Skip Navigation
 
Business Regions Made in Kansas News Grants
Contact
English
 

Business News

Governor Kelly Celebrates Grand Opening of Panasonic EV Battery Manufacturing Facility in De Soto July 14, 2025 Governor Kelly Announces Grand Opening of Heartland Coca-Cola Olathe Production Campus June 10, 2025 Merck Animal Health Investing $895M in De Soto Plant Expansion May 08, 2025 Governor Kelly Announces Fiserv to Open Strategic Fintech Hub in Kansas; Create 2,000 Jobs April 21, 2025 View All

Business in Kansas

Quality of Life Demographics Skilled Workforce Infrastructure Incentives & Financing Taxes, Credits, & Exemptions Entrepreneurial Culture Sites & Buildings International
To The Stars: Kansas Business Awards Key Industries Advanced Manufacturing Corporate & Professional Services Logistics & Distribution Food Processing and Manufacturing Aerospace & Defense Animal Health Bioscience Agriculture Energy & Natural Resources
Publications Initiatives & Incentives Transparency Database About Us

Notices

‘Hire a Veteran Day’ Virtual Job Fair Focuses on Transitioning Servicemembers Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland encourages jobseekers and employers searching for available talent to take part in the upcoming “Hire a Veteran Day” virtual job fair, hosted by KANSASWORKS, from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, July 25. Commerce Announces Awardees to Implement Innovative ACCEL-KS Program Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced the department’s Office of Innovation has selected two partner organizations to implement the Proof-of-Concept portion of its Accelerating Concept to Commercialization in Kansas (ACCEL-KS) program. Governor Kelly Celebrates Grand Opening of Panasonic EV Battery Manufacturing Facility in De Soto Governor Laura Kelly and Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland along with many federal and state dignitaries today celebrated with Panasonic Energy the grand opening of the largest electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturing plant in the United States. Kansas Arts Commission Awards $1M for Arts and Culture Projects Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced 108 grant recipients will share $1 million in total funding from the Kansas Arts Commission (KAC). View All

Our Department

Business Resources Incentives & Financing, Taxes, Credits & Exemptions, Site Selection, Doing Business in Kansas Community Development Downtown Development, Infrastructure Assistance, Destination Development, Rural Resources Workforce Services Find a Job, Job Seeker Services, Employer Services Travel Kansas Plan your trip to Kansas. Places to visit, things to do. Order a free Travel Guide. International Exporting Programs & Services, Investment, Reshoring Love, Kansas Resources for your move to Kansas.
Athletic Commission Broadband Careers Innovation Kansas Arts Commission News & Events Programs & Services Partners Rural Prosperity Kansas Small Business Office Tourism
Publications Initiatives & Incentives Transparency Database About Us

Menu

Business Regions Made in Kansas Our Department Publications Initiatives & Incentives Transparency Database About Us Notices Contact
Back

Business in Kansas

Quality of Life Demographics Skilled Workforce Infrastructure Incentives & Financing Taxes, Credits, & Exemptions Entrepreneurial Culture Sites & Buildings International To The Stars: Kansas Business Awards Key Industries Advanced Manufacturing Corporate & Professional Services Logistics & Distribution Food Processing and Manufacturing Aerospace & Defense Animal Health Bioscience Agriculture Energy & Natural Resources Business News
Back

Our Department

Business Resources Community Development Workforce Services Travel Kansas International Love, Kansas Athletic Commission Broadband Careers Innovation Kansas Arts Commission News & Events Programs & Services Partners Rural Prosperity Kansas Small Business Office Tourism
Home / News & Events / Office of the Secretary

Office of the Secretary

Kelsey Williams

Jul 1, 2025

Kelsey currently serves as Special Assistant, providing strategic support for the Lt. Governor & Secretary of Commerce. Prior, Kelsey served as the Operations and Logistics Coordinator for two years within the Department of Commerce before being promoted. Kelsey holds a master’s degree in Public Administration with a certificate in Economic…

Read More

Leisa Shepherd

Jun 24, 2025

Leisa has been with Commerce since 2019 and oversees scheduling and administrative functions for Lt. Governor/Commerce Secretary Toland. Prior to joining Commerce, she held various administrative roles with prominent Topeka employers including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas and Stormont-Vail Regional Health Center. She also has several years of executive-level…

Read More

Ryan Wills

Jun 24, 2025

Ryan Wills is Deputy Chief of Staff at the Kansas Department of Commerce. Wills previously served as Special Assistant to Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce, Manager of Constituent Services and Hospitality Industry Liaison. He was also a project coordinator on the Back to Business Team where he helped with…

Read More

David Toland

Jun 24, 2025

David Toland is the 52nd Lieutenant Governor of the State of Kansas and also serves as Secretary of the Kansas Department of Commerce. A seventh-generation Kansan, Toland was appointed Secretary of Commerce by Governor Laura Kelly in January 2019 and Lieutenant Governor in January 2021. As Secretary of Commerce Toland…

Read More

Rachel Willis

Jun 24, 2025

Rachel Willis earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Washburn University, majoring in Political Science with a minor in Communications. She also received a master’s degree in Public Administration with a focus in non-profit leadership from the University of Kansas. Rachel has over a decade of experience in educational nonprofit…

Read More

Abby Works

Jun 24, 2025

Works earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from Kansas State University, majoring in Food Science and Industry with a minor in Business Administration. She also received a master’s degree in Advanced European and International Studies from Centre International de Formation Européenne. Prior to beginning work at the Department of…

Read More

Kayla Savage

Jun 24, 2025

Kayla Savage is Director of Community Engagement at the Kansas Department of Commerce. She provides engagement on behalf of the Secretary of Commerce and Lieutenant Governor with communities across Kansas for various Commerce initiatives. She also represents the Secretary on various Boards and Commissions, including the Kansas Water Authority, Kansas…

Read More

Dandi Owens

Jun 24, 2025

Read More

Renee Zwahl

Jun 24, 2025

Read More
Business Resources Incentives & Financing, Taxes, Credits & Exemptions, Site Selection, Doing Business in Kansas
Community Development Downtown Development, Infrastructure Assistance, Destination Development, Rural Resources
Workforce Services Find a Job, Job Seeker Services, Employer Services
TRAVEL KANSAS Plan your trip to Kansas. Places to visit, things to do. Order a free Travel Guide.
International Exporting Programs & Services, Investment, Reshoring
Transparency Database Office Of Rural Prosperity Broadband Careers Federal Compliance

Sitemap ․  Accessibility ․  Privacy Policy ․  Cookie Policy ․  Terms of Use ․ 

All content © 2006-2025 Kansas Department of Commerce, KS and its representatives. All rights reserved.

Website by Imagemakers

Back to Top
en_USEnglish
es_ESEspañol ja日本語 en_USEnglish