>TIBA Passes One Year Milestone

In September, the Topeka Independent Business Association (TIBA) celebrated its first birthday.
The group, modeled after long-established groups in Wichita and Lincoln, Nebraska, held its first membership meeting on September 29, 2006 at Berkshire Golf Club, a charter member business owned by Rick and Linda Farrant.

“We’re really proud of the progress we’ve made,” said Ken Daniel, CEO of Midway Wholesale and charter chairman of TIBA. “We had ninety-five member businesses on our first birthday, and should easily surpass our goal of one hundred by the end of 2007.”

The group’s three main objectives are to provide health insurance and health care solutions for its members, represent its members on local and state political issues, and provide business education opportunities for successful on-going businesses.

TIBA is made up of independently owned businesses and local and state non-profits located in Shawnee County. No publicly-traded corporations, national non-profits, or governmental organizations may belong.

A unique aspect of TIBA is that its board relies heavily on surveys of its members and of a hand-picked list of local business owners to determine its stances on political issues. “Our rule of thumb is that seventy percent of our members should be in agreement on an issue for TIBA to take a stance or become involved,” said Ron Stryker of Stryker Services, Inc., chairman of TIBA’s Local Political Positions Committee.

“Even when the vote is split evenly, that is valuable information for use by our leadership, politicians, and the public,” said Stryker.

Marvin Spees of Capital City Oil and chairman of TIBA’s State Political Positions Committee cites a number of successes for the group in the 2007 Kansas legislative session. “TIBA was a key player in the two-year unemployment tax rate reductions, the phase-out and elimination of the Kansas Franchise Tax, funding for two small business health insurance initiatives, and more,” he stated.

“We are making big progress on the health care front. TIBA members can access a dozen health insurance companies that offer policies designed for small businesses,” said Pat Gideon of Silver Lake Bank and co-chairman of TIBA’s Health Committee. “We are working with a large insurance company on special plan for TIBA members and, we are working to partner with local providers of medical services on fair-priced, user-friendly programs for our members.”