TK Business Magazine - Summer 2018

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ANIMAL HEALTH CORRIDOR

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B’WELL AT BP

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AGING AT HOME

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THE PROFESSOR

SUMMER 2018

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i am topeka

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CONTENTS

FEATURES

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I AM TOPEKA

TK shares the stories of three people who understand the importance of embracing the place where you live and work.

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HEART OF THE ENTREPRENEUR Clayton Devlin shares the story of Devlin’s Wine & Spirits.

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TAKING OUR PLACE IN THE ANIMAL HEALTH CORRIDOR

A look at how Topeka is positioning itself to become an integral part of the bioscience and technology industries.

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AFRICAN AMERICAN BUILDERS OF TOPEKA

Discover the stories of the 14 living African Americans who contribute to the positive development of Topeka as showcased by the TSCPL’s Local History Department in a living exhibit earlier this year.

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B’WELL AT BP

BP gas station introduces its renovated B’Well Market downtown.

AFRICAN AMERICAN BUILDERS OF TOPEKA

COVER PHOTO PAGE 24

ANIMAL HEALTH CORRIDOR

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B’WELL AT BP

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AGING AT HOME

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THE PROFESSOR

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EXPERTS

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I AM TOPEKA Michel’ Cole Caleb Asher John Levin

Cover Photo Credit: JD Melton

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i am topeka

I AM TOPEKA t-shirts are available for purchase at Pinkadilly in NOTO.

Martha Bartlett Piland

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Phelica Glass

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PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Grace Brown Mitchell

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AGING AT HOME

TK takes a look at four businesses that are approaching senior care with in-home services.

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FROM THE PROFESSOR

Dr. Liviu Florea and Patrick Woods discuss how presumption gives more power to consumers.

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MENTAL WELLNESS PG.

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SCENE ABOUT TOWN Business Unwind Roar and Pour Wine Fest State of the Community

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LAST WORD

Jenny Torrence shares the inspiration behind the “I am Topeka” campaign.

Listen.

Design.

Inspire.

SUMMER 2018 TK Business Magazine Cair Paravel Latin School, featured in Architectural Digest as The Most Beautiful Private High School in Kansas.

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CHECK OUT

magazine.com Check out TKMagazine.com to get expert business advice and up-to-date information on business in Topeka. Send your news releases to braden@tkmagazine.com.

BUSINESS NEWS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Lisa Loewen CREATIVE DIRECTOR & DESIGNER Janet Faust

BUSINESS GROWTH

MANAGING PARTNER & SALES DIRECTOR Braden Dimick braden@tkmagazine.com 785.438.7773

THE WOMEN'S FUND awarded over $44,900 to 11 organizations for programs directed at financial literacy for women and children, STEAM and mental health at their luncheon.

BRANDING:

YOUTH ENTREPRENEURS selected their semi-finalists for The Big Idea, a business pitch competition.

Top finishers will now participate in The Big Idea Finals competition at YE Summit on June 19th in Wichita.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT:

How to pay more than lip service to your brand.

COVER PHOTOGRAPHER JD Melton

Martha Bartlett Piland MB Piland Advertising + Marketing

Brain Freeze.

Being mentally present means being fully engaged in what is happening at the moment.

Doug Sterbenz Present to Win Leaders

WORKING CAPITAL is about local and regional businesses within the KTWU viewing area. WORKING CAPITAL showcases entrepreneurship and provides an atmosphere for sharing business concepts and practical business experiences.

Tune in to KTWU-HD, Digital Channel 11.1.

CAIR PARAVEL LATIN SCHOOL was recently awarded the Most Beautiful Private High School in Kansas by Architectural Digest.

PUBLISHER Tara Dimick

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Braden Dimick Keith Horinek JD Melton Michael Perkins David Vincent CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kim Gronniger Shalyn Murphy Donna Rae Pearson Zan Popp Karen Ridder Adam Vlach Kathy Webber CONTRIBUTING EXPERTS Liviu Florea, Ph.D. Phelica Glass Grace Brown Mitchell Martha Bartlett Piland C. Patrick Woods

PUBLISHING COMPANY E2 Communications 7512 SW Falcon St. Topeka, KS 66610 785.438.7773

FOUNDER ǀ Kevin Doel

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Every effort was made to ensure accuracy of the information in this publication as of press time. The publisher assumes no responsibility of any part for the content of any advertisement in this publication, including any errors and omissions therein. E2 Communications, Inc. makes no endorsement, representation or warranty regarding any goods or services advertised or listed in this publication.

Listings and advertisements are provided by the subject company. E2 Communications, Inc. shall not be responsible or liable for any inaccuracy, omission or infringement of any third party's right therein, or for personal injury or any other damage or injury whatsoever. By placing an order for Hosted by Tara Dimick, an advertisement, the advertiser agrees to indemnify the Publisher of TK Business Magazine publisher against any claims relating to the advertisement.

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

I AM TOPEKA

I

T ALL STARTED for me at a lunch. You know those lunches—you go, you listen, you eat chicken—but this one I knew was going to be a bit more fun as I was sitting in the front beside Jenny Torrence—that’s like placing the two most talkative, least likely to follow the directions people together in the front of the room and think they won’t cause a few “shhhhh” looks.

And then it happened. Jenny leaned over and said, “Hey, what do you think about placing the statement ‘I AM TOPEKA’ on a shirt.”

It was like everyone in the room disappeared. I was all in—“That is perfect!” I mean, I don’t always love Topeka, but I could definitely buy into the idea that I am Topeka.

The business side of me was so excited for Jenny and Pinkadilly as my gut told me people would love the shirts.

We discussed ways that TK Business could embrace “I am Topeka”—maybe a series of articles about people that exude Topeka, may be even a cover photo (see the cover and articles on page 10)—I mean TK is Topeka.

Obviously we got a few of those “shhh” looks, possibly even one from the speaker, as we turned that lunch into a business meeting.

But then the real power of “I am Topeka” hit me. I like to call it the “Oh crap moment.” It was that moment when the realization of what it really means if I am Topeka.

It means that I am what you say about Topeka, because I am Topeka. If you say Topeka is bad, you are saying that I am bad. If you say that Topeka is boring, then I am boring. If you say Topeka isn’t a good place for business, then you are pretty much questioning the entire belief and mission of TK Business.

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What?!?!

But it means even more than that.

It means that if I am at a meeting, be it with work or in serving the community, then I have to take ownership of my participation, or lack thereof, in the actual conversation, and then I have to match my expectation of the results with my participation. It goes back to an old acronym I learned as a child and try to live by in my own life— YOGOWYPI (pronounced: yo-go-whip-ee)—it means You Only Get Out What You Put In. This is more than just a simple statement that looks good on a shirt. “I am Topeka” is all about taking ownership of Topeka as one would take ownership of their own essence. “I am Topeka” means that you are the reason Topeka is what it is today, and you are the reason for what it will become.

Topeka needs each of us and the gifts that we have. Each of us has different characteristics that define us—creative, strong-willed, analytical, passionate, caring, empathic, strategic.

While those characteristics will vary, we need each and every one of them to come together and create a diverse, strong and beautiful community.

If you truly embrace the idea of being Topeka, then you too are all in.

I am strong. I am passionate. I am empowered. I am Topeka.

What are you?

Tara Dimick Tara@TKMagazine.com

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I AM TOPEKA

Photo by JD MELTON | 83 PIXELS

Michel' Cole, vice president of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs at Westar Energy is a selfproclaimed "Topeka girl," who has given time and energy to countless organizations throughout her career.

“Always leave the campground cleaner than you found it.” The Boy Scout’s No. 1 rule is an unexpected mantra for Westar Energy’s vice president of corporate communications and public affairs, but Michel’ Cole is anything but predictable.

For Michel’s Grandpa Joe, an avid hunter and fisherman, cleaning up the campground meant being a good camper and a responsible steward of nature’s bounty. For Michel’, cleaning up a campground means passionately improving corporate culture, developing and inspiring future leaders through mentorship, and full-heartedly serving the community that helped her grow.

Her campground is her employer, the organizations she has supported through

MICHEL’ COLE

WESTAR ENERGY

By SHALYN MURPHY Photos by JD MELTON

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volunteer and leadership efforts, and the entire city of Topeka.

A self-proclaimed “Topeka girl,” the Highland Crest native has put her skills to work at many Topeka institutions over the years, including Westar Energy, Security Benefit Corporation, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and the Kansas Press Association. Additionally, Michel’ has given her time and energy to countless organizations by serving on numerous boards and committees, and through volunteering. Michel’ is on the board for the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce and has recently served on the advisory boards for Kansas Book Festival, Topeka Collegiate, KTWU Public Television and the Washburn University Leadership Institute.

Michel’ credits her long history of community service to the example she saw in her mentors after graduating from Washburn University in 1986.

“I was lucky to be surrounded by role models who reached out and showed me what it looked like to do well at your career, to serve your community and to enjoy your family,” Michel’ said.

“They were so generous with their time and advice, and I soaked up everything I could.”

Community service is a worthwhile pursuit, but it can be difficult to balance as a full-time professional without the support of your employer. Luckily, Westar Energy understands the value of employees serving their community.

Westar’s philosophy of community service includes monetary donations to Kansas nonprofits, a reward-match program that encourages employees to give their time to a local organization by volunteering or board service, and the Westar Energy Green Team, a volunteerdriven educational and environmental preservation group that works to retain Kansas’ natural resources.

“I’ve been fortunate that every company I’ve worked at has understood the importance of being good civic leaders,” Michel’ said. “When we encourage our team to get involved and serve, we all benefit. It makes our community better and their community bigger.”

Not only is serving your community a benefit for current employees but Michel’ also predicts that this will become increasingly important to Topeka businesses in the coming years as potential employees are looking for organizations that are doing good in their community. Michel’ says that businesses will have to be good corporate stewards to be an attractive employer, especially to millennials.

Though it can be challenging for smaller organizations to release staff to volunteer service and passion projects, Michel’ encourages businesses of every size to give it a try. Start by asking employees for their ideas of how community service could become part of the organization’s greater mission.

“When you have an employee who is involved in the community, dedicated to a project that excites them, they become a better employee,” Michel’ said.

“They gain leadership skills. Employers who encourage their staff to serve the community will get back tenfold what they give.”

Over the last few years, Michel’ has noticed positive changes in Topeka’s business community.

"I've been fortunate that every company I've worked at has understood the importance of being good civic leaders.

When we encourage our team to get involved and serve, we all benefit. It makes our community better and their community bigger."

—Michel' Cole Vice President Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Westar Energy “There’s a shift in attitude,” Michel’ said. “There are so many young professionals and rising leaders who are really eager to collaborate and achieve more together. Thirty-five years ago, there were a handful of business leaders who could make things happen in Topeka. Today there’s a much broader pool of leaders actively improving our community and they bring a whole new perspective of what can be accomplished.”

One of the accomplishments that Michel' is most proud of is the opportunity she has had to mentor colleagues and co-workers over the years. Her maternal instinct and nononsense straight talk have earned her the nickname of “Mama Cole.”

“I have been so humbled by my experience as a mentor,” Michel’ said.

“Nothing gives me greater joy than seeing my former teammates go beyond their wildest dreams.”

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I AM TOPEKA

In 1957, 19-year-old John Levin was running the Standard Oil service station at 29th and Topeka Boulevard, and although John sold the most tires of any Standard Oil salesman in Topeka and Kansas City, he was starting to think that tires and gas weren’t going to fuel a successful career.

“I just wanted to be successful,” John said. “I wanted to be a millionaire and I was looking for the vehicle to achieve that goal.”

John was interested in succeeding in any type of work as long as he could

JOHN LEVIN

LINDYSPRING SYSTEMS

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Photo by JD MELTON | 83 PIXELS

John Levin began selling water softeners door to door in 1958 to Topeka residents. Today he owns Lindyspring Systems, a wholesale company with distributors across the United States. make millions, so he started his search through face-to-face research at the service station.

“Anyone who looked like they had money, I asked them, ‘Are you a millionaire?’ ” John said. “Most of them said no. If they said yes, then I asked them ‘How can I do what you have done?’ My boss found out I was asking these questions and he wasn’t happy, but I kept at it.”

John believed he’d found his big break when he sold a set of tires to a man with a new 1957 Thunderbird. He wasn’t a millionaire but said he could introduce him to a promising field. John turned in his notice and started training for his new career in the water business.

}

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John Levin spends most of his time visiting wholesalers across the U.S. to provide hands-on training, guidance and advice which he calls “the Levin truth.”

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John attributes his drive for success to two factors. Born in 1938 at the height of the depression, John grew up hearing stories about his hard-working great-grandfather, who had become a millionaire before dying in 1902. By the time John was born, his father was working as a taxi driver in Omaha, Nebraska, and the money was gone.

Within a few years, his father was gone too, leaving John’s mother to raise her son alone. Although she struggled through physical illness and young widowhood, she was undeterred. His mother’s tireless enthusiasm and energy was a great motivating influence on his life.

“She was just a wonderful, wonderful lady.

Nothing could hold her back,” John said. “When she was 90, Mom broke her pelvis, and the doctors told me she’d never walk again. A month later she walked out of the hospital, totally fine.”

In 1958, John began selling water softeners door to door. Though automatic water softeners had been around since the 1920s, and the popularity of mechanical clothes washers increased the market for residential softeners, this was still a fledgling industry in Topeka.

“I didn’t know a thing about it,” John said. “I thought I was a pretty good salesman, but I only had part of the talent. Selling water was totally different than selling a set of tires to a man who needs new tires.”

John spent more than a year learning the business, improving his sales skills and growing his customer base.

TK Business Magazine

Then he hired his first serviceman and six months later, his first salesperson.

Within five years, he had a full sales staff of eight people and soon transitioned from a retail business to wholesale. In 1966, John took on the whole state of Kansas as a wholesaler, and by 1985 he was running 14 states.

Today John owns Lindyspring Systems, a wholesale company specializing in water conditioners, softeners and purified drinking water, with delivery and self-fill locations with distributors across the U.S., all using his preferred equipment, service standards and tried and true selling techniques.

These days, John spends much of his time visiting wholesalers across the U.S. to provide hands-on training and a listening ear to help solve their business challenges. A licensed pilot, he moves quickly from state to state in his 1970 twin-engine aircraft to visit his dealers face-to-face. He peppers those visits with practical guidance and fatherly advice, which he calls “the Levin truth.” His desire to build long-term relationships with clients also extends to his staff, dealers and colleagues.

“One of my first salesmen is still with me today,” John said. “Now he owns a Lindyspring dealership in Enid, Oklahoma. I’ve created five millionaires who have worked for me as dealers. Two of those were flat broke when they got to me.”

2018 marks a 60-year career in water for John, and though he achieved his teenage dream of millions, it hasn’t been without loss. John stresses the importance of learning from and remembering mistakes.

“When you have these life lessons, be damned sure you learn all the appropriate lessons from your failure,” John said. “I’m very grateful for all the things I’ve been through, all the things that happened to me. It’s been a good life, and that’s the Levin truth.”

I AM TOPEKA

Photo by JD MELTON | 83 PIXELS

Caleb Asher, owner of Sprout Communications, chose to put down roots in Topeka. He and his wife decided this was the perfect place to start a business and raise their family.

After living and working in Topeka for more than 10 years, an exciting job opportunity in Austin, Texas, caused Caleb Asher and his wife, Renee, to stop and consider what they loved about Topeka. The list grew and grew.

CALEB ASHER

SPROUT COMMUNICATIONS

“When we moved here, we didn’t have kids,” Caleb said. “We loved our house and our neighborhood, but didn’t plan on staying here long term. But when we considered moving to Austin, we realized how much we would miss Gage Park, the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center and our church. ”

Instead of moving, they chose to put down roots in Topeka, deciding that this was the perfect place to start a new business and raise their family.

Just five years later, Caleb’s full service marketing agency, Sprout Communications, has expanded to 10 full time employees and officially outgrown its previous office space. After considering a variety of locations for his new office, Caleb says that moving downtown was an easy decision to make.

“I knew I wanted a great space to inspire our creativity,” Caleb said. “I toured so many office buildings, but didn’t see that character, that perfect fit.”

Even unfinished, a quick tour of Sprout’s new downtown office at 728 S. Kansas Ave. reveals tons of character. Many original features of the building have been

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preserved, including brick and stone walls. Even the timeworn wooden flooring has been given new life as an architectural focal point along one wall and arranged in a sunburst pattern near the ceiling. Paired with dazzling natural light, sleek, modern desks and pops of Sprout’s signature color green, the space is unique and inviting.

While renovating a building built in the late 1800s hasn’t been without surprises and setbacks, Caleb stands by his commitment.

“I am excited to be part of the solution of downtown revitalization by moving downtown and thriving,” Caleb said. “There’s energy here, momentum. We look down the street and see other

businesses opening too. It’s business owners saying, ‘Let’s be part of the solution.’”

Before launching his business, Caleb’s background included leading statewide marketing and branding initiatives through the Kansas Department of Commerce.

In this role, Caleb’s team worked to cast the vision of collaborative, unified efforts to increase community development and make marketing efforts more effective. Now Caleb puts that experience to work not only helping his clients succeed but also using it to propel Topeka forward as he serves on numerous boards and committees. Caleb serves on the Business Improvement District Advisory Board, the

GO Topeka Entrepreneurship and Minority Business Development Council, Momentum 2022’s marketing and talent development committee, and is currently chair of the North Topeka Arts and Entertainment District Board.

“Now is an important time to be involved in our community,” Caleb said.

“Topeka has exciting leaders working to move things forward with a unified vision.

It’s a time of collaboration of various organizations and businesses, not competition.”

For a forward thinker like Caleb, a bright future for Topeka is just around the corner.

“After the quality of life piece is done, and we have

NOTO, the Downtown Plaza, nightlife and businesses downtown, then I’d love to see Topeka work on the entrepreneur ecosystem,” Caleb said.

Sprout Communication is a member of 712 Innovations, which Caleb credits as a great resource for his business and other local entrepreneurs.

Caleb was also a founding member of the Topeka chapter of 1 Million Cups, a free national program designed to educate, engage and connect entrepreneurs with their communities.

“Creating an environment to encourage and nurture start-ups will be vital for Topeka’s ability to attract and retain businesses in the future,” Caleb said.

TK

WE ARE TOPEKA

Full Service Marketing Firm

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728 S Kansas Ave, Suite 200, Topeka, KS

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. Only 19,997 to go.

Help us celebrate our 20th birthday.

Visit MBPiland.com/thanks and share the love.

Country & Food Trucks Wild Kratts Live! @ TPAC NHRA Heartland Nationals Movie on the Capitol Lawn First Friday Art Walk Harvey @ TCT Family & Food Truck Festival Mulvane Art Fair Second Saturday Concert Series Sunflower Music Festival Tap That Topeka Topeka Rotary Freedom Festival Spirit of Kansas Blues Festival Fiesta Mexicana Newsies @ TCT Second Saturday Concert Series Sunflower State Games MOTO in NOTO Bridal Fair @ KS Expo Shawnee County Fair NHRA Drag Racing Rock & Food Trucks Newsies @ TCT The Grape Escape @ TPAC First Friday Art Walk Cruisin’ The Capitol Car Show Second Saturday Concert Series MOTO in NOTO Touch-A-Truck

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BRANDING

Martha Bartlett Piland PHOTO SUBMITTED

MB PILAND ADVERTISING + MARKETING

YOUR BRAND IS MORE THAN YOUR LOGO: BUILD IT FROM THE INSIDE OUT. Here are some things to help you think about how to build a brand that endures.

Sometimes companies call us saying they want a new brand, when in their heads, they’re thinking “logo.” A brand goes far deeper than a logo.

And it starts on the inside of your organization.

Martha Bartlett Piland leads MB Piland Advertising + Marketing, a firm that helps advocacy, health, economic development and financial brands build better ROI by aligning their internal and external brands.

Martha is the author of Culturing Creative and inventor of TRANSFORMOTION™ in a Box.

Know your “why” Why does your brand exist? What are you here to do? When you have a purpose and can articulate it, you’ll have greater ease separating your brand from competitors.

That translates to sales and profit as well as to talent attraction and retention. All are critical to your success.

In the past, being the highest quality or having the best customer service might have been enough to outpace the competition. No more.

Now, people look for brands that fill a personal need for connection. They want brands that match their own values and aspirations. Brands who know their WHY, then communicate and embody it have a huge advantage over those who are still stuck on “great service.”

Don’t wait. Get this figured out.

Get out of your own head Many CEOs suffer from the Curse of Knowledge. Because they live and breathe the company strategy and purpose, they act as if employees have absorbed this information by osmosis or ESP. We know it just doesn’t work that way. It’s vitally important for leaders to communicate, listen, and share the company direction. When employees know how they can individually contribute to the company’s success, they’ll perform. Make them a part of your mission and they’ll be powerful ambassadors who make great things happen.

Be sure your actions match your purpose When you plan the holiday party, an anniversary celebration or any event, make sure it’s aligned with your purpose. For example, if you’re about promoting financial well-being, you shouldn’t host a party in Las Vegas or give lottery tickets as gifts.

On the flip side, if your brand is all about entertainment and escapism, a casino venue might be perfect.

When you sponsor or partner with a nonprofit, choose causes that support your beliefs. For Rolex’s 100th anniversary, they started a foundation to support environmental organizations who can create lasting change. Rolex is funding long-term impact: that’s a natural fit with a brand that’s been keeping time for more than a century.

Watch your language What’s the internal language in your company? Does it match your purpose and culture?

If you have fun names for your teammates and fans, then by all means, use them. Nordstrom has its Nordies, Mars has its Martians and MB Piland has its Groovies.

These monikers are well loved—they’re a badge of honor that’s proudly worn.

If your values call for the utmost respect for peers and customers, don’t tolerate any backroom name calling, eye rolling or disparaging remarks. Even if they’re never overheard (but they probably will be), they’re a poison that starts to soak into everything.

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Photo by DAVID VINCENT

Devlin’s Wine & Spirits 20

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Third generation Topeka entrepreneur Clayton Devlin, completes a major project nearly every year at Devlin’s Wine & Spirits to keep the business thriving and growing.

THE HEART OF THE ENTREPRENEUR

By KAREN RIDDER

Photos by DAVID VINCENT

A

BOUT ONCE A WEEK, Clayton Devlin gets asked about the grocery store.

As owner of Devlin’s Wine & Spirits, he is used to the question, and it makes him proud. It points to his heritage as a third-generation entrepreneur in Topeka.

Yes. He IS one of those Devlins.

Grandpa, Henry Devlin, and great uncle, Bart Devlin, started Devlin’s Grocery Store just over the bridge in Oakland 73 years ago. A lot of long-time Topeka residents fondly remember the store.

“My grandpa had that store on 6th Street until he retired,” Devlin said.

Customers also remember his father, Pat Devlin, who owned a sewing machine place on 6th Street.

Pat Devlin opened up that shop in the mid-1980s and ran it until he saw the sewing machine market changing and decided to get into the liquor business.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS The Devlin’s Wine & Spirits of today started as a rented spot inside a gas station on south Wanamaker.

Clayton Devlin’s parents ran that store, expanded it into a freestanding location and moved the store to the highly visible corner of 29th and Wanamaker in 2001.

Clayton Devlin grew up in the business.

“Ever since I was a little kid, I remember going to sewing machine and fabric warehouses and shopping with him [dad],” Devlin said. “I mowed the yards to all the properties and painted. I always

wanted to be around my dad and I always knew that was what I wanted to do.”

After Devlin graduated from Kansas State with a business degree in 2006, he went straight back into working at his parents’ business.

Three years later he had bought them out.

“I was extremely young. But I had always been interested in the business. Even as a 10-year-old, I would go sit in the kitchen and listen to my parents talk business rather than going to watch cartoons,” Devlin said.

Devlin says the threegeneration entrepreneurial history behind him gave him the understanding of the kind of hard work it takes to be successful.

It also gave him the confidence that he could be successful too.

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Devlin’s Wine & Spirits is currently the 10th largest liquor store in Kansas.

Photo by DAVID VINCENT

“Knowing that I could go talk to my dad about it at any time has to be the biggest part that makes me feel confident,” Devlin said.

CHANGE When Devlin took over the store, one of the first changes he made was to computerize the business.

“My dad was not a computer guy,” Devlin said.

It was the first of many upgrades to the 29th and Wanamaker store, and now at the second location of Devlin’s Wine & Spirits on 21st Street west of

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Gage. Devlin says he completes a major project nearly every year because he believes upgrades and expansions are just part of keeping the business thriving and growing.

“Every year, the national chains are doing something new to their stores,” Devlin said. “You have to stay competitive and invest in your store. When people walk in, I want them to feel that we have a clean, organized store with a good collection that makes it easy to shop.”

Devlin says he likes the challenge of being a business owner. There is constant change

and different issues to deal with every day.

He also enjoys the opportunity it has given him to be involved in the community. Devlin helps a lot of charitable organizations with wine pulls for their annual fundraising events.

“It’s a great reward to see all the charity events be successful,” Devlin said.

ADJUST & DIVERSIFY Other changes in the near future for Devlin include adjusting to new liquor laws in Kansas. The first will come in April of 2019, when grocery stores, gas stations and drug stores will be able to sell 6% and under beer. Currently the regulation is 3.2% and under.

“It will affect the domestic beers for sure. Instead of 33 liquor stores in Topeka, now we will have 200 people selling it,” Devlin said.

Devlin is preparing for the change by diversifying and adjusting his inventory and appeal to offer a bigger selection and a more shop-able selection than other stores in Topeka. Devlin’s is currently the 10th largest liquor store in Kansas. That distinction gives them a better chance than some other Topeka stores of getting highly allocated items— like limited edition brews. That kind of inventory draws in and helps keep customers.

In the future, Devlin anticipates there will be more changes to liquor laws. As an entrepreneur, he believes the best plan is to be prepared to change your business model when the time comes.

“Do I want those changes to happen? Of course not. Change is hard. But I am not naïve about it happening. There’s a lot of years left for change,” Devlin said. TK

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TAKING OUR PLACE IN THE

ANIMAL HEALTH CORRIDOR

By KIM GRONNIGER

Photos by DAVID VINCENT

Whether dedicated to improving quality of life for our pets or the nutritional value of the meat we eat, animal health companies not only play an influential role in our overall well-being but also the financial viability of the communities we live in.

}

Leading the new Topeka Science and Technology Park Task Force is Dan Foltz, president of KBS Constructors, Inc. and Duane Cantrell, managing partner of Fulcrum Global Capital.

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In 2018, 56 percent of the world’s animal health Gross Domestic Product came from businesses spanning the 300-mile Animal Health Corridor from Manhattan, Kansas, to Columbia, Missouri, a corridor representing more than 300 animal health companies—the largest concentration in the world.

According to KS AgGrowth Animal Health Report 2018, companies with a business location within the corridor are responsible for 75 percent of the worldwide sales of animal health products and diagnostics, totaling just over $19 billion.

FORMULATING A STRATEGY

A new Topeka Science and Technology Park Task Force formed through the Greater Topeka Partnership is formulating a strategy to make the capital city a high-tech hub for expanding companies and entrepreneurs serving this growing industry.

Additionally, the task force will establish infrastructure for the Topeka Entrepreneurial Ecosystem to support startups creating technology applications for financial services, clinical trial research, agricultural product and process enhancements, and logistics and manufacturing distribution solutions.

Led by Duane Cantrell, managing partner of Fulcrum Global Capital, and Dan Foltz, president of KBS Constructors, Inc., the task force comprises 15 individuals who have spent the past few months touring innovation parks and bioscience and technology centers throughout Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma to collect ideas. The group concluded its data gathering phase with a commissioned research study that will direct efforts to cultivate public and private partnerships, shovel-ready land, coaching services and capital investment for projects of all sizes.

STRENGTHS OF THE CORRIDOR The corridor, launched in 2006, represents international manufacturing companies and startups providing research, technical expertise and other services fueling innovation. Hill’s Pet Nutrition and J.M. Smucker’s Big Heart Pet Brands, two of

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the top five global brands, have manufacturing operations in Topeka, and Hill’s, which started in Topeka in the 1930s, has its corporate headquarters and a research campus here.

Many companies are drawn to the corridor because of the myriad strategic benefits that can accrue not only by being clustered in a concentrated area of expertise but also for easy shipping access by truck and rail and an abundant supply of meat and grains. For example, Jinyu, China’s number one animal health company, recently signed an agreement to place its first North American facility in Manhattan, and Biomin America Inc., part of a global agricultural research company based in Austria and a producer of feed additives, will soon be relocating its regional office from San Antonio to Overland Park.

Last year, the chief executive officer of a $15 billion Chinese science and technology company interested in investing in the corridor asked Cantrell why his delegation, en route from Manhattan to Lawrence, wasn’t stopping in Topeka.

“My unfortunate answer was that the capital city’s infrastructure was not yet in place to provide the resources his company required,” said Cantrell, former president of Payless ShoeSource and former president and CEO of the Kansas Biosciences Authority. “That disheartening exchange became a catalyst for galvanizing our efforts to position Topeka as a contender in this market. We weren’t ready for his company, but we’ll be ready for the next one.”

doubled,” Cantrell said. “Why? technicians to supply a qualified Because within 50 miles of Lincoln, workforce at all levels. Topeka there are 10 entrepreneurial Center for Advanced Learning incubators, some related to the Careers, opening this fall through university but many not.”

Topeka Public Schools, will also be an asset.

Each of the communities the task Dan Foltz, who started his force members visited had career here 40 years ago, experienced significant believes Topeka’s numerous population and economic positive attributes and growth by expanding entrepreneurial spirit will their tech resources with attract companies for varied Lincoln, Nebraska, being business expansion and the most compelling incubator efforts in the future. example in comparison to "People who have been on the Topeka. sidelines are ready to play,” Cantrell said that in he said.

1978 Topeka’s population was 124,000 and Lincoln’s Cantrell characterized was 144,000. Today, Topeka’s Topeka as being “in the cradle of population is around 128,000 success.” He said the city is well whereas Lincoln’s is about 295,000. situated to capitalize on emerging “Our community has grown about 4,000 people in the last 40 opportunities because of its years and Lincoln’s has nearly worldwide reputation for animal

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Photo by DAVID VINCENT

LEVERAGING ATTRIBUTES “We have professional expertise and logistical attributes to leverage here in Shawnee County,” Foltz said, noting annual funding of $5 million through the Joint Economic Development Organization and collaborative opportunities with regional universities, law schools and angel investment groups.

The KS AgGrowth Animal Health Report for 2018 notes that an added incentive for launching alliances beneficial to animal health is the attraction of higher-wage positions averaging 80 percent more than the overall private sector.

In addition to universities producing veterinarians, microbiologists and feed production specialists to continue filling this growing market, Cantrell and Foltz said area colleges, universities and Washburn University Institute of Technology will play a vital role in training lab

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Photo by DAVID VINCENT

health with Hill’s Pet Nutrition and its proximity to the $1.25 billion National Bioscience and Ag-Defense facility (the Centers for Disease Control equivalent for animal health) opening in 2022 and to renowned veterinary programs at Kansas State University and the University of Missouri.

Duane Cantrell, former president of Payless ShoeSource and former president and CEO of the Kansas Bisosciences Authority, shared a disheartening exchange with a potential investor that became a catalyst for galvanizing the efforts to position Topeka as a contender in the animal health corridor market. "We weren't ready for his company, but we'll be ready for the next one," he said.

A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH Although the animal health industry was the initial catalyst for the creation of a task force to support entrepreneurial technologies, Cantrell and Foltz emphasize that agricultural, health care, financial services and other sectors also have rich potential and are key components of a comprehensive approach. They cited the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, Missouri, the largest private plant-based research facility in the world; Washington University Medical School, one of the country’s leading medical research centers; and the University

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of Kansas School of Pharmacy’s number two ranking as further evidence that the I-70 corridor is one of the most robust research centers in the nation.

In fact, Topeka has two of the country’s top clinical research organizations (CRO), Hill’s Pet Nutrition for animal health and Stormont Vail Health for human patient trials.

“CROs provide a critically important step to getting vaccines, drugs, treatments and services to market,” said Cantrell. “Currently, there are about 110 CROs along the I-70 corridor from St. Louis to Manhattan, nearly as many as in North Carolina’s hailed Research Triangle with 120.”

In the area of agriculture, Cantrell said the world’s population is expected to grow from 6.5 billion people to 9.5 billion people by 2050, “creating a need to produce more food in the next 30 years than in the previous 10,000. Production has to increase 70 percent with less land, water and ag labor. In 1960, ag labor was at 8.1 percent and today it’s 1.6 percent. Some of those necessary breakthroughs are going to come from this region.”

The task force’s vision includes two complementary components: (1) a science and technology park to help corporations accelerate development and (2) delivery of new solutions and a downtown center to support startup innovation.

The task force has several ideas for leveraging its existing capital city business and research partners including expanding worker space options.

“In today’s world, corporations like Koch Industries and Garmin are spinning off their innovation teams so they can cross-pollinate in close proximity with other creative minds,” said Foltz. “Having 24/7 space available to move these groups in and out efficiently and incentives like a tech park where they can scale

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up a manufacturing model of their idea will be critical components of our regional growth strategy.”

The ecosystem needed to support the envisioned tech boom also includes expanded insurance, accounting, legal and financial services as well as restaurant and retail opportunities, all of which will benefit established employers and residents too.

“The opening of the Topeka Center for Advanced Learning Careers and initiatives like Top Tank’s recent competition to provide seed money for a new business are just two examples of local partnerships addressing quality of life and workforce development,” said Foltz. “Lots of other things are in the works too. People who have been on the sidelines are ready to play.”

A PROMISING FUTURE Now that the research study undertaken by Think Big in Kansas City, Missouri, has been compiled, the task force has created a job description for an experienced entrepreneurial executive to oversee the establishment and growth of Topeka’s emerging entrepreneurial community.

Cantrell and Foltz, who both came to Topeka 40 years ago to start their careers, believe that Topeka’s numerous positive attributes and entrepreneurial spirit will entice companies to consider Topeka as an attractive site for varied business expansion and incubator efforts.

“Our location in the center of the country and our quality of life are advantageous,” said Cantrell, noting that many former corporate executives choose to remain here when they retire. “With Momentum 2022 underway, unprecedented investment in downtown and a commitment among key people to keep our smartest graduates in the state, we believe that Topeka’s future looks very promising.”

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Content curated by ZAN POPP and DONNA RAE PEARSON

Photo by MICHAEL PERKINS

Photos by MICHAEL PERKINS

Everybody has a story that deserves to be told.

T

OPEKA & SHAWNEE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY’S Local History Department and the Alice Sabatini Gallery in partnership with the Topeka community created a living exhibit earlier in 2018. This exhibit told the stories of 14 living African Americans that presently contribute to the positive development of Topeka.

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There are hundreds, perhaps even thousands of African Americans that could bear the title of ‘Community Builder’—a person that is contributing to the development of Topeka in ordinary and extraordinary ways through their undertakings. The 14 living Builders and Builder organizations featured in the exhibit were nominated by members of the community and then interviewed by library staff for inclusion.

The Builders are people you see around Topeka. You may see them at work. Socialize with them after church.

They sit on community boards, run organizations and own businesses. All while striving to make Topeka a better place. Some are well known, such as Jack

TK Business Magazine

Alexander, the first African American Water Commissioner. Others are lesser known, like Norma Avery, who organizes community events, such as Juneteenth, that honor the history of African Americans while providing a safe atmosphere for youth in our community.

The depth and breadth of the Builders provide a foundation that all of Topeka can build upon.

The stories of our community Builders do not end with this exhibit or magazine spread. Their stories will be archived in the Local History archives in the Topeka Room at the library, preserved so they can be told for generations to come.

“I’ll take it under advisement.”

—Don Perkins

DON PERKINS President Central Park Neighborhood Improvement Association

Retired Child Care Supervisor Menninger Children’s Hospital MY STORY I joined the Central Park Neighborhood Improvement Association (NIA) in 1996. I began walking the neighborhood with Chet Curtwright and Don Harrison to check on the condition of the houses and safety issues. Later, I rode with Joyce Ritchey to check on those people in the neighborhood that were not following code compliance laws. This was a part of my training before I ran for an office in the NIA. The first time I became president was the year 2000.

While I have been involved, the NIA has accomplished many improvements in the neighborhood. We have made improvements in Central Park: bleachers, a running track, a fence around the track, outdoor basketball goals, new play equipment, new lighting and more seating and trash containers. In the neighborhood, the NIA has helped get new homes, new handicap cutouts for certain blocks, street improvements, sidewalk and curb improvements. We would like to increase home ownership in our area.

Our goal is to have the nicest, safest neighborhood where everyone would like to live.

Photo by MICHAEL PERKINS

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“You need people that you’re afraid to let down.”

—Timothy Bell

TIMOTHY BELL

Police Officer Topeka Police Department Our Kids Program Officer Eisenhower Middle School Highland Park High School MY STORY Being born and raised in Topeka in a high poverty side of town gave me the perspective of what is needed to surpass environmental shortcomings outside of the home. I saw what it took from two hard working parents at home.

My father was a public servant working for the Topeka Fire Department and my mother was a state social worker. I could see the example of two loving and caring parents who wanted to make a better way for their five children.

I took this work ethic with me into different facets of life. In high school, I transformed that work ethic into a distinguished track career where I still hold the Centennial League 400m record, and a few years later I was able to turn it toward my passion of helping people. I became a Topeka Police Officer to help the community that I love and grew up in, and to show other young people that your circumstances and environment don’t have to define who or what you are.

Photo by MICHAEL PERKINS

Through the Topeka Police Department, I was given the environment and the tools needed to help and touch people’s lives in ways that were previously unattainable. I was blessed and given the opportunity to lead an African-American male mentorship program through the police department called the Our Kids (OK) Program.

Through the OK Program, I can connect with African-American men and boys to help transform our community and the city of Topeka. Being able to invest in a young person every single day is the most fulfilling and rewarding facet of being a police officer. The long-term investment of building young men with character and hearts for their community is invaluable to continuing to build the city of Topeka.

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“Be honest. Being honest is easier to do because you don’t have to try to remember the truth. But you have to remember a lie. Being honest has made my life peaceful.”

—Lester Wilson

LESTER WILSON

Retired Topeka Boys Industrial School HIS STORY Born during the era of segregation, Lester Wilson’s approach to life is simple. He said he “fought segregation with humor.” Wilson was one of the first African-Americans to jump over the color line at Topeka High School and play baseball on a mostly white team. He never experienced racism from his teammates; normally it occurred on the road.

In a small town, a fan of the local team yelled from the stands for Lester not to hit the ball when he came up to bat. Lester thought for a minute about the consequences if he did or didn’t. His response was to hit a home run and walk the bases slowly.

Photo by MICHAEL PERKINS

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“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths.”

—Proverbs 3:5-6

DR. BERYL ANN MASSEY NEW Director Certified Human Resources and Equity Topeka Public Schools, USD 501 HER STORY Dr. Beryl New has spent her life dedicated to education. As a young child, she loved organizing activities that involved teaching others. This desire grew to become her passionate profession later in her life.

After high school, she enrolled in secretarial college, but then married and began a family.

When she had six children, Beryl enrolled in Washburn University and graduated with high honors, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1988.

She then began her career doing what she felt she was called to do—teaching English at her alma mater, Topeka High School.

She later earned her master’s in educational administration from Washburn in 2001, followed by a doctor of education degree from the University of Kansas in 2007. During her administrative career, she served for five years at Lawrence High School as an assistant principal and then the associate principal.

While a principal of Highland Park High School from 2010 to 2106, she helped guide it through a multiyear school improvement plan funded in part by federal grant dollars. In 2015, the Topeka Chamber honored her with its Women of Influence award.

Photo by MICHAEL PERKINS

Nearly thirty years after beginning her education career, Beryl is still passionate about making sure children succeed in school.

Beryl serves on the Kansas African American Affairs Commission and has taught education leadership at Washburn University.

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“My whole idea was to work to bring families back together, to keep God in their lives, to respect each other and themselves.”

—Norma Avery

NORMA AVERY

President Family & Friends Juneteenth Celebration MY STORY I got started with Juneteenth when I began realizing that some years would pass and there were either no events or that I could not find where they were. It was after not seeing Juneteenth events, that I decided it was important for my grandkids to know the history and the meaning of what Juneteenth was all about. So, five years ago, I started work on Juneteenth ideas and planned out what I thought Juneteenth should be. In my mind, it had to start with what Juneteenth truly started with and that was family and church. That is why we are called Family and Friends Juneteenth Celebration.

Back in the day, that is what we as Blacks were all about: family, church and friends. My whole idea was to work to bring families back together, to keep God in their lives, to respect each other and themselves.

Photo by MICHAEL PERKINS

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“Never, never, never give up.”

—Yolanda Taylor

YOLANDA TAYLOR

President/Photography Instructor Heavenly Visions Foundation MY STORY Nearly 40 years ago, I served my country in the United States Army as a still photographic specialist. Today, although I am employed full time as a veteran’s representative for the State of Kansas, I take time to share the knowledge, skills and abilities from my military days with disadvantaged youth ages 8-18 in the Topeka community.

In 2010, I started a youth photography program through Heavenly Visions Foundation, a nonprofit organization 501(c)(3) where I provide photography training to youth who are interested in learning about the world around them through photography.

Photo by MICHAEL PERKINS

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TAMI E. FARR-SMITH Chapter President Delta Sigma Theta

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION Delta Sigma Theta is a sorority of collegeeducated women dedicated to public service with an emphasis in programs that target the African-American community. Delta Sigma Theta was founded on January 13, 1913 by 22 collegiate women at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Membership is open to any woman who meets the requirements, regardless of religion, race or nationality. Women may join through undergraduate chapters at a college or university, or through an alumnae chapter after earning a college degree.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is the largest African-American women’s organization in the world and has a membership of more than 300,000 college-educated women in more than 940 chapters located in the United States, the Caribbean, England, Germany, Korea, Japan, Bermuda, Jamaica, the Virgin Islands and the Bahamas.

Topeka Alumnae continue to excel in their public service programs. The chapter during the past 66 years has had outstanding leadership and is continuing to look toward the future years with enthusiasm.

Photo by MICHAEL PERKINS

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“Proof is in the Puddin’.”

—Chef Sean Hall

CHEF SEAN HALL Owner Catering by the Chef

MY STORY I always loved to cook. I remember getting recipes from my Grandmother and watching my mother in the kitchen as a young boy. Unlike my father, a hardworking man, I suffered from entitlement and I was never fond of working hard. Until later in life, I wouldn’t understand the reward of my labors and the satisfaction of a hard day’s work. I was caught up in fast money. By the time I would wise up, I had wasted the majority of my life— in and out of jail, two failed marriages and bankrupt. Sin had a major stronghold on my life. I was at a point in 2013 where I had lost all hope and will to live.

Fortunately, I was introduced to the Lord, not by chance, but by all the things I had done in my life up to this point.

I worked on the Las Vegas strip as an Executive Chef, ran a culinary school for 15 plus years and trained more than 10,000 students in my career.

I had 3 homes, the newest cars, boats and all the toys. Then I lost everything, divorced my wife, separated from my children and suffered from major depression. I had eaten myself to 500 plus pounds and was on the brink of selfdestruction. I sat facing a bottle of pills after being incarcerated. My oldest daughter’s face popped in my head. Like everything else, I failed at taking my life. I asked God that if He could pull me through this, I would serve Him the rest of my life. I felt a calm and a peace like never before. I knew in my heart that God heard me.

Photo by MICHAEL PERKINS

Food now has become a passion not to cook for stars or presidents and dignitaries but to feed His flock to provide for those that sometimes cannot provide for themselves.

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“Every day is a good day.”

—Jack Alexander

JACK ALEXANDER

Former Topeka Water Commissioner and Kansas Corporate Commission appointee Member Kansas Historical Foundation Board of Directors MY STORY I never expected to be in politics. I was a member of the Union during my career at Goodyear. I would say being part of the Union gave me my political education. I learned how to negotiate and listen. The Union PAC was actively involved in politics in Topeka. It was really strong in the 1970s. A city commissioner had vacated his position and a person had to be appointed. The Union submitted my name. After that ended, I officially ran for office.

Many times in my life, other people kicked the door down; I had the skills to go through.

Photo by MICHAEL PERKINS

In many of the positions I have had, I was the first Black person to hold them. I want people to say instead, I am the person that holds the office that “happens to be Black”.

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GLENDA KEARNEY DU BOISE Chapter President The Topeka Chapter of The Links, Incorporated

VOLUNTEER STORY The Topeka Chapter of The Links, Incorporated has been an integral part of Topeka’s history for almost 60 years. Established as the first Links chapter in Kansas in 1958, the Topeka Chapter paved the way for the chapter in Wichita.

The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation that is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations comprised of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African-Americans and other persons of African ancestry.

As a part of this community, The Topeka Chapter of The Links, Incorporated have partnered with numerous local organizations to: • Decrease the occurrence of infant mortality in Shawnee County.

• Promote literacy.

• Advance the arts within Topeka.

• Sustain educational opportunities for college students through scholarships and career readiness.

• Facilitate conversations, resources and healthy solutions for families.

• Build self-esteem and educational advancement around the world.

Photo by MICHAEL PERKINS

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“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”

—Pablo Picasso

CHRIS OMNI

Founder and Visionary MAKIN’ MOVES Kujima MY STORY Who am I? The most encompassing answer is that I am energy personified. The title answer is that I am a Behavioral Change Specialist, Lifestyle Wellness Coach, Personal Trainer and Group Exercise Instructor.

I entered the field of health and wellness promotion in December 1999. I read a sign on the locker room door at the YMCA that asked, “Do you like people? Do like money? Do you like to dance?” Answering yes to all three questions has turned into an exciting career that has evolved over the last 18+ years.

I totally love what I do. I love helping people set and achieve wellness goals. I love creating safe and supportive spaces that allow children, women and men to thrive while improving their health. I love my life.

One of my favorite quotes is by Pablo Picasso: “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” And, that is EXACTLY what I get to do. #IfNotMeWhoIfNotNowWhen

Photo by MICHAEL PERKINS

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2018

SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS

CONGRATS WINNERS

CAPITAL CITY BUSINESS OF DISTINCTION Schendel Lawn and Landscape Brent Boles, Aaron Jones, Brandon Moore

NONPROFIT DISTINCTION Let’s Help Inc. Linda Kehres

MINORITY BUSINESS OF DISTINCTION Bowser Johnson Funeral Chapel Dr. Harriett Johnson

EMERGING ENTREPRENEUR OF DISTINCTION Happy Bassett Brewing Company Eric Craver

WOMEN BUSINESS OF DISTINCTION Century Business Technologies Inc. Dawna McCabe

SMALL BUSINESS ADVOCATE TK Business Magazine Tara and Braden Dimick

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“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.”

—Muhammad Ali

BLANCHE PARKS Board of Regents Washburn University

District Governor 2018-19 Rotary #5710 MY STORY I developed, implemented and was director of the Kansas 529 Learning Quest College Savings Program in the Kansas Treasurer’s Office and had the responsibility to educate “Kansans” on the new program. I was a program speaker to the Downtown Topeka Rotary Club. At that time, the club was having a membership drive and, at the conclusion of my presentation, I was recruited by several members. I noticed many of the members were people I had previously known through community service and many were the “movers and shakers” of the town. I joined this outstanding organization and the rest is history.

As of July 1, I will become Kansas #5710 District Governor. I joined Rotary for the opportunity to help others in the community, both locally and worldwide. Rotary means to me going beyond helping and performing service above and beyond the call of duty.

Photo by MICHAEL PERKINS

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“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”

—Maya Angelou

ANNETTE BILLINGS Poet

HER STORY Annette Hope Billings is an award-winning poet/ playwright/actress dubbed by her fans as "Maya of the Midwest." Her body of work includes poetry, short stories and plays. A nurse for decades before becoming a full-time writer, her broad range of life experiences and deep penchant for caring come through clearly in her writing.

As a nurse and a poet, she believes she has been a part of building the Topeka community.

She believes pairing them will encourage people to think about the not-so-obvious connections in the life of an individual and in the community in which they live.

Her artwork that won an ARTY could be seen as multi-colored arms of art reaching upward and outward to touch the lives of people the same way the arms of a nurse do.

Photo by MICHAEL PERKINS

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“I am changing the narrative.”

—Lazone Grays

LAZONE GRAYS President/CEO IBSA Inc.

MY STORY While attending school at Washburn, I got my introduction to Black History by working in Mabee Library. All the major activist figures were there —MLK (Martin Luther King Jr.), Garvey (Marcus Garvey), and Malcolm X. The biggest influence on me was Malcolm. I have read his biography several times; it has had a lasting impact on me. I felt a parallel to his (Malcolm) life in many ways.

IBSA, Inc. started at Washburn University because I was frustrated with the Black organizations on campus. The International Black Student Alliance (IBSA) had connections in Africa, which is where the international aspect comes from. It is concerned with the diaspora as well as commerce and trade. Concerning youth, we have to be teachers too, not just the schools.

Education is the passport to the future.

Photo by MICHAEL PERKINS

I use IBSA and technology as a bridge for businesses and students to work together, in order to groom our youth to be better leaders in the community. It started with a partnership with Big Brothers and Big Sisters participants on how to do websites. Technology is the new tool for the future. One person can make things happen. TK

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MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE

Phelica Glass PHOTO SUBMITTED

CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER SPECIALIST

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports: ll Approximately 740 million people are affected by mental health issues. ll 1 in 4 persons is likely to be diagnosed with a mental illness.

AN OUT-OF-THE-BOX APPROACH

is important in the workplace to address the increase of loss of productivity due to mental illness.

Suggestions to prevent and address mental health issues in the workplace:  Openly talking about mental illness can create an environment where employees no longer fear consequence or termination for disclosing diagnosis.

ll There has been a 50 percent increase in the diagnosis of anxiety and depression from 1990 to 2013.

 Inviting mental health providers to staff meetings to offer education and resources increases the likelihood of employees accessing services before symptoms are out of control.

ll Women are more inclined to report via survey that they struggle with mental illness; however only 14 percent of those who suffer with emotional dysregulation feel comfortable discussing the issue with employers.

Although mental health issues are prevalent, very few preventative measures are being taken to enhance mental stability by employers.

Phelica Glass, LSCSW, is a provider of mental health services for children and families to help build stronger relationships by developing healthy coping skills.

 Creating break rooms that embody the resemblance to greenspace, with comfy seating and waterfalls, allows the lunch break to be revitalizing.  Make allowances for return programs for those battling mental illness as they would someone facing a physical illness.  Add mental health days to the benefits package.  Partner with a mental health professional to host office hours on site in which employees could do drop in therapy sessions.  Partner with a mental health consultant to offer beneficial stress activities with the purpose of addressing intrapersonal issues among staff.

If someone is experiencing psychological or emotional distress, how can they perform at maximum potential in their place of employment where they spend more than half of their awake hours? The truth is, they can’t. We can’t. Prevention is the key to healthy, positive work experiences and productivity.

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785-233-1102 | loganbusinessmachines.com

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Photo by JD MELTON | 83 PIXELS

B'Well at BP

By KATHY WEBBER Photos by JD MELTON

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For the past 85 years, the structure of the building that houses B'Well Market and BP gas station had remained the same, but owners Austin and Jeremy Barnwell, a father and son team, with the help of The Osborne Construction Company, have changed all that.

“We discussed remodeling for a long time. We knew it was needed, but it wasn’t until two years ago that we got really serious about it,” Jeremy said.

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Foulston Siefkin LLP welcomes

LISA BROWN

Health care lawyer | Young leader Committed Topeka citizen Foulston Siefkin LLP is pleased to announce Lisa Brown joined the firm’s Topeka office. As a member of Foulston’s health law team, Ms. Brown will focus her practice on health care law and related matters.

Her experience includes representing hospitals, health systems, and other health care providers with a wide array of issues, including health care licensing and regulatory matters, provider reimbursement, health care contracts, transactions and financing, and insurance and medical malpractice defense.

Ms. Brown, a graduate of Washburn University School of Law, is a member of the Kansas Association of Defense Counsel, Sam A. Crow American Inn of Court, Kansas Bar Association, Women Attorneys Association of Topeka, and the Kansas Women Attorneys Association. She also serves as an adjunct professor at Washburn University School of Law. Ms. Brown was named one of Topeka’s Top 20 Under 40 for 2017 by the Jayhawk Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. A 2017 graduate of Leadership Topeka, she serves on the board of Let’s Help, Inc., the Topeka Performing Arts Center, and the Community Leadership and Development Council for the Kansas Children’s Service League.

Lisa M. Brown | lbrown@foulston.com | 785.354.9414 www.foulston.com

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ONE-STOP SHOPPING Jeremy said the concept behind the remodel is to make it a convenient, one-stop shopping for people who live downtown. With all of the new apartments and lofts opening up as a

Photo by JD MELTON | 83 PIXELS

The renovation of B'Well Market has doubled the square footage of the existing property which gives space for a coffee shop setting that serves traditional coffee drinks, including espressos, lattes and even Italian sodas.

RENOVATING

Construction began in November of 2017 and was completed this spring. The renovations, which expand to the east and south, more than double the square footage of the existing property. The new additions allow for a bigger convenience store offering a variety of fresh grocery items, and includes a full-service coffee shop.

The renovation has completely changed the front of the building, allowing it to fit in with the current feel of Downtown Topeka.

“We don’t want it to look like a convenience store anymore,” Jeremy said.

“We want it to look like it has been here for awhile, so we took some cues from the Dibble Building across the street.”

result of a renewed investment in Downtown Topeka, those residents who already live in the area, as well as those planning to move in, want a more convenient way to buy groceries. B’Well Market aims to do just that.

“I have had a few people that live down here come and ask me what we will serve,” Jeremy said. “It will take us awhile to get the right product match down, but once we do I think we will be able to fulfill that niche.”

With the new renovations, B’Well Market has teamed up with Blue Jazz Java, a Topeka-based company, to create a traditional coffee shop feel.

“We were sitting discussing ideas one day, and it popped into my head that we would have enough room to actually do a full on coffee shop,” Jeremy said. “It is another way for us to make it more convenient for people, make it a one-stop shop.”

Once renovations are complete, the coffee shop will offer a variety of traditional coffee drinks, including espressos, lattes and even Italian sodas. The one thing it won’t offer, however: seating. That is because it needs more room for groceries.

With the renovation, the B’Well Market truly will be a one-stop shop for their customers. Currently the BP gas station is also a Greyhound bus stop and offers a bill pay service through Fidelity Express. Some of the renovations were directly related to these two services.

“We expanded the bathroom so there are two stalls in each bathroom, which is mainly because of the Greyhound bus stop. There will be a larger storage room and kitchen, a big walk in freezer, and there will be a delivery door in the back now,” Jeremy said.

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SMALL BUSINESS INCENTIVE PROGRAM

TKBUSINESS MAGAZINE

785-438-7773

Are you looking to grow or expand your small business? Do you or your employees need training to become more competitive? Ask about the Topeka & Shawnee County Small Business Incentives Program.

What is your path?

Equipment Purchase Reimbursement

Employee Training • Construction & Renovation Reimbursement • Marketing Assistance Find out if your business qualifies and learn about your options by contacting GWashington@GOTopeka.com SUMMER 2018

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Photo by JD MELTON | 83 PIXELS

Jeremy Barnwell began working for his father, Austin Barnwell, while a freshman in high school and hopes to one day be the third generation to own the BP location.

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ALL IN THE FAMILY The gas station has been in the family for 40 years. It all began when James Barnwell, Austin’s father, acquired the business from Hook’s Auto in 1978. The Barnwells, at one time, leased and operated two gas stations in Topeka and one in Osage Beach, but now only own the one store in Topeka.

“My dad was an inventory specialist in the air force and was stationed at Forbes Field. He had some time after work and that’s how my dad got started in the business,” Austin said.

Austin grew up working for his father and took over business operations in 1988, but was still an employee for the next several years.

“I bought the whole ball of wax in about 2001,” Austin said. “I own the tanks, the

TK Business Magazine

pumps, the canopies, the land, the building and the whole inventory. That’s why we are able to expand.”

Jeremy repeated the tradition of son working for father in the family business. He began working at the store when he was only a freshman in high school. Jeremy moved to Topeka from Carbondale in 2002 and lives here today with his wife and three little girls.

He works full time at the B’Well Market and hopes to one day take over the business from his father.

“I love Topeka,” Jeremy said. “It’s a big enough town; it’s not crazy like Kansas City or a big suburb. With everything that’s going on here, I think we are heading in the right direction.”

TK

Renovation & Expansion is Underway at

TO

.

P E K A C.C

The Topeka Country Club

EST. 1905

membership - golf - tennis - swim - dining Overall Site Plan

T

he Topeka Country Club is in the midst of a multi-million dollar expansion and renovation project. Improvements are touching every aspect of club life, including a new health and wellness center, a new resort-style pool, dining facility expansions and golf shop renovation.

Throughout its 100-plus year history, The Topeka Country Club has always been a warm and welcoming gathering place for members to call home. New amenities and décor will further enhance the club experience and make The Topeka Country Club an even better spot for families to gather and create lasting memories. Plus, with an active social calendar filled with themed dinners, wine tastings, holiday celebrations, family movie nights and more, there’s always something going on at The Topeka Country Club. Working with an award-winning team of architects and interior designers, the new clubhouse and accompanying amenities will provide members with the perfect retreat from the rigors of everyday life.

w w w. top ekacc. org Multiple membership options are available to fit your busy lifestyle!

Members and their guests will enjoy the following newly renovated and expanded amenities:

• • • • • •

Resort-Style Pool Health & Wellness Center Youth Room Grille Room Lounge & Board Room Golf Shop

Now Offerin

g

Din Membe ing rships

Contact Gina Patterson at (785) 354-8561 or gpatterson@topekacc.org SUMMER 2018 TK Business Magazine 61 for more information.

Photo by DAVID VINCENT

An Interim Healthcare of Topeka employee checks the blood pressure of a client during an at-home visitation.

AGING AT HOME

In a world where healthcare costs keep climbing, where ambitious CEOs will do whatever it takes to get to the top, and where so many companies prioritize profits over people, a handful of Topeka businesses are taking on an issue that hits home for countless families

By ADAM VLACH not just in the capital city Photos by DAVID VINCENT but around the country.

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Photo by DAVID VINCENT

Home Instead Senior Care franchise owner Gail Shaheed [3rd from RIGHT], explains their role is to help clients remain safely independent in their homes. Staff members pictured here are [from L to R]: Meta Kennedy, Phyllis Walke, Karen Blount, Sharon Petrone, Kinya Vaughn, Maren Christensen, Gail Shaheed, Monica Shaheed and Peter Shaheed.

In recent years, the media landscape has featured dialogues around “valuebased” healthcare, and yet little action has followed. Unfortunately, the old adage holds true: The squeaky wheel gets the oil, and as a result, all too regularly what little action is taken to make healthcare more affordable, accessible and effective benefits only those with the loudest voice on the proverbial stage. As one can imagine, the eldest among us are not often counted among that group.

ADVOCATING FOR SENIORS That’s where local leaders such as Kate Clemmons, Bob Bruns, Gail Shaheed and Tina Downey come in. All four serve in a leadership capacity at their own respective senior home care businesses, and while each organization has its own nuances, it doesn’t take long observing each one to realize that these four businesses are united behind one common mission: to enable the independence of, and advocate for, the seniors in our community.

Home Instead Senior Care—a company with more than 1,000 franchises worldwide—serves the Topeka

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community, and, under the guidance of its owner, Gail Shaheed, offers a myriad of senior home care services.

“When we started, a lot of our business was just providing companionship to our clients,” Shaheed said of her franchise’s early days. “Now, we really help them to stay in their home by offering services such as meal planning and prep, bathing and toileting, grooming and transportation.”

MAINTAINING INDEPENDENCE According to Shaheed, nearly 80 percent of the senior population wants to live at home as long as possible; if it is possible.

“When we start working with a client at their home, we don’t come in with the intention of taking over all of their day-to-day tasks,” Shaheed explained. “We want them to do as much as they can, because that’s what keeps them independent.”

That independence, however, can only be maintained if safety is paramount. Some clients need additional services to ensure they can remain at home in a safe environment.

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Photo by DAVID VINCENT

"Safety is big [for aging in place agencies]. It prevents the family members from worrying or being concerned about their parents or grandparents," explains Bob Bruns, executive director of Visiting Angels.

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Kate Clemmons, the executive director of Grace Home Care, says that one of the most critical services her business offers is assistance with medications. While Grace Home Care staff do not provide the medication itself—the pharmacy does that—they do help clients with keeping track of dosages and provide friendly reminders so that no doses are missed. In Clemmons’ experience, the majority of emergency calls in the senior home care field are placed because of either missed medication or accidental overdoses.

Bob Bruns, executive director of Visiting Angels, agrees that safety is indeed one of the most important factors of senior home care, and not just for the sake of the client, but for the benefit of his clients’ families as well.

“Safety is big. It prevents the family members from worrying or being concerned about their parents or grandparents,” Bruns said.

At Interim Healthcare of Topeka, a family-owned senior home care organization helmed by general manager Tina Downey, they try to bring safety

TK Business Magazine

into all aspects of their home care.

Downey says their main goal is to assure peace of mind for both their clients and their loved ones.

Interim Healthcare of Topeka offers the “full continuum” of in-home care, including personal care and support services, hospice services, and home health services such as wound care, infusion care, physical therapy, and occupational therapy—but for all of that to be possible, safety must come first.

Many home health care businesses even offer a personal alert system for their clients to wear that will notify caregivers if the client falls or has called emergency medical services. Some of these notification devices even have GPS capabilities that would allow a caregiver or family member to track the location of a client, if they happened to be separated during an outing, for instance.

OFFERING COMPANIONSHIP While safety remains a top priority in the field of senior home care, it is not the only area of focus that is shared among all four of these Topeka businesses.

When working with seniors, another outcome that receives plenty of resources and attention is the ability to allow caregivers to spend quality time with clients. Many home health care clients don’t have family close by, so having someone that they can spend quality time with is vital to their quality of life.

“What I’m noticing is that companionship is one of those

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Photo by DAVID VINCENT

not only much-needed social interaction, but also the emotional support that is critical for mental and overall health as well.

When it comes to staffing, Grace Home Care Executive Director, Kate Clemmons [RIGHT], "looks for folks who have the heart of a caregiver." Staff members pictured with Kate are Amber Thornton, Mary Baugh and Taylor Anderson.

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things that people are starting to look for more often with Visiting Angels,” Bruns said.

Shaheed says the same thing. While Home Instead offers a comprehensive list of services, companionship was one of the first things that her organization offered and is the cornerstone upon which much of the business is built.

So what exactly does that companionship look like?

For a client of Grace Home Care, it would be the opportunity to play games, go on walks, watch a favorite television show, and much more, all with a caring companion to make those experiences even more enjoyable. And, if a client simply wanted to reminisce about the good ol’ days, they would also get to do just that, with an engaged caregiver listening and asking questions.

“If a client likes living in the moment, and ‘the moment’ is 50 years ago, we go there with them,” Clemmons said. “We meet them where they are.”

Companionship, Clemmons says, is crucial because it gives the clients

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FACING CHALLENGES Safety, companionship, hygiene, around-the-house help, and general quality-oflife improvements are what businesses—and their staff—such as Grace Home Care, Visiting Angels, Home Instead, and Interim Healthcare of Topeka strive for every day. But while they all work toward common goals, do they face common challenges?

Absolutely.

What is the biggest challenge in the senior home care field?

Bruns: “Trying to find the right level of care and compassion when looking for new staff members.”

Clemmons: “Recruiting highquality caregivers.”

Shaheed: “Staffing is a big one. We’re very selective in the process of who we hire.”

Downey: “Recruiting new staff to work in the home setting, across the board, is the most challenging aspect.”

DISCOVERING COMPASSION When it comes to recruiting and staffing for a senior home care organization, finding a qualified candidate with pertinent certifications is only the beginning. While having certain credentials, such as a CNA license, can definitely give a candidate an edge (and the opportunity to earn more), what each of these business owners are really looking for is something that can’t be quantified on a sheet of paper.

“We look for people who have the heart for it,” Shaheed said. “The right personality and compassion is a big factor.”

In fact, Home Instead’s tagline is “To Us It’s Personal.” Shaheed believes that

Photo by DAVID VINCENT

General Manager at Interim Healthcare of Topeka, Tina Downey [LEFT], says its main goal is to assure peace of mind for both its clients and their loved ones.

Staff members shown with Tina are Jill Harrison, Sam Barker, Susan Fulton, Tiffany Brubaker and Judy Stehley [FRONT]. if someone has experienced a family member going into an assisted living facility or hospice, or can truly empathize with that, it will greatly aid them in serving clients and embracing her organization’s mission.

Over at Grace Home Care, Clemmons said they “look for folks who have the heart of a caregiver.”

Compassion is the operative word in this conversation.

When it comes to finding someone to provide in-home care for seniors, yes, the skills, education, and know-how are important, but it is a caring personality and servant’s heart that are the most sought-after qualifications. After all, you can teach someone a skill, but it’s much more difficult—if not impossible—to teach them compassion. And who says compassion isn’t a skill that can yield a monetary return?

“There’s a man whose spouse was a client of ours, and after his spouse passed away, he told his brother, he told his lawyer—he told everyone—that if a time came when he needed in-home care, he wanted to work with us, too,” Shaheed said.

Sure enough, that man is now a client of Home Instead.

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Photo by DAVID VINCENT

Companionship is just one of the services that every aging at home organization strives to deliver.

WORKING TOGETHER As the Baby Boomer and Gen X populations continue to age, and with the massive Millennial population already looking for ways to save for retirement, healthcare fields such as senior home care are sure to grow. With that increase in volume of clients also comes an increase in demanded services, such as 24/7 access to caregivers, and assistance with pet care. These are services that are already being offered by some senior home care companies, but for the industry to keep pace with an ever-growing population, it may need some help.

For one, increasing the access, and in some cases the affordability, to senior home care is something that our

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legislators may be able to play a part in.

Shaheed is a “state captain” in a national association dedicated to making positive strides in this field. Each year all of the state captains meet with congress to discuss opportunities of improvement.

“Last year, we talked to congress about a bill that would allow someone to use even more of their Health Savings Account money toward in-home senior care,” Shaheed said. “These are the things we need. Grassroots efforts.”

Shaheed’s hope is that there will also be an increase in certain regulations for senior home care businesses in an effort to ensure that a quality standard of living is maintained for seniors who use those services.

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REAPING THE REWARDS Of course, the more qualified individuals with a “passion for compassion” that can help serve those who once took care of and provided for them, the more the senior home care field will flourish. And if there is any doubt about working in the field being rewarding, it takes only a couple of minutes speaking with these local leaders to have those worries laid to rest.

“Allowing people to keep living at home is the most rewarding thing," Downey said.

“The day I stop getting tears in my eyes from talking about this is the day I should step down,” Shaheed said. TK

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PRODUCTION BY CONSUMERS

Producer

 

Prosumer

Consumer

The Concept of Prosumption: More Power to Consumers

By LIVIU C. FLOREA, Ph.D. WASHBURN UNIVERSITY

C. PATRICK WOODS WESTAR ENERGY

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A

S COINED

BY ALVIN TOFFLER in 1980, prosumption means "production by consumers". The term prosumption involves the complex relationship between production and consumption.

In the inter-related process that involves simultaneous production and consumption, individuals become prosumers, in that they consume and produce a product.

In relation to business, people are not only consumers; they can collaborate with companies and participate in the production of goods and services by providing their input of time, effort and capabilities. They can co-create or produce goods and services for their own self consumption through such activities as farming or becoming involved with designing or customizing products for their own needs.

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PROSUMPTION—NEW WINE INTO OLD BOTTLES? While the term is relatively recent, prosumption has been common throughout history. Before the Industrial Revolution, most people were prosumers, since they provided for the needs of their own families and communities, as hunters, gatherers and farmers.

As the world became industrialized, production and consumption became separated, and consumption took precedence over prosumption. A shift from the production-dominated society to consumer-dominated society has been a characteristic of the last decades. Production and consumption re-integrated, making it difficult to distinguish precisely one from the other.

Prosumption is different than consumption, since prosumers take an active role in creating goods and services that they consume. Some prosumers provide unpaid labor, offering goods and services at no cost, and producers and consumers may collaborate to develop new products. Meanwhile, prosumption for one’s own consumption or for sharing, referred to as bricolage or “doit-yourself ” projects, and cooperative, peer-to-peer presumption are quite common. A common theme of all forms of prosumption is that prosumers cocreate value and transform the good or service before its consumption.

How do we prosume today?

INTERNET As the Internet has opened numerous venues for prosumption through crowd- and open-sourcing and user-generated online content on social media and online commerce and information, the trend toward doing things by one’s self rather than having paid employees perform those tasks has accelerated. At the same time, there is no charge for most of that which is prosumed online, whether it is given away free of charge by companies or individuals.

Some examples include Facebook pages, Amazon orders, Wikipedia entries, communities of product enthusiasts who are rewarded in exchange for talking about products (e.g., Vocalpoint), and participation in designing products from the manufacturer’s website.

Arguably, the ability for users to produce content collaboratively has been a milestone in the re-emergence of prosumption.

An example of successful Internet-based prosumption is Wikipedia, the largest and most popular encyclopedia based on a model of openly editable content. Launched in 2001, this online encyclopedia allows anyone to make entries and create articles that can then be continuously reviewed, updated and commented on. Most often, inaccuracies, such as errors, biases and irrelevant entries, are immediately corrected. The articles from Wikipedia have always been free, allowing the online encyclopedia to successfully compete against classical businesses. Prosumption is based on individual freedom and creativity, and plays an important role in innovation and entrepreneurship.

CONSUMER AND INDUSTRIAL GOODS The impact of prosumption is easy-totrack for consumer goods. Prosumers perform tasks that they had not performed before, such as checking themselves in hotels and airports, and in the process, they eliminate the need for certain jobs, help companies be

more profitable, and make some goods and services available free of charge to anyone.

Technology has facilitated prosumption in various forms, including self-checkout systems at supermarkets, self-diagnosis and personal health-care, travel arrangements, assembling furniture, sharing of photos and videos, distance learning, online entertainment, and buying and selling virtually anything.

The impact of prosumption can be also observed in industrial goods. Many companies used large manufacturing facilities, effective supply chains, or well-established distribution networks to fend off competitors and develop a sustainable competitive advantage. Some companies have found a competitive edge in customizing and adapting their goods and services to specific user preferences.

Companies are interacting with an everincreasing numbers of customers to learn their preferences, with the objective of creating, designing and adapting goods and services. As such, these customers become prosumers. In the process, the production and consumption, as well as procurement and distribution, tend to become less separable components of a supply chain.

SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS Other manifestations of prosumption can be seen in the work of volunteer-based service organizations, such as Rotary, Lions Club, Red Cross and United Way. Through their members’ unpaid involvement, they support business, educational, social, and health initiatives in their communities and world-wide. For some goods and services, communities and the entire society relies on their contributions, reducing the need for paid-for work activities.

How Do We Prosume Today… In Kansas?

DISTRIBUTED ELECTRIC GENERATION In our own backyard, the state of Kansas has extended the use of distributed electric generation (DG) technologies, through private rooftop solar panels and small wind-turbine generators, to encourage renewable energy presumption [See EXHIBIT 1, page 74].

Distributed generation is electrical generation located on-site with the enduse customer. For Westar Energy, over one-third of the generation portfolio is composed of renewable energy, as the company maintains a diverse generation infrastructure. In many instances, renewable generation is also distributed generation [See EXHIBIT 2, page 74].

The Legislature and the public utilities regulatory commission established a crediting procedure, known as net-metering, that allows customers to sell the excess electricity generated by their distributed generation system to their electric utility.

Through net-metering, customers with distributed generation systems are credited the full variable retail rate for the electricity that they sell back to the utility company via the grid.

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Source: insideiim.com

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PRODUCTION BY CONSUMERS Essentially, the meter of the customer with distributed generation spins backward by the amount of generation sold back, leaving the bill to be based on the “net” consumption of electricity. The result is that these customers are able to produce a portion of their energy, albeit variable, reducing their electric costs or increasing their usage without EXHIBIT 1—VERTICAL INTEGRATED STRUCTURE increasing their bill.

As emphasized by Dr. James McHenry, one of the current 700 DG prosumers, a substantial capital outlay, an investment in solar panels of over $20,000 is required for the customer. For the utility, the most immediate cost involves the provision EXHIBIT 2—GENERATION INFRASTRUCTURE FOR WESTAR ENERGY and installation of a buy-back meter and a generation meter. The benefits are considerable —the consumer can lower their energy bill by about 80 percent.

Some utility customers integrate production and consumption of electricity.

DISTRIBUTED ELECTRIC GENERATION: ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS While research on the topic is still in infancy, ethical aspects associated with prosumption are emerging. One ethical problem that has arisen with prosumption is cross-subsidization. For example, in the case of distributed generation of electricity, customers who do not have DG systems end up paying more than they would pay if there were no prosumers because the fixed costs of the grid (maintenance and enhancement of infrastructure for generating, transmitting and distributing electricity) are not allocated equitably to both groups of customers.

Customers in the prosumer group are credited for the electricity that they generate with their home DG systems based on the full retail rate, as opposed to a

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more general wholesale rate for electricity.

This is significant because the full variable retail rate includes the fixed costs for maintaining the grid that all customers use. The wholesale rate, on the other hand, simply reflects the costs associated with generating the electricity (fuels, generation infrastructure, etc.).

This means that the prosumer is producing a portion of their energy to be sold back to the utility via the grid and simultaneously reducing their share of the cost for maintaining that very grid.

The costs for maintaining and enhancing the grid don’t decrease in this situation; they simply shift to the other group of customers—those who cannot take advantage of net-metering because they do not have DG systems.

Grid-only consumers, therefore, are left to pay a disproportionate share of the costs associated with the critical grid resiliency and enhancement projects that utility companies will need to undertake in the coming years. Although these grid enhancements are necessary for integrating more variable generation—in the form of renewable resources and distributed generation—into the collective generation portfolio and tend to benefit all consumers, under the current billing system the gridonly customers would end up picking up a disproportionate share of the tab.

This presents a significant public dilemma, because renewable energy (which includes virtually all DG units) represents a significant natural resource for communities in Kansas and across the country. In Kansas, most utility providers have embraced renewable energy because of the competitive costs, renewable virtues and readily available character.

However, the industry and its regulators have struggled to reconcile the reality of increasing DG capacity under the current net-metering structure with the requirements for grid maintenance and enhancements. As the future undoubtedly trends toward greater prosumption of electricity, modernizing the methods for billing and financing of grid maintenance and enhancements so that the costs are allocated equitably to all customers will become one of the most critical bodies of work.

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TAX FACTS FOR LANDLORDS

Grace Brown Mitchell PHOTO SUBMITTED

BALANCED PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

3 FACTS LANDLORDS SHOULD KNOW when it comes time to file income tax next year.

I’ve found a rental home that I want to purchase. How will this affect my taxes?

This is a question that weighs heavily on most rental owners’ minds come April. However, landlords are better served arming themselves with this knowledge ahead of tax season. If you are a rental property owner and are not already taking advantage of the tax savings, start tracking them now. Next April you’ll be glad you did.

Grace Brown Mitchell is president at Balanced Property Management, LLC, a full-service residential investment property management company serving Northeast Kansas.

Know your deductions.

Unlike your primary residence, your rental home is considered a business. Therefore, the expenses associated with the rental can be used as deductions to lower your tax liability.

This can include: • Mortgage or loan interest.

• Mortgage or loan origination fees.

• Property and liability insurance(s).

• Property taxes.

• Advertising.

• Management and/or leasing fees, if you choose to enlist the help of a property manager.

• Utility payments.

• Maintenance costs, including labor and materials, cleaning, yard care and other forms of upkeep.

• Travel and auto expenses, including mileage to and from your rental home.

• Legal and professional fees.

• Depreciation expense.

Understand what income to report.

A common statement I hear from clients around tax time is, “I didn’t get that much money from my rental property last year.” While it can be tricky keeping track of how much income to report from your rental home, there are a few key points to remember: 1. Income is reported in the year the landlord receives it. For example, a tenant brings you January 2019 rent on Dec. 30, 2018.

This rental income should be reported for tax year 2018, the year in which it was received, even though the payment is being applied to the next month, which happens to be in 2019.

2. Security and pet deposits are not considered income until they are retained by the landlord to pay for damages to the property. The deposit money should not be reported as income when the tenant pays it at the beginning of the lease. Instead, the portion retained by the landlord at the end of the lease should be reported as income in the tax year the tenant moves out.

How the new 2018 tax laws affects rental property.

Like other businesses, rental properties are now entitled to a new pass through tax deduction so long as the rental property qualifies as a pass-through business. Sole proprietors, partnerships, LLCs and S Corps qualify. Under the new tax law landlords will now be able to deduct 20 percent of their net rental income. In other words, the rental property owner will pay taxes on 80 percent of their net rental income instead of 100 percent. While this is a great starting point, we advise all clients to consult with an accountant or tax advisor to ensure they are meeting all tax requirements specific to their return.

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SCENE ABOUT TOWN

Business Unwind

PHOTO 1 Brian Haug, WIBW William Beteta, Schendel Lawn and Landscape TK Adams, Owls Nest

THE BROWNSTONE APRIL 24, 2018

PHOTO 2 Connie, Steve and Abbey Brown, The Brownstone

PHOTO 3 Shawn Broxterman, Kirk Johnson and Gary Gifford, CoreFirst Bank & Trust

PHOTO 4 Ed Carmona, Laird Noller Dee Dee Hunt, Goodyear Tire & Rubber

Photos by BRADEN DIMICK

PHOTO 5 Shawnette Bronson, Like Me Allison Marker, YWCA Marlou Wegener, BCBSKS Foundation

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William Buckler, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Curtis Sneden, Greater Topeka Partnership Marne and Eric Craver, Happy Basset Brewing Co.

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Roar and Pour Wine Fest TOPEKA ZOO APRIL 28, 2018

PHOTO 1 Alexander Lancaster, Two Wolfe Studio Dan Brennan, Capital City Equality Center

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Photos by KEITH HORINEK

Alexander Smirnov and Stephanie Heston, Kansas Ballet

PHOTO 3 Dana Jolley, Laura Lutz and Cynthia Fries McCarvel, Westar Energy

PHOTO 4 Dallas and Alicia Rhoads

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Mandi Walter, SE2 Casey Jo Wiechen, Department of Veterans Affairs Andrew Wiechen, Architect One

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SCENE ABOUT TOWN PHOTO 1 Alyce Bishop, Lesley Harrison and Megan Bottenberg, Cox Communication

State of the Community

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MANOR CONFERENCE CENTER APRIL 19, 2018

Eugene Williams and Wanda Hinton, KTWU

PHOTO 3 Jim Klausman, Midwest Health Cody Foster, Advisors Excel Greg Schwerdt, Schwerdt Design Group Megan Schwerdt Williams

PHOTO 4 Kevin Watt, Security Benefit Brett Oetting, Visit Topeka Tara Dimick, Envista Credit Union Marlou Wegener, BCBSKS Foundation

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Photos by BRADEN DIMICK

Kayla Bitler, Momentum 2022 Vince Frye, Downtown Topeka, Inc. Paul Bossert, Premier Employment Solutions Bob Archer, Shawnee County Commissioner

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Richard Kline and Bill Persinger, Valeo Kevin Cook, Shawnee County Commissioner Aaron Mays, Topeka City Councilperson Frank Henderson, Topeka Rescue Mission

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LAST WORD

Jenny Torrence, a native Topekan and entrepreneur, opened four businesses in three buildings she owns in the NOTO Arts District over the last seven years. Jenny serves on the board of the Chamber of Commerce and the NOTO Arts District where she supports, promotes and advocates for local small businesses.

JENNY TORRENCE

It was actually Black Friday when my frustration came to a head with Topeka’s crazy low morale, and I realized we needed to do something as a community. An out-of-town couple came into Pinkadilly in NOTO, and in my quest to learn as much as I can about tourism, I started my litany of questions about their reasons for visiting.

They proceeded to tell me how disheartening it was to be downtown and have someone tell them to just move on because there wasn’t anything to do in Topeka.

I was mortified and couldn’t believe anyone would talk about the city they live in that way.

And, if they truly did feel that way, why were they airing their dirty laundry to a visitor?

I went home and mulled it over that weekend. The more I thought about it, the more frustrated I became. I work extremely hard to better my city. I volunteer my time, I have financially invested in my city, and I do my part

What was the inspiration for the "I am Topeka" movement?

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TK talks to Jenny about the launch of the "I am Topeka" grassroots campaign.

to spend money locally with mom and pops that have also made that investment. At the end of the day, it boils down to one thing: I am Topeka.

I am proud of what I do to better my city.

I believe I am a great reflection of my city and help to show my little portion of the diversity and color in Topeka. At some point, we need to champion who we are instead of complaining and comparing and perpetuating the negativity.

So, when people talk trash on Topeka, they are talking trash on me. And you, and everyone that is working so very hard to better our community.

Each and every community is unique because of who it is made up of. We need to embrace our good, our bad and our colorful.

I decided it is all about Topekans changing our brain space on who we are as a city. And if someone doesn’t know what makes us so cool, (I feel sorry for them) I would be happy to give them a list of things that make our city stand out. They just need to look around. We all make up Topeka, and I am proud of us.

Unmasking Stigma A HOPE AND HEALING BENEFIT OCTOBER 20, 2018 - 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM CAPITOL PLAZA HOTEL You’re invited to the 2nd Annual Valeo Behavioral Health Care Fundraiser celebrating over 50 years of Recovery Services in Shawnee County.

• “Appy” Hour with Signature Non-Alcoholic Drinks • Delicious hors d’oeuvres and dinner • Live musical entertainment • Performance by Valeo’s Music Therapy Group

• Presentation of the Hope Humanitarian Award • Recognition of the Valeo Foundation Scholarship Award Recipients • Pop-Up Creations of Hope Gallery • Live Battle of the Masks Auction • Silent Auction

CELEBRATING OVER 50 YEARS OF RECOVERY SERVICES

The Unmasking Stigma Benefit for Valeo Behavioral Health Care will feature Melissa Brunner as the Event Emcee, Jennifer Ayers-Moore as the National Keynote Speaker and Matt Pivarnik as the Battle of the Masks Live Auctioneer.

Melissa Brunner

Visit us at:

Jennifer Ayers-Moore

Matt Pivarnik

or valeotopeka.org

TICKETS Individual tickets and Corporate Sponsorships are available. Please contact acopphasty@valeotopeka.org or 785.342.7232 for more information. For detailed information about the event please visit valeotopeka.org.

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