Silpada gathering to draw 2,600 to area this week

Silpada Designs of Lenexa is gearing up for its 2014 National Conference, Thursday through Sunday at Bartle Hall, which is expected to bring 2,600 independent sales representatives to the metro area.

The Kansas City Convention and Visitors Association estimates the economic impact of the conference at nearly $4.6 million. That is based on expected spending by the attendees and the company. Roughly 95 percent of those attending are expected to be from outside the Kansas City area.

Kelsey Perry and Ryane Delka, Silpada co-presidents, will introduce the company’s latest jewelry line at the convention. The company, which sells sterling silver jewelry through home parties, was founded in 1997 and based in Lenexa. It was bought by Avon in 2010 for $650 million and bought back by its original owners and their family members in 2013 for $85 million.

A charitable and educational part of the conference will be Yoga On the Steps, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday at Barney Allis Plaza. The program is put on by Living Beyond Breast Cancer, a non-profit base in Philadelphia that provides support for breast cancer patients. The Sunday event will include a one-hour yoga class and an expo with health and nutrition advisers, event sponsors, yoga and fitness studios, and vendors, along with information about local area nonprofits and service organizations.

More information is online at yogaonthesteps.org.

The Marriott Kansas City Downtown is the headquarters hotel for the event. Many of those attending will stay at the Westin Kansas City at Crown Center, the Aladdin Holiday Inn Hotel and the Crowne Plaza Kansas City-Downtown.

The Star

This story was originally published July 14, 2014 at 10:28 PM with the headline "Silpada gathering to draw 2,600 to area this week."