Kyle Fiedler, Harvey County United Way community impact chair
By Sheila G. Kelley, Development Coordinator
Question: Tell us a little about your work and your involvement with United Way.
Answer: I have been with the City of North Newton for almost one year. I am in my second term on the United Way Board (I believe the sixth year). In 2021 the Community Impact Chair position had been open for a little while and in May or June I realized I had availability in my time to take on more opportunities and volunteered for this role.
Question: Where did you grow up and what was your family life like?
Answer: I am a lifelong Harvey County resident. My parents still live in the house where my sister and I grew up in Newton. My dad was a mechanic most of my childhood and later became a machinist. He currently works at our local hardware store.
My mom had an in-home daycare when we were kids. As we got older and she began working outside of the home, she worked at Photos Plus and Bumper to Bumper before working for a local machine shop.
Both my parents also grew up in Newton. My sister and I had very involved parents and grandparents – from school activities to sports – we were fortunate to always be surrounded by family.
Question: Who have been your strongest influences in life?
Answer: My parents have been and continue to be the strongest influences on me, even as an adult. There are few decisions I make without their input. They both demonstrated what hard work was and what doing the right thing meant. When it came to my education, they encouraged me to go to college and supported me as they could through it.
Question: What led you to your career?
Answer: After graduating from WSU with a business degree in marketing and management, I went to work in sales for Khaos Apparel. The owner, Justin, encouraged me to get involved in several organizations, which at some point lead me to a City Commission meeting. I learned that government administration was a career field, and that WSU offered a Master’s in Public Administration.
Upon completion of that degree, I began working for Sedgwick County in the Manager’s Office as an intern and later in the Division of Finance as an Economic Development Analyst. While I enjoyed Sedgwick County, I missed out on being able to be involved at home. When the City of North Newton Administrator position became available, I was encouraged to apply. I felt that it would be a great opportunity for me to be back at home, leading and hoping to make a positive impact in a community that is part of my home.
Question: How would friends and acquaintances describe you?
Answer: Probably one of my least favorite questions to answer… I would like to believe I would be described as a person that is dependable and has pride in the community I call home. I also may be described by others as a chicken tender, or Farmer Kyle, as people seem to know me for my flock of birds and my goats and maybe a little sarcastic.
Question: With so many volunteer opportunities in the community, why did you choose to be involved with Harvey County United Way?
Answer: When I was first approached to be on the board, I had very little board experience and knowledge of what all United Way did. I learned about the programs HCUW had and the areas which the organization strives to make an impact and thought opportunities with HCUW would be one way to make positive impacts in many areas across our county.
Question: What’s the one thing you want people to know about HCUW?
Answer: With community donations, HCUW supports many organizations that serve people of Harvey County. As an organization, we funnel funds raised to support programs that follow our core goals of Health, Income and Education.