |
| At-Large Member | Craig Duncan | Coordinating Council | 2 Yr Term through 12-31-2020 |
Economic Development Advisory Committee
To advise and assist the County in maintaining and coordinating the collaborative economic development program a Cowley County Economic Development Advisory Committee shall be appointed. The Advisory Committee shall consist of the members of the Coordinating Council and one representative selected by each participating member organization listed below.
| Entity | Representative | Appointing Authority | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas City Chamber | Arkansas City Chamber | No Term Limit | |
| Ark City Industries | Mark Paton | Ark City Industries | No Term Limit |
| Southwestern College | Dawn Pleas- alt. Dr. Brad Andrews | Southwestern College | No Term Limit |
| Cowley College | Dr. Dennis Rittle | Cowley College | No Term Limit |
| Strother Field | Shawn McGrew | Strother Field | No Term Limit |
| Winfield Chamber | Sarah Werner | Winfield Chamber | No Term Limit |
| Winfield Economic Development | Craig Duncan | Winfield Econ. Dev. | No Term Limit |
| USD 465 | Nathan Reed | USD 465 | No Term Limit |
| USD 470 | Ron Ballard | USD 470 | No Term Limit |
| Rural-Eastern Cowley County | Chris Baker | Advisory Committee | 2 Yr Term, through 12-31-2020 |
| Rural-Northern Cowley County | Steve Brown or Lulita Hopkins | Advisory Committee | 2 Yr Term through 12-31-2021 |
| At-Large Industry/Entrepreneur | Greg Thompson | Advisory Committee | 2 Yr Term through 12-31-2021 |
| At-Large General Member | Advisory Committee | 2 Yr Term through 12-31-2019 | |
| At-Large General Member | Harold ‘Doc’ Arnett | Advisory Committee | 2 Yr Term through 12-31-2020 |
Cowley First Business Partners
Cowley First is uniquely formed with four different funding sources; Cowley County, City of Arkansas City, City of Winfield and County Business Partners. As the chief responsibility of Cowley First is to guide area businesses and industries through retention and expansion assistance, incentive programs, training opportunities, workforce recruitment, community marketing and building relationships with the local employers; it is only natural for local businesses and industries to invest in the success of Cowley First. Cowley First Business Partners is a diverse group of leading employers including local financial institutes, manufacturers, non-profit organizations, rural enterprises, and educational institutions. The Business Partners not only benefit from the services provided by Cowley First, Business Partners meet quarterly to discuss common issues and work together to find resolutions. Business Partners are currently strategizing how to effectively market Cowley County in their quest to recruit workforce to the area and is working directly with Cowley College to address the training needs of local industries. Any Cowley County Business is welcomed to be a funding partner of Cowley First and is welcome to contact Director Kerri Falletti for more information.
Our Business Partners |
|
| Ark City Industries | RCB Bank |
| Columbia Elevator Solutions | Zeeco |
| Community National Bank | Rubermaid |
| Conco Construction | Southern Kansas Telephone Company |
| Cowley College | Southwestern College |
| Creekstone Farms Premium Beef | Southwestern College Professional Studies |
| Evergy | Sumner-County Electric Cooperative |
| Four County Mental Health and Counseling Center | The Stock Exchange Bank |
| Galacy Technologies | Twin Rivers Developmental Support |
| GE Aviation | Union State Bank |
| Jet AirWerks and Jet AirParts | United Agency |
| KanPak | Western Industries |
| Legacy Regional Community Foundation | Winfield Economic Development (WED) |
| Morton Buildings | Winfield Publishing Company |
| Mahaney Roofing | |
To see more please visit this website: Cowley-works.com
