Grounds for Growth: Lights, Leadership & Legacy
Enjoy fresh coffee and pastries while connecting with fellow young professionals in a space designed for learning, inspiration, and meaningful conversation. We are pleased to welcome Brad Everett as our December Grounds for Growth speaker.

Brad Everett is a Manhattan native and Kansas State University alumnus with nearly three decades of hospitality leadership focused on building community and driving regional tourism. After beginning his career with Marriott Corporation and gaining experience across the country, he returned home to Manhattan, where he spent 14 years as General Manager of the Fairfield Inn before launching and leading the Hilton Garden Inn & Manhattan Conference Center, where he has served for the past 15 years.
At December’s Grounds for Growth, Brad will share reflections on growing up in Manhattan, his journey traveling and ultimately returning home, and the experiences that shaped his commitment to community and hospitality. He will also highlight how the Festival of Lights began, what it has grown into today, and why it continues to hold such meaning for the region.