Speaker Date Topic
Kristy Petty and Cassidy Barton Feb 19, 2025
Bryan Kimbell Feed Building
Bryan Kimbell Feed Building

We will be hearing from Kristy Petty and Cassidy Barton on the renovation of the historic downtown Bryan Kimbell Feed building into a multi-purpose facility.

According to city records, the redeveloped building, spanning approximately 6,000 sq. ft., aims to provide space for retail, events, offices, and cultural activities. The owners are dedicated to utilizing the facilities as the official visitors’ center for the Downtown Cultural District. They are actively collaborating with Destination Bryan to boost the promotion of arts and culture-related events. The space is designed to offer comprehensive information, maps, schedules, and digital media, all aimed at enhancing the overall visitor experience.

The agreement outlines the developer’s obligations, including obtaining a roofing permit and completing construction by May 1, 2024, with a target taxable appraised value of $2,000,000. Economic development grants are available, such as the Façade Improvement Grant (up to $150,000) and the Life Safety Grant (up to $50,000). An additional Life Safety Grant may be considered if certain conditions, like a BCAD value exceeding $2,500,000 and full leasable space occupancy by 2026, are met.

Bryan city leaders voted unanimously to approve the economic agreement and say the $250,000 investment is just the latest step in the city’s efforts to continue pumping life into the heart of the city.

Naomi Rijpstra with Unbound Now Feb 26, 2025
Charity of the Month

We will be hearing from Naomi Rijpstra speaking on behalf of Unbound Now, our Charity of the Month.

Unbound Now started around a kitchen table as ordinary people came together, overwhelmed by the crisis of human trafficking.

Coming face to face with exploitation in her own neighborhood, Susan Peters had a nagging feeling that just wouldn’t let her go – no longer could she or more importantly, any of us, sit on the sidelines of this issue. There was simply too great a need. And so she gathered the men and women around her around a kitchen table as they strategized how they could start first in their backyard.

What started as knocking on the doors of McLennan County, Texas law enforcement has transformed into multiple locations in the U.S. and around the world, with world-class human trafficking prevention training, youth empowerment, and survivor advocacy programs.

Since 2012, Unbound Now survivor advocates have had the honor of serving over 4,600 survivors of human trafficking. Behind this number we celebrate, is over 4,600 stories of freedom from bondage, beauty from ashes, and hope for tomorrow.

Unbound Now is a national nonprofit with 24/7 services across Texas and Louisiana. They are motivated by their faith and passionate about mobilizing communities, including local law enforcement, churches, and professionals across industries to identify and respond to human trafficking in their city.

Dane Goddard Mar 05, 2025
The Present and Future of Electric Vehicles in the U.S.
The Present and Future of Electric Vehicles in the U.S.

Dane goddard is the general manager at Douglas Mazda and will be speaking to us about the present and future of electric vehicles in the U.S.

Texas A&M Formula Electric is a multidisciplinary student team at Texas A&M University. Each year, we design, manufacture, and race a formula-style electric vehicle. Our team consists of approximately 65 engineering students and 45 business students, all driven by a shared commitment to innovation and teamwork. As Aggies, we ALL uphold our core values of respect, excellence, leadership, loyalty, integrity, and selfless service. Our purpose is to cultivate students into high-quality engineers through the full-scale development of a high-performing electric formula-style vehicle with year-over-year improvement of the program.