Good Morning Manhattan

Jump Start Your Morning With Us!

Good Morning Manhattan! is held virtually throughout the year.  The Zoom waiting room opens at 7:30 a.m. with the program starting at 7:45 a.m.  We invite 3 speakers (giving them 10 minutes each) from around the region to discuss a hot topic, or educate the business community on something interesting or having significant importance.  

We encourage Q and A through the chat box feature of Zoom.  This program is provided complimentary to our Chamber members as a benefit to your membership.  Simply register online and we will send out the link the Wednesday afternoon prior.

Thursday, August 18

  • 7:30 a.m. - Virtual Waiting Room Opens
  • 7:45 a.m. - Chamber Welcome, program begins

Register today!  Zoom login will be sent the afternoon of August 17.

August Speakers:

Stephanie Peterson, AICP, Director of Community Development, City of Manhattan
John Verssue, Manhattan City Planner 
Dr. David Rosowsky, Vice President for Research, Kansas State University
Aaron Estabrook, Executive Director, Manhattan Housing Authority

Rosowsky, David Dr.Dr. David Rosowsky, Vice President for Research, Kansas State University

Rosowsky joined Kansas State University as vice president for research in July 2021. As VPR, Rosowsky serves as the university’s chief research officer, providing leadership and expertise in fostering a campus environment that promotes collaborative, interdisciplinary efforts and produces high-quality research and scholarly work. Rosowsky encourages and facilitates the integration and enhancement of research, scholarly and creative activities across the university’s colleges and multiple research centers and leads university wide strategic research growth activities. Additionally, Rosowsky serves as chair of the board of directors for K-State Innovation Partners, K-State’s hub of corporate engagement, technology commercialization and economic development.

Aaron Estabrook (IG)Aaron Estabrook, Executive Director, Manhattan Housing Authority

Aaron Estabrook is the Executive Director of the Manhattan Housing Authority. He provides oversight of all operations of the Housing Authority and administers federal, state, and local housing and related programs. The Manhattan Housing Authority owns and operates 202 units of public housing and manages a mixed finance LIHTC/Public Housing property of 58 units located throughout the City of Manhattan. The MHA also administers a Section 8 program consisting of 197 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV), 55 HUD-VASH Vouchers and 25 Family Unification Program (FUP) Vouchers.

Peterson, StephanieStephanie Peterson, AICP
Director of Community Development
City of Manhattan

Stephanie joined the City of Manhattan in May of 2022 as the Director of Community Development. Prior to returning to the City, she worked in the transportation planning sector for 12 years. Most recently, as the Executive Director of the Flint Hills Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), an entity responsible for coordinating and planning the region’s transportation system. Stephanie was the first full-time staff person at the MPO after its designation by the State of Kansas in 2013. The first three years of her transportation planning career was spent with the Kansas Department of Transportation as an MPO Liaison and Transportation Planner. Stephanie worked with MPOs across the state, while also serving as Project Manager for several state-wide plans and community projects.  

Verssue, JohnJohn Verssue
Manhattan City Planner 
City of Manhattan
John is a Planner II with the City of Manhattan. His main duties are to project manage the Housing Market Analysis and to increase the Community Development Department’s long-term housing planning capabilities. From 2014 to 2021 he was the director of the Department of Planning, Zoning & Environment for McPherson County, KS. John came to urban and community planning later in life after spending 16 years working in marketing and communications for agencies, companies, and higher education institutions. He recently received certification from the American Institute of Certified Planners and holds a Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree from Portland State University, Portland, OR.


Upcoming Dates:

Thursday, November 17

Past Good Morning Manhattan recordings

7/15/21 Speakers: Kerri Day Keller, Micro-Internships; Mark Knackendoffel, Advantage Manhattan Campaign; SenatorJerry Moran, Infrastructure Bill. Watch recorded version here.

5/20/21 Speakers: Sarah Siders, Spark; Jared Wasinger, CrossroadsMHK; Robin Cole, Pawnee Mental Health. Watch recorded version here.

3/18/21 Speakers: John Ford, Chair Riley County Commission; Kevin Ingram, President Manhattan Christian College and Tara Grubb, Hype: Young Professionals of MHK Committee Chair. Watch recorded version here.

1/21/21 Speakers: Mark Bachamp, 2021 Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Board Chair; COL William McKannay Garrison Commander Fort Riley and Daryn Soldan, Director of Economic Development. Watch recorded version here.