TK Magazine January 2024 by E2 Communications & Publishing

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TK Business Magazine

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TK Business Magazine

The Art Economy

David Zlotky, a Topekan artist, developed a love for art during his childhood and has since evolved his craft through diverse experiences and inspirations.

Profile on Rebekah Chung

Meet Rebekah Chung, 27 News Anchor and Capitol Bureau Chief.

Building a Legacy

The Omni Circle Group’s Emerge Community Business Academy, born out of a chance meeting between Omni Circle Group’s CEO Michael Odupitan and the Create Campaign staff, has successfully graduated its first cohort of entrepreneurs.

Emerge Community Business Academy Cohort Graduates 20 Meet two of the recent Emerge Community Business Academy graduates: Jaime Davis, owner of Topeka Treat Company, and Danielle Martin, owner of The Elevation Network.

Learn the Language. Win the Game. 26 Amanda Rohleder with Nex-Tech shares how using cybersecurity to protect your network is like using physical security measures to protect the building in which you conduct business.

Merging Expertise

In a historic merger, two acclaimed Kansas law firms, Stevens & Brand, LLP and Newbery, Ungerer & Hickert, LLP, joined forces on October 1, 2023, significantly expanding Stevens & Brand’s footprint in Topeka.

Heart of the Entrepreneur: Samantha Hill

Samantha Hill, the owner and creative force behind H&H Designs, offers an innovative and fun “Build Your Own Shirt Bar” and shares her flair for fashion and commitment to providing fun and personalized apparel for the community.

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TK Business Magazine

Photo by MIRANDA CHAVEZ-HAZIM

Photo by JOHN BURNS

CONTENTS TK BUSINESS MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

Reflecting on Progress and the Journey Ahead

The 70th anniversary of the seminal Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education, as discussed by Washburn University School of Business Professor Norma Juma, provides a momentous occasion to celebrate the commendable strides made towards equal rights since 1954 and to reflect on persistent challenges.

Revitalization of the Boulevard

The South Topeka Boulevard is experiencing a resurgence as city and business leaders work to revitalize the area with beautification and infrastructural improvements as part of the ‘Bring Back the Boulevard’ initiative.

Creating Opportunities

Mainline Printing, stepping beyond its traditional industry, has embarked on a significant development project on South Topeka Boulevard.

Building New

Smith Brothers Transmission relocated to a larger, newly-built location on South Topeka Boulevard – a move that owner Matthew Stallbaumer heralds as a “blessing in disguise.”

Intersection of Design and Community

Falk Architects is helping lay the foundation for a stronger community through steady growth and community impact.

Exploring Unique Local Businesses

Explore two locally-owned businesses that encourage active entertainment in a lively setting.

Not Your Ordinary Garage Business 70 Kraz Construction & Landworks LLC has turned an ordinary garage into something extraordinary.

At the Core Danielle J. Martin interviews Jennifer Sourk, General Counsel with Midwest Health.

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TK Business Magazine

CONTRIBUTORS PUBLISHER

Tara Dimick

CREATIVE DIRECTOR & DESIGNER

Janet Faust

EDITOR

Lauren Jurgensen

MANAGING PARTNER Braden Dimick & SALES DIRECTOR braden@tkmagazine.com 785-438-7773 MARKETING DIRECTOR & EDITOR COVER PHOTOGRAPHER

Valerie Williams John Burns

WRITERS

Morgan Chilson Miranda Ericsson Kim Gronniger Lisa Loewen Danielle Martin Eric Smith Valerie Williams India Yarborough

PHOTOGRAPHERS

John Burns Jeff Carson Miranda Chavez-Hazim Braden Dimick Jennifer Goetz Preston Wilson

CONTRIBUTING EXPERT

Norma Juma Amanda Rohleder

WEBSITE MANAGER

Cordell Dimick

2024 TK Business Magazine is published by E2 Communications, Inc., 6021 SW 29th Street, Suite A, PMB 106, Topeka, KS 66614 (785) 438-7773. Reproduction or use of this publication in any manner without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. 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 an advertisement, the advertiser agrees to indemnify the publisher against any claims relating to the advertisement.

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TK Business Magazine

THE ART ECONOMY David Zlotky Photography

By KIM GRONNIGER Photos by JOHN BURNS

Topekan David Zlotky developed a passion for drawing when he was a child. As an adult, he spent hours honing his skills on sketchpads in front of masterworks at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. The inspiration paid off when three renowned collections selected four of his paintings.

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“Rodeos are part of our country’s heritage, and I decided I wanted to photograph some.” — David Zlotky David Zlotky Photography

Zlotky’s oil portrait of Georgia Neese Clark Gray, a Topeka native and the first woman to serve as Treasurer of the United States, hangs in the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum. The National Air and Space Museum purchased his nostalgic depiction of a picnic in front of a Beechcraft biplane after they awarded it second place in their international competition. Two of his paintings of Air Force jets are now part of the U.S. Air Force Art Collection. “The Air Force had a program that allowed you to trade donated art for experiences, and I wanted to

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go up in a jet fighter,” said Zlotky, who has a pilot’s license. “I went to McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita and went up in an F-4 Phantom, and even got to fly it a little bit. It was the ride of my life.” Zlotky’s artistic expressions highlight his eclectic life experiences. His father worked in the aerospace industry in California before moving the family to Topeka when Zlotky was in the sixth grade. That was the same year Zlotky’s uncle loaned him a camera, igniting his passion for photography. At 21, he spent the summer working on a dude ranch where he flipped and held calves while they were branded. This experience informed his latest artistic focus on Kansas rodeo riders. Zlotky’s photography captures the riders’ strength and skill. Using a multi-layered process, he transforms the images to showcase their adrenaline-laced feats in vivid detail.

TK Business Magazine

His collection was recently showcased at the Stephen Smith Gallery located in downtown Topeka. “It means a lot to have my work in a top-level gallery and have people come to see it and appreciate it, especially when they buy it,” Zlotky said, laughing. “I like being able to get people’s reactions to the pieces and answer their questions about how I made them.” Zlotky reduces the gritty rodeo scenery so that the riders become the focus of the images. The result is something he describes as halfway between a painting and a photograph. “A lot of the problems you have to solve for as a fine art photographer are similar to those you have to consider as a painter, but the tools are different,” he said. “Both forms require decisions about contrast, composition and effective use of light.” Retired from several professional jobs that blended his love for

The artwork of David Zlotky was recently showcased at the Stephen Smith Gallery located in downtown Topeka.

Photo by JOHN BURNS

photography with his love of art, Zlotky had his rodeo idea two years ago while shooting landscapes of Flint Hills. “Rodeos are part of our country’s heritage, and I decided I wanted to photograph some,” he said. “It’s a little slice of Americana, God and country

kind of event that’s very informal and fun to experience.” Zlotky has attended rodeos in arenas in Eskridge, Manhattan, Strong City and Topeka, with plans to explore more. He was already familiar with horses, having owned them with his

wife. In 2001, he and his wife decided to sell their horses and move into town. “My horse, Blackjack, was a spirited animal and we worried that if we sold him someone might get hurt,” he said. “But one day a guy showed up in a beat-up truck with a saddle and wanted to try

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TK Business Magazine

Photo by DAVID ZLOTKY

reFocus Awards Honors David Zlotky at the 2023 Black & White Photo Contest Out of entrants from 77 countries from around the world who submitted their best work in this year's contest, David Zlotky emerged as one of the most extraordinary and received GOLD honors in the Domestic Animals category for his entry With a Little Help from My Friends. He also was selected by the judges for an honorable mention in the Events category. "This is a major honor. The quality of the work submitted and the stature of the international judging cohort makes it a real honor to have a piece given the highest award in a category," said David Zlotky. The reFocus Awards is a global community comprised of photographers in over 97 countries.

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him out. As soon as that cowboy climbed on Blackjack, they took off galloping through our pasture and I was so impressed that I got my camera and took several pictures of them at full speed. That was the day when I realized I was not a horseman. That cowboy was, and Blackjack knew it.” Zlotky’s most recent project reflects his fascination with horses and showmanship. He appreciates the fan-fueled flair of riders as they barrel race, rope calves and ride bulls or broncos. He also respects “the clowns and the pick-up riders, the ones who aren’t competing who help the others get to safety. Bull riding has to be one of the most dangerous sports in existence.” His rodeo artworks take an average of 10 days to complete. He produces 15 limited edition prints of each, and provides a certificate of authenticity with a unique registered number.

TK Business Magazine

But it’s not just the canvas that captivates Zlotky’s attention. He uses a variety of woodworking tools and techniques to craft frames from oak, maple and mahogany that complement his imagery. He also writes detailed gallery summaries to provide additional depth and understanding about what his images show. The popularity of “Yellowstone,” a show that Zlotky watches, has kindled a nationwide interest in ranch and rodeo culture that he hopes will encourage other galleries to display his work. He’s had recent conversations with two interested galleries in Steamboat Springs. “Capturing the rodeo artistically is challenging and a lot of fun, and an exciting demonstration of the skills used every day by working cowhands across the West,” he said. “It’s gratifying for me to see people respond to and respect the courage, skill and athleticism of the individuals I’ve profiled.” TK

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

TK Business Magazine

FEATURE PROFILE

REBEKAH CHUNG 27 News Anchor & Capitol Bureau Chief

What topics are you passionate about covering? Starting out as a statehouse reporter and continuing in my role as Capitol Bureau Chief, politics will be my primary focus (whether that’s at the state or local level). I’m looking forward to doing more investigative pieces as well, as I step into my role as an evening anchor. What do you hope viewers take away from your broadcasts? I’m hoping that our broadcasts leave the viewer feeling informed on all sides of an issue. I believe one of the goals of television news is to provide a platform for meaningful conversations that can help people broaden their perspective of various topics. I believe that knowing the facts is true empowerment. It helps us make decisions that impact our lives every day. When did you know you wanted to be a journalist? In high school, I studied film production at Design and Architecture Senior High School (DASH) in Miami-Dade. There, I developed a love for telling stories. However, at that time, it wasn't clear how I could put those skills toward a career in the future. This thought changed when I went to watch a documentary at the movies with my mom one day. I don’t remember the name of the film, but I do remember leaving the theater with an overwhelming feeling of warmth. It felt like a burning passion inside me to get up and take action. Once I got to college, I decided to double major in broadcast journalism and political science, which has now put me at the forefront of major political events in Kansas over the past three years. What do you like most about your job? I like the fast-paced environment that this field provides. Every day, I get to explore something new, so I’m constantly learning, which I enjoy. I also love that I get the opportunity to help people by sharing their stories and holding people accountable.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

How do you stay positive when covering negative stories? My family and my faith provide a strong foundation, which helps when I’m covering heavy stories. I have a group of people I can rely on, and that are always there to talk. We've also built a strong, team-oriented environment in our newsroom, so we can find support there as well. What is your favorite place in Topeka? When I’m not at the Statehouse during the week, I like to take time to explore different places in the capital city. One of my favorite spots in Topeka is “Spawn Inn” downtown. It’s a local 'gamer' lounge, where you can pick from a variety of board games, video games and arcade games. It’s a great place to go on the weekends to hang out with friends or to meet new ones! TK

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TK Business Magazine

Michael Odupitan | Founder and CEO Bonnie Maize | Chief Financial Officer & Human Resources Director Omni Circle Group

BUILDING A LEGACY How One Community Business Academy Model Is Shaping Entrepreneurs in Two Kansas Cities By INDIA YARBOROUGH Photos by JOHN BURNS

If Michael Odupitan, founder and CEO of Omni Circle Group, hadn’t walked into Create Campaign headquarters one random day in 2022, Omni’s Emerge Community Business Academy — which graduated its inaugural cohort in late November — might not be a reality.

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“I just happened to be in Wichita and was like, ‘I’m going to stop by this organization and see what they do,’” Michael Odupitan said of Create Campaign, which runs the Spark Community Business Academy in Kansas’ largest city. So he did. He met with Create Campaign staff, including founder and CEO Christina Long. They talked about connection, the power of collaboration and the idea of standing up a new program for diverse business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs in the capital city. “And here we are,” Odupitan said. “Through our collaboration, they gave us the opportunity to expand their work into Topeka with Rising Tide [Capital], to offer this information to entrepreneurs.”

TK Business Magazine

Photo by JOHN BURNS

Hence, Omni Circle’s Emerge Community Business Academy was born. In November 2023, after 12 education-packed weeks, the Emerge Academy graduated its first cohort, a group of budding entrepreneurs who represent nine new and growing Topeka businesses. Cohort participant Jaime Davis said that without Emerge, “I would definitely not be as far as I am now. This really pushed me to take steps every single week to progress my business and make decisions.” Davis is the owner of Topeka Treat Company, a boutique dog bakery she’s in the process of standing up. She said that the difference between the person she was upon entering the Emerge program, and the entrepreneur she is now, is like night and day.

“I’ve gained so much confidence in my business idea,” Davis said. “I feel like Topeka’s ready for it.” THE EMERGE MODEL The Emerge Community Business Academy follows a curriculum model created by New Jersey-based Rising Tide Capital, a national nonprofit with a mission to help struggling individuals and communities build strong businesses that “transform lives, strengthen families and build sustainable communities.” Both Create Campaign’s Spark Academy and Omni’s new Emerge Academy are made possible by Rising Tide, which licenses its innovative 12-week business development course to proven partners across the country who are eager to facilitate it. The course provides handson training that helps newer

entrepreneurs refine a business plan, learn business management and get familiar with business basics like marketing and budgeting. Odupitan said he had his sights set on Rising Tide for a while. In fact, he had hoped to secure a Rising Tide facilitator license more than a year and a half ago, around the time a young Omni Circle launched a Topeka-based nonprofit with a mission to equitably unite and strengthen communities through various personal and professional means. Omni wasn’t chosen as a facilitator then, but Create Campaign was. “These classes are being taught in prominent cities like Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, Jersey City, Brooklyn, and Charlotte, North Carolina,” said Alejo Cabral, Spark program director for Create Campaign.

“To be able to have this nationally distributed curriculum in the state of Kansas was always the goal." According to Cabral, Wichitabased Create Campaign started in 2015 as a half-day forum designed to connect Black entrepreneurs with service providers in the area. “Every year since then, we’ve hosted the half-day forum,” he said. “The first year, we expected 30 entrepreneurs to attend, and we got 77.” In 2017, Create Campaign officially became a nonprofit, with a mission of “activating urban entrepreneurs in the Midwest to launch, innovate and grow.” They fulfill that mission in two distinct ways: by providing access to learning and improving access to capital. The learning component is achieved through workshops,

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TK Business Magazine

“The value of our community goes up when you have individuals investing back in their community and creating jobs for the community.” — Michael Odupitan Founder and CEO Omni Circle Group

business consultations, the halfday forum, different programming opportunities and, of course, Spark Community Business Academy. On the access-to-capital side, Create Campaign manages a private micro-loans program that has become a model for other similar programs across the state. “I like to say our superpower is that we have one focus, and that is helping entrepreneurs,” Cabral said. Create Campaign caters to entrepreneurs who don’t qualify for traditional funding. It tries not to duplicate efforts but rather works with various community partners committed to improving outcomes for diverse entrepreneurs. It has a track record of developing business owners who might not fit the typical mold. “We fill gaps when gaps need to be filled,” he said. COLLAB MADE IN HEAVEN When Odupitan first wandered into Create Campaign headquarters, a gap in Topeka’s entrepreneurial ecosystem was clear. In that moment, Create Campaign and Omni

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Circle Group chose collaboration. Competition was never in the cards. “We brought that [curriculum] to Wichita with the intent of distributing it across the state of Kansas,” said Cabral. “I don’t know if it was serendipitous or if it was a godsend but when Michael walked into our office last spring, we were launching the first cohort in Wichita.” The stars seemed to align, and in the months that followed, the pair worked to figure out how they would bring Rising Tide’s business academy to Topeka. With Wichita’s program in full swing, they even had a test case to learn from. No matter the timeline, they were determined to refine the model in both cities. Asking Omni to facilitate the second business academy of this kind in Kansas made sense. The program fit well with the organization’s three primary pillars: connect, collaborate, create. Odupitan and Bonnie Maize, chief financial officer and human resources director for Omni, co-facilitated the Emerge Business Academy in Topeka, and ensured the program stayed on track. Odupitan said their partnership, “is a big reason why this worked.” Odupitan added that Rising Tide’s equity-forward approach to its curriculum, as well as its emphasis on building business legacies and generational wealth, reflected many of Omni’s goals and values. “The whole pipeline for Omni Circle is to help people become better versions of themselves and get to the point where they can get out of a survival [mode],” Odupitan said. “That was the biggest part of why we wanted this program. It targets reducing poverty by giving people an opportunity. Rising Tide believes the quickest way to change the landscape of wealth in communities is through entrepreneurship. That resonated with me.” Meanwhile, Rising Tide had data to prove Omni Circle and Create

TK Business Magazine

Campaign’s collaboration would be worth it. “What they’ve been able to show is that entrepreneurs who graduate from the community business academy, and participated in this curriculum, have made it past five and a half years in operation; 80% of their businesses did,” Cabral said. “Compare that rate to the United States as a whole, where more than 77% of small businesses are going to close within three years,” he added. That arguably dismal success rate just wouldn’t do, especially for an organization like Create Campaign that is set on turning the tables. “The entrepreneurs that we work with all talk about building a legacy,” Cabral said. “They want to build a business that helps them, their family and the generations that will follow.” That higher rate of success, which Rising Tide’s curriculum spurred, is something both Cabral and Odupitan want for their communities. “We want to see more individuals from the city of Topeka building in their community,” said Odupitan. He notes that it’s an essential step toward creating a thriving and sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem where connection, collaboration, and sharing of knowledge are the norm. “Success for us is to see these businesses start, and not just start but to build that ecosystem,” he said. “The value of our community goes up when you have individuals investing back in their community and creating jobs for the community. It builds wealth for the communities they come from. For me, that is what long-term success looks like for us.” With nine Topeka businesses now graduated from the Emerge Academy, the new program is well on its way to building the type of supportive, community-minded ecosystem by entrepreneurs that Odupitan has envisioned. “Becoming an entrepreneur isn’t a thing that you can do by yourself. You need a community,” said Odupitan. TK

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TK Business Magazine

EMERGE COMMUNITY BUSINESS ACADEMY

Cohort Graduates By INDIA YARBOROUGH Photos by JOHN BURNS

According to Michael Odupitan, founder and CEO of Omni Circle Group, which is facilitating the Emerge Academy, the program’s first cohort originally consisted of 12 participants representing 10 businesses. Throughout the program’s 12 weeks, the number of entrepreneurs narrowed to 10, representing nine businesses. This drives home Odupitan’s point that entrepreneurship isn’t for the faint of heart. “We lost one group,” he said. “I think part of that was them just recognizing where they were, which is what the program is designed to do. You don’t step into a business venture if you’re not ready. Nine out of 10, I would say that’s pretty good. We graduated 90% of the group.” Graduating businesses included both products and services, and the Emerge business academy was able to meet the needs of them all. Meet two entrepreneurs who graduated from the inaugural class.

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TK Business Magazine

TOPEKA TREAT COMPANY

A Boutique Dog Bakery

Jaime Davis’ journey to entrepreneurship began about two years ago, when she and her family decided to welcome a three-legged furry friend into their home. They had adopted a boxer rescue from a shelter in Kansas City. The dog, Roscoe, was missing a leg, but his “sweet and silly” personality was fully intact. “He instantly just meshed with our family,” Davis said. “It was like he was meant to be there. We just love him so much.” Each time a celebratory occasion rolled around, including Roscoe’s “gotcha day” — the day Davis and her family brought him home — they would look for special dog treats and goodies to give. “We wanted to celebrate him as a member of our family,” Davis said. “And I could not find any place in Topeka where I could get a little cupcake for

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Jaime Davis Photo by JOHN BURNS

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TK Business Magazine

“Not having done anything like this before on my own, I decided I needed as much support as I could get.” — Jaime Davis Entrepreneur

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him, or even a cookie. It was really difficult to find anything. Friends of mine are dog lovers, too, and they have complained about the same thing.” That’s when inspiration struck. What if Davis started her own petfriendly bakery? “We could make treats for all the dogs in Topeka,” she said. Fast forward a couple years, and you’ll find Davis making that dream a reality through her new business Topeka Treat Company, a boutique dog bakery creating fresh-baked, wholesome pet treats for the Topeka area. They even bake custom cakes and cookies upon request. Davis is currently in the process of securing a storefront. She is one of 10 business owners who graduated from the inaugural cohort of Topeka’s new Emerge Community Business Academy. After 12 tough weeks of business planning and learning, the graduates attended an evening ceremony at The Foundry Event Center, and they’re now stepping out to put their nine businesses to the test. Davis first heard about Emerge when she was attending a different class one evening at Omni that was being facilitated by the Washburn Small Business Development Center. “Michael popped in and mentioned this new cohort that they were starting, and it really kind of spoke to me because they were going to really get in depth and give you all the tools you needed to be successful,” Davis said. “Not having done anything like this before on my own, I decided I needed as much support as I could get.”

TK Business Magazine

The timeline and expectations were daunting at first, but Davis took them in stride, learning the importance of business components she hadn’t even considered. “You think about what it’s going to cost as far as your supplies or inventory or your lease for a storefront,” Davis said. “But you don’t think about some of the other things like you need to have a good attorney on your side, you need to have a good accountant.” Much of the class, she noted, focused on finances. Davis now has a much better picture of the reality of owning a business, and as she gained knowledge along the way, she became more confident in what she had to offer. In fact, that growing confidence led Davis to participate in the 2023 Equity & Opportunity Pitch Competition put on by GO Topeka. She took home fourth place in that contest, one she wouldn’t have even entered without Emerge. It was another win in her eyes. “That was really amazing to me,” Davis said. “Everyone else — the first, second and third place winners — already had established businesses. So, for me to place anywhere, not having really begun yet, that really spoke to me.” At graduation, Davis learned that she had won a competition among her classmates for best executive summary, a one-page overview of her entire business plan. Davis is confident she wouldn’t be at this point in her journey without Emerge — and she’s not alone in that sentiment. “It was the best thing I could have ever done,” she said.

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TK Business Magazine

THE ELEVATION NETWORK Empowering Women Resource

Danielle J. Martin Photo by JOHN BURNS

“People just want to know your ‘why.’” — Danielle J. Martin Entrepreneur

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Entrepreneur Danielle J. Martin is the Emerge graduate behind the coaching business, which she’s dubbed The Elevation Network. According to Martin, The Elevation Network is all about empowering women to become better versions of themselves, so they can develop the confidence to turn thoughts into action. It’s a network where intentional community and meaningful connections help inspire excellence and provide accountability — and it has both in-person and online components that include annual events, digital courses, mentorship opportunities and more. “I saw that there was a need in this community, and I really just felt so led to create a space for women to succeed,” Martin said. “Why do we think that we are so undeserving? You can hear the fear in the language of many of the women that I speak to. When I look at myself and I see my future best self, I see her thriving in all areas of life, and I just want the woman next to me to believe that same thing.” In her final weeks of the Emerge program, Martin won her cohort’s pitch competition. That win, she said, came as a surprise but gave her the confidence and clarity she needed to keep pushing forward.

“I was honored and shocked, because I felt like everyone in the class was succeeding the entire time. Everyone had their niche and they were clear, they were moving,” Martin said. “I put a lot of effort in towards the end of the class because I felt like I was getting my clarity along the way. I was getting pieces to the puzzle.” When it came to pitching, she added, one lesson stood out. “People just want to know your ‘why,’” she said. “People just want to know what led you to this business, why are you doing it. When I started to change my mindset to ‘Hey, I’m doing this because I truly care about women and I truly care about seeing us succeed and excel beyond where we are and our positions,’ it made all of my fear kind of just leave. It felt like a good moment for me to be reminded that, ‘I can do this. I am more than capable.’” That message is one she’s had to tell herself about many times over the years, and she’ll soon be driving the same point home for women seeking what her business has to offer.

For Martin, one of the biggest takeaways was that you must start somewhere. To “do it ugly,” she said, is better than never doing it at all. “I had to let go of perfectionism,” Martin said. “Even when everything is not put together in the way that we want it to be, you have to get comfortable presenting your service or your product anyway. If you don’t talk about your business, who is going to know about it?” Several pitch opportunities throughout the program helped Martin get more comfortable with being uncomfortable. She said the mix of coursework offered through Emerge — from hands-on business simulations led by facilitators to hearing from current small business owners about their own journeys — helped drive home many of the academy’s lessons. “We had real-life experiences when it came to how are you going to negotiate your price, how do you operate with budgeting, how do you save your money,” Martin said. “We really focused on numbers throughout the whole process. I think from a business

owner’s standpoint, you start out having this idea, but numbers are everything when it comes to your business. For me, I realized I was way undercharging for what I was trying to offer.” When it comes to the cohort and its members, Martin says the group became really close over the course of about three months. They still communicate regularly through a Facebook group, sharing tips and know-how about getting their small businesses off the ground. “We kind of keep each other updated with ‘Hey, I just finished this’ or ‘Hey, does anyone know how to get marketing or something done,’” Martin said. “The beauty of the class is it turned into a community to share resources and progress in our business. To see everyone succeeding in their own way and on their own path, just lets you know Emerge has significant information that any business owner or aspiring entrepreneur can learn from.” Martin recognized that the 12 weeks in Emerge did not come to an end at graduation. “While the time went by fast, our business work is just getting started,” said Martin. TK

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CYBERSECURITY LANDSCAPE

HOW PROTECTING YOUR NETWORK IS LIKE PROTECTING YOUR STRUCTURES

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EDR, DPI, MFA, SAT, SIEM, and ATP. Is it a foreign language or a game of cybersecurity bingo? When it comes to protecting your technology, staying educated can feel like both. The cybersecurity landscape is as complex as it is ever-changing. Yet, it’s become more important than ever to master the seemingly impossible game that is cybersecurity. If you’re wondering how best to spend your budget or educate your employees, winning begins with learning the language. While this is never an easy task, our team of well-trained experts understands — and can help you and your employees achieve your goals.

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Ready to learn? Let’s get started with an analogy: Using cybersecurity to protect your network is like using physical security measures to protect the building in which you conduct business.

FIREWALL “Build A Fence”

DPI, ATP “Make the Fence Higher”

The first step in protecting your building is to build a fence around the property. For example, install a gate and keep it locked. This security measure ensures that only authorized people can enter. It also allows you to keep an eye on those who enter and exit your facilities, and determine whether they should be there. When it comes to cybersecurity, we call that fence a firewall. It protects the perimeter of your network by monitoring anyone who attempts to enter, while enabling you to deny entry to those who have no good reason to enter your network.

Building a fence around your business is a great first step. But suppose you encounter an intruder who’s a little more motivated? To prevent someone from jumping the fence, add barbed wire to the top. Your firewall has evolved to include features that add an extra layer of protection, just like barbed wire. Deep packet inspection (DPI), advanced threat protection (ATP) and sandboxing can inspect network traffic on a different level. DPI digs deeper to catch hidden malware that traditional firewalls may not detect. ATP “barbed wire” is becoming even more sophisticated, using techniques such as AI and machine learning to scan and understand new threats.

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CYBERSECURITY LANDSCAPE

SIEM “Install Security Cameras”

SANDBOXING “Add A Security Guard” Meanwhile, think of sandboxing like hiring a private security guard and installing a metal detector for extra protection around your facilities. When the metal detector picks up something that shouldn’t be there, the intruder is pulled out of line and denied entry. Sound extreme? With everevolving cybersecurity threats and new tricks to enter your network, there is no such thing as being too cautious. Even after implementing extra security measures around your buildings (and in your network), make sure you’re still covering the basics. That means keeping your doors locked with electronic access control — a physical security term our team knows about, too. Take your security a step further by requiring the use of a key fob and a fingerprint for entry. Authentication adds another layer of protection to your network. If you’d like to make it even stronger, one of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent bad characters from entering your network is to add multi-factor authentication. Make them use two keys, instead of just one, to double-check identities.

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With these measures in place, you might assume that it’s now impossible for anyone to enter your property. However, it’s still possible that a particularly tricky intruder could be roaming your grounds and sneaking into restricted areas. Your response might be to install security cameras so that you can provide footage to law enforcement in the event of an intrusion. SIEM (security information and event management) is the cybersecurity version of physical security cameras. This feature tracks and logs everything a user is doing within your network and on your devices. In other words, it’s forensics for your network.

EDR “Supplement with a Night Guard” What happens if criminals do sneak onto your property? At first glance, they might not even look like intruders. They could look like service professionals who have a legitimate reason to step inside your fence. But now, they’re propping open doors they shouldn’t access and stealing right under your nose. A night guard who shines a light on things will be your best line of defense. This same scenario can happen in your network. Despite your best efforts, some of the trickiest bad characters can slip past all your defenses. That’s why you need an EDR (endpoint detection and response) solution. This part of your cybersecurity plan monitors what’s happening inside your network, and how the characters who come past the firewall are using the tools they bring inside. If they look legitimate but their behavior seems off, the EDR “sends the night guard” to check it out. Don’t forget security essentials like protecting the windows, back doors and side entries of your business. Intruders can easily recognize those points of vulnerability, and the same is true for your network. Vulnerable points include email, browsers and much more. Fortunately, a layered approach between network and endpoint protection, such as antivirus and spam filters, can strengthen your cybersecurity efforts. TK Business Magazine

SAT “Train the Team on Preparedness” No matter how many physical security or cybersecurity measures you put in place, education is essential. If your employees don’t know to close the gate, an intruder will easily slip past your defenses. And if your team isn’t aware of proper cyber habits, your network is that much more vulnerable to compromise. Security awareness training (SAT) includes short online training courses, quizzes and fake spam attacks to keep your team prepared to defend against any cyber threat. Learning the language of cybersecurity is just one step to helping your organization win that complex game of bingo. Determining the right tools and approach needed to protect your business depends on your set-up, complexity, budget and ultimately, your risk tolerance.

As your experienced IT partner, NexTech has the strategic moves to help you navigate those factors, create a unique plan and succeed in your cybersecurity game. If this analogy has you thinking you also need to elevate your physical security plan, our team has a solution for that, too! TK

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Photo by JOHN BURNS

Seated (L to R): Bernard Hickert, Patricia Hamilton, Emily Donaldson Standing (L to R): Richard Schoenfeld, Whitney Casement, David Newbery, Denise McNabb, Scott Taddiken, Jay Newbery, Thomas Haney

MERGING EXPERTISE

STEVENS & BRAND, LLP By ERIC SMITH Photos by JOHN BURNS

Topeka’s legal landscape recently witnessed a remarkable change when two long-respected northeast Kansas law firms joined hands as one.

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STEVENS & BRAND ATTORNEYS AFTER THE MERGER John T. Bullock Christopher F. Burger Whitney L. Casement Emily A. Donaldson Amy L. Durkin Bradley R. Finkeldei Webster L. Golden Patricia E. Hamilton Thomas D. Haney Stanton A. Hazlett Jeffrey L. Heiman Bernard J. Hickert Matthew H. Hoy Sherri E. Loveland Denise L. McNabb Jean B. Ménager Leslie M. Miller C. David Newbery James Jay Newbery Ann J. Premer Kana R. Roller Richard S. Schoenfeld Kate Marples Simpson Wesley F. Smith Scott E. Taddiken Peyton Weatherbie Rebecca J. Wempe J. Eric Weslander Winton A. Winter, Jr. Molly M. Wood

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Stevens & Brand, LLP, a Lawrence and Topeka firm in operation for nearly 100 years and Newbery, Ungerer & Hickert, LLP, a firm based in the capital city for almost 30 years, officially merged on Oct. 1, 2023. The result is an expanded Topeka office for Stevens & Brand, LLP, located at 4848 SW 21st St., Suite 201. FOOTPRINT EXPANSION “Stevens & Brand is committed to increasing its footprint in Topeka and serving the Topeka market. Bringing on three great lawyers from the Newbery, Ungerer & Hickert firm helps cement that position,” said Brad Finkeldei, managing partner of Stevens & Brand, LLP. “We’re very proud of our Topeka office and our lawyers there. Obviously, the merger only made it better.” The merger gives the combined firms a total of 30 attorneys. Ten are based in Topeka and 20 are in Lawrence, at 900 Massachusetts St., Suite 500. “I think the joining of law firms has created the largest and strongest estate planning and tax practice in the Topeka legal community that exists today,” said B.J. Hickert, who, along with Dave Newbery and Jay Newbery, made up the Newbery law firm and stayed on for the merger. “And we’re not going anywhere. We’re expanding and continuing

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that focus on Topeka business clientele and their estate planning and tax legal services.” Stevens & Brand initially expanded into the capital city when its office opened 16 years ago. Of the 30 attorneys at the firm, 11 graduated from Washburn University Law School. “There were some challenges after practicing in the same office for nearly 30 years, but now, things are going great,” said Dave Newbery of the merger transition. “It’s worked out just like I thought it would. It’s a top firm.” “There are a lot of unique individuals and good people,” Newbery said of his new colleagues. “It’s a great culture, and it’s a fun group, and that’s important. You can hide in an office and practice law, and that can kind of be a boring life. But it’s fun around here just because there’s a lot of interesting people.” FROM ADOPTION TO ZONING The award-winning Stevens & Brand firm has expertise in 40 different areas of practice, from adoption to zoning — literally from A to Z. It also offers services in tax law, estate planning, asset protection, Medicaid law, elder law, bankruptcy, litigation, personal injury and construction, among others. Stevens & Brand was formed in Lawrence by Richard

CONTINUING ON Newbery, Ungerer & Hickert, an established Topeka tax and estate

planning firm in its own right, had officed at 2231 SW Wanamaker Road since 1994. Started by Dave Newbery and Jeff Ungerer, Hickert joined in 1997. Newbery said Ungerer left the firm in the early 2000s to work for one of his clients, but the firm kept his name because he has a great reputation as a tax and estate planning attorney. Jay Newbery joined the Newbery firm about 10 years ago. Over the years, the Newbery firm has been known for its legal expertise in trust and estate administration, probate, business law, real estate law and mediation. “After we’ve invested 30 years in building what I believe is a very fine law firm, I’m thrilled that the law firm is continuing,” said Hickert, who called the merger an achievement. “Not only continuing but continuing

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“We’re not going anywhere. We’re expanding and continuing that focus on Topeka business clientele and their estate planning and tax legal services.” — B.J. Hickert Stevens & Brand, LLP

Photo by JOHN BURNS

Stevens and John W. Brand in 1925, with the goal to provide practical legal solutions for people and businesses. It has remained the firm’s mantra to this day. “We have a long history of representing corporations, banks and other large entities,” Finkeldei said. He noted Evergy and Kaw Valley Bank are among the clients they’ve represented, the latter of which shares a building with them in southwest Topeka. “With the additions of folks like Scott (Taddiken) and Rich (Schoenfeld) and the Newbery merger, we’re really focused on serving individuals and their estate planning and corporate needs.”

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“[The merger] worked out just like I thought it would. It’s a top firm.”

Photo by JOHN BURNS

— Dave Newbery Stevens & Brand, LLP

with one of the finest law firms in this area of the state. I know our clients will be well taken care of.” Both Newbery and Hickert said there are several attorneys at Stevens & Brand with whom they had a previous relationship. They include Web Golden, senior partner of the firm, who taught both at the University of Kansas School of Law in the 1970s. “We go back a long way with him,” Newbery said of Golden, who has been with Stevens & Brand for 46 years. “He’s a really top-notch lawyer and person.” Hickert indicated he’s previously referred client matters to several Stevens & Brand attorneys, having shared a mutual respect with many of them before the merger. “I welcomed the opportunity to work with them because I knew them to be excellent attorneys and great individuals,” Hickert said. “And I’ve been thrilled with the reception I’ve received from the other attorneys and also with the quality of their legal knowledge and experience and welcoming personalities.” FUTURE GROWTH Finkeldei indicated Stevens & Brand has been growing steadily over the years, but that this was the first real merger in the firm’s

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TK Business Magazine

history, and it took about one year to complete. “The problem with these sorts of things is everyone’s very busy with client work that it’s hard to find the time to work on this kind of project. It just doesn’t happen overnight,” Newbery said. The move was attractive to Newbery, Ungerer & Hickert because it doubled the depth of the practice in several areas. It has also provided more breadth and diversity in legal issues with which they were previously unable to help clients, Hickert said. “I’ve already appreciated the opportunity to refer clients to the different attorneys within the Stevens & Brand law firm and have discovered that they have a lot of expertise and experience that’s helpful and valuable for our clients. It provides our clients much more legal resources. We’ve gone from three to 30.” Looking to the future, expansion and growth are still a priority, Finkeldei said. “This merger sets us up as a bigger player in the Topeka market, and one we hope to grow on,” he said. “We’ll continue to look for ways to expand our presence in Topeka through the addition of lawyers, and we’ll continue to look at other law firms to merge with.” TK

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Heart of the Entrepreneur

H&H DESIGNS Samantha Hill By MIRANDA ERICSSON Photos by JENNIFER GOETZ

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THE POWER OF PREMIER FUELS AND LUBRICANTS

Photo by JENNIFER GOETZ

With H&H Designs' "build your own shirt bar," shoppers choose a design, a garment and a shirt size. Within minutes their special order is ready.

A Build Your Own Shirt Bar! At H&H Designs in Fairlawn Plaza, it’s easy to walk in and design a shirt — they’ll even print it for you while you wait. “We have hundreds of designs,” said Samantha Hill, owner of H&H Designs. “People can pick the design and garment they want in adult and kid sizes. You can go with short-sleeved, long-sleeved, or sweatshirts, in so many colors and patterns. It’s done in about two minutes once we have all of the

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pieces together. It’s perfect for game day gear and spirit gear, even with a fast turnaround. If you’re going to support an area team, you can get that hoodie to show your team spirit and have something special.” H&H Designs sells officially licensed Kansas State and Washburn University gear that feature the unique designs of Samantha Hill. She went through an application process to become an official designer, and every design must be submitted to the university for approval. “You can only purchase those officially licensed designs through H&H, so you have something special to show your team spirit,” Hill said. “Plus, we do glitter and hearts and animal prints. We do fun things around here.” One of Hill’s favorite ways to support community spirit is to develop designs for local schools and businesses. H&H offers creative designs for all area high schools, and quite a few elementary schools. Hill designs for schools at no cost and makes it easy for them to host a fundraiser through

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her website. After working with a school, Hill continues to make the design available online and in the store through the shirt bar. “People come in and get so excited to see a special design for their alma mater or their kids’ school,” Hill said. “I also design a staff t-shirt for teachers that I make available for the lowest price that I can.” Hill never imagined that she’d be making a living designing shirts. Like a lot of small businesses, H&H Designs started out as a fun side hustle. “My sister and I always just kind of made shirts,” Hill said. “Growing up we tried out so many different designs, from puffy paint to bleach and tie-dye. Shirts feel versatile and inspire me with ideas.” Hill started small by selling to family and friends back in 2016. Many customers returned for more and told their friends, causing a steady growth in sales. By the fall of 2021, Hill was taking in about 500 orders a month, and most of those were being picked up from her porch. Hill knew it was

Photo by JENNIFER GOETZ

time to find a retail space, and Fairlawn Plaza was the perfect fit. “We really love Fairlawn Plaza,” Hill said. “It’s just a different atmosphere from anywhere else in Topeka. Truly most of the businesses here are owned and operated by someone who lives in our community. A lot of times people will tell us that they came for a specific shop, then started walking and visiting the whole mall.” DIVIDE AND CONQUER The business is so much bigger than Hill ever expected, with sales continuing to rise from month to month. To divide and conquer the work while growing the business, Hill hired Cate Moody as a full-time production manager. Moody is Hill’s sister, and she started working part time for H&H to gain experience when she was still a business student. She gradually took on more and more responsibility in the running of the store. Moody’s education focused on marketing, management and data

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analytics, and she loves that her work with H&H Designs lets her have a hand in a bit of everything. “Sam and I are a great team,” Moody said. “She has always been an entrepreneur. She’s always been creative and had some kind of business. I’ve never had that entrepreneurial drive, but I’m supportive of Sam and like to go along with her ideas. And she knows that she can trust me to tell her if I honestly think an idea isn’t the best way to go, from a business perspective.” “We know how to tell each other no,” Hill said. “Nicely, for the most part.” Hill and Moody have big dreams for the future of the shop. They currently work with a number of local vendors who provide a rotating selection of jewelry, hair accessories, skin care products and more. H&H will continue to seek creators and sell their original items on commission, so that customers always find something fresh and surprising. They’re also working to obtain approval for

With monthly sales rising, Samantha Hill, owner of H&H Designs, hired her sister, Cate Moody, as a full-time production manager.

University of Kansas licensing. Eventually, they hope to open a t-shirt truck to connect with buyers at community events. In the meantime, business is booming. Foot traffic in the store doubled over the last year, and new customers find H&H online and through word of mouth every day. “I think it’s the uniqueness of our apparel that makes us so popular,” Moody said. “All of the designs are Sam’s, not something that you can get from others on Facebook or find in another store in town. Pretty much everywhere we go we see someone wearing a shirt that we’ve made.” “I love seeing it out in the wild,” Sam said. “It’s a really good feeling.” TK

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TK Business Magazine

FROM THE PROFESSOR

The 70th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education

Reflecting on Progress and the Journey Ahead By NORMA JUMA Washburn University School of Business

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TK Business Magazine

This year, we commemorate the 70th anniversary of the seminal Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education. This is a poignant moment to reflect on the progress made and the journey that still lies ahead in the pursuit of an equal and just society. This case, decided in 1954, was a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, marking the end of legal segregation in public schools and setting a precedent for the dismantling of segregation in other public spheres.

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FROM THE PROFESSOR

“We conclude that, in the field of public education, the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.” — U.S. Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education, 1954 The decision in Brown v. Board of Education was a watershed moment in American history. It challenged the "separate but equal" doctrine established by the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson case, which had been used to justify segregation. The unanimous decision, led by Chief Justice Earl Warren, declared that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal." This ruling was a bold step forward, acknowledging the deep-rooted inequalities in the education system and setting the stage for sweeping changes. In the seven decades since this historic ruling, the United States has made significant strides towards equality and justice. The civil rights movement gained momentum, leading to landmark legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. These laws aimed to dismantle institutionalized racial discrimination and ensure equal rights for all citizens, regardless of race. The impact of these changes has been profound, paving the way for greater integration and equality in various aspects of American life, including education, employment, and political representation.

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However, the journey towards a truly equal and just society is far from over. Despite the legal end of segregation, disparities in education persist. Minority and low-income students often attend underfunded schools with fewer resources, leading to a persistent achievement gap. Additionally, racial tensions and systemic inequalities continue to plague our society, as evidenced by ongoing debates and movements regarding police brutality, criminal justice reform, and economic inequality. Moreover, the resurgence of discussions around race and identity in recent years has underscored the need for continued vigilance and action in the fight for equality. The Black Lives Matter movement, for example, has brought renewed attention to the systemic racism and injustices that still exist in the United States. Our city's hosting of the 24th Academy of African Business and Development (AABD) annual conference is a testament to the progress we have made. This event, celebrating African entrepreneurship and culture, reflects a society increasingly

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embracing diversity and inclusivity. The conference is not just a symbol of economic cooperation but also a sign of cultural and social integration, showcasing the contributions of African communities to our society. Washburn University is aptly chosen as the venue for the upcoming international conference, which will gather experts and professionals globally to discuss critical topics related to African business and development. The conference will feature social activities, including a guided tour of The Law School mural. This mural pays tribute to the significant contributions of Charles Scott, John Scott and Charles Bledsoe, three African American graduates from Washburn's law program, who played a crucial role in the legal team for the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case. The mural serves as a testament to their commitment to racial justice and highlights Washburn University's important role in the history of the civil rights movement. Visit Topeka will host a social

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FROM THE PROFESSOR

event reflecting on our unique journey towards inclusivity and showcase our prominent heritage, the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site. Yet, this progress must be seen in the context of the broader challenges that remain. Economic disparities, educational inequities and social injustices continue to affect minority communities disproportionately. As we commemorate the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, we must not only celebrate the victories of the past but also acknowledge the work that remains to be done. The anniversary serves as a reminder of the power of collective action and the importance of legal and societal reforms in advancing civil rights. It calls on us to recommit

ourselves to the ideals of equality and justice for all. This commitment requires continuous effort and vigilance, from addressing educational disparities to combating systemic racism in all its forms. In summary, the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education is a moment to both celebrate the progress made since 1954 and to reflect on the challenges that persist. It is a call to action for continued advocacy and reform to ensure that the promises of equality and justice are fully realized for all members of our society. As we look back on the achievements of the past, we must also look forward with a renewed commitment to building a more just and equitable world for future generations. TK

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This mural in The Law School pays tribute to three African American graduates from Washburn's law program, who played a crucial role in the legal team for the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case.

Professor Norma Juma is an endowed chair, Brenneman Professor of Business Strategy at Washburn University. She serves on the editorial board of The Journal of African Business (JAB), and she is also the Vice President-Finance, Academy of African Business and Development.

Sources: National Park Service. (n.d.). Companion guide - Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site. Retrieved on Dec/03/2023. Menand, L. (2001, February 12). Brown v. Board of Education and the Limits of Law. The New Yorker. Retrieved on Dec/03/2023. Woodward, C. V. (1964). Plessy v. Ferguson: The Birth of Jim Crow. American Heritage, 15(3):n 51791. Retrieved on Dec/03/2023.

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e h t of By MORGAN CHILSON Photos by JEFF CARSON

d r a v e l Bou Once a thriving retail center and the home of White Lakes Mall, the South Topeka Boulevard corridor is finally seeing the impact of new investment and planning. Now that city and business leaders have taken steps to trim overgrown bushes and demolish run-down buildings, they plan to build on the corridor’s refreshed energy.

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Mike Heatwole of Mars/Wrigley, recently joined Kent Lammers and others on the Bring Back the Boulevard board. Photo by JEFF CARSON

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Photo by JEFF CARSON

“I really appreciate the vision that a lot of our local developers bring to the changing landscape of Topeka. It attracts outside developers, as well, because they see things happening. It’s exciting right now,” said Mayor Michael Padilla. “I really like being a part of all this energetic thinking, all the positivity. You’re always going to have the struggles, every city does. You can’t get stuck on just those struggles.” Drive along the boulevard and you’ll see new spaces that have been cleared for development, not to mention plenty of thriving businesses.

“I’ve always said that we have to remember that we’re the capital city of Kansas, so we should be the envy of other cities who are not. We have to act like it. We’re proud of our community, we’ve got to pay attention to the details.” —KENT LAMMERS Bring Back the Boulevard

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The corner of 29th and Topeka Boulevard is a perfect example. Lines of cars head to Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Scooter’s, Crunch Fitness and the new IHOP. Businesses like CoreFirst Bank & Trust, Briggs Auto and McElroy’s have been successful in the area for years, while the locations of the much-talked about new Chickfil-A and Whataburger restaurants at 32nd and Topeka are just a few blocks away. Justin Lamison, franchise owner and operator of the Chick-fil-A on Southwest Wanamaker Road, also owns the new location and is excited to expand the business. If everything goes according to plan, he said, Topekans can dine at the Chick-fil-A on South Topeka Boulevard as early as September. BRING BACK THE BOULEVARD Redeveloping a once-popular retail area comes with challenges. A few sections’ clean-up efforts have lagged behind, which is something that business leaders Kent Lammers, Chuck Engel and Frank Main hope to change. Lammers, president and CEO of Polo Custom Products Inc., doesn’t like the unkempt look of the southern end of the Boulevard, specifically around 45th Street. He wants to give commuters a better first impression

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when they enter the capital from Forbes Avenue and the interstate. Both Lammers and Engel, a Topeka attorney, separately contacted city leaders about four years ago to say, “Hey, I think we can do better,” said Lammers. “What pushed me into action is two things,” he said. “Near the train trestle at 45th and Topeka Boulevard, there was an old recliner laying on the sidewalk right near that bridge. I just wanted to see how long it was going to stay there. It stayed there an entire summer.” The second thing that pushed Lammers to act was when a Washburn University official told him that their athletic teams take a different route when bringing prospective recruits into Topeka. They do this to avoid some of the city’s less-than-appealing aesthetics, of which the South Topeka corridor was among. Padilla, Lammers and Engel met to discuss what they could do to create change. Soon, the Bring Back the Boulevard group was born. The group’s board consisted of Lammers, Engel and Main. However, many other area business leaders have contributed to the impact of Bring Back the Boulevard. “The mission was to improve the first impression of Topeka,” Lammers said, adding that many businesses use private aviation to bring in guests at Forbes Field so that they can avoid the rougher-looking areas. “Even though they’re going downtown or to Wanamaker, the first impression is like ‘Hey, close your eyes and don’t pay attention.’” Bring Back the Boulevard has already installed a new Welcome to Topeka sign, featuring Washburn University, at the corner of the boulevard and 45th Street. Donations from Washburn University, Greater Topeka Partnership, Engel Law P.A., Bring Back the Boulevard and Greater Topeka Partnership made the sign possible. Padilla said that there used to be an overgrown field and an old house in the place where the sign is now located. “As you came into that intersection, especially if you came in from the east and had to stop at a stop sign,

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The Kansas Turnpike Authority’s enhanced the corner of 39th Street and Topeka Boulevard when it chose to build its new facility on a previously vacant property.

that was the first thing you saw,” he said. “This field with this rundown house sitting there. It drew more attention to a bad condition.” IMPROVEMENTS EVERYWHERE Padilla said that clean-up is essential to improve the boulevard’s condition, and he’s been excited to watch business owners dive in and make it happen. One person who was quick to support the Welcome sign project was Erik Knox, the owner of Knox Signs & Graphics. He brought in volunteer crews to clear some of the brush by hand, then began to buy other properties to bring them back to life. “There are many private individuals who see the value of trying to make that area welcoming,” said Padilla. “We were fortunate to get the attention of the Kansas Turnpike Authority, and they chose Topeka to put in their new facility. Now when you come off the interstate there, you don’t immediately see just a bunch of cedar trees and bushes. You’re seeing development. That’s encouraged others.” The work, however, is far from done. Business owners continue to work with Bring Back the Boulevard to give new life to the area. “The improvement process has been contagious,” said Knox. “We have noticed when a business is clean and maintained, they are oftentimes considered more reputable and respected. We are pleased to be one of the process-leaders by

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providing continued improvements to the boulevard.” Lammers has fond memories of visiting White Lakes Mall as a youth. For that reason, he’s not afraid to put in the work to help the area find a new purpose. “Rhiannon Friedman [with] the City of Topeka contacted us and said, ‘Hey, we really like the sign that you all helped with, and we’d like your thoughts on duplicating that in other parts of Topeka.’” This is exactly what Lammers and other members of Bring Back the Boulevard had hoped would happen: that the energy in Southwest Topeka would spread throughout the rest of the city. “We created a task force to look strategically at what areas and main corridors and what kind of signage that ought to be,” Lammers said. “We’re still in the brainstorming session on how that should look and where it should be. I’ve always said that we have to remember that we’re the capital city of Kansas, so we should be the envy of other cities who are not. We have to act like it. We’re proud of our community, we’ve got to pay attention to the details.” Beautification is the next step in the process. Ideas include the installation of street banners to highlight key tourism and retail sites in Topeka. They’re also considering a Topeka archway, as well as signs that direct traffic to historic downtown. Lammers said they’re discussing infrastructure improvements with the City of Topeka Public Works. He hopes to

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see improvement efforts begin by the spring or summer of 2024. “They’re having it designed now, by a consultant, and they’re starting at 21st and Topeka, which is really problematic in terms of safety and drainage. They’re going to redo that intersection completely, and do a complete rebuild south to 29th Street,” said Lammers. After that, he added, they plan to continue moving south. Lammers and others would love for the beautification project to include the planting of trees along the road. He said that they’re incorporating landscaping in the appropriate areas from 21st Street to 29th Street. “We’re trying to raise $50,000 to $100,000 for that,” Lammers said. Padilla is excited that the project has led to a surge of interest in beautifying all areas of the community — taking efforts far beyond South Topeka Boulevard. “That area is so nostalgic. Let’s not just remember what it was. Let’s keep it going and help the next generation have that same nostalgia for this area,” he said of the boulevard. “Growing up in this town, I know that parts of the city don’t get as much attention as other parts. That’s historic, not unique to Topeka. But we can change it for ourselves if we invite people to participate.” Knox said that if the community works together, they can make it happen. “We want people to take pride in saying they are from Topeka,” Knox added. “This type of undertaking definitely requires the help of a collective team, with individuals, business and government working together for the aesthetic and economic growth of Topeka.” TK

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Creating Opportunities

MAINLINE PRINTING By MORGAN CHILSON Photo by BRADEN DIMICK

The owners of Mainline Printing are stepping beyond the printing industry to tackle two important development projects in South Topeka. The company decided to purchase the former White Lakes Mall property in 2023. “It’s kind of outside our sweet spot. We’re in the manufacturing business,” said John Parker, president of Mainline Printing, which is located at 3500 SW Topeka Boulevard. It seems like a natural choice, given that Mainline’s company headquarters was already located at the north end of the property. They’ve since acquired the former Gordman’s property at 3245 SW Topeka Boulevard. Parker said that in 2004, when Mainline bought the former Sears building at White Lakes, he expected the revitalization of the mall to continue. It already had blue-ribbon businesses like Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas, Electronic Data Systems, a beauty college and government offices. “The missing piece was the old Sears building, which had been vacant. When we bought that and moved out there, I thought this would spur on additional growth. It really went the opposite direction,” said Parker. “The biggest red flag, and the drop-dead thing for us, was when that fire was set almost three years ago.” In 2020, an arson endangered Mainline’s business. Parker said

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it became clear that he needed to control the environment, protect the business and protect their investment. This was the motivation that pushed them toward development, which is a new line of business for Mainline. “We’re kind of taking it slow,” he said. “We want to get it right. We’re going slow so we can avoid mistakes, so to speak.” Even though Mainline leadership is taking development one step at a time, they still believe in their original vision to revitalize the former mall property. “In 2004, we thought this was going to be a business park. And I thought that was a good use of the space,” Parker said. “We’re hoping to build up the site with light industrial, warehouse-type of business activity, as well as pads around the exterior, kind of like what’s going on up by the Gordman’s building with Chick-fil-A and Whataburger.” Parker said they’re considering a convenience store/gas station, a coffee shop and similar businesses along the perimeter of the property. Meanwhile, Mainline has moved its headquarters to the former Gordman’s property. “We needed space, which is a good problem to have, but it is a problem,” Parker said, adding that Gordman’s increased their manufacturing space by 90,000 square feet. Their former space at White Lakes was 150,000 square feet.

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Mainline Printing purchased the former White Lakes Mall property in 2023. Parker is hopeful for the future of his business properties on Topeka Boulevard. The city of Topeka, he said, gets requests for warehousing space with good ceiling heights, but the inventory is low. “There’s opportunities there, and Topeka’s missing out on them because they don’t have that type of inventory,” Parker said. “That’s the world that we live in. We understand the production, the warehousing. We think we’ve got a good handle on that, so there are opportunities.” The revitalization and development of the South Topeka corridor is important to the city. Parker said he’s aware that many are interested in their development of the former White Lakes Mall property, because it’s a sizable patch of land that everyone wants to see function better than it is now. “We want it to be right,” said Parker. “It’s such an important piece of property in the city, and I think if we can develop it, it will help not only the tax base, but also add jobs. And it will be something that’s going to be long lasting.” TK

Photo by BRADEN DIMICK

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

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Photo by BRADEN DIMICK

Smith Brothers Transmission built an 11-bay shop on the former site of Bob’s Car Wash on South Topeka Boulevard.

BUILDING NEW

SMITH BROTHERS TRANSMISSION By MORGAN CHILSON Photo by BRADEN DIMICK Smith Brothers Transmission is proud to be the oldest transmission shop in Topeka. Owner Matthew Stallbaumer is even prouder of the company’s new location on South Topeka Boulevard, which has brought them a lot of business. Stallbaumer said the expansion of an electric substation at his former location, 2647 SE 6th Avenue, forced the company into a move they were already contemplating. “It was definitely a blessing in disguise,” Stallbaumer said. “We built this building brand new, and just love it.” Stallbaumer bought the former property of Bob’s Car Wash, located at 4000 SW Topeka Boulevard, and cleared the lot. “Our old shop on East 6th Street was a three-bay shop, and we knew we would get busier being on a busier street, so we made it a heck of a lot bigger,” he said. “We made it

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an 11-bay shop, and probably could have gone bigger than that.” Some people were upset at the demolition of Bob’s Car Wash. Stallbaumer feels sympathy for people who didn’t want to lose their memories of a once-popular business on the boulevard. He also understands that it’s tough to keep pouring money into an old building, and very easy to let them fall into disrepair. He admits that his shop on East 6th Street wasn’t in the best shape. “I can honestly say, if you’ve ever seen our building when it was at East 6th Street, I’m very confident the city of Topeka was extremely worried about us moving to this location,” he said with a laugh. “We fell into that same boat. “But it really is visually stimulating to see new buildings go up, and they’re more modern,” Stallbaumer added. “I think the growth of everything in Topeka is a good thing.” Stallbaumer is excited for what’s to come. He mentioned several other areas that are in the process of tearing down old buildings, including some movement just across the street from Smith Brothers Transmission. TK

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From L to R: Peter Gierer, Jiabao Shang, Tammy Picht, Bryan Falk, Janie Bartee, Bailey Miller, and John Sampson TK Business Magazine

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By VALERIE WILLIAMS Photo by JOHN BURNS

INTERSECTION OF DESIGN AND COMMUNITY A local, boutique architecture firm is proving their commitment to making positive change in the world. Bryan Falk and his team at Falk Architects are helping lay the foundation for a stronger community through steady growth, community impact, and the power of keeping talent close to home. THE JOURNEY Originally from the Kansas City area, Bryan Falk established his roots in Topeka almost 17 years ago. After gaining experience at other firms in the region, he realized that he had a unique vision for architectural design. With aspirations of becoming a business owner, he took the leap and founded Falk Architects on Earth Day in 2016. Initially, the newly established architect firm operated out of a modest space at 712 Innovations, a former hub for entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts in downtown Topeka. However, when the shared space closed its doors to the public

in July 2020, Falk and his small team found themselves transitioning to an empty apartment unit within a complex they were helping renovate. As their business continued to flourish, Falk recognized the growing need for a professional studio to accommodate their expanding clientele. So, in October 2022, the team officially moved into their new space situated in the vibrant heart of the NOTO Arts and Entertainment District. “When I moved to Topeka I drove around to check out everything, and I saw so much potential in NOTO,” said Falk. “When people started taking interest and developing the area years ago, a lot of excitement started building around the area and I thought it would be a great place to be. I loved the tall brick walls and the character of the spaces. I thought these buildings had so much potential and, surprisingly, there were no other architects in the area.” As a result, Falk’s presence in the area quickly added to the momentum

Falk Architects played a pivotal role in the development of Redbud Park in the NOTO Arts and Entertainment District.

and expansion of the district. His team played a pivotal role in numerous developments in the area, including noteworthy projects like Redbud Park, the Breezeway Park, and various lighting and signage projects throughout the district. THE COMMUNITY With a diverse portfolio of projects spanning several industries, Falk Architects has played an important role in shaping many of the communities around us. Their diverse team provides architectural services that range from renovations and additions to new construction and master planning for a variety of building types including offices, medical facilities, education, multi-family and residential, government, historical renovations, parks and recreation, and much more. Through their work, they’ve found a passion for finding creative ways to have a positive impact on the community. “As architects, we’re helping small businesses solve their problems,” said Falk. “Our clients come back to us because we listen.

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We focus specifically on their needs and, as a result, those businesses are able to make a bigger impact on our community through the missions they serve. Oftentimes, we’re able to help clients envision the potential of what a space could be and that, ultimately, becomes part of something even bigger. Those are cool experiences to be a part of.” Helping clients has inspired Falk and his team to find additional opportunities to give back by volunteering their time and talents. They’ve found a special interest in supporting NOTO and downtown Topeka, taking on projects like master planning and renderings for the Topeka and Shawnee County Veterans Park, signage enhancements to the north side of NOTO, lighting plans for North Kansas Avenue, and plenty more beyond the area. “We see NOTO and downtown as the heart of Topeka,” Falk said. “When

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people think of their community, they think of those areas. So, by enhancing those areas, we can impact the way people perceive Topeka. That’s where our passion is, so when there isn’t funding readily available, it’s an area where our volunteer efforts can go.” THE TEAM When Falk began his entrepreneurial journey, his goal was to grow slowly and sustainably. His hope was to add one additional employee to the team each year he was in business. To date, he has met that goal, currently employing a team of nine full time staff members and two part time interns who each bring their own set of diverse skills to the team. Now, he’s focusing his efforts on retaining that talent and continuing to grow his team. “It can be challenging to find good, talented architects and designers who want to stay in the

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Topeka area,” said Falk. “I think Topeka has wonderful qualities — great parks, good restaurants, short commutes — but sometimes architectural designers want the bright lights and big city. I try to find opportunities to help them grow in their career and see the opportunity that’s available right here in Topeka and the surrounding communities. Whether it’s trying to connect them to networking events like Forge or giving them an active role in working with clients, my job is to support them.” Through cultivating relationships with his team and helping them grow in their careers, Falk has also evolved in his own professional journey. Rather than spending hours working on client projects, his main focus has shifted to growing the business and building a future for the firm. “My project has now turned into expanding the company,” said Falk. “In helping my staff grow in their

Falk Architects’ professional studio is located in NOTO Arts and Entertainment District.

role and helping show them there’s a future with this company, my hope is that they’ll see this is a place they can have a great career and stay with for a long time.” Falk has strategically built his team with a blend of youthful talent and seasoned professionals with extensive experience. Some team members have even retired and then rejoined the workforce. The unique combination has fostered mentorship opportunities, nurturing a culture of collaboration and creativity. In turn, they believe their clients receive a better experience and positive results. THE FUTURE In November 2023, Falk Architects welcomed Bob Wilson as the newest member of the team. With over 40 years of experience in the systems business, he specializes in pre-engineered metal buildings, primarily in the Kansas City market. This move will allow Falk to expand into a bigger market, with hopes of opening a second office there in the near future. “It’s exciting for me because I’m from that area,” said Falk. “We do a lot of renovation projects in Topeka, but it’s not a rapidly growing community. I think it will be fun for us to experiment with some new construction projects and test the market in Kansas City. Our hope is that we would see steady, sustainable growth there just like we’ve seen in the Topeka market.” Beyond his plans to expand into the Kansas City market, Falk also hopes to continue his growth in Topeka and surrounding communities. His approach to doing business, however, will always remain the same — focused on the client and his team. “We strive to deliver a project that meets the customer’s needs first,” Falk says. “Making them happy, meeting their goals and hitting their budget is important to us. But more importantly, I want to be clear that Falk Architects isn’t just about me. It might be my name on the door, but each person here brings incredible talent with them. They’re all better at something than I am. And, hopefully someday it’s not just my name you see on the front door.” As for the long-term future of Falk Architects, Falk says he’s open to exploring additional markets, if it’s the right fit. But that will ultimately be determined by his growing team and their goals. TK

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AN ACTIVE NIGHT OUT:

EXPLORING

UNIQUE

LOCAL BUSINESSES By MIRANDA ERICSSON Photos by MIRANDA CHAVEZ-HAZIM

Are you looking for a place to make memories with your friends and family where you won’t feel stuck to a table all night? Visit these two locally-owned businesses that encourage active entertainment in a lively setting.

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Axing the Norms

Odin’s Lair

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

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Odin’s Lair in the NOTO Arts & Entertainment District is an experience that starts on the sidewalk in front of the venue, where guests see a door and exterior painted to look like a colorful fortress. Just inside the entrance, a mural of a raven flying above the red haze of war covers one wall, the work of NOTO artist Jennifer Bohlander. To the right, guests will find a photo op with a Viking and a large variety of props. The vibe is welcoming and fun, and just the right amount of fierce. Odin’s Lair offers guests the opportunity to throw hatchets, axes, knives and more in a safe environment. Owner Buddy Haynes went axe throwing in Lawrence for a date night in 2019, and had such a good time that he decided to bring the experience to Topeka.

Photo by MIRANDA CHAVEZ-HAZIM

The stage is set for fierce fun and games as soon as you enter the front door at Odin’s Lair.

“I absolutely fell in love with axe throwing,” Haynes said. “I have a background in construction and knew that I could do a lot of the work myself, so I decided to make it happen.” Haynes knew that he wanted to open his business in the NOTO Arts & Entertainment District. He already spent a good deal of time hanging out in businesses and eateries in the area and felt at home there. “NOTO was where I wanted to be because I love the small, hometown feel that an arts district brings,” Haynes said. “The NOTO District also has so many business owners that have put everything they have into their business, so guests are going to get the best customer service around.” Haynes started out leasing a space, but about the time his lease ran out, another building in NOTO came up for sale. Haynes decided to go for it, so he moved Odin’s Lair into his new space and rebuilt. “The new building needed a lot of work and between working with a contractor and the city, it took us three weeks shy of a year before we could get back open,” Haynes said. The move allowed Haynes to grow Odin’s Lair, adding a reservable party room and expanding the lane space. He notes that the

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Photo by MIRANDA CHAVEZ-HAZIM

Once Buddy Haynes, owner of Odin’s Lair, tried axe throwing on a date night, he decided to bring the experience to Topeka.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

4 dual lanes at Odin’s Lair are great for big groups, leagues, and tournaments. Haynes also added a TV so he can show games, and he now sells a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Guests are allowed to bring in their own food, and Hayne’s offers a discount at his venue if you purchase your food from a NOTO eatery. “You get ten percent off at Odin’s Lair if you eat at Wheel Barrel or Bradley’s Cafe or another great NOTO restaurant,” Buddy said. “We have to help each other out and pat each other on the back. Plus, it’s really good food.”

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Haynes and his staff personally walk guests through a proper stance, hold, and throw, and offer tips for adjustments as throwers get started. Safety is the top priority. Closed toe shoes are required, or you can borrow a pair of boots from the house. Haynes often hears that people are nervous before they try axe throwing the first time. “We’ll train you and make sure you feel comfortable throwing the hatchet before we cut you loose to throw on your own,” Haynes said. Haynes says that many people find axe throwing to be a great activity to rotate into their routine for the exercise and for the stress relief. “People tell me, you’re so relaxed, so chill, and you don’t get angry,” Haynes said. “I tell them, I own this. I don’t get angry, I just throw.” After reopening in their new space, Odin’s Lair was set up perfectly to host a tournament. In July 2023, they held their first one, bringing in throwers from the immediate surrounding states to create a great competition. They have also hosted several charity tournaments to help families raise funds. “We love hosting charity tournaments. We get the warm fuzzies when we can help out a good cause,” Haynes said. If you want to get fancy, you can pay $5 to upgrade your experience with several choices of throwing implements beyond axes. A long fireman’s axe, throwing knives, and a shovel are some of the additional choices. They all make a satisfying thwack sound when they sink into the wooden target, and Buddy Haynes can show you how to make that happen.

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Luke and Ashley Loewen, owners of 785 Beer Company (shown here with their children), aim to provide a welcoming place where guests can enjoy good beer, food and fun.

brews, bites & pickleball

785 beer company 66

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785 Beer Company is all about beer, food, and friends — plus pickleball. Topeka’s newest brewery is located on the site of the former Starlite Skate Center on SE 45th Street. The building holds good feelings and memories for many people. Owners Ashley and Luke Loewen are continuing that tradition of fun with an active restaurant that welcomes you to visit with all your family and friends for a beer and a good time. “We had this dream of a place to hang out and be comfortable, move around, and eat and drink,” Luke said. “We started thinking about what we would build if we could design the perfect place to bring our kids, enjoy some really good beer and food, and have some fun.” The Loewens aimed to create a welcoming local hangout that would also wow visitors from out of town with the brews and the vibe, so quality food and drink was an absolute must. They also needed a big footprint for their brewery and restaurant. “It was hard to find the right space,” Luke said. “We found this place by pure chance, and it’s perfect. We have way more space than we had hoped for, and a really convenient location.” Renovations on the building took several years. During that time many

Photos by MIRANDA CHAVEZ-HAZIM

curious people stopped by to see what was happening to the former skating rink. “People shared that they had met their spouse at the skating rink, or pointed out a bench where they had their first kiss,” Ashley said. “This place is special to our community.” The building needed a lot of repair, and Luke and Ashley did almost all of the demolition work themselves, with the help of family and friends. “We took down the entire ceiling,” Luke said. “I sanded every one of these beams and painted them by hand. Each one took about eight hours. We built both bars ourselves, and Ashley did almost all the painting, for weeks and weeks and weeks.” “It turned out better than we ever could have imagined,” Ashley said. A PASSION FOR BEER Luke home-brewed beer for ten years before deciding to open a brewery. His passion for beer began with a home brew kit that Ashley gave him for Christmas. “Something about brewing really clicked for me,” Luke said. “I enjoyed trying new brews and improving my recipes over time. I had plenty of help from friends and neighbors as I figured out how to make really good beer. At one point we had nine taps in our house.” Luke found it surprisingly easy to translate his recipes to the much larger equipment required to keep the taps flowing for a brewery. “Every piece of equipment has its little quirks and learning all of that was a process that took some time,” Luke said. “For our first batches we were triple checking everything to make sure it was coming out as we expected.”

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Simple and satisfying food, rotating flavors of beer and seltzer, and multiple pickleball courts and games round out 785 Beer Company’s multi-faceted experience.

785 Beer Company offers a wide variety of flavors and a range of alcohol content levels. Their menu features a rotating selection of cream ales, sours, lagers, IPA’s, brown ales, and more. “People love to try new beers and learn about different styles,” Luke said. “It’s always a good feeling when someone tries something new and just loves it.” Luke’s favorite brew is Hummdinger, a summer style cucumber cream ale. Ashley loves The Wizard, a west coast IPA. And yes, they come up with the unique names themselves. “It’s like naming a child!” Ashley said. “It’s not easy.” 785 Beer Company serves house-made seltzer in fruity flavors. The series is called Crayon Box, and flavors have included orange cream, blueberry, and cranberry. Growlers are available so that you can take some with you for later.

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WHAT’S PICKLEBALL? Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in the country. It’s a paddle sport that is easy to learn and accessible for people of all ages and skill levels. “I think it’s so popular because truly our 5-year-old can play, and our 90-year-old grandma can play,” Ashley said. The former Starlite Skate building is so big that Luke and Ashley found themselves with more space than they needed for a brewery and restaurant. They wanted to add something fun and social, and when a friend taped out a pickleball court in their culde-sac and invited them to play, they knew they’d found what they were looking for. “A lot of people come in here and play a sport that they’ve never played before, and pickleball fans can come in and meet friends,” Luke said. “It’s done what we wanted it to do, made a fun vibe where you can be on your feet if you want.” A full-size court is available to reserve for $20 per hour for as many people as you want to play,

Photos by MIRANDA CHAVEZ-HAZIM

and players can bring their own equipment or rent from the house. A game area with cornhole, darts, and more also gives people a place to get up and have fun with friends or let kids get their energy out. PIZZA, PRETZELS & MORE The food at 785 Beer Company is simple and satisfying: pizza, pretzels, wings and salad. Pizza dough is made fresh daily in-house with fresh toppings and cooked in a Wood Stone pizza oven. You’ll find a rotating menu of special flavors, such as crab rangoon and German reuben pizza. Like the beer line-up, the Loewen’s want to make sure that regulars will be able to enjoy favorite selections while also having new tastes to choose from. A COMMUNITY PUB The Loewens are glad to be fully open at last and welcoming guests to 785 Beer Company, but they haven’t slowed down a bit. They continue to build and upgrade and experiment with the menu. “The food and beer adventure won’t stop,” Luke said. “We’ll continuously try new options to have fun and help people discover new flavors.” Ashley and Luke also want to pay their good fortune forward to help others. They hosted special events prior to their official opening to raise money for organizations such as the Topeka Rescue Mission and the Topeka Zoo. “We want to create fun opportunities for people to come in, help others and share experiences,” Luke said. “This is a place to be comfortable and enjoy life, but also to be a part of something bigger in our community.” TK

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NOT YOUR ORDINARY GARAGE BUSINESS By LISA LOEWEN Photos by BRADEN DIMICK

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

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When you hear about a business operating out of a garage, you might imagine a small side business with maybe one or two employees. What you don’t imagine is a thriving construction company with 15 employees and a full showroom of materials for building custom decks. Yet Kraz Construction & Landworks LLC has managed to turn an ordinary garage into something extraordinary. The company’s owner, Mitchell Krasnican, was in search of something specific as he looked for the ideal location to serve as their base of operations. He had a long checklist of requirements. The first priority was to find a space large enough to store trucks and equipment, as well as to work on a variety of construction-related tasks.

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THE TOPEKA COUNTRY CLUB

The second priority was to create a showroom in which they could display examples of the company’s work and the materials they use. As a preferred builder with Trex, a company that provides composite decking materials, Kraz Construction is the only certified Trex installer in the region. Krasnican wanted customers to be able to see and feel the decking products so they could make better-informed decisions. Krasnican said that the location also needed to have easy access to Interstate 70, close proximity to the majority of their customer base and an environment where employees felt safe. After hearing about the industrial garage spaces that Clayton Devlin was building on Auburn Road, Krasnican found his ideal property — except it was missing a showroom.

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Not one to settle for less than his dream, Krasnican approached the owner and asked it was possible to build a showroom in one of the garage bays. “I don’t think Clayton ever envisioned this happening when he built the garages,” Krasnican said, “but he agreed to let us modify the space, and we turned one of the bays into a finished spaced with offices and a showroom.” In addition to the showroom, Kraz Construction is leasing five industrial garage bays for storage and workspace. LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON Krasnican’s love for the construction business runs as deep as his love of law enforcement. His father was a police officer who worked four days on, four days off. He

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owned a construction company called Silver Shield Construction and ran it on the days when he wasn’t on duty. “It was always a dream of mine to follow in my father’s footsteps and be a police officer, as well as run my own construction company,” said Krasnican. In 2011, he left his home in Washington state to play football at Washburn University. He joined the marines after two years of school. While living in Topeka, Krasnican used his construction knowledge to take on small construction jobs and remodels in his spare time. Those small jobs soon turned into bigger jobs, and he found his schedule quickly filling up — just as he had dreamed. This didn’t change the fact that Krasnican still dreamed of becoming a police officer. Unfortunately, the

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six-days-on, two-days-off schedule at the Topeka Police Department wasn’t enough to give him the time he needed to continue growing his construction business. That changed when the TPD shifted to a four-day-on, four-day-off schedule, just like the schedule his father had enjoyed in Washington. Krasnican immediately enrolled in the police academy and spent the next several years protecting his community while managing a booming construction business. But “sometimes you can have too much of a good thing,” said Krasnican. “Business grew so fast on the construction side that it eventually became too much to handle as a side business. I was pretty much working 24/7, and something had to give.” In 2020, Krasnican asked for a leave of absence from the police

“I don’t think Clayton [Devlin] ever envisioned this happening when he built the garages, but he agreed to let us modify the space.”

Photo by BRADEN DIMICK

— Mitchell Krasnican Kraz Construction & Landworks LLC

department. He wanted to take time to grow his construction business and get it to the point that it could operate without his constant presence. When that request was denied, Michael made the heart-wrenching decision to resign from the police force and focus on the construction business. For the next six months, Krasnican poured all his energy into Kraz Construction, streamlining operations and increasing efficiency. Then he rejoined the police force. But once again, his law enforcement dream faded when he realized that the construction business still required more time than he was able to give. He made the decision to officially leave behind his career as a police officer. “That was the hardest decision I have ever made,” Krasnican said. “I loved being a police officer and it was probably the thing I was most passionate about. But I was just stretched too thin and couldn’t sustain both.”

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“You can’t put a price tag on the things that I have done in my life and the lessons I can take away from that.” — Mitchell Krasnican Kraz Construction & Landworks LLC

BUILDING THE BUSINESS Even though Krasnican’s construction background was in framing, he spent the first few years making deck installation the primary focus of Kraz Construction. During the coronavirus pandemic, when building materials were in short supply, the cost of a wood deck almost equaled the cost of a composite deck. It made sense to switch to the more durable product — hence the company’s shift to Trex composite materials. During this time, Kraz Construction also built several garages, home additions and four-seasons rooms a year. He has since moved the company’s business model to buildings, primarily outbuildings and barndominiums. “We are beginning to shift the business focus again,” Krasnican said, adding that their main focus in 2024 will probably be the construction of new homes. Krasnican studied the housing market last year and discovered a glaring absence of larger family homes on several-acre properties. He took a gamble and built a five-bedroom, three-

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bathroom spec house on three acres located in the Washburn rural school district. “At the time of the construction and when we put the house on the market, we were the only new construction on land in that school district,” Krasnican said. Krasnican wanted to take advantage of the several-acre property in another way, by trying a new concept that was unusual for a spec house: the addition of a detached building. “If you drive around Shawnee County and look at houses on three-acre lots, almost all of them have some type of nice outbuilding or detached garage. In my opinion, I believe if you build a house on land, it needs to have the outbuilding included.” The house sold as soon as they put it on the market. This solidified Kraz Construction’s proof of concept and prompted them to build a similar build on Valencia Road. PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE Kraz Construction still works on decks, additions and detached buildings, but now plans to increase the number of spec houses they build. “We built two spec houses in 2023, and the goal is to build six more in 2024,” Krasnican said. Kraz Construction has now grown to a company with 15 employees — 11 full time and four part time. Krasnican is excited about the growth but understands the risks of growing too fast. Even though the company has several jobs booked well into the future, there is always the uncertainty that winter weather could prevent them from moving forward with those jobs at a regular pace. “I need to make sure I can keep all my employees busy and paid so they can feed their own families. I just don’t want to risk anyone’s livelihood by trying to become too big, too fast,” Krasnican said.

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Krasnican is also aware that growing his business can take up a lot of his personal time. “The biggest limitation to our growth right now is me,” Krasnican said. “I have a lot of projects going on right now and don’t want to find myself stretched too thin.” His other projects include opening two Dirty Dough Cookie franchises in November 2023, one in Lawrence and another in Topeka on Wanamaker Road. Because it’s a side venture, Krasnican considered hiring a commercial contractor to complete the buildout on both locations. But the contractors’ bids gave him some sticker shock, so Krasnican decided to do the work himself. “We were fortunate because we had the knowledge and resources to do the buildout on these locations. We probably saved $100,000 doing it ourselves,” Krasnican said. They plan to open a third location in Manhattan in the next few months. LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE Like most entrepreneurs, Krasnican says he has probably learned more from his failures than from his successes. Those moments when he had to step back, take stock and decide what to do next played a pivotal role in pushing him forward. Krasnican credits his entrepreneurial spirit to the knowledge and structure he gained from past life experiences. From growing up with a father who worked in construction, to his career as a college athlete, his time in the military and his time working in law enforcement, Krasnican feels prepared for pretty much anything that life throws his way. “You can’t put a price tag on the things that I have done in my life and the lessons I can take away from that,” Krasnican said. TK

We’ve got your back In business, the challenges never end. The Kansas Chamber provides unmatched resources on public policy and a powerful voice for you in state and federal government. The Chamber’s Legislative and Policy Agenda and advocacy work focuses on policies that remove barriers to economic growth and job creation. Learn more about how the Kansas Chamber has your back at KansasChamber.org.

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DEB NORTH | FOUNDER & OWNER OF YES! ATHLETICS

Leader Topeka LOCAL BUSINESS

SPOTLIGHT PARTNERS

THE #1 TRUSTED BAIL BOND COMPANY IN THIS AREA Rest assured that 785 Bail Bonds is here if you ever need bail fast to release a loved one from jail. 785 Bail Bonds serves all of northeast Kansas and surrounding areas with exceptional reliability and is always available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It doesn't matter what type of bail bond you need, 785 Bail Bonds will deliver fast, affordable and convenient services by utilizing their experience and familiarity of the courts and how their systems work to secure an expeditiously release. Contact 785 Bail Bonds for a FREE consultation on the services it provides. www.785bailbonds.com (785) 845-8154

SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESS LEADERS

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A LICENSED HVAC CONTRACTOR WITH 65 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE Carmona Air Inc. has been serving as a leading HVAC Contractor in Topeka since 2004. As a fully licensed professional, they are ready to tackle most medium scale installation projects to the smallest of repair jobs. Commitment to excellence is what fuels Carmona Air Inc. to go the extra mile to make sure clients are completely satisfied with the work. Carmona Air Inc. is an authorized Daikin Comfort Pro for Whole home and Ductless, Aprilaire IAQ, Reme-Halo Air Purification, Sensi WiFi Thermostats, White-Rodgers, Honeywell and EWC Zoning. They can also service any brand of residential and most commercial equipment. Call to schedule an appointment today or visit the website. www.carmonacomfortair.com 785-234-3331

WELL ESTABLISHED BUSINESS WITH A REPUTATION FOR QUALITY SERVICE In 1975, a local school teacher by the name of Bob Brown started Bob’s Janitorial Service as a summer business to make ends meet. Throughout his ownership, he built a reputation for quality of service, work ethic and dependability. Forty-eight years later, Bob’s Janitorial has experienced growth in various ways but the underlying values have lived on. The company’s belief in its employees, its reputation and dependability, and the knowledge of the various services it provides to its customer base remains the heart and soul of the business. Today Bob’s Janitorial Service is a household name throughout Northeast Kansas because of the trust customers have in that reputation. You can trust Bob’s Janitorial to deliver great service whether it’s for a residence, a “mom & pop” local business or a national customer. www.bobsjanitorial.com 785-271-6600

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AT THE

CORE

PHOTO SUBMITTED

WITH DANIELLE J. MARTIN

SPOTLIGHT ON

JENNIFER SOURK GENERAL COUNSEL WITH MIDWEST HEALTH

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ABOUT

JENNIFER SOURK Jennifer Sourk earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in 2002, followed by her Juris Doctorate in 2005, and a Master of Business Administration in Business in 2008. Jennifer is married to Grant Sourk, with two children and reside in Topeka. Jennifer serves as General Counsel for Midwest Health, Inc. where she oversees the legal affairs, strategic business transactions, risk management and compliance for more than 10 years of service with the company. She is actively engaged with Washburn University by serving as a Regent for the University. She has served in leadership positions as a board member of several community organizations such as Downtown Topeka, Inc., Downtown Topeka Foundation, Topeka Community Foundation, TARC Foundation and a past-president of the Junior League of Topeka reflecting her dedication to philanthropy and community service. Jennifer also serves on the board of directors for Vision/Community National Bank.

“At the Core with Danielle J. Martin” features leaders across Kansas and is dedicated to showcasing the stories and voices of local leaders who have substantially impacted their communities and industries. We are confident that Jennifer Sourk’s perspective and insights will inspire listeners and offer valuable takeaways. MARTIN: You serve on seven boards. Why did you decide to serve? SOURK: The board I’ve served the longest is the Washburn Board of Regents. It has exposed me to new things. A lot of what I have in life is because of Washburn University, so I want to give back everything I can to them. I’m the past chair of Downtown Topeka, Inc., and I’m particularly interested in economic development. My daily job is working on economic development projects like Wheatfield Village, and I want to make sure downtown is as vibrant as it can be. I’m also the chair of the Topeka Community Foundation. We’re using donations to invest and fund local projects and small businesses, such as Patterson Daycare. We’re are funding housing projects in North Topeka that will house folks that need places to live. It’s fulfilling to help connect those dots and make those projects happen. MARTIN: Tell me about the challenges you’ve had along the way.

Scan the QR code to see the full interview with Jennifer Sourk, General Counsel with Midwest Health, Inc.

SOURK: Each challenge is different, and that’s what I enjoy. I don’t see the challenges as barriers, I see them as an objective to overcome.

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MARTIN: What paved the way for you to say, “I can do all these things.” SOURK: It’s what fulfills me. Looking back at my education, I came to Washburn not because any of my friends were coming to Washburn, but because I had a mentor in high school who said, “You should look at this university and I think it’s a good fit for you.” And it really was. Through that experience, I was able to gain more confidence in my intelligence and who I am. I didn’t grow up in a professional household. Gaining that confidence allowed me to grow and move on to the next challenge. You just keep moving forward. I tell my boys all the time that I have two goals. Number one, keep them alive, which sometimes is difficult. And goal number two is to make them good human beings. If I can show them how to be good community members, that will be instilled in their lives as they grow older. MARTIN: What motto do you live by? SOURK: I don’t necessarily live by a motto. I think you just have to be you. If you make a mistake, own it and laugh about it. I am not perfect. It’s also how you learn. If you can’t challenge yourself to learn more, then it’s not going to lead you down the pathway of fulfillment. That may not be everyone’s passion or drive, but it is for me. I went to law school for me, I didn’t do it for anybody else.

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MARTIN: Would you say that becoming a lawyer is your proudest moment?

MARTIN: What advice do you have for aspiring leaders who want to move up?

SOURK: Yes. Since I was in the third grade, I wanted to be a lawyer. My proudest moment is passing the bar exam. It’s one thing to go to law school, but it’s another thing to take the bar exam. My best friend and I shared each other’s [National Conference of Bar Examiners, or NCBE] numbers beforehand, so we knew whether to call in celebration or in tears. We were screaming and jumping up and down in excitement.

SOURK: Voice your opinions strategically. Don’t stay silent. If you’ve got a good idea, throw it out there, even if it might be outside of your job description. That will make you visible. Show others that you have good ideas and deserve to have a voice in that room.

MARTIN: What’s your lowest moment? SOURK: I’m kind of a pick-up-yourbootstraps-and-move-on person. You learn and grow. Has everything been successful? No, but that’s okay. I don’t know if I’ve ever had a low moment. I’ve had challenging moments. I was let go from my first job as a lawyer. It was the best thing that’s ever happened, but in the moment, it just wasn’t a good fit. I was a young lawyer who didn’t know what to do. I didn’t have a support system within that organization to mentor me. Being unemployed for a few months as a lawyer was scary. I was 23 or 24 years old at the time and did not know that it wasn’t a good fit, but I learned from that. When I went to look for new positions, I wasn’t going to get myself back in that situation. I landed with the Insurance Commissioner’s office. Being successful there gave me confidence. It was a great fit.

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MARTIN: What advice do you have for women stepping into leadership roles? SOURK: I think as a female leader, I am often in boardrooms where I’m one of the few women. You have to be — again — strategic about comments, but willing to share. It can be intimidating. I’m often the youngest on the board, too. Even during my Washburn Board of Regents experience, there was a time when I was probably 15 to 20 years younger than anyone else. I’m also 15 to 20 years younger than anyone else on the bank board I serve on. MARTIN: How did you get the confidence to say, “Hey, my voice matters”? SOURK: I like to share my story about how I connected with the mayor that appointed me to the Washburn University Board of Regents. I was friends with JoAnn Button, but to be honest, I didn’t really know she was the mayor’s wife. I was just nice to her at work. We became work friends, and there was some dialogue in the community about finding young

professionals. She’s the one that threw my name out to the mayor. The next thing you know, I’m being considered for the Washburn Board of Regents. It’s very organic and you never know who’s watching. That’s probably the most important takeaway: be confident and share your ideas, because you don’t know who’s watching. MARTIN: I loved the story you shared with me about how you traded in your ballet shoes for BB guns. SOURK: “Every little girl should go to ballet.” I think my mom was on that pathway and signed me up for ballet in first grade. I was terrible. People who know me would not be surprised, but I still made it a good time. I met someone who coached a BB gun team in Wichita he told me, “Hey, I think you might be interested.” I ventured out one night to look at this BB gun team. I was a third grader at the time, and I picked up my first BB gun and I shot for three or four years. I was nationally ranked for two of those years. I won some medals and scholarships and put away the BB gun when I went to seventh grade. MARTIN: How do you want people to remember you? SOURK: Loyal and honest with a great big heart. That’s more than one word. But being recognized for my loyalty is what’s most important to me. I want to be transparent and loyal, but achieve at the same time. Those attributes are extremely important to me. They’re the attributes that I want my two sons to have when they grow up. TK

JENNIFER SOURK General Counsel Midwest Health, Inc. Photo by JOHN BURNS

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BUSINESS NEWS ALL PHOTOS SUBMITTED

Leadership Greater Topeka Class of 2024 Announced The class of 2024 was selected from more than 160 nominations. Alex Adame-Bipes, FHLBank Topeka Nadia Arbelo, Kansas SBDC at Washburn Joe Beasley, BOK Financial LeAnn Brungardt, Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library Vidal Campos, Topeka Police Department Sheryl Dick, Azura Credit Union Jackie Fox, HTK Architects Zach Frank, Washburn University Janice Gilmer-Gentry, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Makayla Girodat, Genesis Realtors LLC Phelica Glass, Phelica Glass, LSCSW, LLC Rob Gregory, Security Benefit Wrylie Guffey, Topeka Zoo & Conservation Center Caitlyn Halsey, Dialogue Coffee House Jade Kerr, Capitol Federal Savings Bank Payton Kolling, Washburn Rural High School Sarah Lucero, USD 437 Jill Martin, Advisors Excel Danielle Martin, Advisors Excel Stephanie Norwood, GO Topeka Michael Odupitan, Omni Circle Group Eric Patterson, WIBW Amy Pinger, Harvesters – The Community Food Network Cassie Richardson, CoreFirst Bank & Trust Carmen Romero-Nichols, ECI Services Lucas Ryan, Kansas Department of Health & Environment Paula Sanders, Stormont Vail Health Damon Shore, MARS Wrigley Troy Simoneau, Kansas Gas Service Jason Smith, Topeka Civic Theatre Andrew Tague, Goodell, Stratton, Edmonds & Palmer, LLP Jason Tryon, City of Topeka Steven Vickery, MARS Wrigley Shane Warta, Topeka Community Foundation Cola White, Cornerstone of Topeka Andrew Wright, Bartlett & West EnvistaCares Challenge Helps Raise over $200,000 in 2023 In an effort to support and give back to the local community, Envista Federal Credit Union has helped raise $211,503 in 2023 for 12 local non-profit organizations through the EnvistaCares Challenge – a program designed to raise awareness and community support.

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Blasing to Lead Junior Achievement of Kansas Bill Blasing began his role as President and CEO of Junior Achievement of Kansas in early 2023. Bill brings years of business leadership, as well as nonprofit executive experience, to Junior Achievement to help the organization grow and impact the youth that Junior Achievement of Kansas serves. Silver Lake Bank Announce New Sales Manager Heather Grunert joined Silver Lake Bank as Sales Manager. This is a new position for the family-owned community bank. Heather will be based at SLB’s main bank in Topeka but will be visible and active in all six branches. She is a Kansas native who had a long and successful career in global sales with Payless ShoeSource. Jon Schaffhausen, AIA, Joins Civium Architecture as Project Architect Civium Architecture and Planning announces the addition of Jon Schaffhausen, AIA, to its team. Schaffhausen is applying his expertise to several prominent projects at Civium, including the Kansas School for the Blind HeadStart, SLI 7th Street Group Home Renovation and Kansas Department of Parks and Wildlife’s new Colby Field Office. Stormont Vail Health Welcomes Joy Murphy, M.D. Stormont Vail Health welcomes Dr. Joy Murphy, a board-certified family medicine practitioner specializing in women’s health and family medicine, to the Stormont Vail Express Care team in Topeka. Dr. Murphy provides care as a traveling physician at various Cotton O’Neil Express Care Clinics throughout the community. Library Shares Local Best Books of 2023 The Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library shared the top 10 fiction print books checked out and published in 2023.

Valeo’s Crisis Center is always open for mental health emergencies.

This is a walk-in Clinic. No appointment needed. 24-Hour Crisis Line: (785) 234-3300 24-Hour Detox Number: (785) 234-3448 Valeo’s Crisis Center 400 SW Oakley Topeka, KS 66606 Visit us at:

or valeotopeka.org

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OB/GYN L IN C O LN C E NTE R

“The nurses here are so kind and helpful! I had a very inflexible schedule, and they worked with me to find a time to come in that worked for me. They’re also super kind and welcoming in the office.” - Brenna M. Stormont Vail OB/GYN Lincoln Center supports women’s health at every stage of life. We are your advocates for your personalized care.

Complete Women’s Care, Closer to Home

Our experienced, skilled team specializes in routine and high-risk obstetrics and gynecological care. Women's Health Reproductive Care • Hormone Therapy • Breastfeeding Education • Pelvic Pain Evaluation • Fertility/Contraceptive • Preventative Screenings Management • Urinary Stress Incontinence, • Prenatal, Pregnancy, & Vulvar Issues, Prolapse Postpartum Care

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Two Convenient, Safe, & Welcoming Topeka Locations Clinic Hours: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday

Lincoln Center

800 SW Lincoln St., 66606 (785) 233-5101

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Lincoln Center Urish

2830 SW Urish Rd., 66614 (785) 273-4010