Read Lt. Governor/Secretary David Toland’s blog to learn about current initiatives at the Department of Commerce, catch up on his travels across Kansas or take a deep-dive into Commerce programs. David Toland is the 52nd Lieutenant Governor of Kansas and also serves as Secretary of the Kansas Department of Commerce. Toland was appointed Secretary of Commerce by Governor Laura Kelly in January 2019 and Lieutenant Governor in January 2021.
Mar 6, 2020
When she was elected, Governor Kelly promised to be “the education Governor.” Since the start of her administration, she's made good on that commitment by increasing funding for public schools and working to align education with business needs. On January 24, 2019, Governor Kelly issued Executive Order 19-03 creating the…
Read MoreFeb 21, 2020
It's been a busy Legislative Session so far at the Department of Commerce. In addition to updating the Legislature and providing annual reports on our state’s incentive programs, our agency has some key priorities for legislation that will be taken up in the current Legislative Session. This includes the renewal of the…
Read MoreFeb 7, 2020
The 2020 Kansas Legislative Session is underway here in Topeka, and the Department of Commerce has had a busy first few weeks. We’ve been working to provide information and testimony to several key legislative committees on the status of various programs and initiatives that involve our agency and economic development…
Read MoreJan 31, 2020
This week, we celebrated the 159th Birthday of our great state. We have so much to be proud of after 159 years of history. And yet, we still have so much to look forward to on the horizon here in Kansas. Since being appointed by Governor Kelly, a large portion…
Read MoreJan 24, 2020
KANSASWORKS, the workforce services division of the Kansas Department of Commerce, was created to serve the needs of job seekers and businesses across our state by helping prospective employees connect with employers. Hundreds of thousands of Kansas residents—140,000 in 2019 alone—have received employment and reemployment assistance from KANSASWORKS over the…
Read MoreJan 10, 2020
Since I was appointed by Governor Kelly last January, we’ve undertaken a number of reforms based on four key priorities for the Department of Commerce. One of those four critical areas has been an effort to make clear what we do, how we do it and why we do it.…
Read MoreJan 3, 2020
2019 was truly an extraordinary year. Last January, I began my time as Secretary with several goals for the Department of Commerce and for economic development in Kansas. In today’s blog, I’d like to look back at the past year and reflect on the four main priorities we’ve had for…
Read MoreDec 20, 2019
Firms in Kansas are exporting their products all over the world, and this export activity means big numbers for the Kansas economy. We at the Department of Commerce are proud to provide assistance to help these firms explore new markets and sell more of their products worldwide. Kansas Exports by…
Read MoreDec 13, 2019
We just wrapped up a week of Town Halls around the state in order to engage the public in the development of the Kansas Framework for Growth, the economic development planning process kicked off earlier this year by Governor Laura Kelly. The first phase—assessment and benchmarking—is nearly complete, and we…
Read MoreDec 6, 2019
As you may know, the popular Kansas Main Street program has returned and is revving up for 2020. I want to provide an update on what’s coming up for the program as it gets up and running again in Kansas. First, Commerce recently announced the hiring of Scott Sewell as…
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