When lifelong Emporian Aaron Larson decided to run for City Commission, his goal was clear — to help the next generation see Emporia not as a place to leave, but as a place to build a future.

“I was born here and stayed here as an adult,” Larson said. “Growing up, everyone around me, myself included at one point, couldn’t wait to leave Emporia. I want to flip the script — I want people to fall in love with Emporia the way I did and stay here.”

Larson, who earned his MBA from Emporia State University in 2019, has worked in government contracting and community development for several years. He served as chief financial officer for a federal and state contracting company, where he worked on projects for agencies such as HUD, HHS and the Department of Justice. His work involved evaluating co

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