Molly Howey, CEcD

Molly Howey serves as CEO of the Greater Topeka Partnership, the collaborative organization for Topeka and Shawnee County, Kansas that houses economic development, the chamber of commerce, downtown and tourism. She previously served as the president of GO Topeka, the economic development organization within the Greater Topeka Partnership where she led a bold strategy to drive regional growth through business recruitment, retention, entrepreneurship, workforce development, and talent attraction for the last 14 years.

Since joining GO Topeka in 2011, Howey has played a central role in transforming the region’s economic landscape. Her leadership has supported the creation of more than 2,000 high-quality jobs and over $2 billion in capital investment. She has supported expansion efforts for major employers including Mars Chocolate, Walmart Distribution Center, Federal Home Loan Bank, Advisors Excel, Frito-Lay, and HME. Prior to her public-sector work, she spent six years in the private sector at a marketing firm, where she built a strong foundation in strategic communications and branding.

Howey has spearheaded nationally recognized initiatives such as the Choose Topeka talent relocation program, which has generated over $14 million in international media coverage. She also helped secure a unique partnership with Plug and Play, a global innovation platform, positioning Topeka as a hub for two industry accelerator verticals. Under her direction, GO Topeka achieved accreditation from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC)—the only such recognition in the state of Kansas—earning reaccreditation twice.

Howey holds a BA in Mass Media from Washburn University, a Certificate in Interior Design from Washburn Institute of Technology, and a Certificate from the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute. She earned her Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) credential from IEDC in 2016 and is on track to complete the Institute for Organization Management (IOM) certification through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 2026.

An active leader in the economic development field, Howey serves on the boards of the International Economic Development Council, Team Kansas and the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute. Her contributions to both the community and the profession have earned her numerous accolades, including YWCA Woman of Excellence, Topeka’s 20 Under 40, Leadership Kansas, Consultant Connect’s Top 50 Economic Developers in North America, Ingram’s 50 Kansans You Should Know, and Ingram’s Kansas City Women of Excellence. She is also a proud Washburn University Fellow.

She lives with her husband and three children near Silver Lake, Kansas, where she enjoys outdoor adventures, camping across the region, and attending live music events of all kinds.