The Kansas Black Chamber of Commerce has a new name, a new mission and a much larger coverage area.

It’s now the Heartland Black Chamber of Commerce. And, instead of focusing on just the Sunflower State, it will offer support to black chambers in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska.

Individual chambers can become affiliates of Heartland while continuing to operate on their own. By partnering with Heartland, though, they’ll receive access to events, networking and other resources, such as workforce training and internship programs.

“It just seemed like the right thing to do,” said Christal Watson, who will serve as the president and CEO of the Heartland Black Chamber.

Watson had been thinking about an expansion since 2007. Allying with other chambers will allow the organization to keep tackling the same kinds of projects it’s always undertaken, such as expanding entrepreneurs’ access to capital and lobbying elected officials to adopt policies that help small and minority-owned businesses compete. As Heartland, though, it’ll have a much louder voice.

“The idea is to strengthen one another,” said Watson, who serves on the board of directors for the U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce.

Heartland is celebrating the changes with an inaugural lunch at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the Downtown Marriott’s Count Basie Ballroom. Cheryl Pearson-McNeil, a senior vice president with Nielsen, will deliver the keynote address. Admission costs $40 for chamber members and $50 for nonmembers. To register, visit this website.