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Publisher:
2021 Q1 2022 Q3
& DOUGLAS COUNTY
Lawrence Business Magazine, LLC Ann Frame Hertzog & Steven Hertzog Editor-in-Chief:
Ann Frame Hertzog
LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHERS
Chief Photographer:
Steven Hertzog
Manufacturing is one of the hidden gems in the community. We see the structures and the activity, but unless we are working for the company or directly impacted, we often hear asked, “What is going on there?” In this issue, we highlight some of what’s going on and how important it is to the community; and the tremendous benefits created for the City of Lawrence in having a strong manufacturing sector.
Featured Writers:
Anne Brockhoff Bob Luder Patricia A. Michaelis, Ph.D. Sophia Misle Emily Mulligan Matthew Petillo Tara Trenary Darin M. White
“A lot of people find it surprising how important and how vital it is,” says Steve Kelly, Vice President of Economic Development at the Lawrence Chamber/Economic Development Council of Douglas County. “Quite a number of manufacturers in this community have a significant impact on the economy.” The importance of manufacturing in the United States cannot be understated. A community with a solid manufacturing base benefits from increased research and development, exploration of innovative ideas, improved processes and productivity, and the creation of new products and jobs. Manufacturing helps raise the standard of living and, most importantly, fuels the U.S. economy. Manufacturing workers are more likely than other workers to have significant, highly valued employer-provided benefits, including medical insurance, retirement benefits, vacation time, sick days, and maternity leave. Companies such as Allen Press, Berry Global, Grandstand Glassware & Apparel, Lawrence Paper Co, Leander LLC, P1 Group, Plastikon, Pretzels Inc, J.M. Smucker, and others we weren’t able to include in this issue, provide good paying jobs, in safe environments with opportunities for employees to advance up the corporate ladder and keep working for one employer the majority of their lives and enjoy the benefits of consist employment for themselves and their families. Then there are the local startup businesses that start small but grow to become self-sustaining, expanding and creating new jobs - growing businesses like Blue Collar Press, 1900 Barker Bakery and Café, Caramelo, Central Soyfoods, Mediterranean Market & Café, and Waxman Candles (which has been in business for 50 years). As usual, we could not cover all of the manufacturing in Lawrence and Douglas County, but we tried to highlight businesses in various sectors and showcase our manufacturing community. Good employers offering a quality of life for their staff and helping enrich our community. PROTECT AND PRESERVE OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES. Shop Local. Shop Baldwin, Eudora, Lecompton, and Lawrence. Shop Douglas County! Sincerely,
Ann Frame Hertzog Editor-in-Chief/Publisher
Steven Hertzog Chief Photographer/Publisher
www.LawrenceBusinessMagazine.com
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Allen Press, Blue Collar Press, Pretzel Inc, Berry Global, Eagle Trailers, P1 Group, Central Soy Foods, Carmelo; BACKGROUND: P1 Group
Copy Editor:
Tara Trenary Contributing Writers:
Jessica Thomas Contributing Photographers:
Leia Marasovich Jason Dailey
Special thank you to Monica Davis, Research Services Coordinator and Watkins Museum of History for researching and providing archived photographs INQUIRIES & ADVERTISING INFORMATION CONTACT: info@LawrenceBusinessMagazine.com
LawrenceBusinessMagazine.com Lawrence Business Magazine, LLC 3514 Clinton Parkway, Suite A-113 Lawrence, KS 66047 Lawrence Business Magazine, is published quarterly by Lawrence Business Magazine, LLC and is distributed by direct mail to businesses in the Lawrence & Douglas County Community. It is also distributed at key retail locations throughout the area and mailed to individual subscribers. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reprinted or reproduced without the publisher’s permission. Lawrence Business Magazine, LLC assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Statements and opinions printed in the Lawrence Business Magazine are the those of the author or advertiser and are not necessarily the opinion of Lawrence Business Magazine.
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2021 Q1 2022 Q3
& DOUGLAS COUNTY
CONTENTS Features: 8
Lawrence in Perspective: Way Back When
by Patricia Michaelis, Ph.D.
18 Non-Profit: Cottonwood by Sophia Misle
22 Manufacturing:
Building a Stronger Economy by Emily Mulligan
28 Food Production:
Tortillas, Pretzels, & Grass-Fed Lamb by Bob Luder
40 Homegrown Innovation: Creating Local Value by Anne Brockhoff
50 Producing Culinary Diversity by Bob Luder
58 Think Outside the Box by Darin M. White
64 Not Just a Wheat State by Tara Trenary
70 Hands-On Fabrication by Matthew Petillo
Departments: 5 14 76 79 82
Letter From the Publishers LMH Health Care: Survive & Thrive Local Scene Newsmakers Whose Desk?
Our Mission: We are dedicated to telling the
stories of people and businesses making a positive impact on Lawrence & Douglas County. /lawrencebusinessmagazine
@LawrenceBizMag
TO UPDATE YOUR ADDRESS OR FOR SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: LawrenceBusinessMagazine.com/subscriptions/
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LAWRENCE & DOUGLAS CO [ IN PERSPECTIVE ]
Way Back When by Patricia A. Michaelis, Ph.D., Historical Research & Archival Consulting photos Douglas County Historical Society, Watkins Museum of History
In the years following Kansas being granted statehood, three communities were competing to attract residents, commerce and industry: Kansas City, Lawrence and Leavenworth. Before any manufacturing companies could become successful, they needed a power source. In the first decades of settlement, wood from the surrounding area was used to produce energy. But when the wood within a day’s distance was depleted, several Lawrence businesses tried to locate coal deposits as a source of energy. When finding coal in large enough quantities proved futile, a dam on the Kaw River was the only viable option. 8
Orlando Darling, a civil engineer, had leased most of the land along the south side of the river by Lawrence. He owned a sawmill, a flour mill, and a stone quarry. Darling proposed building a dam on the Kaw to power his and other Lawrence businesses. He signed an agreement with the city to do so. Darling and other Lawrence residents formed the Lawrence Land and Water Co. (LL&W Co.). The terms of the contract included that Darling finance the cost of construction of the stone dam, that his company would be liable for any damages caused by floods and that he receive ownership of the land in perpetuity. If Darling failed to produce an adequate supply of waterpower, he would lose the lease.
Power from the Kaw River and budding manufacturing companies in early Lawrence made a big impact on its economy.
The 1870s saw several unsuccessful attempts to build the dam, with spring’s high water often destroying parts of the dam that had been completed. In 1874, James H. Gower moved to Lawrence from Iowa City, Iowa. He built a flour mill, the Douglas County Mills, and contracted for waterpower from the LL&W Co. In 1877, Gower’s family, including his son-in-law J.D. Bowersock, moved to Lawrence. By that time, the LL&W Co. was in receivership because of the unreliability of the dam and its frequent washouts. On behalf of Bowsersock, Gower bought the debentures issued by order of the court, and Bowersock was issued a deed for the property. J.D. Bowersock took control of the company after Gower’s death in 1878. He oversaw the necessary repairs to the dam and began selling power to Lawrence business-
es. By the mid-1880s, a number of companies were contracting for power from the dam. The mechanical power was delivered to its customers by cables on tall poles or through tunnels. These businesses constructed buildings and hired a number of workers, making an impact on the local economy. “History of the State of Kansas” was published by A. T. Andreas, of Chicago, in 1883. It contains detailed histories of all of the Kansas counties and many Kansas cities. This history includes profiles of the development of each county and its cities. It also includes listings for the manufacturing businesses in each city. These are the Lawrence companies featured in that 1883 history, many of which J.D. Bowersock had a business interest in. 9
Note: It was difficult to find definitions of some of the terms used to describe these businesses, so interpretation of some of the meanings is based on common sense assumptions.
Douglas County Mills.
It was a flour mill owned by Bowersock after the death of his father-in-law and two other original owners. It occupied a four-story stone structure 50 x 60 feet, as well as a three-story warehouse. The mill had 11 sets of buhrstones for grinding the grain and five sets of rolls for refining the flour.
Pacific Mills. This flour mill had five runs of buhrs and one set of rollers. It had the capacity to produce 100 barrels of four grades of flour every 24 hours.
Pierson Roller Mills. This
mill occupied a four-story stone structure the was 50 x 60 feet. It operated four runs of buhrs and 14 sets of rollers. It turned out 250 barrels of flour per day.
Lawrence Paper Mill. Housed in a brick and stone 40- x 60foot building with an additional wing that was 35 x 90 feet, this mill would produce four tons of wrapping paper daily.
Hamilton Straw Lumber Factory.
In the 19th century, straw lumber was either particle board or composite lumber. In 1881-1882, it occupied a 30- x 125-foot building with an addition for storage that was made of straw lumber. It was estimated that the factory produced 10,000 feet of four-ply (board) a day. The company believed its product was becoming a substitute for natural wood.
Lawrence Foundry and Machine Shops. The company invested $30,000 in machinery and a new building in the early 1870s. By 1883, the machine shop was a two-story brick structure that was 40 x 45 feet, and the foundry was a 2300-square-foot brick structure. Fifteen to 25 men were employed by the business.
Douglas County Iron Works. Established in 1882 and operated by Messrs. Savage and Lightcap, both experienced machinists, the two-story brick structure, located at the corner of New Hampshire and Pinckney streets, did general machine work and repairing, but specialized in boiler work.
Lawrence Coal, Coke and Gas Works. This company provided gas lighting to Lawrence in the 1870s. In the 1880s, it produced more than 500,000 cubic feet of gas per month, which was stored in a 60-foot- diameter “gasometer” that could hold 60,000 cubic feet of gas. It was reported that the building contained more than 10 miles of pipe.
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Top to bottom: Douglas Co. Mills, Paper Mill, Kimball Bors Foundry
: 1898 Souvenier DouglasCo Mill. Right: Wilder Bros Shirt Factory, Consolidated Barb Wire Mills
Lawrence Canning Factory. Wilder Shirt Factory. J. E. and Preparing all kinds of fruits and vegetables for canning, this factory filled more than 600,000 containers with produce in 1882.
Kansas Fruit Vinegar Factory. The company employed 20 people and produced 100 barrels of “pure cider vinegar” a day. Its tanks could store up to 200,000 gallons of vinegar. It had a Plummer evaporator that could dry out 100 bushels of fruit a day.
Carriage Works.
No owner or operator is mentioned, but the company employed 15 mechanics. It built approximately 100 carriages “of all grades” per year.
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C. E. Wilder established the factory in 1882 and invested $9,000 in its three-story building, which had an additional two-story wing located at 612 New Hampshire St. During its busy season, 65 people operated 25 machines.
employed 50 workers, and each year, it consumed $30,000 worth of raw materials. Most of those came from Douglas County, which impacted the local economy. The company produced 50,000 baskets (think peach basket) and 2,000,000 berry boxes per year. In addition, three train carloads of black walnut veneer was produced each week.
Leis Chemical Works and Patent Medicines. This company Barbed Wire Factories. manufactured medicine fruit extracts, perfume and baking powder. Its bestknown product was Himoe’s Popular Medicine. It had 25 employees.
Kansas Basket Manufacturing Co. This business became a cornerstone of Lawrence manufacturing. Its large stone building was 50 by 100 feet and three stories high. It
Lawrence had four barbed wire companies: Frye Combination Fence Works, Lawrence Barbed Wire Manufactory, Southwestern Barbed Wire Manufactory and Western Steel Fence Factory. The wire produced by these factories had individual characteristics, but they all filled the need for barbed wire fencing on the Great Plains. J.D.
40 YEARS EXPERIENCE
+
CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY
Bowersock was one of the officers in the Southwestern Barbed Wire company. Since J.D Bowersock was influential in the construction of the dam and engaged in several of the manufacturing businesses developed in the 1880s, a look at his impact is warranted. He influenced the economic development of his adopted hometown and Kansas. He was born near Columbiana, Ohio, on Sept. 19, 1842. His journey west took him to Iowa City, Iowa, in 1860, where he engaged in grain shipping and pursued other business opportunities. He then moved to Lawrence, Kansas, in 1877. Bowersock started a bank in Lawrence and engaged in the manufacture of flour, paper and barbed wire. He built and maintained the dam across the Kansas River, which powered many of the city’s manufacturers, and he served as president of the Lawrence National Bank, the Lawrence Iron Works, Griffin Ice Co. and Lawrence Paper Manufacturing, among others business establishments. Politically, Bowersock was a Republican and, like many prominent citizens of the era, held a number of elective offices. He served as mayor of Lawrence in 1881 and 1885. He was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in 1887 and the state senate in 1895. In 1898, Bowersock was elected to the first of four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, serving from March 4, 1899, to March 3, 1907. He died in Lawrence on Oct. 27, 1922. p
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Survive & Thrive? Thrive? by Jessica Thomas, LMH Health, photos from LMH Health
The LMH Health Cancer Center survivorship program provides patients with care after their cancer treatments have ended. With the national population of cancer survivors growing, there’s an increasing need to provide comprehensive cancer survivorship care to people living with and through their diagnoses. The vision of the LMH Health Cancer Center’s survivorship program is to develop a comprehensive, whole-person model of survivorship care across the continuum of cancer care. A full-time nurse navigator position was needed for the program to launch. A generous gift from the late Frank Becker and his wife, Barbara, helped finance this position. When it was first established, Frank had been at the LMH Health Cancer Center for a little more than four years. He said supporting the survivorship program and funding the position was a natural choice. “LMH Health has grown into an outstanding cancer treatment center,” Becker said in a 2018 interview. “Anytime I’ve visited, I’ve never heard anyone say a discouraging word. I’ve grown to see how good LMH Health is, and it needs a little extra help from all of us.” Amy Shealy, RN (registered nurse), started working as the survivorship program’s nurse navigator in 2020, and her position is still financed through gifts to the survivor14
ship fund at the LMH Health Foundation. The daughter of two nurses, Shealy enjoys developing relationships with the LMH Health Cancer Center patients through their survivorship journey. “I love our patients and knowing that I’m part of someone’s story,” Shealy says. “I’m glad to provide them with comfort and be the person they turn to in a very scary moment in their life.” The LMH Health Cancer Center team, alongside the Masonic Cancer Alliance, created a comprehensive survivorship care plan given to patients at their first appointment after treatment has ended. The plan outlines the important details about the patient’s journey, from their first diagnosis to their last treatment, including medications, dosages and surgery dates. The vision for a survivorship program, though created through teamwork and collaboration, really originated from patient-driven feedback and a deep need for a program like this. The survivorship team also provides a detailed care plan, outlining everything a survivor needs to do moving forward. The survivorship team continues to meet with survivors through the weeks, months and years after treatment to help make sure the survivors stay on track in all aspects of their health, from keeping up with medications
Dr. Barr with patient, photo by Jason Dailey
and regular preventative exams to checking in on their mental health. “We are the bridge between the final cancer treatment and life afterward,” Shealy explains. “The survivorship team brings it all together and looks at each person holistically to make sure they stay healthy.” She wants people to know the LMH Health Cancer Center has great resources, and community members do not have to drive an hour away for treatment. “I’ve seen the ‘big guns,’ and I know our community hospital can do just as great a job at cancer treatment,” Shealy says. “We have five wonderful physicians who treat all types of cancer, and everyone works as a team. You always feel like you’re welcome here. It has been such a great experience coming to LMH Health.” The survivorship program has been seeing patients and providing holistic care since 2018. Through the past four years, the program has been able to grow and add on, including welcoming two additional nurse navigators to the team. Shealy now specifically sees breast cancer survivors, and the additional navigators handle all other cancers. “Breast cancer patients make up over half of what we see in our oncology department,” she says. “Being able to grow and expand the dedicated team has been
amazing. As navigators, we do not collaborate with just one oncology doctor but all five that we have at the LMH Health Cancer Center. We have clearly seen the great need for a program like this and have enjoyed watching it grow.” Patients do not have to travel far from home to receive exceptional cancer treatment. The LMH Health Cancer Center—a regional destination for progressive, integrated hematology and oncology care—earned official accreditation from the Commission on Cancer (CoC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons. This accreditation, which is only awarded to institutions that can demonstrate a multidisciplinary approach to treating cancer as a complex group of diseases, followed a rigorous two-year survey process that monitored protocols, treatSOUND PRINCIPLES, SOUND SERVICE, SOUND COMMUNICATION
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ments and outcomes in LMH Health’s cancer-care units. LMH Health joins just 11 other hospitals in Kansas with this distinguished accreditation. “We have a very personal touch with our patients here,” says Jodie Barr, DO (doctor of osteopathic medicine), a physician at the LMH Health Cancer Center. “With our great nursing staff, I’d rank it as one of the top in the country. Our patients have a sense of comfort when they come in for treatment, and that’s because of our team. From clinical trials to high-risk and genetic screening, the personal care and connection is what also sets LMH Health apart from the rest. LMH is a beacon of hope for all community members, regardless of their ability to afford care.” Health care in the United States can come at a staggering cost to patients, and oncology care is no exception. As a community-owned, not-for-profit hospital, LMH Health serves the health-care needs of the community regardless of an individual’s ability to pay. Last year, LMH Health provided $35 million in financial assistance and charitable care. Generous community support over the years through the LMH Health Foundation has helped strengthen the LMH Health Cancer Center. Recently, donors have provided more than $3.25 million in funding for planned expansion and renovation for the center, which is anticipated to cost $7 million to $10 million. “The center has the providers, programs and technology to provide health care that’s not only exceptional for a community hospital, it’s among the best anywhere,” explains Rebecca Smith, LMH Health vice president of strategic communication and LMH Health Foundation executive director. “The planned expansion will ensure our facilities reflect the extraordinarily high level of care provided therein.” It’s clear the community stands behind LMH Health, Barr adds, ensuring the very best for oncology patients. “We are who we are because the community supports this hospital, and we are able to take care of everyone.” p
NON [ PROFIT ]
Aerial photo of Cottonwood Inc
A Community Treasure by Sophia Misle, photos by Steven Hertzog and Cottonwood
Cottonwood to celebrate 50 years of service in the community. This year, Cottonwood Inc. will be celebrating five decades of helping people with disabilities to shape their own futures. Thanks to Cottonwood, those with intellectual and developmental disabilities can feel empowered to work toward economic independence and learn new skills in product manufacturing and assembly work, as well as team building, collaboration and flexibility. Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Douglas and Jefferson counties receive an array of services from Cottonwood. These services include targeted case management, life-enrichment day services, work-oriented day services, residential and supported community-employment services through JobLink. 18
Working on Contract fulfillment
Packaging cargo tie down straps
Flo is busily packaging cargo tie down straps
Working on Contract fulfillment
At Cottonwood Industries, Cottonwood’s production center, 130 individuals earn income through manufacturing. Individuals can develop a range of skills including light assembly, packaging, bulk mailing, shredding and collating in a modern 66,000-square-foot facility. For more than 20 years, Cottonwood has had a contract with the United States Department of Defense (DOD) to produce cargo tie-down straps used by every branch of the military. This contract has provided persons served with opportunities to learn each step of the production line. First, the raw materials, comprised of rolls of webbing, hooks and ratchets, arrive separately. Then, the commercial sewing department sews the straps with the help of 18 commercial sewing machines. After the sewing process, the straps are packaged and delivered primarily to one of two DOD depots on the East and West Coasts. A shipment may also be requested for delivery directly to a military location other than a depot, and a supply of straps is always in the warehouse in case of an emergency. 19
Since the inception of this contract, which was renewed for another five years in 2019, Cottonwood has produced more than 8.5 million straps. The Department of Defense awarded Cottonwood the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Award for exceptional service, and nine consecutive Gold Medal Awards have been awarded from the Defense Supply Center of Richmond, Virginia.
“It’s anywhere from banding them into fours, banding them into twos, boxing them up,” says Duane Turnbull, director of work services. “Maybe they’ll come to us in cases of 50, and they want them in cases of 25.”
In addition to the contract with the DOD, Cottonwood Industries partners with a number of other regional companies for manufacturing, packaging and fulfillment work. Packaging is one of the Cottonwood team’s specialties, and individuals can bag, box, kit, label, seal, insert, use shrink wrap, complete blister packaging and fill bottles, jars and tubes.
“We’re helping people to shape their own future,” says Sharon Spratt, CEO of Cottonwood. “From our roots, we’ve always had a very entrepreneurial spirit.”
One business partner, a manufacturer of plastic cups, receives Cottonwood’s assistance to help band the cups together for retail distribution. These cups are primarily used at events and games for collegiate and professional sports teams. Recently, Cottonwood has helped with cups for the rebranded Cleveland Guardians and sticker placement on Kansas City Royals cups.
Organizing the Cottonwood warehouse
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Cottonwood continually to try to find ways to help those served learn new skills and obtain opportunities to lead rich and fulfilling lives.
Don’t miss Cottonwood’s annual fundraiser, “Salute! A Festival of Wine and Food.” •
This event kicks off on Thursday, July 14, with the Mass St. Mosey, followed by the Winemaker Dinner on Friday, July 15, and the Grand Tasting and Auctions on July 16.
•
Tickets go on sale June 1. For more information, visit salutewinefest.com. p
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Manufacturing:
Building a
Stronger
Economy When choosing a home base for a manufacturing business, the positives are plentiful here in Douglas County. by Emily Mulligan, photos by Steven Hertzog
Brushed concrete floors, glossy and sparkling clean. Immaculate stainless steel surfaces. LED numbers displayed in red and green on electronic gauges. The whir of air purifiers overhead. Is it a hospital? A commercial kitchen? No, it’s a typical modern manufacturing facility. Gone are the days that most manufacturing jobs entail dusty, grimy workplaces. Now, when you enter a manufacturing business, you are more likely to see pristine machinery and high-tech robotics—even in the simplest of operations. This isn’t your grandparents’ industry anymore. “We’ve struggled against the perception of manufacturing as dirty and repetitive. This isn’t ‘Laverne & Shirley.’ These are highly technical, clean environments, because so much of manufacturing is automated,” says Tiffany Stovall, president and CEO of Kansas Manufacturing Solutions. Believe it or not, Kansas ranks 12th in the nation for the percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) from man22
ufacturing, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and Kansas Manufacturing Solutions 2021 annual report. There are almost 174,000 manufacturing jobs in Kansas, including about 5,000 in Douglas County, according to the same report. The average manufacturing job in Kansas pays $59,650 per year, much above the average non-manufacturing salary of $48,000 to $49,000 per year, Stovall says. Most of Kansas’ manufacturing jobs are centered in metropolitan areas, and Douglas County would not typically qualify as its own metropolitan area. Yet, we are home to many longtime, successful manufacturing operations, and we add more every year. “Douglas County is a company town, as in the University,
Economist Donna Ginther, Director of the Institute for Policy & Social Research
which has an outsize impact on our industrial mix,” says Donna Ginther, professor of economics and director of the Institute for Policy and Social Research at the University of Kansas (KU). Ginther says manufacturing in Kansas accounts for about 16 percent of the state’s GDP, while manufacturing is about 11 percent of Douglas County’s GDP; KU and government are about 25 percent of Douglas County’s GDP. So the county is below the state’s average for manufacturing revenue, but that in no way means that manufacturing in Douglas County is below average in any other sense. As many large and small local manufacturers can attest, Douglas County has attributes that make it appealing and provide advantages to manufacturing businesses. And many of those characteristics set Douglas County apart from other locations in Kansas. Of course, the county also has a few challenges with which manufacturers must contend. Many of those challenges, such as workforce shortages and supply-chain issues, are affecting manufacturers statewide—and nationwide. However, if recent establishments and growth are any indication, the positives of this location greatly outweigh the negatives.
INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION IS KEY
Traditionally, manufacturing in Kansas has comprised two main categories: aviation and agriculture processing. Those industries both continue to thrive statewide, but they are not the thrust of manufacturing in northeast Kansas or in Douglas County. “We also have a lot of manufacturing in chemicals, food manufacturers and processors, and transportation equipment in Kansas. We have trailer manufacturers and a lot of places that make specific pieces and parts for cars and buses,” Stovall says. Ginther points to Garmin, a manufacturer of GPS, as an example of a high-tech manufacturer that chose to locate in northeast Kansas. Most of those operations predate what was a seminal establishment in northeast Kansas in 2015 and is having a large impact on manufacturers in Douglas County, as well: the Logistics Park Kansas City Intermodal Facility in GardnerEdgerton, which unifies transportation modes and routes like never before.
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“That operation has exploded and has changed our area. We are very close to that; it even encroaches on DeSoto. Lawrence is merging into the outer Kansas City area. That is why you see a lot of development on the east side of town,” says Kate Chinn, franchise owner and CEO of Lawrence Express Employment Professionals. Stovall says the intermodal facility has tremendously enhanced the appeal of northeast Kansas as a place that manufacturers want to locate. “We already had a central location. Now we are at the crossroads of interstates and an intermodal hub, which includes train or plane, national or international,” she says.
DOUGLAS COUNTY MANUFACTURING
Lawrence and Eudora are home to two longtime industrial parks, East Hills Business Park and Intech Business Park, respectively, which house many manufacturing operations. A third industrial park, VenturePark, was more recently established on the site of the former Farmland Industries plant in Lawrence and has sites for further potential manufacturing. The Lawrence area is also home to traditional manufacturers such as Lawrence Paper Co., Berry Global and Hallmark Cards. “We have unique manufacturers here in Douglas County that are not necessarily related to agriculture, even though we grow wheat as a mainstay of our economy in Kansas,” Chinn explains. “We have a medical device company. We have the largest garage door manufacturer in the world. There are amazing companies here.” Both Chinn and Stovall emphasize that manufacturers need all sorts of workers for many different jobs, not just the people who fill the production lines or warehouse operations. So when a manufacturer chooses to locate in the county, it will seek a workforce that offers a variety of skills. “You just don’t think about how many different positions manufacturers need at so many levels. I do professional placements for engineers, drafters and finance positions, not just production,” Chinn says.
Though there are, and likely always will be, many positions and opportunities at the entry level in manufacturing, the operations—just like the rest of the world—are increasingly technical. Manufacturers require a skilled labor force, people who have at least some technical training, to fill positions such as CNC (computer numerical control) machinist, a precision programming ability. “If you’re going to attract a manufacturer to a county, one of the first things they’ll ask is, ‘What is the skilled workforce, and what are the training supports?’ ” Stovall says. The Dwayne Peaslee Technical Training Center, aka Peaslee Tech, opened in Lawrence in 2015. Prior to that, other than some high school classes in the trades, Douglas County did not have local training opportunities for a skilled workforce. Peaslee Tech now partners local industry and the school district to provide skilled training and certifications for current and future manufacturing employees. Now there can be a direct pipeline to feed skilled employees to local employers. And local students can now envision themselves in those workplaces with careers that keep them in Douglas County. “Peaslee Tech offers great promise. That’s where you get your skilled technical workforce,” Ginther says.
WORKFORCE CHALLENGES The Great Resignation—the nickname given to all of the workforce changes during the COVID-19 pandemic—absolutely has affected manufacturers. However, as Chinn says, manufacturers already were experiencing labor gaps and labor shortages for about 10 years before the pandemic, as baby boomers were retiring, and there were not enough young skilled laborers to replace them. Local manufacturers have had to increase pay to recruit and retain production staff. Chinn says wages were increasing pre-COVID, and they increased significantly again just in the past year. “For example, an entry-level production position, say, packaging a product into a box now has a starting wage of about $16 per hour. A few years ago, that same position would have paid $12 to $13 per hour,” she says.
Stovall’s Kansas Manufacturing Solutions does outreach specifically to inform communities and students of the range of jobs and careers that manufacturers can offer to them.
Ginther notes that although the wages have increased dramatically in some instances, it might not always be enough of an increase to keep up with the recent spikes in inflation.
“Yes, there are shop floors that need people who are welders. Do you like to talk to people? They also need a sales force. They look for talent coming out of universities too, like engineering and accounting,” she says.
Stovall says employees are feeling more empowered to speak up and ask for what they want. Some are using their collective voices to push for more flexible work scheduling and even changing long-established shift hours of some manufacturers.
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FUTURE MANUFACTURING Ginther says we only need look as far as today’s headlines to see what needs to change in the future of manufacturing. Thanks to the shortages and shipping delays of the past year, the term “supply chain” has made its way into almost every American’s vocabulary. “Strategically outsourcing production to other countries comes at a cost that we’re paying right now when we can’t get the goods. For the benefit of the economy, we need to rethink manufacturing coming back here to the U.S.,” she says. Stovall says many companies sent production operations overseas to save money. “It’s not as cheap overseas now, and if you can’t get your product, it doesn’t matter how cheap it is,” she adds. Companies and manufacturers will need to focus their attention on building regional and local supply chains, and sourcing locally to avoid these problems in the future, she says. On the local front, both Ginther and Chinn point to KU’s planned development of Innovation Park to both grow and pull talent from KU in ways that will benefit the local economy, including local manufacturers. “We need more high-tech spin-offs from the University and other industry. Ames, Iowa, has grown and developed a manufacturing setting with Iowa State University, and possibly we could do something similar at KU,” Ginther says.
Owner Kate Chin of Lawrence Express Employment Professionals at Plastikon to discuss employment candidates
“Several manufacturing companies here have changed to Monday through Thursday 12-hour shifts. Then they have a whole other crew that works Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The core staff was getting burned out, and they became aware that people would just up and quit,” Chinn says. The weekend shifts have a pay differential, and companies have started to pay incentive bonuses for employees after six months and 12 months of employment in order to retain them, she adds. Stovall says many manufacturers have begun to offer paid time off to hourly employees, something hourly workers do not usually have and was previously unheard of. Some manufacturing companies also now offer financial counseling and mental health counseling to employees in an attempt to supply more benefits to employees and differentiate themselves, Stovall and Chinn agree. 26
Chinn believes a couple of practical matters need to be addressed in Douglas County, particularly for people who work second and third shifts, and weekend hours. “There is nobody in this town who has third-shift child care, and it’s becoming a huge issue in Douglas County,” she explains. Ideally, a child-care center should be located near businesses so parents can easily drop off and pick up their child before or after work, Chinn says. There are conversations taking place in town and with The Chamber to work toward solutions. The other challenge is that city-run public transportation does not operate 24 hours per day. So workers may only have bus transport either going to or coming home from work. If they do not have a car, they either have to rely on others or pay for private transportation, neither of which is a sustainable solution, she adds. Ginther says the opportunity for growth in manufacturing in Douglas County is good for everyone who lives here. “Having good jobs for all residents is paramount, and we could really benefit from having more jobs here as opposed to commuting to Topeka and Johnson County,” she says. p
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Caramelo tortillas ready for packaging. Right: Reuben Leal keeps an eye on all production at Caramelo’s Tortilla. Making and packaging tortillas.
Food Production.. ...Tortillas, Pretzels & Grass-Fed Lamb Traditional and not-so-traditional fare is manufactured right here in Lawrence, providing jobs and revenue to the city. by Bob Luder, photos by Steven Hertzog
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It’s highly likely that, at one time or another, you’ve eaten a piece of food and pondered about where it came from. Perhaps a juicy, flavorful orange ignited thoughts of sunny Florida. Dipping a chip into a bowl of delicious guacamole brought about visions of Mexican beaches. Or a perfectly grilled rib-eye steak conjured feelings of cattle grazing on a central prairie. But did you know there are food products created and made right here in Lawrence? Maybe not many, but especially if you’re a fan of tasty snack foods or fresh lamb meat, you’d do quite well to narrow the search to local. Three such manufacturers create traditional and nontraditional foods in Lawrence. And all are relative newcomers to the city’s manufacturing and food scene. Caramelo makes simple, authentic Sonoran tortillas from its expanding, one-room manufacturing facility in east Lawrence. Owner Ruben Leal began recreating his favorite flour tortillas from his Mexican homeland in 2018 but just moved into his new space off Ninth and Pennsylvania streets last April. In the meantime, he’s also gone from selling tortillas to local markets and food service providers, to selling internationally and having his business featured in several prominent national publications. Pretzels Inc. added its third plant to its original two in Indiana to support another huge pretzel manufacturer nearby and, in so doing, became the first major tenant in Lawrence’s newly developed Venture Park. And Central Grazing Co., with a warehouse in Lawrence and two parcels of grazing land in Douglas County, utilizes regenerative farming practices and sustainable, regional food systems to produce food that respects not only the animals but the land and people who work on it. Not only are all three companies experiencing growth and success on their own, they provide the city benefits, both tangible and intangible. “Of course, the ability to employ workers is one tangible plus for the city,” says Jana Tuttle, human resources manager at Pretzels Inc. The Lawrence plant employs 70, and plans are to increase to 300-plus over the next three to five years. 29
Making and packaging tortillas.
“We make a conscious effort to pay a comparable and fair wage for the Lawrence area,” Tuttle says. “They’re spending most of that money locally. We’re also providing opportunities for people to come in and learn a skill. We’re partnering with Peaslee Tech to get people skills and place them here or in other similar industries. We’ve partnered with the school district to show students there are a lot of opportunities in manufacturing. “There are a lot of growth opportunities,” she adds.
Straight From Home
Leal’s Caramelo tortilla company basically came about as a product of homesickness. Born and raised in Hermosillo, in the state of Sonora in Mexico, just south of the Mexico-Arizona border, Leal came to the U.S. to attend college at the University of Arizona in Tucson, where he met his then wife, a native Kansan, and followed her first to Austin, Texas, and then to Lawrence. All the while, the delicious tortillas his mother made the family growing up were never far from his thoughts—or probably closer to the point, his cravings. “It all started with missing tortillas from home,” he says. “I started experimenting in the kitchen. I found a random recipe online to use as a base and started tweaking it. I went to my mom’s funeral in Hermosillo and, while I was down there, I found her tortilla press. 30
“It just grew from there,” Leal explains. “At first, I thought, it’s a lot of work (starting a business). But I decided to give it a try.” Leal named his company Caramelo, paying tribute to the name of the street tacos he ate growing up in Hermosillo. Originally, he set up shop in 2018 in a tiny, 900-squarefoot space at 19th and Massachusetts streets, where he started making one tortilla at a time and selling strictly locally to The Merc Co-op, at Ninth and Iowa streets. Leal says demand for his product grew quickly. What started out as four to five employees in a cramped space has now grown to eight employees in a 3,200-square-foot building on Lawrence’s booming east side. Caramelo produces 35,000 tortillas per week and sells to restaurants all around the country, including six in Denver, all the other 49 states, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The company also ships directly for online orders. It has a strong social media presence, with 20,000-plus followers on Instagram. Meanwhile, Leal says The Merc sells about 150 dozen Caramelo tortillas per week. The secret to what makes Caramelo tortillas so tasty, he says, lies in the simplicity of the process. Leal makes just three types of tortillas: those made with pork fat, duck fat and avocado oil. Each tortilla adds just water, sea salt and wheat flour to one of those ingredients. “I think keeping it simple is what makes it special,” he says. “We live in a world where things sit on shelves. These tortillas only keep for three weeks; but you can freeze them.
“It’s funny, but some buddies back home (in Mexico) asked me to send some down,” Leal laughs. Caramelo tortillas has drawn attention from such prestigious publications as The Wall Street Journal, which featured the company in a 2019 profile, Bon Appétit, Food and Wine and People magazines. Leal says he wants to add corn tortillas to the company’s repertoire and expand his existing work space later this year. “A lot of people want to drive to Lawrence just to get tortillas,” Leal says with pride. “It’s a really unique product.”
Making and packaging tortillas.
A “Twisted” Story
Lawrence has another nearby giant in the pretzel industry to thank for bringing it the first major tenant to Venture Park, the huge development on the eastern edge of the city. However, the roots of Pretzels Inc. go back much further, to 1978, when Bill Mann, whose father was the first pretzel maker to move west of Pennsylvania in the early 20th century, teamed up with friend Bill Huggins to provide pretzels for other companies’ products. They hit the road and headed farther west in search of a place to establish roots when their car broke down in Bluffton, Indiana. The mechanic who worked on their car said he knew of a facility that might suit their needs perfectly. Pretzels Inc. was born. In addition to the Bluffton facility, a second facility in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, was established but burned down in 2015. The company decided to add a second facility in Indiana, in Plymouth, in 2017. All the while, Pretzels Inc. was supplying pretzels to Dot’s Homestyle Pretzels at its headquarters plant in North Dakota. Dot’s has one of its largest facilities in Gardner, just 30 miles southeast of Lawrence.
Left: Top to bottom Jana Tuttle, HR Manager Noah Pogany, Baker, is measuring ingredients for making the pretzel dough Pretzels can be seen dropping at the turn around for additional baking Dough is extruded onto the belt. The Lawrence bakery makes twisted rod pretzels. The dough will be cut to make a bite size rod.
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“That facility’s needs increased, so we looked for a facility closer to further support Dot’s needs,” human resources manager Tuttle says. The company looked at 20 different sites in the Kansas City area, she explains, but settled on Lawrence and Venture Park because of strong support from the City and Chamber of Commerce. “We broke ground in November 2020,” Tuttle says. “We had our first sellable products in August of 2021. It was a pretty quick turnaround.” The 150,000-square-foot Pretzels Inc. facility, highly visible as you drive into town from the east on 23rd Street, contains two spindle ovens, which produce 70,000 pounds of braided pretzels every day. Those twisted treats are bulk-packed into 34-pound boxes and shipped the short distance to Dot’s in Gardner, where they’re seasoned and packaged for distribution. Currently, the Lawrence facility creates and bakes just
the braided pretzel. The Plymouth plant produces pretzels filled with everything from peanut butter to almond butter, and also houses the company’s innovation facility; the Bluffton plant makes what are called extruded snacks— corn puffs, cheese curls and the like. “(The Lawrence facility) was made big enough to grow,” Tuttle says. “There’s potential for a lot of growth here.” Pretzels Inc. won’t be able to find more hours in the day to bake pretzels, however. The plant runs 24/7. Tuttle says thus far, the company has weathered installing a new facility in the heart of a worldwide pandemic just fine. “Our progress has been positive and steady,” she says. “We’re all still wearing masks and taking extra safety precautions. This is such a new process for the area … I think it piques the interest of a lot of people. Finding people who work in food is always challenging, but it’s nice we get to train people from the ground floor.” 35
Regenerative Agriculture
As a youngster growing up in southwest Missouri, Jacqueline Smith witnessed firsthand the disappearance of small, family-run businesses, particularly farms, because of the encroachment, consolidation and expansion of large, industrial agricultural operations. It affected her deeply. “My family was in construction and, growing up, I saw that industries that were there to support families like mine were disappearing,” Smith says. “Consolidation of the agriculture industry dried up opportunities for small farmers. This caused a major crisis in the farming community. I knew agriculture was important to push opportunities in multiple reaches throughout our communities.” Instead of retreating from the challenges facing farmers across the U.S., Smith jumped into the fray. “I got involved with agriculture at a young age,” she says. At the turn of the century, Smith cofounded a small regenerative sheep dairy north of Kansas City. With that business, she focused on taking soils from land used to raise crops and turning it back into natural pastureland.
Jacqueline Smith, Central Grazing Company, photos by Leia Marasovich
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Smith says she “built a business structure that helps others in the industry,” and over the next 15 years, the sheep dairy and creamery went from being the lone sheep dairy in the area to being among 12. Smith embarked on a simi-
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Jacqueline and her two children Elliot and Liam, photos by Leia Marasovich
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lar business with Central Grazing Co. in 2015. Instead of producing sheep milk, she started buying sheep from many of the sheep dairies in the area and raises around 400 on her two locations in north Douglas County, producing and delivering a humanely raised grass-fed lamb to customers across the country through online orders, which can be taken at www.centralgrazingco.com.
she adds, a business practice that was challenging in good times but made even more challenging during the COVID-19 pandemic. She currently contracts with processors in Iowa, Kansas and Missouri.
However, the business goes beyond that. Not only does Smith care greatly about the current food and supply chain systems, she also cares about animal welfare.
Central Grazing Co. has a warehouse in Lawrence that handles all the company’s customer fulfillment. In addition to lamb meat, the company also sells wool and leather goods. It has three full-time employees and eight contracted employees, but she hopes to grow to a staff of at least 42 during the next few years with the help of government grants and private investments. Smith plans to eventually secure her company—and other like businesses in the region—with its own processing facility in the not-so-distant future.
“I’m a strong believer that you cannot have good animal welfare without taking care of the soil,” says Smith, Central Grazing’s CEO. She says most sheep eventually are sold at auction and end up in feedlots. However, the sheep she purchases are placed in pastures and allowed to graze and live humanely, free of hormones and other drug additives. Flocks are rotated to different grazing paddocks every 24 hours and don’t return to that paddock for at least 90 days, allowing for long root systems to develop in growing grass and leaf growth. That, Smith says, makes the land more resilient when water is scarce. Central Grazing uses contractors for meat processing,
“Processing is a scarcity since COVID,” she says. “There’s not enough processing …We’re doing the best we can. It gets very complicated logistically.”
“I want to create a pathway for new and beginning partners to have access to land,” she says. “I want to build land infrastructure, keep land in agriculture production through niche markets. I want to help stabilize the smallfarming industry, all while improving the diversity of the natural landscape.” p 39
HOMEGROWN
INNOVATION Lawrence manufacturers create local value by producing their products right here.
by Anne Brockhoff, photos by Steven Hertzog
Lawrence isn’t usually thought of as a manufacturing town, so it’s startling to discover how many everyday products are produced here. Companies big and small underpin the local economy as they make plastic to-go cups, dog kibble, souvenir pint glasses and more, often while leading the way in technological innovation, environmental sustainability and workforce development. 40
“A lot of people find it surprising how important and how vital it is,” says Steve Kelly, vice president of economic development at the Lawrence Chamber/Economic Development Council of Douglas County. “Quite a number of manufacturers in this community have a significant impact on the economy.” The proof is in the numbers. Manufacturing employs almost 5,000 people in Douglas County, according to Kansas Manufacturing Solutions’ 2021 Manufacturing in Kansas Report. Companies also spend on raw materials and services, pay city and
(above) Steve Kelly, VP of Economic Development Lawrence Chamber/ Economic Development Council of Douglas County New warehouse at Grandstand Glassware & Apparel
state taxes, and donate time and resources to numerous nonprofits and agencies. All that resonates through the region’s economy, helping to stabilize it by balancing the larger education, health care, retail and hospitality sectors. “Different sectors of the economy wax and wane on different schedules,” Kelly says. “Sometimes when one is up, the other is down or vice versa. Diversity helps even it out.” That’s never been more true than in the past year and a half, when COVID-19 shutdowns devastated restaurants, retail stores and other businesses in Lawrence. Manufacturers have also faced challenges, particularly disruptions to labor and supply chains, but they’ve overall been able to maintain employment and output. “They were agile, made adjustments and implemented safety protocols, and demand for goods was strong, which benefited the local economy,” Kelly says. “A lot of our companies have been really very strong throughout the pandemic.” 41
Berry Strong Among them is the publicly traded Berry Global Inc., which entered the Lawrence market 25 years ago with the purchase of Packer Plastics, a drinkware maker that opened here in 1969. Berry uses injection molding, thermoform production and dry offset printing to make, decorate and distribute everything from ice cream and margarine packaging to plastic drink cups in its 440,000-square-foot plant in Lawrence and a 560,000-square-foot warehouse near Lecompton. “In almost every case, it’s a turnkey manufacturing process here,” says Ross Freese, engineering manager at the company’s Berry Plastics unit in Lawrence. “We talk frequently about going from pellet to pallet with the products we produce,” referring to the polypropylene pellets that are the base material for most products. It’s not just about making things, though. It’s about making them as sustainably as possible, says Jeff Mann, Berry Global’s executive vice president for innovation and sustainability. Its marquee example is a clear plastic cup that Berry developed and is now ubiquitous in restaurants, convenience stores and food-service outlets. It’s made from polypropylene, a thermoform polymer that requires less material and energy to manufacture, emits fewer greenhouse gasses and is easier to recycle. “We launched that technology here in Lawrence” in 2006, says Mann, who notes that Berry holds more than 30 active patents in the drinking-cup category alone. Designing a more sustainable cup fits well into Berry’s overall “30 by 30” strategy, which aims to use 30 percent recycled or renewable resin plastics by 2030. The company is also working to develop more efficient recycling technology and is collaborating with recycling facilities and food-service companies such as Wendy’s to further that goal. “It’s all about keeping valuable resources in the loop and keeping them in their highest value form,” says Diane Marret, Berry’s sustainability director for consumer packaging, North America. The same goes for Berry’s most valuable resource: people. The company sponsors internships and teacher “boot camps” to highlight opportunities, and recruits from area high schools and colleges. Employee programs Berry top to bottom: Injection molding with an In Mold Labeling (IML) process used to produce dessert/snack containers Dry offset printing with 8-color decorating capability Production of thermoform drink cups for the quick serve restaurant and convenience store markets Production of frozen food packaging in an 850 ton injection molding machine with robotic part handling
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AS PART OF THE LAWRENCE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 50 YEARS, WE ARE EXCITED TO BE EXPANDING & ADDING JOBS
Always advancing to protect what’s important. by Anne Brockhoff, photos by Steven Hertzog www.berryglobal.com
Exterior of The J.M. Smucker facility in Lawrence, Ks
(referred to internally as “Berry University”) include corporate online training, paid tuition to technical and junior colleges, and a leadership training curriculum developed in partnership with the Dwayne Peaslee Technical Training Center, in Lawrence. Berry is currently expanding its production facility, which will add about 85 jobs and bring the number of employees in Douglas County to 950. Of those, about 60 have been with the company for 25 years and three for more than 50, explains Freese, himself a 33-year veteran who’s proud of how the company has grown in Lawrence. “We have had a really strong growth trajectory for the 25 years we’ve been a part of Berry,” he adds. “There’s a lot of long-tenured, really committed people working here at the facility.”
Keeping Pace With Dog Food Demand The same could be said of J.M. Smucker Co., a publicly owned company with more than 140 employees in Lawrence. The plant opened in 1978 and began producing dog food three years later. J.M. Smucker bought it in 2015 and has continued to make capital investments, often using local contract construction labor and buying Kansasbuilt equipment. Its 236,000-square-foot manufacturing and warehouse facility now produces about 2 million pounds of Kibbles 44
’n Bits and Gravy Train dry dog foods daily. It’s a startto-finish process that turns raw ingredients into dog food that’s then packaged, palletized and distributed. That’s proved no easy feat in recent years, when the “pandemic puppy” boom upped demand, and supply chain disruptions roiled the industry. Still, “Our team has done an incredible job of managing through these challenges to continue to keep products on shelf,” plant manager Taylor Yoest says. And they did it while helping J.M. Smucker meet its 2020 environmental impact goals, he explains. The plant diverted waste from the landfill; moved to a more efficient and effective method of dry cleaning during operations, which reduced water usage; and lowered overall greenhouse gas emissions by using reverse osmosis filtering and heat-reclaim systems to improve its steam generation process. Giving back to Lawrence remained important, too. J.M. Smucker sponsors the University of Kansas School of Mechanical Engineering Senior Capstone Project and supports Peaslee Tech and other agencies, nonprofits and programs. “We are very proud to be a part of the Lawrence community and appreciate the far-reaching support we have received from community leaders and residents,” Yoest says. “It is important to us that we reciprocate that support.”
Speakers by MartinLogan Head engineer for MartinLogan Joe Vojtko Director of Inside Operations & General Manager Meaghan Lohmeyer
Staying Local After the Sale When a hometown manufacturer sells to a bigger company, the hope is that production will remain in place. That’s what happened with Berry Global and J.M. Smucker. The story of MartinLogan, a high-end speaker company, unfolds a little differently. MartinLogan founders Gayle Martin Sanders and Ron Logan Sutherland met in the 1970s and began selling their electrostatic speakers in the 1980s. It was an entirely new take on speaker technology, one that uses a thin diaphragm sandwiched between two perforated grids instead of the voice coil typically used in dynamic speakers. Combined with MartinLogan’s curved panels, the speakers produce cleaner, more complete sound. “Electrostatic speakers produce a three-dimensional sound,” says Meagan Lohmeyer, MartinLogan’s director of inside operations and general manager. “It sounds much the way it does when it’s being recorded. “Nobody else was doing it,” nor are they now, she says. “It really is a proprietary technology.” The Lawrence-based company quickly grew—so quickly that in 1990, Inc. Magazine named MartinLogan one of the 500 fastestgrowing privately owned companies in the U.S. That success caught the attention of ShoreView Industries, and the private equity firm bought MartinLogan in 2005. In 2019, industry veteran Scott Bagby bought MartinLogan, Paradigm Electronics (which Bagby had founded) and Anthem Electronics from ShoreView. Production was consolidated in Canada, a move that pared MartinLogan’s Lawrence location back to 16 employees. Within that small footprint, though, lies the heart MartinLogan’s unique culture and creativity, Lohmeyer says. The in-house design, engineering, accounting, finance, inside sales and operations staff remain in Lawrence and, from here, guide the brand’s 46
continuous evolution with the support of its parent company. “For us, it was a really big win,” she says. Paradigm “recognizes that although we’re manufactured in their facility (in Canada), they can’t replicate what we do here.” MartinLogan has maintained what she describes as a healthy, encouraging and positive environment during the pandemic. The company initially furloughed all but four employees, but then brought them all back as at-home work patterns and stimulus checks combined to increase demand for home stereo systems. Lohmeyer expects that to continue. “Because we come to the table with such a unique technology and as long as people want to listen to music the way it was recorded,” MartinLogan’s business model is sustainable, she says. “What we do here is something known all around the world. I would think that would make Lawrence proud.”
Lawrence-Proud Allen Press is similarly Lawrence-proud. Founded in 1935, the East Lawrence mainstay’s 160 employees share a single goal: to help clients distribute information as quickly and accurately as possible. “We make sure those two are always compatible,” says Mark Kohlhase, who took the helm as CEO in July 2021. “That’s what drives our system and our enhancements. We aren’t sacrificing one for the other.” Core businesses include full-service print production for publications (including this one), trade printing and digital production, and it strives to find innovative ways to deliver those products. The company added die-cutting and foil-finishing technology after realizing that bringing those processes in-house would allow it to more quickly and cheaply deliver the custom-shaped advertising inserts, 3-D print effects and other finishes customers wanted. Allen Press also offers marketing services, multichannel advertising sales programs and professional, nonprofit association management services, as well as publishing services for scholarly societies, university presses and nonprofit associations. That last combines editorial processes with technology that enables rapid dissemination of information, something that Kohlhase says proved essential during the early days of the pandemic.
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Some of Allen Press’s scholarly journal partners were already focused on infection research, and they “really put a premium on getting manuscripts through the content-management process and making them available to other researchers as quickly as possible,” he explains. “Then we had to make it easy to find those materials in terms of discoverability.” Allen Press is equally focused on boosting internal efficiency, and the company was already transitioning to Microsoft Teams and “bulking up” its data infrastructure when the spread of COVID-19 pushed both staff and clients to begin working remotely, Kohlhase continues. Other back-office system improvements made in recent years include installation of Kodak InSite, a prepress portal for managing artwork submission and approval, and EFI Enterprise software to streamline its workflow and better analyze potential revenue and cost-savings opportunities. “It’s really a soup-to-nuts solution for handling data and information,” he says. “It provides continuity from developing a cost estimate for a customer all the way through planning how that piece is going to be manufactured.” 47
Bindery area of the plant floor. Allen Press offers both saddle-stitched and perfect bound binding options in-house. The production floor, including the bindery, is approximately 75,000 square feet (Inset) Mark Kohlhase, CEO, is pictured by the Brausse Die Cutter and Foil Stamper
For all the tech, Allen Press is fully aware of its reliance on a natural resource: paper. It offers Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper and participates in PrintReleaf, a program that calculates how many trees were harvested for a print product and replants an equivalent number. Allen Press also recycles 100 percent of its paper, aluminum, corrugated cardboard and other byproducts, which adds up to 270,000 pounds of material each month, according to a company press release. “We do whatever we can to make sure we’re using those materials as responsibly and as efficiently as possible,” Kohlhase says.
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Entrepreneurial Power With its 87-year history, it’s easy to forget that Allen Press was once an entrepreneurial start-up. Lawrence is still rife with such activity, and it’s essential, the Chamber’s Kelly says. “Companies started by entrepreneurs are really, really important,” he continues. “We take a lot of pride in a company that’s started here. It’s a critical piece of the business makeup of any community.” One example is Grandstand Glassware & Apparel, a screen printing and design company that launched in 1988 and now has 205 employees and more than 10,000 customers. More than half are craft breweries; the rest are distilleries, wineries and other craft-beverage producers, owner Chris Piper says. Grandstand sells apparel,
Top to Bottom Water bottles designed in partnership with Camelbak Grandstand employees work out in their facility gym with personal trainer Thomas Bachert Employees at Grandstand attend an innovation workshop Warehouse employee cleans glassware before being packaged for shipping
drinkware and licensed merchandise, including some in partnership with German glassmaker Rastal and CamelBak, which is known for water bottles and other hydration gear. Grandstand also has an in-house creative agency called 88 Design Group, which helps customers integrate merchandise with their marketing goals. That was key in 2020, when merchandise became a lifeline for breweries, distilleries and other beverage businesses that had to shutter on-premise retail operations. Grandstand kept pace with demand and was even able to add 100,000 square feet to its facility in 2021 in the East Hills Industrial Park. The company also recently created a position for an innovation manager, who holds monthly meetings to evaluate challenges and opportunities; launched a revamped website; started a leadership training program for employees in collaboration with Johnson County Community College; and changed its mission statement to reflect a combined focus on people and innovation. “We talk about innovation, not only from a technology standpoint but a process standpoint. Whatever it is, why are we doing it that way? Is there a better way to do it?” Piper asks. “I’m a huge believer in each day wanting to get a little better.” p 49
Producing Culinary Diversity by Bob Luder, photos by Steven Hertzog
Whether missing the tastes of the homeland or simply trying to eat healthier, a distinct collection of culinary offerings exists in Lawrence because of its cultural diversity. Having a large, prominent university as its centerpiece fairly ensures Lawrence’s status as one of the most diverse cities in the Midwest, if not the United States. A sizeable population of international students, many with family members who have moved here with them—as well as those who came to study at the University of Kansas years ago and stayed after graduation—supplies Lawrence with a multiplicity of beliefs, lifestyles and cultures that only enhances the city as a melting pot and a place where people of different backgrounds come together and learn from each other for the common good. Then there’s the food. 50
It seems an entire world of culinary offerings has sprung up in the city as a natural by-product of its diverse population, not to mention what seems another of Lawrence’s taglines: its reputation as one of the hippest towns around. Some of those delicious international foods are manufactured right here. Some, like Mohammad Al-zaiti, president of Mediterranean Market & Café, started making food from their homeland because they missed it and couldn’t find it locally. Finding his offerings popular with locals both international and native to the area, Al-zaiti simply decided to stay after graduating with his electrical engineering degree and has been selling authentic Mediterranean food out of his café and market for nearly 25 years. Other food manufacturing companies were created more as attempts to help the local population eat healthy and live sustainably for the good of the people and the envi-
Homemade Mediterranean delights in the Mediterranean Café showcase
ronment. When Central Soyfoods LLC, which has been making and selling tofu in Lawrence since 1978, was in threat of closing a couple of years ago, local couple Martin and Danielle Maigaard bought it and, despite challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, are producing and selling up to a ton of tofu per week. In 2015, Sarah Salzman began fermenting locally produced produce, seconds that otherwise would have been discarded. A little more than a year ago, she converted the garage of her home into a fermentation facility where she creates tasty sauerkraut, kimchi, hot sauce and miso. If you wish to eat healthy or simply try and enjoy an alternative fare, all while knowing much of it comes from ingredients and manufacturing processes right here in town, Lawrence is the place to be. “I’ve worked in the local food scene for a long time … ” says Martin Maigaard, owner/operator of Central Soyfoods LLC. “It’s good to see the products on the shelves that came from local sources. I think it’s good for the local image. “It’s great to have a regional food system, and to have the hub of that in Lawrence is a great community draw,” he says.
Creating a Taste of Home Mohammad Al-zaiti arrived in Lawrence from his native Jordan in the 1990s intending to study to become an electrical engineer. He loved the town and university, but at the same time missed certain aspects of home, like family and food. “When I got here, I started looking for Mediterranean food but couldn’t find any,” he says. “So I decided to make it myself. I quickly discovered that many of my friends and classmates liked it.” Al-zaiti thought this might be a way to make a little spending money while in college. He says he started small, making and selling Mediterranean food out of a tiny space on south Iowa Street. A couple of years later, something happened that would permanently change the course of his life. “A realtor came to me and said he had this space, it already had a walk-in freezer in it … . It was move-in ready,” Al-zaiti says. The space was in a strip mall at the popular and busy corner of Kasold Drive and Bob Billings Parkway. Al-zaiti moved his business there in 2000, and Mediterranean Market & Café is there to this day. 51
Al-zaiti is quick to point out there are many facets to the business. There’s the café, which offers traditional Mediterranean fare such as falafel, baba ghannouj, hummus, shawarma beef, chicken and lamb gyros, all made with care from homemade ingredients. In the same room as the café is the market, a grocery store stocked with hummus, olive oils, beans, grains, nuts and a plethora of assortments of other native foods. Mohammad Ak-zaiti, owner of Mediterranean Café filling containers for local grocery stores A fine selection of home made Baklawa, a Lebanese Baklava
“Each country (bordering the Mediterranean Sea) puts its own touch on the foods they consume,” Al-zaiti says. “The farther you get from the old country, portions get bigger, there’s more fat in it.” His business also distributes much of the food it creates, such as hummus, feta dips and feta cheese, to local grocery stores and food-service providers. “The KU Union buys halal meat from us for its Muslim students,” says Al-zaiti, who handles all distribution himself. “We supply restaurants and small businesses with products like olives and olive oil.” Early on, he says his clientele consisted mostly of international students and faculty, along with a few local community members. But that client base has only grown in time. “At first, maybe there weren’t that many (community residents),” he says. “But now, there are all these food channels on TV. As time progressed, people learned more about how good a Mediterranean diet is for you. It’s not processed. We use simple ingredients. “It’s been a learning process,” Al-zaiti continues. “People come here and learn about the food, learn about cultures. It seems like a lot of people move here from Chicago and New York, where there are Mediterranean places on every corner. “It’s healthy food meant to keep people healthy and away from medicine,” he adds. “Once you try good quality food, there’s no going back.”
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A Higher-Quality Tofu Central Soyfoods’ Maigaard had been working in the food industry in Lawrence and outside of Kansas for the last quarter century and, in the process, had grown fond of the products Dave and Susan Millstein had produced at the business since 2003. When he learned the Millsteins planned on closing the facility, it didn’t take long for him to reach out. “It had been a Lawrence staple for a long time,” Maigaard says. “I was a huge fan of the products. Fresh, handmade tofu is so different and so much better than some of the more widely sold tofu.” Maigaard and his wife leapt into action and bought the company. They couldn’t have made the move at a more interesting and challenging time, as the COVID-19 pandemic would soon be firing up early in 2020. “When we purchased the company, close to 50 percent of our sales were restaurant sales,” Maigaard says. “Within the first four months, we lost all those sales.” The Maigaards and Central Soyfoods turned the focus to expanding sales in retail stores in Lawrence and Kansas City. “There was actually increased demand, because national brands were having production issues,” he says. “We reached more customers as we were able to keep our products on the grocery shelves as our national competitors were grappling with production or supply chain issues.
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“For the most part, we’ve taken advantage of being a local producer and remaining close to all our accounts,” Maigaard adds. Central Soyfoods also has thrived by keeping things simple and local. The Maigaards have shifted all their focus on tofu, foregoing, at least for a while, production of other products such as tempeh. They offer three types of tofu: traditional firm nigari tofu, hickory-smoked and hot chili tofu. They started a partnership in the spring of 2021 with Ioway Farms, in White Cloud, Kansas, which grows 33 acres of non-GMO soybeans for Central Soyfoods using regenerative and organic growing practices. In Lawrence, Central Soyfoods sells and distributes to The Merc, KU Dining, Zen Zero, Ramen Bowls and Thai Diner, while also selling and distributing to Whole Foods, Natural Grocers, Bluebird Bistro, The
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The tofu forming process with Martin and Marshall The tofu form going into a chill tank to cool before cutting and packaging right: 18lb block of tofu prior to being cut for packaging
Fix, The Merc in Kansas City, Kansas, and Nature’s Own, among others in the Kansas City area.
vegetarian or vegan diets to more mainstream use, particularly as a healthy protein substitute.
The company does all this in a 3,000-square-foot production and warehouse space with the Maigaards, Danielle Maigaard’s brother and one delivery driver, producing between 1,700 and 2,000 pounds of tofu per week.
“People are finding more and more ways to use tofu as an additional protein source,” he says.
“We’re hoping to have a 25 percent increase in tofu sales this year,” Maigaard says. “We should add one to two employees by the end of 2022.”
“We’re a small, family-run tofu shop,” he says. “We have plans to grow, but not so much that we take away from the product. Integrity of the product is something we’ll never give up. We’ll always remain a handmade tofu producer.”
Maigaard says he’s seen the taste for tofu grow over the years from being associated mostly with Asian cuisine or 54
Still, even as the popularity of tofu grows, Maigaard says Central Soyfoods won’t be growing too much.
Fermenting With Love in Lawrence Sarah Salzman was volunteering at a couple of farms around Lawrence several years ago when she noticed something that disturbed her. There often was an excess of produce that went unsold because of small imperfections before rotting or being discarded in the compost. In 2015, she and a friend made the decision to do something about it and created their own fermenting company to naturally preserve cabbage, beets and a variety of other produce. Wild Alive Ferments was born. “I started doing (fermenting) classes in East Lawrence,” says Salzman, who also works part-time as an occupational therapist at Stormont Vail Hospital, in Topeka. “And pretty soon, people started approaching us and asking where they could buy our fermented foods. We started small in farmers’ markets.” She says she started fermenting in the basement of a friend’s house who she considers a mentor. Her first wholesale account was The Merc Co-op. What began as one delivery every couple of months has grown to an order filled every other week. 55
Top to bottom: Sarah Salzman (owner/fermentista), Sydney Ruiz Krehbiel (fermentista) and Amy Glattly (fermentista) in the Wild Alive certified kitchen converted from a residential garage Sydney Ruiz Krehbiel (front) and Amy Glattly (back) prepping shredded pak choi for the mixer Amy Glattly (left) and Sarah Salzman (right) using the lifting cart to raise up the mixer to dump kimchi into a tub Ingredients for vegan kimchi in the mixer in the background and the finished vegan kimchi in the tub in the foreground
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“I’ve had an interest in gut health and fermented foods,” says Salzman, now Wild Alive’s sole owner/operator. “I got excited about making things myself, while at the same time reducing the carbon footprint. We started with cabbage, chopped it by hand. It’s time-consuming, but we’re having fun.” From her mentor’s basement, Salzman moved her business to Mellowfields, an organic vegetable farm on the eastern edge of town. She outgrew that space and, in November 2020, started converting the garage of her North Lawrence home into a fermentation facility with two refrigeration units and an array of mixers, dryers and processors capable of shredding 1,000 pounds of cabbage per hour.
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“The business has grown a lot during the pandemic,” she says. “People are becoming more foodies during the pandemic. Fermented-food sales are on the rise. Kimchi sales have gone through the roof.” The ability to more greatly control the temperature in her garage facility has allowed Salzman to become much more consistent with the quality of product. Wild Alive sells sauerkraut, kimchi, miso (a fermented paste made with soybeans, rice or barley and fermented with koji) and hot sauce. She also dehydrates ferments to create seasoning salts. She says at least 90 percent of the produce she ferments is grown locally. Much of Wild Alive’s sales are direct to consumer. But Salzman also is part of a Community Supported Agriculture co-op (CSA), Common Harvest, which she sells to from May through October. She says she runs a winter fermentation CSA herself and sells at farmers’ markets and stores in Kansas City, Lawrence and surrounding communities. All of Wild Alive’s labor is through private contractors. Salzman says she anticipates contracting more help in the future. “We’re small, but we’re growing every year,” she says. “The goal is to double what we produce every year. Right now, I think we’re on track to do more than that.” p
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THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX Combining creativity and business savvy can lead to lucrative collaborations and enterprises.
by Darin M. White, photos by Steven Hertzog
One of the most beautiful things about the city of Lawrence is that the world has come to us. This is second best to actually traveling to those other nations. As Mark Twain wrote, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.” As a local, even if you struggle with the influx of thousands of students every fall, the University of Kansas (KU) draws many of these students from countries all around the world. With this convergence of nationalities comes an influence of other cultures, including different, if not creative, ways of thinking, living and, of course, eating. 58
I close my eyes, I am in Paris, France, with my wife, Shannon, when I have the opportunity to not only show my artwork but curate the hanging of the work in the basement of a converted convent-turned smoke-stained discotheque-turned gallery. In my memory, I jaywalk across the street diagonally just off Rue de Rivoli and enter the café. I order the pastry and espresso, and sit at a table looking out onto the freshly rain-dampened street. I bite into the pastry, the delicate flakey layers crunching, covering myself in the bits of pixie dust and savoring the flavors, only to open my eyes and realize that I am actually in the 1900 Barker Bakery and Cafe, in Lawrence, Kansas. Owner, pastry chef and baker, Taylor Petrehn, is a four-time semifinalist for Outstanding Baker in the prestigious James Beard Foundation awards. In James Beard’s words, “Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts.” Prior to opening the bakery, Petrehn was a pastry chef in Kansas City and making bread as a hobby in his Lawrence home
At 1900 Barker, racks of freshly made pastry, baker Alex Martin rolling the dough, and serving customers at the counter
basement to give to friends and family. The inspiration for the location was the idea of an old school-corner café and bakery off the beaten path that neighbors in the vicinity would be drawn to for well-made pastries, bread and good coffee. Petrehn and his brother, Reagan Petrehn, opened the location at the corner of 1900 Barker St. in 2015 out of an abandoned laundromat. The once-dull interior has been transformed into a contemporary space complete with exposed rough wood rafters, clean cast cement countertops, a display case with pastries, an open kitchen and café, and extensive patio seating. 1900 Barker Bakery and Cafe is appropriately named as it sits on the corner of a roundabout on highly traveled 19th and Barker streets, in the middle of a residential area. It has quickly become a staple not only for the neighborhood but also for the city and surrounding communities.
Baking is not for the laissez-faire, where creating a loaf of bread can be a 30-hour process. “Baking is a superrepetitive, detail-oriented process,” Taylor explains. “This draws people who enjoy the details. The better you understand the process, the more creative you can be.” One of the joys, and something he is proud of, is seeing the development of the people he trains. The next phase for Taylor is an expansion to another laundromat at 19th and Louisiana streets, which will become a “bespoke donut shop with an emphasis on seasonality and local ingredients,” as well as off-sight baking manufacturing for 1900 Barker. Lawrence is no stranger to fantastic breads and pastries, much to our citizens’ delight. We welcome a newcomer to this list: Cellar Door Café, at Seven E. 11th St., in Downtown Lawrence, which launched in June 2020. Despite being the new kid on the block, owner Louis Wigen-Toc59
calino has been part of the Lawrence business scene for eight years, formerly the owner of East Lawrence coffee shop Decade. Despite the plethora of challenges, he believes the “COVID era is an opportunity to define what is successful and what is not. Customers might be a little more understanding during this time,” he says. Wigen-Toccalino is interested in building a new model of restaurant that is sustainable for workers, including the ability to learn a craft, set wages, enjoy paid time off and raises with more stability. This is a chance to maintain a team for the long term, which will help with the cost of training, the level of quality and overall staff turnover, which is so prevalent in the service industry. Manufacturing is very much a part of the café. It is a “zen” daily process of starting early, having an assembly line to create the eatables, selling the day’s work, cleaning up and getting prepared to replenish the goods again the next day. He likes the routine of the work and the problem-solving aspects of developing a recipe. He also enjoys the creative process and cooks like a baker, creating new recipes until they are perfected and easily replicated. Cellar Door offers a wide variety of coffee drinks, lunch plates and bistro, and bakery pastries.
A LOCAL TREASURE At the other end of Downtown Lawrence, Waxman Candles continues to craft its handmade candles and, more recently, expanded to producing ceramics and glassworks. Waxman has been a fixture in this community since 1971.
top to bottom Ryder Werts hand pouring column candles Owner’s Bob and Deb Werts in the Waxman retail showroom Bob overdipping a ball candle for carving Ryder working on taper candles
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Craftsman Bob Werts’ interest in candles started while he was a student at Dodge City Community College. A friend invited him to make candles with a group for fun, and he enjoyed the process. He found that others appreciated his work, and he traded candles for wax. While a student at KU, Werts started Waxman Candles out of his apartment on Tennessee Street in 1970 and opened the store on 14th Street in 1971. Werts has credited the longevity and success of the store to having a hard head by believing
in himself, working hard and trusting his instincts. He also surrounds himself with the right people, not only to work with but to bounce ideas off of, and he allows himself time away to rejuvenate. Nowadays, a number of these “right people” are his family. Daughter, Melanie, son Ryder, and wife, Deb, work at the Lawrence location, while son Mitchell runs the Chicago location. He also credits a fabulous staff that currently works there and those who have been a part of Waxman over the years. The team members become part of the family, and they are treated as such. Werts is grateful to Lawrence residents who have not only supported Waxman Candles but have introduced visitors and friends to the store. Production manufacturing started very early in the business, as a perfume company from Kansas City asked Werts to make 120,000 candles. After seeing his space and realizing all of his candles were handmade, company leaders were uncertain that he could do the work, but he assured them he could do it. The perfume company gave him a chance, and this was the first of a number of large orders Werts produced for this company. Waxman has collaborated with local businesses such as Grandstand Glassware & Apparel and Bracker’s Ceramics. Grandstand produces printed glassware for Waxman candles and beer candles. Waxman provides chocolate candles, beer candles and other seasonal or requested scents that Grandstand offers in printed glassware for its clientele. When Werts saw the need, Waxman began to produce its own line of ceramics and slumped glass. They worked with Bracker’s to get kilns set up and are now producing not only candle holders and candleware items, but also a line of dinnerware. All the work is handmade and made well.
MADE IN LAWRENCE On the southeast side of Pine Ridge Plaza, in South Lawrence, Blue Collar Press provides production for screen printing, embroidery, finishing, tour supplies, promotional merchandise and more while sister company, Merchtable, offers an online retail software platform and fulfillment. They are not only proud that their products are made in Lawrence but have expanded to work all over the world with major music bands, record labels and more. Blue Collar Press was launched out of co-owner Sean Ingram’s basement. His metalcore band, Coalesce, had a felt need: more calories. To eat more burgers while the band was on the road, they needed more money. Ingram started printing his own T-shirts, which allowed the band 61
top to bottom Blue Collar Press Ink wall. Custom mixed colors sorted by Pantone number Blue Collar Press and Merchtable owners Jim David and Sean Ingram Blue Collar Press production floor. Printer setting up to restart automatic t-shirt press Screen tech prepping screen to remove emulsion and reclaim screen for reuse
to make and keep more funds, and take care of those needs. During the process, Ingram saw an opportunity to not only print merchandise for his band but also make goods for other bands. Not far away at about the same time, Jim David’s band, The Anniversary, needed merch for its shows. So he began printing T-shirts out of his basement. He realized he would need someone to help keep up production while the band was on tour. He hired Ingram to provide the band merchandise. Shortly after, David joined Ingram as co-owner at Blue Collar Press, and they combined forces to meet the growing demand. These changes and growth (that have expanded the company to 30) “have happened organically, making products, as needed, to expand our production and distribution,” David remarks. With demand, the business eventually changed from a “distribution company that put things into a box to a distribution company that offered creative solutions,” David explains. For example, helping bands order the correct quantities of merchandise needed to fill the demand was necessary. The problem-solving solution, in this case, was to “apply logic to create a spreadsheet,” Ingram says, which would allow each band to more accurately estimate the merch needed for upcoming shows. “Creativity is in the communication,” Ingram says. Creative solutions also rely on flexibility and adjusting to industry shifts. A major shift was the meeting of two industries—promotional items and normal band merchandise—when artists need better-quality promotional goods to sell. Blue Collar Press saw this as an opportunity to help with sourcing and providing promo goods, and also assist with unique “passion projects” for the band. At one point, record labels began burdening band managers and requiring more of their funds and time. The managers, in turn, asked Blue Collar Press to take more responsibility and solve more of the problems, including merchandise marketing and promotion, providing samples to other bands and delivering to shows among other things. To understand how to take on these challenges, Blue Collar asked a potential client what friction points he or she had with a previous company, a litmus test to examine what types of issues needed to be addressed. “Problem-solving is the heart of creativity,” Ingram suggests.
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Lawrence Paper Company design manager Mike Cordaro May Tveit - Photo Courtesy of the Artist
THE CARDBOARD EFFECT While Lawrence Paper Co.’s (LPC) longevity and connection to the City of Lawrence is impressive, when you think of a cardboard box, you don’t initially think of creativity. However, as Blue Collar’s Ingram believes, solving customer challenges requires creativity, and LPC certainly has met this issue head-on. I had the pleasure of seeing a real-world example of LPC’s work when on a tour of Blue Collar Press. As Ingram explained some issues he was having with damage in a shipment of a combination of a vinyl record and a T-shirt, LPC came up with a simple design that solved the issue quickly and cost-effectively. Not only does LPC provide creative solutions for local companies such as Blue Collar Press, it does packaging, international supply chain, in-store marketing and industrial packaging for businesses from mom-and-pop shops to multinational companies. For a number of years, LPC has developed a relationship with the University of Kansas. It has worked with the Industrial Design program at KU to provide tours of the production facility. The company also provides in-house designers to give feedback on school projects or allows the designers and students to work in tandem on LPC-sponsored programs, which could be considered design blitz projects that “provide real-world applications,” says LPC design manager, Mike Cordaro. LPC has accepted interns from the college, and some, in turn, have been hired on full time. KU Industrial Design professor May Tveit has worked with LPC in collaborations through her Materials and Processes class. One project is a flat pack lighting design that combines the use of corrugate material and cooperation to design a light that disassembles into packaging. Tveit
has not only worked with LPC as a university professor but as a fine artist. Cordaro and team appreciate that “[May Tveit] looks at things with a different set of eyes ... we are designing for function ... and mass production ... and she is designing for art.” Tveit agrees. “I approach the material from a conceptual point of view” and am inspired by “the origin of the box ... the box can serve as a metaphor to self.” This thinking about “the geometry of boxes in their unused state” is where her wall series “Universal Boxes,” displayed at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art in 2017-2018, emerged from layered laminations to create “topographies.” Both Tveit and Cordaro agree this collaboration is mutually beneficial, as it provides LPC an alternative approach and viewpoint from where to draw ideas and Tveit access to materials, processes and equipment that she would not otherwise have. Thinking outside (or inside) the box has vast benefits for not only the companies and those associated with them by providing opportunities and jobs for our community, but also for the customers that these industries supply. Creativity and innovative thinking are an absolute necessity to breaking any hardened mold or stereotype, and expanding past the confines of whatever is currently embraced. We can hope that companies will include more creatives and unique thinking in the future. Creatives may not see the same way as others do, which is exactly why this way of thinking needs to be appreciated, encouraged and further explored. p 63
Not Just a Wheat State by Tara Trenary, photos by Steven Hertzog
Kansas is not just about agriculture. Right here in Lawrence, local industrial companies manufacture cutting-edge products for industries all across the board. The importance of manufacturing in the United States cannot be understated. A community with a strong manufacturing base benefits from increased research and development, exploration of innovative ideas, improved processes and productivity, and creation of new products and jobs. Manufacturing helps raise the standard of living and, most importantly, fuels the U.S. economy. According to the Kansas Department of Commerce, products created by Kansas manufacturers range from fuselages to food and chemicals to computer electronics. And these pursuits all have a common thread: the use of the most advanced techniques and innovative materials. Kansas Manufacturing Solutions’ 2021 Manufacturing in Kansas Annual Report states that Kansas is home to more than 2,500 manufacturing firms. The 64
manufacturing sector contributes to local economies in Kansas in a number of ways: providing wages to local workers; creating profits for local business owners and investors; and paying taxes to local and state governments. In 2020, Kansas was the transportation origin for $10.4 billion worth of merchandise exports, including agricultural commodities, raw materials and manufactured goods, the report says. Manufactured goods accounted for 79 percent of the state’s total exports. With $8.26 billion worth of manufactured exports in 2020, Kansas ranked 32nd among all states on this measure. Located in the center of the United States, Kansas produces a fifth of all the wheat grown in the nation. But agriculture isn’t the only major manufacturing industry located in “America’s Breadbasket.” Lawrence, in particular, has a number of manufacturers that create cutting-edge products while benefiting from the resources this community has to offer.
Left: Marshall Sheetz, a certified weld inspector at Leander, uses the mig welder Top to bottom: Greg Summers, Leander President, demonstrates the table’s lumbar drop feature Production associate, Theron Dawson is working on the sub assembly for the lumbar frame section of the flexion distraction table. Production associate, Shadow Spooner runs quality control procedures on the wiring harnesses Marshall Sheetz uses the anti spatter tools to fabricate the cervical head frames for the tables
Easing the Pain
“It’s always an advantage to being in a community of educated and motivated people with flexible minds,” says Greg Summers, president of Leander LLC, a leading manufacturer of Flexion-Distraction tables, a segmented medical table in use worldwide that flexes to move the lower spine to provide a gentle, safe, controlled form of traction for spinal pain relief. Chiropractors, physical therapists and orthopedic doctors around the world use these tables to treat their patients. He says the company has benefited from University of Kansas (KU) student interns and input from the KU Small Business Development Center. He also appreciates the Dwayne Peaslee Technical Training Center (Peaslee Tech) programs and looks forward to long relationships with local organizations of higher learning and professional training. The motorized Flexion-Distraction table was developed by Leander Eckhard, D.C., in 1981. Flexion-Distraction is a time-tested and research-proven lower-back-pain treatment that also assists in chiropractic adjustment. Summers explains that founder Eckard was an aviation hobbyist who incorporated many aircraft-grade parts on his prototype table that are still the best components to use to this day because of their aerospace-grade quality control to ensure longevity and safety. 65
top to bottom The P1 Sheet Metal Fabrication Shop is home to an Iowa Precision Coil Line. It used to take about 15 minutes to produce one piece of duct. With the coil line, we can manufacture pieces at a rate of 30 seconds per piece. P1 Group majority owners CEO Smitty Belcher and COO Bruce Belcher Spiral Helix duct The Sheet Metal Fabrication Shop is also home to a Spiral Helix machine, which will allow the shop to produce spiral pipe in various sizes and from various materials.
“Our company has continued to make many innovations and improvements to our chiropractic tables over our 40-year history,” he says. “The table is designed for doctors to work comfortably with custom variable height and work longer without exhaustion thanks to motorized treatment assistance.” Summers bought Leander in the summer of 2020. He previously worked as the human resources director for a regional CPA firm but had no manufacturing experience. He sought out the best advice he could find and worked shoulder to shoulder with consultants like Kansas Manufacturing Solutions to learn the business hands-on. Leander currently has a team of 12 but is growing and actively hiring. “Building the right team and supporting them is the most important thing in American manufacturing,” he says. “Since it’s a small team, we all work together and communicate all day every day. I do my best to be a business owner first and focus on the planned projects, but (with) the types of issues the pandemic has caused in the supply chain and labor shortages, it often comes down to putting out fires and doing whatever is needed.” Industry shutdowns in 2020 worldwide because of the rapid spread of COVID-19 created lower consumer demand and reduced industrial activity, according to an October 2021 CNBC article on the supply chain. Demand has skyrocketed since lockdowns have been lifted, but worker shortages and a lack of key components and raw materials has led to chaos for manufacturers and distributors. Summers believes safety and quality control are key components when it comes to being a successful 66
manufacturer. “Safety is the top priority in every production process; there just isn’t a single benefit to not taking the time to do things the right way and the safe way.” He says the company has moved into a new factory that has dramatically better lighting, ventilation, flow and modern safety and fire-suppression systems in place with OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)-trained safety officers as departmental leads. “Quality control is also key in production, and it isn’t just a check list postproduction,” Summers adds. “It starts at the first step in making every part. This reduces waste and, ultimately, speeds production times.” Summers considers Leander the best of both a large company and a small business. Its small, family-like team cares about and supports one another and the community. “I purchased Leander not because of what it is but what we can make it into, and I love this city not only for what it is but what we can make it,” he says.
All in One
With headquarters in Lenexa and a fabrication facility in Lawrence, P1 Group has the advantage many businesses seek in the U.S., and that’s a central location. What started as a local business has grown into a larger business based in a small town. “However, we will always be a local business supporting this community,” says Smitty Belcher, P1 Group CEO since 1997.
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Belcher purchased Huxtable & Associates, which later merged with A.D. Jacobson Co. in 1997, officially consolidating into P1 Group in 2007. He “saw an opportunity for several high-quality providers of specific facility solutions to come together as one, creating a powerful collection of expertise,” Belcher recalls. “This meant more customers could be served under one roof, increasing efficiency and cost savings for all.” P1 provides one source for all things facilities. From construction through service, P1 supports projects throughout the entire course of a facility’s life cycle. The company specializes in HVAC, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, millwright and architectural metal work. With a state-of-the-art 220,000-square-foot fabrication facility in Lawrence, P1 can fabricate all trades and provides value-added services such as virtual design and construction (building information modeling); performance solutions; preventative maintenance; facility maintenance operations; performance contracting and master planning; design-build; and value engineering. 67
“P1 does a lot of our work in environments that meet different definitions of ‘critical,’ from mission critical, highly sensitive data centers to hospitals where the operations of the building are critical to the health and well-being of those that use them,” Belcher explains. “For this reason, we stay on the cutting edge of training our associates and new technologies in our fabrication shop.” Some P1 projects, both local and national, include: The KU Earth, Energy and Environment Center; Kansas City Children’s Mercy Hospital Research Institute’s tower; and the Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Restorative Care Village. Being located in Lawrence, however, has given P1 Group the opportunity to build long-term relationships with large customers like the University of Kansas, LMH Health, Hallmark and Berry Global. “The convenience of working with these customers in their own backyard is mutually beneficial to both of us,” Belcher explains. P1 Group sees safety as not only its No. 1 priority but a core value. “Safety is an integral part of the P1 Group culture, starting with a highly effective full-time safety staff,” he says. The company “takes an up-front and hands-on approach to managing a safe workplace. Every new employee starts, Day 1, with an in-house safety orientation that covers our policies and expectations.” The P1 safety department does random audits of its job sites and has open communication between field staff, management and safety professionals, beginning with the preconstruction meeting and continuing throughout the duration of the project. It is a member of the Build Safe Partnership, meaning the company has adhered to a strict set of OSHA guidelines. “Only 21 companies in the region participate in Build Safe, and P1 Group is on that exclusive list,” Belcher adds. P1 also has a quality-control plan that is a dynamic process frequently reviewed, monitored and executed in strict compliance with design drawings, specifications and contract documents. About 70 percent of P1’s work is within the Lawrence/ Kansas City metropolitan area, but P1 will always be a local contractor. “There is a nice connection when we work with local customers in Lawrence,” Belcher explains. “… there’s a hometown pride that comes with working together. P1, as an organization, is an avid supporter of all things Lawrence. Our deep history of not only working for some of Lawrence’s largest institutions but also philanthropic support of these institutions sets us apart from any competitors in the area.”
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Innovative Packaging
Plastikon Healthcare provides innovative solutions for contract manufacturing and packaging of medical devices, pharmaceutical products and nutritional supplements. Originally, the company was formed to provide Class 2 IVD (in-vitro diagnosis) medical devices, explains Kaveh Soofer, executive vice president and son of the founder. It produces 22 million of this device a year with plans for growth into additional product lines. “The concept was to move from medical device to pharma, [and] we needed to establish our business in the area,” he says. Since then, Plastikon has added component medical devices and over-the-counter drug products (singledose liquids and suspensions in a cup format for use in hospitals and nursing homes). It has also moved into irrigation large-volume pharmaceuticals. “With our growth and expansion, we were able to support the U.S. COVID responses, producing up to 11 million COVID sample collections tubes per week,” Soofer continues. These medical-device products are important, he explains, because they “support diagnostic testing at hospitals for diagnosing diseases. Our drug products that are private-labeled by other organizations/companies are used to manage symptoms from colds to intestinal discomfort.” Plastikon not only formulates the medical device or drug solution, it also makes the primary container that houses that drug solution(s), Soofer explains. “Through friction and heat, we melt the resin to create the ampules and bottles.” The company uses BFS (Blow-Fill-Seal), an automated manufacturing process that melts the resin, forms the bottle, and fills and seals the bottle in one unique step. Plastikon has 100 employees and prides itself on the internal growth of employees and providing economic stability for individuals and families as they grow within the organization, he says. Its clients are large- and medium-sized pharmaceutical and medical-device companies that need contract manufacturing performed due to capacity restraints or technology limitations at their own sites, Soofer explains. “We also provide small businesses with the opportunity to get into the market with a product they have innovated or designed.” When it comes to safety, Plastikon employs extensive training programs and procedures for all aspects of the business. “Safety and quality control are part of good manufacturing practices and built into our quality systems,” he says. Every procedure includes a safety section
Plastikon’s newest production cell producing terminally sterilized irrigation solutions. Plastikon process technician inspecting clarity on an injection molded petri dish at line start-up
specific to the activity with a system designed to ensure employee compliance. “Product quality is built into all our processes with lab control checks and quality-assurance review, and approval of final product and processes,” he adds.
Plastikon has partnerships with KU and Peaslee Tech, where it participates on the board as a manufacturing representative. Its employees have benefited from apprentice programs on industrial maintenance and soft skills at Peaslee Tech, and it has sponsored interns from KU.
Soofer explains the company is environmentally conscience and promotes good stewardship by assessing the impact of all waste cycles on the community. It also has programs in place that center around effective use of natural resources, such as water purified from a city source.
Plastikon is a larger business based in a small town, Soofer adds, with no local sales but an abundant sourcing of local contractors and supplies. “We were happy to find and acquire the Lawrence location as part of the company’s growth,” he says. The home base being here provides easy access to freeways for distribution, higher education and city and county officials.
“Our company is built and ISO [International Organization for Standardization]-certified on a platform of continuous improvement,” he says. “Our equipment and processes are designed and purchased on strict user requirements for the latest technology and sustainability.”
There are myriad forms of manufacturers across the globe, but if you’re looking for a unique or just a simple, everyday product, or even a manufacturer to help with one, look no further than right here in our own backyard. p 69
An artistic bus shelter at Haskel & 11th by Seibel Fabrication
Hands-On Fabrication by Matthew Petillo, photos by Steven Hertzog
Metal is an essential part of daily life and integrating new technology into the manufacturing process is giving the industry a boost. Manufacturing is the backbone of America’s economy. That’s not industry speaking, it’s a hard fact. There’s no place this is more prevalent in manufacturing than in those that require the skilled, blue-collar trades: welding, metal fabrication and metal manufacturing. Many of the metal products you see assembled in shops, and homes, and on the backs of cars in Lawrence were not developed in Iowa or Michigan or overseas, but right here in Lawrence. Because of our vibrant business scene, not just in consumer goods but in industrial pieces, often businesses and consumers don’t have to leave the city limits to find what they’re looking for.
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Seibel Fabrication is an eclectic work space for Jonah to be creative
Bending Metal Jonah Seibel, owner of Seibel Fabrication, owns one of those manufacturing shops. Located in North Lawrence in a small warehouse, the shop is a jack of all trades. “We fabricate custom pieces for clients, so mostly architectural stuff like railings and staircases,” Seibel explains. “Structural stuff, but we’re also sort of the village blacksmith, and we fix things that are broken.” He says he got his start in this business not because of a personal interest but because of his friends in high school. “My friends were doing welding in high school, [and] I wanted to do stuff that they were doing,” Seibel says. “So I took a welding class in high school … and it was one of the few, that class and drafting class, which I still use that obviously, in this business, were the two classes in high school that I really enjoyed. So after high school, I got a job at a local welding company and … learned how to do things quicker, where you could actually make a living doing it.” He says he could have made more money at McDonald’s, but he still enjoyed doing the job. After that job, he went through another shop and a stint in carpentry before opening up Seibel Fabrication. Seibel came back to the industry, he says, because he enjoys playing with metal. “I mean, there’s a lot of people doing wood, so it’s something that’s less common, and you get a lot more design freedom with metal,” he explains. “You can do things that you can’t do with other materials, which I 71
Welding inside the Eagle Trailer Co warehouse
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really enjoy. So it allows you a lot of design freedom. I guess I’m just kind of a maker by nature.” Another manufacturing company in Lawrence that is slightly more specialized but nonetheless important is Eagle Trailer Co. Started in 1983, president Kevin Frederickson says operating for this long is hard for a company. “Most companies just last 2½ to three years,” Frederickson says. “Sixteen [to] 17% don’t make it to eight years. Two percent make it just 20 years.” Eagle Trailer Co. makes and repairs trailers for shops and people across the Midwest. Frederickson says his company repairs trailers quickly and gets a lot of business because of that. “We repair trailers for individuals and companies from Kansas City because our prices are low, and we do it so quickly,” he says. “We turn it around usually within 24 hours.”
Technology in the Sector Despite still being a job that is mostly done by hand, new technology is starting to play a big part in the manufacturing sector. Integrating technology into the daily process of the production of metal objects or even putting the technology inside the objects is moving the industry forward. With Seibel’s job, he gets to play with a lot of expensive equipment. Other than welding equipment, forklifts in the middle of a small warehouse and several nice pieces of machinery, the biggest and perhaps most expensive piece of machinery in the building is a plasma cutter. He says because of costs, that’s likely the biggest piece of machinery he’s getting for a while. “There is some really amazing technology in the industry right now, but it’s so expensive that it’s kind of exclusive to … bigger companies,” Seibel explains. “You could go spend $10 million … no problem on machinery. It’s a scale that most smaller companies are not going to get to, … at least not anytime soon.” However, the plasma cutter is helping him create more elaborate designs and more accurate pieces, such as a piece for The Raven Book Store downtown. Although Seibel acknowledges it is an extremely useful piece of equipment, it is quite hard to use. 73
“Well, if everything goes right, yes. It’s kind of like a fickle printer,” he says. “It’ll have different problems all the time. It took a long time to figure it out because there’s different parameters it has to know. Everything’s going to change depending on what you’re cutting. If you’re cutting … half-inch-thick steel, the settings on the machine are quite a bit different than if you’re cutting something superthin like 18-gauge” Integrating technology into the equipment can be hard to do. A company has to make sure everything lines up perfectly, and every last bit of it works before shipping it to the customer. Eagle Trailer Co. has been working to do that to make driving their trailers safer. Frederickson says an automatic break system the company has started to integrate helps the driver regain control of the trailer. “The analog brake system is just a unit that’s bought separate as an optional part,” Frederickson says. “It’s put on a trailer, and it’s hooked up to the brakes. And if the trailer starts to sway, the sway is detected, and then brakes are applied individually and done in such a way that reduces the sway of the trailer so that the operator can slow down and regain and maintain control.”
Working with Customers Meeting customers’ needs is hard work, as is making sure things are available and ready to go when a customer needs it—it’s one of the most important aspects of a business. It’s even more important when most of your customers are other businesses. Siegel Fabrication doesn’t just make things out of metal; the company also does wholesale of metal parts, such as beams. Siegel says most people who buy from him are not random individuals off the street but contractors who need somewhere to buy metal at wholesale prices. “We do metal sales as an important part because there’s not really a good supplier of metal in town. So we just buy stuff, and people come in and just buy it from me,” Siegel says. “[Retail stores] have a very small amount, and it’s very overpriced. It’s much cheaper to come here and get it, and we can also cut it to length for you.” Eagle Trailer Co. prides itself on quick turnarounds for its customers. Frederickson says his employees work fast, making sure orders get out to customers quickly. “Just a few years ago, we got a trailer order in,” he says. “And it was a big 20-foot trailer, and it weighed probably 3000 pounds, and it would carry 10,000 pounds. We got that order Monday morning, and the customer came and picked it up on Wednesday. That’s an incredibly quick turnaround. And that’s one of the most important things to customers is availability.” However, Frederickson adds, the last couple years have been hard to keep up with because of pandemic staffing issues. Training takes time because of the industry. There’s a reason there are whole technical college degrees for welding. “The last two years has just been terrible, because we just can’t do [quick turnarounds],” Frederickson explains. “Because … the worst workforce and shortages and things like that. But I hope to get back to that someday.”
Looking to the Future The manufacturing sector grew 2.5% in January 2022, the smallest growth in manufacturing since the beginning of the economic recovery in March 2021, according to the Federal Reserve. That’s all manufacturing, not just big manufacturers. Kansas is one of the few states that had a compound annual growth rate (the mean annual growth rate of an investment over a specified period of time longer than one year) above 2% between 2009 and 2019. This is not because of big manufacturers primarily but because of small manufacturers doing small-time jobs for local businesses. This sector is going to continue to grow because of the strength of small businesses serving their local communities. p 74
VANGO Mural
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THE CHAMBER Ribbon Cuttings
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NEWS [MAKERS] & PEOPLE ON THE MOVE Brandi Ogunnowo joins CEK Insurance CEK Insurance, Lawrence’s oldest independent insurance agency, is proud to announce that Brandi Ogunnowo has joined the team. Brandi, a Lawrence native, began her insurance career in 2007 and is a Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR). She was awarded the 10 years of Excellence Award from The Society of Certified Insurance Service Representatives. Brandi is passionate about providing the best service possible. In her free time, she enjoys home renovation shows and spending time with her husband Kenny and their son Rocco.
Meritrust Credit Union announces promotion of Shania Lamm to Private Banking Officer Meritrust Credit Union is pleased to announce Shania Lamm as Private Banking Officer for Meritrust Lawrence. With six years of experience in both personal and commercial banking, she brings an expertise to the unique needs of Lawrence’s affluent membership. Lamm’s passion for helping her members optimize their financial lives is what drives her to be on-call and available in all service capacities, bypassing the need for Private Banking members to step foot into a branch. “As a solid relationship-builder, her focus will be on growing our connection with the Lawrence market’s Private Banking membership,” says Cole Shaffer, Private Banking Market Manager. “Shania will provide tailored lending and deposit solutions to the credit union’s high-net-worth members, all while offering concierge-level service.” Lamm appreciates her Private Banking membership’s dedication to and concern for community. She’s proud to be able to, in turn, serve their financial needs with the exceptional concierge experience they deserve. “I’m really looking forward to providing top-tier service and being available to cater solutions to our members’ specific situations,” says Lamm.
Meritrust Credit Union celebrates promotion of Danielle Bishop to Assistant Retail Manager As Assistant Retail Manager of Lawrence Meritrust, Danielle Bishop will leverage her knowledge of Meritrust products and services to mentor her teammates and help guide the financial well-being of her members. “Danielle joined the team in 2017 and has been championing the best interests of our members ever since,” says Jennifer Breitenfeldt, Lawrence branch Retail Manager. “With each member interaction, she brings enthusiasm and a desire to learn how she can best serve their banking needs, and I’m looking forward to seeing her grow her leadership and dedication even more in the new role.” Bishop’s deep respect and admiration for Lawrence stems in part from the #RiseLawrence movement. “Lawrence is all about supporting local and banding together as a community,” says Bishop. “I can’t wait to dive deeper into building relationships and help our members become financially stronger.”
Winter Family Fund Supports Communities In Schools of Mid-America Communities In Schools of Mid-America® (CIS of Mid-America™) is pleased to announce it has received a $5,000 award from the Winter Family Fund. The funds will be used to support CIS of Mid-America programming at Prairie Park Elementary School in Lawrence, KS. The mission of the Winter Family Fund is to make a meaningful difference in the lives of at-risk and vulnerable populations with an emphasis on at-risk and vulnerable children and families. Activities funded by the grant include providing whole-school and individual student supports at Prairie Park Elementary School in Lawrence, KS. 79
NEWS [MAKERS] & PEOPLE ON THE MOVE Andrea Chavez Joins Peaslee Tech as Executive Director of Grants and Administration Peaslee Tech Executive Director, Dr. Kevin Kelley, announced today that Andrea Chavez has joined Peaslee Tech as the Executive Director of Grants and Administration. Peaslee has developed strong relations with Douglas County organizations as a reliable provider of training programs and consulting services. Over the past few years, Peaslee Tech has provided training to hundreds of company’s employees in a wide array of programs, from frontline leadership to robotics. Andrea brings many years of experience working in the non-profit arena – with a focus on Administration, operations and the execution of grants. Prior to joining the team at Peaslee Tech, she worked for Communities In Schools of Mid-America as their Director of Administration. Born and raised in Douglas County, Andrea is dedicated to helping Douglas County continue to grow economically and bring Lawrence and Douglas County businesses together with the community and its members. Located at 2920 Haskell Avenue, Peaslee Tech’s mission is to be a catalyst for economic growth by providing access to technical training to a diverse community of learners to meet the current and emerging needs of our communities and employers. Peaslee Tech offers a wide range of technical and technology courses. Community members may contribute to Peaslee Tech by mailing a check to 2920 Haskell Avenue, Lawrence, Kansas 66046 or by credit card at 785-856-1801. As Peaslee Tech is a not-for-profit organization, your donation is tax deductible.
Steve Willett Joins Allen Press as Sales Executive Allen Press, Inc. is pleased to announce Steve Willett has joined its team as Sales Executive. Willett will focus primarily on sales development of scholarly publishing services. Willett is an experienced online and print publishing expert who comes to Allen Press with extensive knowledge of XML-based publishing workflow solutions and how to leverage them to meet fast-changing publishing needs. “Steve’s industry knowledge and decades of experience make him an excellent addition to our scholarly publishing services team,” said Mark Kohlhase, Allen Press CEO. “He’s dedicated to customer service, understands clients’ needs and how to meet them by creating streamlined workflows and other custom solutions. This will be invaluable as the publishing ecosystem continues to evolve.” “I look forward to working with scholarly clients to leverage the impressive systems, services, and solutions Allen Press has to offer, which includes website and composition template design, association management, peer review, composition, online hosting, and printing,” Willett adds.
EnvistaCares Challenge Helps to Raise $153,879 in 2021 Each month the EnvistaCares Challenge provides one local organization a one-month media package valued at more than $10,000, a $2,500 challenge gift and a video for the organization to use to share their story during and after the challenge. The EnvistaCares Challenge gift is a dollarfor-dollar match, up to $2,500. During 2021, the community gave $126,063 to ten different organizations to secure the EnvistaCares Challenge match of $2,500 for each organization. In total, $153,879 was raised in 2021 to help local organizations in Lawrence, Topeka and Hutchinson. Lawrence 2021 EnvistaCares Challenge: Theatre Lawrence: The community gave $32,743 and Envista matched $2,500 providing Theatre Lawrence with a total of $35,243. O’Connell Youth Ranch: The community gave $2,500 and Envista matched $2,500 providing O’Connell Youth Ranch with a total of $5,000. 80
Lawrence Habitat for Humanity: The community gave $2,800 and Envista matched $2,500 providing Lawrence Habitat for Humanity with a total of $5,300. Lawrence Old Fashioned Christmas Parade: The community gave $9,249 and Envista matched $2,500 providing Lawrence Old Fashioned Christmas Parade with a total of $11,749.
The Trust Company of Kansas Announces Christopher English as Chairman of the Board along with other Promotions and new Hires. Christopher M. English, C.T.F.A. – Chairman & Chief Executive Officer In addition to his role as Chief Executive Officer, Chris has taken on the role of Chairman of the Board at The Trust Company of Kansas. Since assuming a leadership role in November 2020, he has led TCK in successfully managing over $1 billion in assets under management.
Teresa Akers – Vice President & Trust Officer Teresa has been promoted to Vice President & Trust Officer. She will be responsible for the administration of a variety of account relationships – agencies, guardianships, revocable and irrevocable trusts, individual retirement accounts, and other types of fiduciary accounts in our Lawrence market. In this role, she will continue to work closely with Chief Executive Officer, Christopher English
Jennifer Moore – Vice Presidenvt & Trust Officer Jennifer has been promoted to Vice President & Trust Officer. She will be responsible for the administration of a variety of account relationships – agencies, guardianships, revocable and irrevocable trusts, individual retirement accounts, and other types of fiduciary accounts in our Lawrence market. In this role, she will continue to work closely with Senior Vice President & Trust Officer, Daniel Brogren.
Lee Anne Thompson – Vice President & Employee Benefit Officer Lee Anne Thompson has been promoted to Vice President & Employee Benefit Officer. She assists TCK’s Administrators with the technical and administrative functions regarding ERISA plan administration for 401(k), Profit Sharing and Defined Contribution Defined Benefit Plans, and SIMPLE IRA Plans. Lee Anne’s knowledge and expertise allows her to best design effective retirement planning strategies on behalf of our clients.
Chris Davis – Vice President & Trust Officer Chris joined The Trust Company of Kansas as Vice President & Trust Officer in December 2021. He will focus on business development and new growth opportunities in our Lawrence market.
Mindy Mesler – Trust Administrator Mindy joined The Trust Company of Kansas in January 2022 after a successful career as an administrative assistant in the field of education. With her excellent organizational and interpersonal skills, Mindy will assist Chris English, Teresa Akers, and Jennifer Moore with the administration of their books of trust business and business development efforts in our Lawrence market.
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WH OS E DESK ?
Be the first to correctly guess which local business figure works behind this desk. Winner receives a $50 gift card to 23rd Street Brewery. facebook.com/lawrencebusinessmagazine
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