When Rick Griffin moved to Wichita, he knew his wife, and that was about it. Jump ahead five years, and the attorney is one of the city’s most plugged-in residents, thanks to Young Professionals of Wichita.

“I really didn’t have many connections,” says Griffin, who currently chairs YPW’s board of trustees. “I saw the group as a great opportunity to first of all meet new people, and also to become more familiar with Wichita and all that it had to offer.”

Proving those networking and city-showcase opportunities were the twin thrusts behind YPW’s formation in 2005. The loss of young workers at the time was not only costly to employers, it was also hurting the city in terms of future leadership. Creating a group that would tap into that talent, whether it was homegrown or relocated, was key to retaining that brain trust, says Heather Denker, the group’s director.

“I know for myself I had never lived anywhere that was so welcoming as a community, where I was so instantly at home, but if you are new in town you may not see that right away,” Denker says. “We make sure that people know about the amazing cost of living here, the well-paying jobs, the restaurants, the activities like the symphony, opera, theaters … all that’s happening on a regular basis.”

YPW Mixes Business, Pleasure

In addition to pushing Wichita’s cultural amenities, as well as a vibrant and growing downtown that’s become a magnet for younger residents, YPW also focuses on business networking and other programs to help its 2,000 members move ahead in their careers.

“We really do try to be that entry point,” Denker says. “We have a lot of transplants because we have a lot of good jobs, and they tell us that they’ve been told early on to ‘Check out YPW.’ That’s something we’re very proud of, and it shows that whether we’re offering events that focus on the cultural side of things to our diverse business activities, we are making sure that our membership and the community at large have plenty of chances to connect.”

For his part, Griffin says that mixture of social outings and more straightforward business functions helped him in many ways as he was feeling his way around Wichita early on.

“YPW has the ability to bring together young professionals interested in growing their careers and also getting involved in the community,” he says. “It provides the opportunity to get to know people in a setting that’s not very intimidating at all, and it’s easy to get involved in different activities.”

The organization now has seven action teams tackling everything from community involvement to Leadership Link, the group’s effort to train and educate the next wave of local leaders. And as it continues to grow, it can only help both the city itself as well as its membership, Denker says.

“We also serve as an exit platform; part of our Visioneering Wichita program is to act as a springboard to get people involved in the community,” she says. “We are completely volunteer driven, and our members have been able to use YPW as a vehicle of change to make things happen in the community. People can get involved as little or as much as they like, and we’ve created some leadership opportunities and been able to do great things.”

Young Professionals of Wichita

When Wichita’s business leaders discovered that each young adult leaving town was costing $300,000 in lost investment, they moved to stop the brain drain. And since 2005, Young Professionals of Wichita has served as a way for the city’s newest residents to build a professional network, see the sights and get involved in the community.

Now with 2,000 members and seven action teams tackling everything from community projects to training tomorrow’s leaders, YPW has become both an entry point for new professionals as well as a jumping-off place for the next generation of city and regional leaders.

For more information, visit www.ypwichita.com.