JOHN & JOELLE FEDERICO RESIDENCE

“I would not hesitate to recommend Schwerdt Design Group to anyone looking for residential design The talent and expertise they were able to marshal within the firm and put towards our home design was nothing short of incredible. We couldn’t have been happier with the entire experience ”

John J Federico, J D Federico // Duerst Consulting Group

Marsha Sheahan has served the Topeka community for as long as she can remember, spending the majority of her career (35 years) acting as vice president of public relations for the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce. During this time, she over-saw the marketing, publications, website development, special events, and leadership programs for the Topeka Chamber. While her marketing and storytelling skills enabled her to excel at her job, it was her forward-thinking approach to business and community partnerships that helped set the stage for growth in Topeka.

Making The Connection

The daughter of a business owner, Marsha saw firsthand the risks and rewards of entrepreneurship. She watched her father, who owned Martin Lumber, maneuver the complexities of inventory, marketing, staffing, record keeping and compliance.

“He wouldn’t let me get near the place, though,” Marsha said with a laugh. “He thought it was too male-oriented with bad language and other behaviors he didn’t want me exposed to.”

The daughter of a homemaker, Marsha also witnessed the importance of volunteering in the community and taking care of those less fortunate. She grew up in a close-knit neighborhood where the mothers taught them more than just valuable life skills.

“Our moms taught us those skills you don’t see so much today— how to cook, how to maintain a well-run household, how to play Bridge, and the art of community organizing,” Marsha said.

Every summer, the kids in the neighborhood would put on a community carnival, complete with carnival games and food. After the work was over and the money was counted, one of the moms would take them down to Let’s Help, where they would donate every last cent.

Beginning The Story

Marsha’s love for storytelling began early. While still in middle school, she helped publish a neighborhood newspaper. She and some friends interviewed people throughout the neighborhood about topics relevant to those within the small community and even sold advertising to cover the cost of printing and distribution. At Topeka High, she was involved with student government and was co-editor of The World newspaper, and at Kansas State University, she worked on the Royal Purple yearbook staff while earning her home economics and journalism degree.

“My dream job was to write for a magazine, but there were no writing jobs available in 1971, especially for women,” Marsha said. While it wasn’t the magazine writing job she initially hoped for, Marsha spent seven years as special project editor for The Menninger Foundation before joining the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce in 1979.

As part of her early public relations duties, Marsha was tasked with helping drive support for three key initiatives that leadership felt was essential for long term growth: establishing a community foundation, building a municipal airport and strengthening the reputation of Topeka as place to live and work.

Building Consensus

She set to work, enlisting the help of fellow Junior League members Barb Haney, Janet Kerr and Sandy Vogel. Junior League of Topeka provided funding for them to attend a grant making seminar in Nebraska, where the concept of a community foundation began to take shape.

Marsha credits Junior League with giving her the confidence— through resources, training and mentorship—to build the community consensus required for the Topeka Community Foundation to become a reality. Armed with a $10K grant from Junior League to plant the seeds of the foundation, Marsha was determined to find the support to help it take root.

“We [Junior League] had a lot of great ideas and the time and the drive and the knowledge to do the work needed to set up a community foundation. But we were women, young women, which meant we didn’t have the clout we needed for business leaders to take us seriously.”

So, the group found the clout, enlisting the help of community leaders such as John Stauffer, Philip Elwood, Bal Jeffrey and Carolyn Alexander, and three years later, in 1983, the Topeka Community Foundation was established.

Today, the Topeka Community Foundation has nearly $100 million in assets and manages almost 400 funds established by businesses, nonprofit organizations, families and individuals.

Fostering Leadership

During that same period, the Chamber discovered itself in a leadership void as it underwent a shift from the influence of major CEOs to more of a grassroots approach to leadership and struggled to find a more diverse board. Marsha played an instrumental role in helping found Leadership Greater Topeka in 1984.

“I was behind the scenes,” Marsha said, “but always pushing to help Topeka grow as a healthy, well-rounded community that wasn’t one-faceted.”

To achieve that growth, Leadership Greater Topeka sought to teach class members confidence and an understanding of their own skills to help them give back to the community and build consensus on a plan for the future. While that mission has stayed the same, Leadership Greater Topeka has shifted its focus from “know your city” to “how to be a good board member” to “how to solve community challenges and problems.”

With the help of mentor Maureen “Twink” Lynch, Marsha devised a curriculum that delved into boardsmanship, strategic planning, building consensus and discovering root causes.

“I am really proud of that,” Marsha said. “People who go through the program today are now viewed as community resources.”

Pushing Ideas Forward

Once again working behind the scenes to facilitate change, Marsha found herself using her connections to help bring people to the table during the Heartland Visioning process. Those leaders who had participated in the leadership program were now sitting at the table to help build consensus for a growth plan for Topeka. Those people brought diversity of thought and represented a community approach to the process.

“Leadership in a community is everyone’s responsibility, not just on the shoulders of a select few,” Marsha said. “The world is different. We can’t do things today the way they were done even 10 years ago.”

For Marsha, leadership means finding shared experiences.

“All people have similar experiences in life,” Marsha said. “They just experience them differently.”

Strengthening Community

Marsha views herself as a community builder, someone who helps those outside looking in to develop the skills and confidence to speak up and ask for a seat at the table.

Crediting a strong mother who taught her the value of helping others, Marsha says she experiences almost a maternal sentiment when she watches someone come through the leadership program, obtain the knowledge and skills to maximize their aptitudes, and then be recognized for it.

“I swell with pride knowing I influenced that. I didn’t do it for them, but I gave them a subtle push to follow their own dream and the resources to experience personal and professional growth,” Marsha said.

Marsha is excited to see Topeka move forward with ideas that have been decades in the making. She believes the Greater Topeka Partnership, GO Topeka, Topeka Chamber and Forge, have all made huge strides in the past few years because they are embracing different ideas about what makes a strong and vibrant community.

“It isn’t enough for businesses and individuals to make charitable contributions and donations,” Marsha said. “A strong community doesn’t just happen because a few people want it to. It takes involvement from everyone.”

Enjoying The View

Although she is retired and enjoying more personal time, often with her three adult children and their families, Marsha still finds herself mentoring and connecting people with resources. Just recently, while getting her hair cut, she discovered that her stylist wanted to grow her business but didn’t know how to make that happen. Marsha suggested she meet with Glenda Washington at GO Topeka to learn more about available resources to make that dream come true.

Marsha and her husband, Bill, who once served as a commissioner of streets and public improvements for the city, and then owned his own architectural firm, celebrated 50 years of marriage last May. Remember that close-knit community she grew up in? He grew up there as well. They have known each other their entire lives. When she was in college, they happened to go out for a beer, then another one. And thanks to their mothers, who already had the church reserved before he proposed, more than 50 years later, they are still going out for a beer.

Dan Foltz is no stranger to hard work. Growing up on a farm, the youngest of eight children, he spent long hours on a tractor. He also spent long hours working in the bowling alley and restaurant his dad built in Garnett, Kansas, where he grew up.

“That experience taught me how to do a lot of different things, but loafing wasn’t one of them,” Dan said. “I knew how to fix a bowling pinsetter, fry cook and wait tables before I could drive.”

He didn’t resent the long, often grueling hours, however, because it taught him to learn to enjoy work, no matter what he was doing. The tractor provided quiet soul-searching time, and the bowling alley let him interact with people and learn the art of customer service. And above everything else, he learned to think critically, and problem solve at a moment’s notice.

Turning Point

Losing his father in a car accident during Dan’s junior year of high school, altered his vision for the future and set him on the path to a college degree. That path was a little winding for Dan. He spent a semester at Pittsburg State, then the next one at Allen County Community College. His sophomore year found him at Johnson County Community College, but he then followed a friend to Kansas State University, where he finished his last two years and received his business degree.

He had been working summers at a construction job in Kansas City, which is where Dan also met his future wife, Monica. So, when a small Topeka contractor offered him a job after graduation, he took it. Dan spent the next 10 years at Tefft & Donaldson Contractors, learning the intricacies of the construction business. Placed in charge of safety for the company’s largest client, Southwestern Bell Telephone, Dan found himself on the jobsite, where he learned about telecom and switch rooms. During this same time, Monica began her career with a large pharmaceutical company, where they both learned about navigating a large corporate structure and the power of focused training programs.

“It was basically a 10-year apprenticeship for me,” Dan said, “that, along with earning my MBA from Washburn, set us on a path to a successful future.”

Entrepreneurial Spirit

After Tefft passed away, Dan was faced with a choice: take over someone else’s company or start his own. Monica’s career provided a strong foundation for their family, which now included sons Paul and David, so they chose to “build a better mousetrap, so to speak.” With the help of an experienced project manager/estimator, Neil Fisher, and two superintendents, Terry Dlugosh and Dave Hayes, KBS Constructors opened for business in October 1989. By November, they had landed their first job building a telephone switch room for Southwestern Bell. The only caveat was that it had to be completed by February.

“We worked round the clock to finish that job on time,” Dan said. “But we got it done on time and on budget.”

That led to additional jobs for Southwestern Bell as well as work for the State of Kansas and the University of Kansas. By 1995, KBS employed more than 30 people and was working on 15 jobs at a time. That same year, Southwestern Bell changed to a strategic alliance model where they only hired one contractor to manage all jobs within a specific state.

Exponential Growth

Dan used the knowledge he acquired while earning his MBA and the experience of his partners to develop a business plan that incorporated the Total Quality

Management model into the strategic alliance thought process and pitched it to Southwestern Bell. Winning that five-year contract meant hiring almost 100 new employees and opening satellite offices across the state. Throughout that growth, Dan refused to compromise on quality.

“Two years into our contract, Bell hired us to take over Oklahoma as well.”

From 1995 to 2000, KBS revenues topped $30 million a year. But that success was only possible because of the company focus on quality control and expertise on critical projects. Dan brought in Kansas State University professors to build training programs, and employees underwent 20-40 hours of continuing education each year. KBS still conducts six training sessions per year.

“Total Quality Management is a huge part of our history. It is part of our company DNA,” Dan said.

Overcoming Roadblocks

After so much success in such a short amount of time, Dan suddenly found himself faced with a gut-wrenching reality. At the end of their 5-year contract, AT&T, who had taken over operations for Southwestern Bell, did not renew their agreement, meaning KBS would lose a significant portion of its business.

“I gave myself about a minute to panic and then began exploring other opportunities,” Dan said.

“I knew we excelled at critical environment construction, so I asked myself, ‘who else needs that?”’

The logical answer was a company with projects closely related to work KBS had already been doing: Sprint! Immediately they began bidding on projects for Sprint they would have passed over when working with Southwestern Bell and were rapidly able to replace more than half the lost SWB volume. In addition to those Sprint projects, KBS diversified into jobs with rail, energy and manufacturing. BNSF, Evergy, Hill’s Pet Nutrition and Michelin are now their largest clients.

“That rough patch we faced was actually a blessing because it allowed us to diversify. It opened our eyes to other clients that we now have key relationships with,” Dan said.

The Power Of People

Under Dan’s leadership, KBS Constructors has seen incredible success, but Dan will be the first to give the credit to the people he has had the privilege of working with over the years. Dan has seen firsthand the importance of employee training and development and has worked to create a culture of continual learning and caring.

KBS adopted the “Open Book Management” system where every team member is taught how the company works, their role in its success and how they participate in the company’s results.

“I have worked to chart a course where everyone is pulling together in the same direction,” Dan said. “It makes it less likely someone will rock the boat.”

That focus on training has even become ingrained in the succession planning currently underway at KBS.

“As we look at what the future holds for the company, we learned we needed to educate future CEOs and people in other leadership positions about what it means to be a leader,” Dan said.

That means holding CEO roundtables and bringing in experts to offer advice and training in a variety of managerial and leadership aspects.

No Regrets

As Dan looks back at his professional and personal life, he has a few words of advice for those following in his footsteps.

“Pay attention to the details, but don’t get lost in them.”

“You will never have all the information. If you over analyze, you may never move forward.”

“Transparency and openness is how you build trust.”

But most importantly, “Give of yourself and you will find that you get back much more than you have given.”

Keith Warta is a true son of Kansas. Raised in Newton, Kansas, with degrees from both Kansas State University and the University of Kansas, he has never had any desire to be anyplace else.

Kansas made him the man he is today. Growing up hauling hay in the summers taught him the value of a hard day’s work; his parents taught him the importance of being part of the fabric of the community; his extended family exposed him to the benefits of charitable giving; and his brother introduced him to the field of engineering.

“I wanted a career that would let me use my mind and let me be part of something bigger than myself,” Keith said.

No Place Like Home

After completing his master’s degree in civil engineering, Keith never even considered looking for a job anywhere other than Kansas. And when Bartlett & West offered him a job, he found more than a career, he found a home.

“Bartlett & West was a perfect match for what I wanted to do with my formative years,” Keith said. “We are wholly employeeowned, so it provides a huge sense of team. Plus, it has allowed me to build a community—literally.”

Thirty-eight years later, it still feels like home to Keith. Although, like with any family, Bartlett & West had its share of growing pains. One year into his career, the company transitioned into an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), an employee benefit plan that enables employees to own part or all of the company they work for. While this transition ultimately benefited everyone, it took a while to iron out the hiccups.

“We didn’t know how to be an effective ESOP at first,” Keith said. “We didn’t know how to make decisions or reward people as owners. It has been a learning process over the past four decades, but judging by our success, I think we finally have a handle on it.”

The Power Of Teamwork

When Keith takes an introspective look back at his professional and personal growth, one fact stands out: very few things are accomplished individually. Keith is proud of the team at Bartlett & West and the efforts made by the company to promote employee development in all aspects of business, not just their areas of expertise.

“Through our employee training and workshops, we have taught people to read financial statements, so they have a better understanding of the health of the company,” Keith said. “We also promote emotional intelligence and foster innovation.”

The company has also made a huge investment in promoting mental wellness to help employees embrace their vulnerabilities and be more open about asking for education and support. The benefits of these development programs extend beyond the workplace, helping employees manage financial, family and wellness issues at home as well.

“Well-rounded employees make for a better place to work, and ultimately, a more successful company,” Keith said.

Even the most successful companies must be willing to adapt to changing employee needs and expectations. With an eye on the future, Keith says more emphasis needs to be placed on an enhanced appreciation for equality in the workplace and better work/ family balance that offers employees flexible work hours and more opportunity for growth.

Advice For The Next Generation

Keith offered a few pieces of advice for the next generation of business leaders with the first being to take advantage of every learning opportunity to expand their minds and meet new people.

“Find a place to work that is a living company making a positive impact on employees and the community,” Keith said. “Once you find that place, get in there and look for opportunities to get involved.”

That is the path that Keith took and one that has brought him both professional and personal rewards. Through his work with Bartlett & West, Keith has been able to help lead the community to a better tomorrow, working to implement the holistic strategies for community put forth by Momentum 22 and now Momentum 27.

“Exploring the big picture excites me the most,” Keith said. “It is exciting to see elected officials, business leaders and non-profit organizations working together to make progress on our shared vision. Everyone seems to finally be rowing in the same direction.”

Lessons Learned

Growth, both in humans and in business, results in maturity. And one aspect of maturity is accepting uncertainty. Keith learned that lesson the hard way.

“When I was younger, I spent a lot of time worrying, especially about things that I couldn’t control,” Keith said. “I had to learn to let go of some of that worry and just have faith that things will work out.”

Keith says having faith—the belief that things will be OK, is essential.

“That faith in a better company and a better community is what keeps us striving to be better,” Keith said.

While Keith is pleased with the strides Topeka has made in the past decade, he is not willing to sit back and become complacent because there is more work to be done. Keith would like to see Topeka’s Net Promoter Score (measuring if residents recommend Topeka as a place to live and work to others) move up the scale. He wants all Topekans to be proud of where they live.

“Progress is good, but we have more to accomplish,” Keith said. “We need to look for access to opportunity for the entire community and give all stakeholders a seat at the table.”

Oakland Wastewater Treatment Plant: Producing renewable fuel to drive city revenue and environmental sustainability

By producing energy and selling to the power grid, we avoid flaring and expect to cut down on our operating costs. It’s rare to find a municipal project that generates revenue. This is a huge win for the City of Topeka.

Sylvia Davis, Deputy Director of Operations City of Topeka Utilities Department

Driving community and industry forward, together.

www.bartlettwest.com

DL Smith is a man of faith. He has faith that God will keep him on the right path; faith in the love and support of his family; faith that his business would be successful through good times and bad; and faith in strength of the community that he loves.

“God should be part of everything you do,” DL said. “Faith improves all aspects of your life.”

DL’s faith has served him well over his 80 years of life, and it just keeps getting stronger.