NetWork Kansas recently announced its first-ever StartUp Kansas grant, which is being administered by Anderson County Development Agency (ACDA), a regional resource partner in Garnett, Kansas. The grant’s recipient, James Akes, used the award, along with other funds, to establish Eastern Kansas Equipment & Sales, Inc. (EKES), a new business that provides hydraulic repair, manufacturing and farm equipment sales.

EKES is a highly diversified equipment sales and repair shop. The company operates a full-service tire shop, hydraulics supply and repair center. Mr. Akes partnered with co-owner and long-time friend, Clint Palmer, to establish the business, which also provides basic automotive repair. The partnership and supporting funds enable EKES to offer extended hours of operation, which brings in more business for the new company from many outlying communities.

“It was more feasible economically to locate my business in Greeley than in a large city,” said James Akes, president of EKES. “There is a strong customer base of farmers and rural residents in and around Greeley to draw from. Plus, because our products and services are very diversified, we can offer high quality and convenience at a reasonable price to our customers.” In addition to helping Akes and Palmer establish a new business in a rural community, the new funding also helped them create 3 new jobs.

Dennis Arnold, director of ACDA, is administering the NetWork Kansas funds along with a matching grant that will help support the new business.

“With a population of 331, Greeley is one of the larger towns in Anderson County,” said Arnold. “Creating jobs and establishing new businesses like this brings dollars and people into the area. This is vital to the existence and viability of small, rural communities.”

“The goal of the StartUp Kansas fund is to partner with our NetWork Kansas partners to provide matching grants or loans to startup businesses or for the expansion of existing businesses,” said NetWork Kansas Director Steve Radley. “We’re pleased to be able to provide our first grant to accomplish that goal with Eastern Kansas Equipment and Anderson County Development.”

StartUp Kansas is a service of NetWork Kansas, which was established as a component of the Kansas Economic Growth Act of 2004 to further entrepreneurship and small business growth as a priority for economic and community development in the state of Kansas.

Backed by more than 275 partners statewide, the NetWork Kansas service promotes an entrepreneurial environment by establishing a central portal that connects entrepreneurs and small business owners with the expertise, education, and economic resources they need in order to succeed. Entrepreneurs and small business owners are encouraged to visit www.networkkansas.com.

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