Bailey Stiggins was hired as Community Development Coordinator for the Community Development division of The Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce. She began in her new position on Jan 9th.

The newly created role of Community Development Coordinator will focus on bringing a qualified workforce to Reno County , encourage workplace wellness initiatives with local businesses, and provide assistance to the Young Professionals of Reno County.

Support for the Community Development division was provided by a grant from the Hutchinson Community Foundation in collaboration with the Kansas Heath Foundation, Reno County , and the Chamber of Commerce and its subsidiaries. This division will be overseen by its own advisory board, consisting of 7 community members who will assist with the direction of Community Development and provide assistance to projects and events when needed.

This position will also oversee some of the remaining duties of the dissolved Reno County Growth Coalition. The Vitality Team, which formed under the Reno County Growth Coalition, will now be a part of Community Development, with the program operating events such as The Trail and Treat 5K, The Sand Plum Bicycle Classic, and Bike to Work Day.

As the coordinator, Stiggins will work closely with the Healthy Eating, Active Living Cooperative (HEAL), which operates under the Hutchinson Community Foundation. Together with HEAL, the Community Development division will operate a website which promotes healthful living and features resources in Reno County . Stiggins will also advocate for a community design that promotes Complete Streets and “walkability.”

The Community Development division will assist Young Professionals of Reno County by providing administrative assistance. They will also partner with YP on the Backstage Pass program which connects potential community members with a local who can show them the highlights of Reno County .

Stiggins is a Hutchinson native who graduated from Nickerson High School and Kansas State University . Previously, she worked as a program coordinator for Reno County Communities That Care. She is involved in Young Professionals of Reno County, serving as both a committee and Advisory Council Chairperson. Stiggins was instrumental in organizing the first and second annual Kansas Young Professionals Summit in Hutchinson.