Ron Wilson will be the featured speaker for the 2024 Cheney Lake Watershed Annual Meeting and Appreciation Dinner on Thursday, February 15th at the Pleasantview Activity Center, 5013 S. Dean Road, Hutchinson, Kansas.  Soup and an assortment of pies prepared by the church Youth Group will be served at 6:30 pm with Wilson’s presentation at 7:00 pm.  There is no charge to attend, but reserve your meal by Noon on Tuesday, February 13th by calling or texting Howard at 620-727-6546.  

Ron’s presentation is titled, “Ruralpreneurs: Tumbleweeds and Talents in Kansas Communities”. Per Humanities Kansas, Ruralpreneurs are innovative entrepreneurs who built successful enterprises in small town Kansas. This presentation highlights real-world examples of Kansas entrepreneurs who have built businesses and created jobs and opportunities in a rural setting. Additionally, this presentation honors the emerging role of diversity, technology, and telecommunications that have brought profound changes in society.

Ron Wilson is director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University. He has served as a legislative assistant; a staff member for the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; and as vice president of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives. He produces a weekly radio program and news column about rural Kansas called Kansas Profile.

“Ruralpreneurs: Tumbleweeds and Talents in Kansas Communities” is part of Humanities Kansas's Speakers Bureau, featuring humanities-based presentations designed to share stories that inspire, spark conversations that inform, and generate insights that strengthen civic engagement.

Special thanks to Humanities Kansas for sponsoring this speaker.