by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — Annarose White has been hired as the new Wellington Area Chamber of Commerce Director, replacing Shelley Hansel, who has accepted a job as marketing position for Brookedale Senior Living which owns Sterling House in Wellington.

White will begin her duties on March 16. She is married to Phil White, the news director at KWME-KLEY radio in Wellington.

Annarose White

“I’m excited to join the Wellington Area Chamber of Commerce,” White said. “Wellington is a great community and I look forward to helping promote the great tourism opportunities we have to offer -like our golf course, our unique museums and our great places to stay and dine.”

White is a 2012 Kansas State University graduate with a degree in Agriculture Communication and Journalism in agriculture. She has been a “From the Land of Kansas” Specialist from Dec. 2012 to Jan. 2015 which included the coordination of efforts between several state government agencies to expand technical assistance and providing farmers markets and farm stands throughout Kansas. 

She has also been a member of the Sumner County Leadership Initiative from 2014-15, treasurer of “Wellington Forward,” and board member and secretary of the Topeka Capital Quilt Guild.

“My previous work with the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s state agricultural trademark program, ‘From the Land of Kansas’ had me working with hundreds of small business owners across the state, providing technical assistance and assisting to promote their products and services,” White said. “I’m thrilled to work for the chamber and assist our Wellington businesses and community members to prove Wellington as a great place to live and operate a business.”

White said she is excited to join the chamber at a time when Wellington is enjoying having so many young professionals return home to take leadership roles in business and in the community.

Some of the favorite things about Wellington, she said, includes the downtown business district, variety of places to eat, the Recycling Center, the Wellington Public Library Trivia night, the Wellington Regent, Meadow Lanes, The First Friday Art Walk, and of course, the Kansas Wheat Festival.

“I also happen to love the color red,” White said.

White grew up in Paola where her parents were small business owners.

“I know their experience and mine will help me in my work at the chamber,” she said. “I am very grateful for the opportunity the chamber has given me.”

White said Wellington has many strong business owners and employees who are very loyal to the community and she hopes to help the grow their businesses and help attract new faces.

“I know Shelley Hansel set a great example for me to follow and I look forward to being able to draw on Wanda Kelsey’s chamber experience,” she said.

Follow us on Twitter.