One of the priorities of our CEO, Jimmy Todd, has been to reposition and enhance Nex-Tech’s engagement with local stakeholders across western Kansas. As part of that effort, we have ramped up our support for the activities of WKREDA.

On September 4th and 5th 2024, the Western Kansas Rural Economic Development Alliance (WKREDA) met at the heart of the Nex-Tech footprint, in the City of Phillipsburg. In the course of the meeting, Nex-Tech supported the plans of the Phillips County Economic Development team in making delegates feel welcome and comfortable as they discussed various ways to uplift western Kansas.

Amongst other engagements, the group toured the LIFE Center Project in Logan. The innovative project, which Nex-Tech is supporting with world-class broadband will connect the young and old in unique ways and foster community interaction and development. Of significance during this conference was the focus on the direct relationship between the local technical colleges, the demand for technical jobs, and how both can lead to the sustainability of our communities. Essentially, how can we get young people to get the technical skills (the demand is super high) from local colleges, stay in western Kansas, raise their families here, keep their grandparents here, and keep their resources/wealth here?

This subject has a ripple effect on the entire region and all stakeholders will continue to work towards a sustainable solution.

About WKREDA
WKREDA is a coalition of people in the 55 western Kansas counties who’ve decided to pool their resources, both human and financial, to work together for the common good of western Kansas. WKREDA’s members maintain a collaborative affiliation with each other to achieve both individual and collective rural development goals. For many years, Nex-Tech has been an ardent supporter of WKREDA.