TK Business Magazine - Winter 2016

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DOOR OPENERS

The story of Kelley is the story of us.

We know Kelley. So we work tirelessly to deliver care that fits her life. Like how our physicians and care team work to keep her current on health screenings and manage her wellness. Go, Kelley.

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CONTENTS FEATURES

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The CEOs of Great Plains Energy and Westar Energy talk merger.

Were you ready for the Pokémon GO trend? Will you be ready for the next crazy trend? Don't miss out.

ENERGY MERGER Q&A

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POKÉMON GO WHAT?

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Pedro Concepcion shows us the heart of a "survivor."

Historic Harley-Davidson of Topeka and Kansas Ballet Academy use their businesses to develop their passion.

HEART OF THE ENTREPRENEUR

BEYOND BUSINESS

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INCENTIVIZING BUSINESS

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Local companies have used financial incentives to grow and renovate their businesses.

CHASING THE DREAM A look at how one entrepreneur is using augmented reality to find success in real life.

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TOPEKA'S TOP 20 UNDER 40

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Meet the 2016 honorees.

ANGEL INVESTING

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Big idea entrepreneurs sometimes need a little help from an angel.

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See who past and present 20 Under 40 honorees name as "door openers" in their lives.

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MAKING A CONNECTION Two local business owners connect to reopen the Kitchen Gallery in Fairlawn Plaza.

IN EVERY ISSUE TK BUSINESS EXPERTS

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SCENE ABOUT TOWN

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Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce Business Expo Edie Smith Farewell Party from Downtown Topeka, Inc. Youth Entrepreneurs' Business for Breakfast

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ANDREA ENGSTROM

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COLE BOLING

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JARED BEAM

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MARTHA BARTLETT PILAND

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LAST WORD Mayor Larry Wolgast shares his vision for Topeka.

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

S

LET ME EXPLAIN…

everal years ago, I was acknowledged Tara Dimick for my work Tara@TKMagazine.com and the growth of my company by an organization. I was told ahead of time about the honor and even given seats so that my family could join me at the presentation. This was exactly the type of “atta girl” I had been We’ve all read the books that working so hard for. teach us to dream big and Finally, someone had set goals, and that by doing taken notice that I was achieving my goals and so, we can achieve anything. I completely buy in to the power dreams.

Fast forward to the of goal setting. However, over day of the event; they the last several years, I have announced my name and struggled with it because I went to the front of the audience to receive the sometimes our dreams and award, but as I looked goals conflict with our values. out at the crowd, all I could see were the empty seats where my family was supposed to be.

Those seats weren't empty because my family was mad at me.

They weren’t empty because my family was too busy to be there either. Those seats were empty

Directional Living

because I had never even told my family there were seats to be in. I had been too busy striving for my goals to even pay attention to what really mattered. My goals had taken over my values—maybe had even become my values.

This realization jolted me so much that I tore up my goals and started again, but this time with my values first. But I found I couldn't do it. I could not write a single goal because I now knew the consequences of each goal. I also knew that I could not hold myself accountable to ensure that the goals would not once again become what I valued.

I still set goals and develop strategies for the work of the business, but for me as the owner, I’ve made a shift to what I would call "directional living." It’s really pretty simple. Directional living is the process of becoming comfortable with uncertainty so that you can go on a journey in a direction that is guided by your values.

I challenge you to define your values, get comfortable with uncertainty and enjoy the journey.

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CHECK OUT WHAT'S ON

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

BUSINESS GROWTH

BUSINESS NEWS CONNOR ENGLAND, MARK FEUERBORN Win Washburn Pitch Competition

LEADERSHIP:

GETTING PUSHED AROUND? Doug Sterbenz Present to Win Leaders

SHOP LOCAL on Small Business Saturday – November 26

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT:

DANCE AS THOUGH NO ONE IS WATCHING

FAST FORWARD Becomes FORGE ADVISORS EXCEL Launches AE Wealth Management

Kelly Pierce Advisors Excel MARKETING:

BIG BAD WOLVES ARE NOT REAL— AND THERE ARE NO SILVER BULLETS

TOPEKA PERIODONTICS’ JULIE C. SWIFT, DDS, MS Named a Fellow in the American College of Dentists

Martha Bartlett Piland MB Piland Advertising + Marketing ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE:

BUILDING YOUR LEADERSHIP ECOSYSTEM

Todd Averett Leading People Partners

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

Tune in to KTWU-HD, Digital Channel 11.1.

PUBLISHER Tara Dimick

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Lisa Loewen

CREATIVE DIRECTOR/DESIGNER Janet Faust MANAGING PARTNER & SALES DIRECTOR Braden Dimick braden@tkmagazine.com 785.438.7773 ASSISTANT EDITOR Lyndie Copeland COVER PHOTOGRAPHER Nathan Ham CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Melissa Brunner Jason Dailey Nathan Ham Keith Horinek Rachel Lock Megan Rogers CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kim Gronniger Sarah Jepson Rick LeJuerrne Jamie Slack Kathy Webber CONTRIBUTING EXPERTS Martha Bartlett Piland Jared Beam Cole Boling Andrea Engstrom Rick LeJuerrne Aly Van Dyke

PUBLISHING COMPANY E2 Communications PO Box 67272 Topeka, KS 66667 785.217.4836

FOUNDER ǀ Kevin Doel

tkmagazine.com 2016 TK Business Magazine is published by E2 Communications, Inc. 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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REMEMBER TO

SHOP

LOCAL SHOP SMALL SUPPORT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES For more info contact, gwashington@gotopeka.com

Entrepreneurial & Minority Business Development A GO Topeka Program

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& Q A

WITH WESTAR ENERGY AND GREAT PLAINS ENERGY

Terry Bassham (Left) is President, CEO and Chairman of Great Plains Energy, which operates utilities as KCPL.

Photo Submitted

Mark Ruelle (Right) is President and CEO of Westar Energy.

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HE BOARDS OF Topekabased Westar Energy and Great Plains Energy, headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, and parent of Kansas City Power and Light, recently voted to merge.

Change can be scary, especially with such an important company that calls Topeka home.

We asked Mark Ruelle, President and CEO of Westar Energy, and Terry Bassham, President, CEO and Chairman of Great Plains Energy, what this merger means for Westar and Topeka.

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Q Why is the merger good for Westar?

Ruelle | Eventually, size and scale matter in our industry. Within Kansas we may seem like a large company, but from an industry perspective, we’re not.

Regulations put pressure on costs, then prices. Infrastructure that has been maintained for decades eventually needs to be replaced. Recruiting skilled employees may become harder. And frankly, larger companies might eye you as a piggy bank, which is not the future we wanted.

We needed to grow, and do it on our own terms. A combination with Great Plains provides the size needed for cost efficiencies and spreading investment over a larger customer base. Within about three years, savings from the merger are estimated to be about $200 million. These savings over time flow back to customers when future costs are used to set prices.

Combining with Great Plains offered more than the security of size. Our board selected their offer because it not only benefitted shareholders, but it also reflected common values. We only succeed when our communities are strong and we attract good talent. Great Plains not only said they agreed, but included provisions in the merger agreement to show it. It’s an oldfashioned merger, like marrying your neighbor. We both have served Kansas for more than a century. We co-own three power plants and our employees have collaborated frequently. No other offer came close.

Q Why is the merger good for Topeka?

Ruelle | Downtown is really starting to take off, and we are among the companies playing a role. Topeka is important to Westar and Great Plains understood that. They’ve committed to keeping a headquarters presence in downtown Topeka, which makes good sense. Once the merger is complete, more than half of their customers will be in Kansas.

Q How will this affect jobs in Topeka?

Ruelle | Both companies are experiencing record retirements—another fact that supports merging now. The combined company can take advantage of planned retirements and natural attrition as we find the right staffing size without having to depend on laying off people.

Bassham | We don’t know yet exactly how many employees the new company will have or where they will be located. We have teams of employees working to figure out the right structure to meet the needs of our customers. We will have a vibrant Downtown presence.

Q What do you anticipate will be the biggest challenge?

Bassham | Bringing together two company cultures. We didn’t come into this deal just for poles, wires and power plants. A strong company requires good talent and an adaptable, resilient culture. We have two strong companies. We have a lot of similarities, but processes like this often bring out the differences because that’s what you have to work through. Blending two cultures requires leadership and deliberate work.

Q How will you approach it?

Bassham | We are using leaders from Westar and Great Plains to integrate our companies rather than leave it to a consultant. Good teams come together and create more energy and value than the sum of their parts.

We tell them to think big, to take the best practices from each company and build what our new organization will look like initially. They are also looking at best practices we can grow into together. We have hundreds of employees involved in this process because when you get to build something, you’re more engaged; you better understand a vision you helped create.

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• haircuts & color • manicures & pedicures • facials Walk-in clients are welcome to visit our salon at 109 SW 29th St., east of Topeka Blvd.

785.670.2200 www.WashburnTech.edu 5724 SW Huntoon St., Topeka, Kan., 66604

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THE HEART OF THE ENTREPRENEUR

SURV I VOR

Pedro Concepcion Burger Stand

At 26 years old, Pedro Concepcion was on top of the world, creating incredible dishes and shaping the palette of new customers. He thought his life couldn’t get much better. Then a life altering medical diagnosis conspired to take him down.

Photo by RACHEL LOCK PHOTOGRAPHY

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By JAMIE SLACK

Photo by RACHEL LOCK PHOTOGRAPHY

P

EDRO CONCEPCION is a regular figure at the Burger Stand in Topeka just north of Washburn University. He’s greeting customers, creating tasty new concoctions and working with locals to make a better community, all while supervising the kitchen staff to ensure that each burger recipe is executed perfectly. He may make it look easy, but Pedro knows how much works it takes to maintain a successful restaurant. When you add cancer into the mix, it becomes a herculean effort.

Originally from Chicago, Pedro had the opportunity to work with Simon Bates when he opened the Burger Stand in Lawrence. Pedro worked hard and proved that he could handle more responsibility. So when Bates gave him the opportunity to open the Burger Stand’s new location in Topeka, Pedro jumped at the chance to start something new in Kansas. Soon after, he opened his own restaurant, Boca Café, across the street.

At 26 years old, Pedro was on top of the world, creating incredible dishes and shaping the palette of new customers. He thought his life couldn’t get much better. Then a life altering medical diagnosis conspired to take him down.

Gastric cancer.

The devastating diagnosis in August 2013 took the breath out of him.

“After years of working and sacrificing, I believed I should work hard and be able to retire early,” Pedro says. “Then, I collapsed at my restaurant; I was coughing up blood and I couldn’t even keep water down.”

Doctors gave him only months to live, triggering a series of events including a suicide attempt. After all his work to build quality restaurants and introduce new flavors to his customers, now he was forced to get his affairs in order and plan for the end.

“I went to a really dark space,” he says.

Staring into the face of death made him reflect on the life he was living and how he could keep going.

Ultimately, Pedro chose to fight for life and made his way back home to the Windy City to be with family. He sold his beloved restaurant and all of his belongings. Then he traveled with a friend on a journey to find wellness and discover the world—while he still had time.

“I told my mom that if I was going to die, I wanted to see the world first.”

He tried smoking treatments in Hawaii, Alkaline treatments in Puerto Rico, ate bugs in Florida, and took protein treatments in Spain. He vowed to do anything to make himself feel whole again, and he found that his holistic treatments were shrinking his cancer growth. To round out his unconventional treatments from across the world, he then submitted to chemotherapy.

Pedro has been back at the Burger Stand in Topeka for nearly a year now. Co-owning a successful restaurant and attempting to forge ahead as an entrepreneur with a possible careerending cancer diagnosis has become an everyday trial for him. Because his eating habits have changed, he now depends on employees and customers to taste test his new recipes.

“I’ve worked with a lot of the product already, so I know that ingredients will work,” Pedro says.

“I tell my kitchen manager about our new burger, the Kimchi Burger. The smoky cheese will go well with the balsamic onions. That’s how I cook.”

Pedro imagines the flavors, layers the ingredients in his mind, and then puts them to work. The Kimchi Burger just won an award for the Burger Stand. The accolades keep coming for Pedro and his restaurant as they also won Best Burger in the Capital-Journal’s Best of Topeka Awards.

Pedro believes that Topeka is the right place for him—he has no intention of leaving anytime soon.

“Chicago is so fast that it’s kind of exhausting trying to keep up with it,” Pedro says. “Here in Topeka, you can relax and enjoy more when it comes to work.”

Pedro has plans to continue creating with food, while also bringing new ideas, cultivating change and helping the Topeka community grow and thrive, one burger at a time.

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

In 2014 voters approved a measure that would extend the countywide half-cent sales tax through December 2032.

The sales tax, managed by the Joint Economic Development Organization (JEDO) and GO Topeka, has often been looked at as a tool for Topeka to secure new business, but it is also used to keep and grow existing businesses in Topeka and Shawnee County.

Incentivizing Business

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LMOST EVERY CITY has some kind of economic development plan, but Molly Howey, director of business development at GO Topeka, said Topeka and Shawnee County have an advantage because of the funds available from the half-cent tax that can be used when negotiating with businesses.

By KATHY WEBBER

Photos by MEGAN ROGERS

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INVESTING IN PEOPLE Topeka-based se², which provides administrative services for the U.S. life and annuity insurance industry, plans to use incentive dollars to invest in their workforce.

JEDO approved a $1 million grant in May that se² will use to provide training and development for existing employees and for up to 200 new employees.

Eric Rea, president of se², said the decision to invest in additional training was crucial because their employees are the heart of their business. “se² needs to provide excellent service to our clients, and it’s our people and our associates who do that,” Rea said. “It’s the core of our business.”

The half-cent sales tax allows Topeka to partner with companies to help them grow not only their own business, but to also grow the community of Topeka by creating more higher wage jobs.

“Our ability to grow and to foster takes a partnership with the city and the governing communities around us,” Rea said. “We invest a lot in our people in terms of training and development, but it starts with the community that we are a part of.”

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INVESTING IN SMALL BUSINESS Large businesses are not the only companies that are eligible for incentive grants. Glenda Washington, vice president of the Entrepreneurial and Minority Business Development Program of GO Topeka, works with small businesses to help them accomplish their goals.

Recently, GO Topeka offered three types of matching incentive programs to local small businesses.

“The goals were to aide in the growth of our small business community by offering financial support for skills upgrades, equipment purchases, and facility expansion and renovation,” Washington said.

Chris, Bob and Diana Converse, owners of Kaw River Rustics, made much needed renovations to a 150-year-old building and purchased equipment with the GO Topeka matching incentive programs.

Photo by MEGAN ROGERS PHOTOGRAPHIE

Photo Submitted

GO Topeka uses three main criteria to decide which companies receive these incentives.

“We look at the number of new jobs created, the wages for these jobs and their investment in real property and personal property,” she said.

The incentive grants will be higher for those companies “Most communities have some creating more jobs at a higher sort of incentives like tax wage rate. It is the same with abatements for example, but investment in their property. not everyone has the dollars The more a business invests available to help them attract in equipment, remodeling or and retain businesses.” adding onto an existing facility, —Molly Howey the more the incentive grants Director of Business will be.

Development at GO Topeka Incentives are one way to encourage businesses to grow their workforce and invest in their businesses in Topeka instead of in another market.

KAW RIVER RUSTICS, a furniture and home decor store located in the NOTO Arts District, recently received two of the matching incentives: Equipment Purchase Reimbursement and the Construction and Renovation Reimbursement.

Diana Converse said the building where the store is located is 150 years old and needed a lot of love and care.

With the matching incentives, they were able to make renovations to the building, which included a new roof, a new electrical and lighting system, and a renovated basement.

“We were looking at a couple of minor improvements in the building this year. We were really concerned with how much attention it needed and how we were going to go about making that happen,” Converse said. “Then we found out about the grants and we were able to do so much more than we ever imagined. We were thrilled!”

With the equipment reimbursement grant, Converse was also able to purchase a woodworking machine for the workshop, a laptop, a projector, a document camera, a new printer and a cash register.

Kymm Ledbetter, owner of Prairie Glass Art Studio, is looking forward to what a new kiln will do for her business.

SMALL BUSINESS INCENTIVE PROGRAMS Employee Training Grant: Small businesses can use incentive cash to train employees or to renew certifications. This incentive is for up to $750 per employee with a limit of two employees per company.

Photo by MEGAN ROGERS PHOTOGRAPHIE

Equipment Purchase Reimbursement: This incentive is for independent business owners, not franchisees, with 50 employees or less. GO Topeka will reimburse 50 percent of what the business spends on equipment up to $5,000. If a business spends $10,000, GO Topeka reimburses $5,000.

PRAIRIE GLASS ART STUDIO, a creative gift, home decor and jewelry store that offers classes and hosts a variety of parties, also benefitted from the matching incentives for equipment and renovations from Go Topeka. Thanks to the incentives, Prairie Glass Art Studio was able to buy a new kiln, a heating chamber used to transform materials at high temperatures, and make updates to the building’s electrical lighting.

Kymm Ledbetter, owner of Prairie Glass Art Studio, said she would not

2017 Kansas Expocentre Exhibition Hall Topeka, KS

kansaschamber. org/events

have been able to buy a new kiln without it. Ledbetter expects the new kiln to increase the production of the studio by at least 25 percent.

“Owning your own business is challenging. Things always come up that you don’t expect, and when you get a gift like this, it’s just amazing, and I’m so grateful for that.” Ledbetter said. “It’s made it better for everybody, not just me, but for my customers and the people who take classes.”

Construction and Renovation Reimbursement: This is to be used toward the enhancement of an existing property or the construction of a new property.

GO Topeka will reimburse 50 percent of what the business invests on construction and renovations up to $5,000. Similar to the equipment purchase reimbursement, if a business spends $10,000, GO Topeka reimburses $5,000.

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Kansas Chamber Annual Dinner Tuesday, February 21, 2017 presented by WINTER 2016

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Photo Submitted

FAQ's Greg Coulter, coowner of Shockwave Electric, used his GO Topeka grant for specialized employee training.

with Glenda Washington Vice President, Entrepreneurial and Minority Business Development (EMBD)

Why did GO Topeka / EMBD implement the Small Business Incentives?

To assist small businesses in getting the tools, equipment and knowledge necessary to grow or expand.

Photo by MEGAN ROGERS PHOTOGRAPHIE

How do you evaluate the success of these incentives?

We measure jobs created or impacted and the growth of the business itself. We conduct site visits with the owners to determine the overall benefit of the program.

Sarah and Greg Coulter, owners of SHOCKWAVE ELECTRIC, LLC, a family-owned residential electrical service specialist business, said the training reimbursement grant helped send two of their employees to Generac generator training. The two employees learned how to do warranty work specifically for the Generac generators, which Shockwave Electric sells.

“We’ve been wanting to take the class for quite a while now,” Sarah Coulter said. “We are just a small business, and it is a pricey class, and this made it possible.”

Shockwave Electric also took advantage of the renovations reimbursement grant and did some concrete work and fencing on their property.

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What was the maximum a company could receive?

If a company took full advantage of all three of the incentives, they could receive $5,000 from Construction and Renovation, $5,000 for Equipment Purchases and up to $750 per employee for Training and Skills upgrades (max 2 employees)--totaling $11,500.

What are some of the results of small business incentives?

We have seen organic growth and new jobs created. There have been 17 new business starts in the last eight months who participated in the program.

Will you offer more small business incentives in the future?

It is not over. Programs like the Small Business Incentive Program play a critical role in sustaining small businesses in Shawnee County. This program has aided in business starts, expansions, job growth and job creation. It plays an integral role in stimulating our ecosystem. We have received additional funds to support the incentive and are currently disbursing those dollars. We have budgeted $250k for this program in 2017.

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Topeka’s Top 20 Under 40 award honors members of the Topeka/ Shawnee County community for their commitment and contributions both professionally and personally.

Each spring, members of the greater Topeka community are invited to submit nominations for the 20 Under 40 award, and then nominees are sent an invitation to formally apply for the honor.

Along with their application, they must submit two letters of recommendation.

A selection committee of more than 20 Topeka community leaders then spends countless hours reviewing the submissions. Each year the program receives more than 200 nominations and more than 100 applications.

Narrowing the list to the top 20 honorees out of such a large pool of worthy candidates each year has become an increasingly difficult task.

On the following pages, meet the 2016 Topeka’s Top 20 Under 40 honorees.

Compiled by SARAH JEPSON

Photos by NATHAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY

"Leadership is a key component taught and refined through the Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Venturing and Exploring programs of the Boy Scouts of America. What better way to demonstrate this to the boys and girls in our programs, than to highlight those in OUR community making a difference every day? By recognizing 20 outstanding leaders each year, we are able to give the youth of our program someone they can relate to, someone they may see in the grocery store, and someone they can look up to. In addition, the event raises the funds necessary to help keep this life changing program available to ALL youth in our area."

—Erin Aldridge Development Director at Jayhawk Area Council

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Topeka has been good to me and I want to give back, helping influence the direction the city is heading.

Thomas Hagen, 34 Marketing Communications Specialist Capitol Federal®

You may recognize Tom as the former morning weather guy on KSNT, but his new gig has him using his amazing communication abilities in a new field. As the Marketing Communications Manager at Capitol Federal®, Tom promotes the bank both internally and externally. He handles media relations, event planning and promotions. Tom is also on the CapFed® volunteer committee, helping plan events and raise money for other local organizations.

Tom’s commitment to helping the community includes drastic measures. When Tom reached his fundraising goal for the Topeka Rescue Mission, he shaved his head. Tom put his 'celebrity' to work to enhance and promote causes he believes in.

Tom is also a board member for the Forge Leadership Team, a reader for the United Way Junior Leader Readers, and emcees many charity events, such as the Boys and Girls Club of Topeka’s annual gala. He was even an actual auction item for the American Cancer Society.

Tom was named Best TV Personality in 2012 by the Topeka Capital-Journal and was honored as Big Brother of the Year by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Topeka in 2013.

Photo by NATHAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY

“Tom has magnetic energy to be around and shares that with any audience that he comes in contact with.

He leaves a person in a better place than they were before he arrived.”

—Dawn McWilliams Boys & Girls Club of Topeka

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With You at Every Turn

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Adrienne Olejnik, 33 Library Director Rossville Community Library

Managing the Rossville Community Library is a blend of several areas—running a small business, administering a non-profit, and overseeing the sound fiscal management of an organization funded by taxpayer dollars. Adrienne’s work encompasses broad strategy functions from policy formation and budget to the daily tasks of assisting customers at the front desk and cleaning up after a successful preschool story time.

Adrienne is a councilwoman for the Rossville City Council, a board member of the Rossville Community Foundation and recently ran for the Kansas Legislature for House District 51.

Adrienne is the co-chair of the Leadership Greater Topeka Planning Committee and was in the Leadership Greater Topeka class of 2015.

Adrienne received the Rossville Safe Streets Youth Community Champion Award, is a former Certified Fraud Examiner and a narrator for the Think Big Start Small advocacy campaign for Kansas Action for Children and the Partnership for Early Success.

Adrienne is married to Neil Olejnik and has two daughters, Grace (7) and Reese (4).

I firmly believe having a roadmap helps you motivate yourself and others to achieve measurable progress.

Photo by NATHAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY

“Mrs. Olejnik seems to work for the betterment of those around her while finding solutions for public issues. She has committed herself to serving the Rossville and Topeka communities by her immense selfless involvement.”

—Sheriff Herman T. Jones Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office

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Elizabeth Lenherr, 36 Director of Learning & Development Advisors Excel

Beth serves as ambassador to the 430+ employees at Advisors Excel. She created the AE training program four years ago and has since built an extensive talent development culture at the company. She facilitates all onboarding and training for new employees and creates curriculum and training modules to innovate additional growth opportunities for the entire staff.

In addition, Beth is an adjunct professor in the Washburn University International Program where she teaches Speaking and Comprehension for Academic Purposes to their international students.

Beth volunteers her time at Washburn University’s Leadership Institute, serves on the board of directors for the Boys & Girls Club of Topeka and is a member of the TEDx Topeka Women Leadership Team. She is a 2016 Woman of Achievement nominee through GO Topeka’s Women of Influence, is a “Big” to a 6-year-old little boy through Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and is a mentor to a 15-year-old young man at the Boys and Girls Club Teen Center.

I am determined to plant seeds of curiosity and adventure, inspiring passion and joy for learning and selfgrowth. If I can make a positive impact in the lives of young Topeka citizens, I’m indirectly making Topeka a better place for us all to live and work by developing our future leaders.

Photo by NATHAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY

“Elizabeth is unique because her gift of giving manifests true success, and she has the incredible ability to lead, inspire and motivate others to believe in their own potential for greatness.”

—Dawn McWilliams Boys & Girls Clubs of Topeka

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Trey George, 38 Executive Director THA, Inc.

Trey is responsible for all activities related to the non-profit side of the Topeka Housing Authority, including expanding and redeveloping its public housing properties. He is the primary liaison with the Pine Ridge Partnership, an innovative partnership between Topeka Housing Authority, Topeka Public Schools, the United Way of Greater Topeka and countless volunteers and donors. The Pine Ridge Partnership is helping to transform a neighborhood into a community and making a lasting and meaningful difference in the lives of the families they serve.

Trey focuses on maintaining and strengthening this collaboration, as well as identifying new and viable options for expansion. He has served as chairman of Safe Streets Coalition since 2014. He is a Rotary Foundation board member and is involved in the Hi-Crest Housing Coalition, the Affordable Housing Task Force created by Mayor Wolgast.

Trey serves as Chief Aquapon for E3 Aquaponics, a program created as a way to incorporate youth of the Pine Ridge into their community. The youth in the neighborhood participate in the facility as part of the Topeka Center for Advanced Learning and Careers (TCALC) curriculum at Highland Park High School.

Trey is married to Alicia George.

I would like to engage and educate as many youth in our community as possible.

They will be the next generation of leaders.

Photo by NATHAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY

“Trey will stop at nothing to help families. From getting washers and dryers installed for a mom who could not wash her children’s school clothes, to finding housing for families who don’t even qualify for housing assistance, to mentoring and developing a strong relationship with a little boy who really needed guidance, Trey makes it all happen.”

—Shanna MacKenzie Sheldon CDC Head Start

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I don’t think we’ll recognize the Topeka today for the Topeka of 10 years from now, and I’m excited to be just a small part of that change.

Ashley Charest, 39 Vice President, Resource Development Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce

When it comes to the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce, Ashley is all things membership. She develops relationships with businesses in the Topeka community, recruits new Chamber members and retains existing members, as well as hosts numerous events.

Ashley also helps facilitate fundraising for the Chamber and GO Topeka.

Ashley was awarded the 2016 Washburn University Distinguished Service Award for the Graduate of the Last Decade for her personal and professional contributions to society.

She is the president of the Kansas Society of Association Executives, and a member of the Friends of the Topeka Zoo Board of Directors, the CASA of Shawnee County Advisory Board, and the American Cancer Society Couture for Cancer Advisory Board.

Ashley’s passions surround kids and cancer. For kids, she works with CASA of Shawnee County to ensure that each child going through the court system has someone to speak up for what they need. In regards to cancer, having been personally affected many times by this disease, her work with the American Cancer Society has one goal—to stamp out cancer.

Ashley is married to Aaron Charest and has two daughters, Ainsley (11) and Alexandria (6).

Photo by NATHAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY

“Ashley’s energy and charismatic personality is contagious! She has the ability to take lead on any project and gives it her all. She is a wonderful example of a strong leader and citizen in the Topeka community.”

—Jessica Lehnherr CASA of Shawnee County

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I want to bring out the best contributions from people when we work together on a project and have each person’s skills acknowledged when we accomplish our goal.

Lissa Staley, 38

Public Services Librarian/Health Information Librarian Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library (TSCPL) Through her work at the TSCPL, Lissa leads teams that plan and implement innovative programs, which are featured in TSCPL’s winning Library of the Year application, and which other libraries emulate.

Lissa co-hosts the library’s podcast, produces trivia nights, creates online content and represents the library as a facilitator at Heartland Healthy Neighborhoods and Heartland Visioning meetings.

As a Reference Librarian, Lissa provides excellent customer service directly to the public and mentors coworkers toward advancing their own work goals.

Through the Community Novel Project, she engages a community of writers in content creation, publishing and marketing through a hands-on collaborative project. She has helped community writers create and publish five original books for the library since 2012.

Lissa serves as the Leadership Team vice chair and workgroup co-chair for Heartland Healthy Neighborhoods. She is a member of the Program Development Committee for K-State Research & Extension Services, the president of the McCarter Elementary School PTO, and was named 2008 Woman of Excellence in Operations by the YWCA of Northeast Kansas.

Lissa is married to Daniel Fogt and has two children, Kivrin (8) and Travis (6).

Photo by NATHAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY

“Overachiever, tireless, compassionate, and motivated are just a few of the words that describe Lissa Staley. She would never be content watching others roll up their sleeves unless she was working right beside them. Her positive can-do attitude helps motivate those around her to do more.”

—Katherine Cooney McCarter Elementary School

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Andy Vogel, 34 Area Director Young Life

Andy promotes personal growth and health within leaders and staff and establishes partnerships between Topeka Young Life and local churches in the community. He recruits and trains volunteers, develops staff and builds local committees around each school ministry. He assists in fundraising, community events, and donor relationships and oversees administration and communication.

Andy creates mentoring relationships with kids and leaders, and trains regional staff and leaders how to increase their capability to relate and work effectively across cultures.

Andy invests his time and talent in developing future leaders of Topeka.

He works not only with youth and their families, but also with schools, administrators, counselors and teachers to ensure young people are moving forward in the right direction.

Under Andy's leadership, Topeka Young Life received the Kansas Public Education Friend of Education Ongoing Partnership Award from USD 501.

Andy currently serves as the Team Chaplain for the Washburn Rural Football Team, a mentor through the Highland Park High School Mentoring Program and a Commissioned Minister through Young Life. He was a White House Summit on Helping America’s Youth invitee.

Andy is married to Angelyn and has three children: Lincoln (8), Elliott (6), and Addelyn (4).

I want to leave an impact in others’ lives that outlives my own.

Photo by NATHAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY

“His goal was to have Young Life mentors “come alongside” our students, and build positive relationships and social capacity in our young people. He has been as good as his word from the beginning.”

—Fred Willer, LMSW Highland Park High School

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Missy Lackey, 36

Vice President, Commercial Relationship Manager U.S. Bank Missy Lackey is a Vice President and Commercial Relationship Manager with U.S. Bank. In her position, Missy specializes in strategic and analytical thinking to provide valuable ideas and solutions to her clients. Her skills include debt capital finance, portfolio management, credit administration, treasury management and deposit services for public, private, for-profit and not-for-profit entities. She also leads a team that plans the Kansas/Northern Missouri regional sales meetings, represents the Missouri/Kansas Division as the bank’s Client Advocacy representative and has founded a Divisional Leadership Council. Missy was a three-time recipient of the Pinnacle Award through U.S. Bank honoring the top 5 percent of performers across the organization.

Missy also coaches her 5-year-old daughter’s soccer team and serves as chair for the Topeka Rescue Mission’s Annual Christmas Gift Drive. In just two years they have provided more than 6,000 children the simple joy of having a new toy of their own. Missy also volunteers through Junior Achievement, teaching second graders about their community. She serves on the Steering Committee for Heartland Visioning and has served on the United Way's Community Leadership Council.

Missy is married to Brett Lackey and has two children, Brodie (8) and Allie (5).

I’m known as someone who follows through on commitments and works to achieve shared goals.

Photo by NATHAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY

“Missy is able to effectively bring an army of compassionate citizens together in collaborative effort to bring joy to many children who are struggling, often at the most difficult period in their lives. Missy Lackey is truly a behind-the-scenes hero in our community.”

—Barry Feaker Topeka Rescue Mission

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I hope to help the public see that we are not just a badge and a gun, but people who care about our community.

Justin Vest, 38

Lieutenant over Training, Community Services and Recruiting/Hiring Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Justin oversees the development and facilitation of all training activities that the sheriff's office provides to employees. He supervises the Community Services Unit and helps plan activities that maintain the office's involvement in community-related events. He is currently the sheriff’s office recruiter. His roles work together to ensure that the sheriff’s office is attracting quality applicants, and then taking care of them once they are hired.

Justin is a certified Accreditation Manager through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. He is a member of the Kansas Sheriff’s Association and an active certified instructor of Defensive Tactics and Firearms Instruction through the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center. Justin earned his master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Washburn and is a Certified Public Manager through the University of Kansas.

Although Justin is charged with keeping the streets of Shawnee County safe, he believes his greatest impact to the community is through his work as a wrestling coach.

Having grown up involved with wrestling, he wanted to mentor kids the same way he had been mentored by his own wrestling coaches.

He serves as assistant wrestling coach at Shawnee Heights High School.

Justin is married to Trisha Vest and has a daughter, Addison Bo (9).

Photo by NATHAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY

“The most important attribute that Justin exhibits is a heart the size of Texas. Justin is patient, empathetic and a servant leader amongst the youth he works with in sports. He is great at helping these youth improve not only in sports, but also as human beings.”

—Chad Parks USD 450

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Enedina Patch, 33

Palliative Medicine & Supportive Care Program Manager Stormont Vail Health As the Program Manager of Palliative Medicine & Supportive Care at Stormont Vail Health, Enedina and her team provide care for patients with life-threatening or life-limiting illnesses by providing symptom management and facilitating goals of care discussions.

Regardless of the stage of the disease or need for other therapies, the team focuses on supporting quality of life for patients and their families. Enedina works with other hospitals, hospice, home health agencies and long-term care facilities to ensure patients can receive high quality care close to home in Topeka.

Enedina partners with Baker University and Washburn University to educate future nurses and provides community education to professionals and the general public about health care services. She has developed programs at Stormont Vail, including redesigning HealthWise and expanded clinical services to support patients over 55, implementing the fall prevention program “Stepping On” for older adults, developing the Super Utilizer program for patients who frequently seek care in the Emergency Department, and cochairing a community initiative to provide transitional care services for patients discharging from the hospital.

Enedina was named February 2016 Person of the Moment through Stormont Vail and was a Nurse of the Year Nominee for Case Management/Care Coordination through the March of Dimes. She also received The Daisy Award for extraordinary nursing care.

Enedina is married to Adam Patch and has two children, Karsyn (5) and Easton (21 months)

I feel my calling in life is to show compassion for others.

Photo by NATHAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY

"Enedina has worked hard, climbed the professional ladder, had a positive impact on her community and workplace and persevered through personal adversities. Through it all she has remained compassionate, caring, putting others before herself and above all else—has never forgotten that her work is not just work, but it has real consequences for real people.”

—Travis E. DeVader, MD Stormont Vail Health

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Jammie Serrano, 38 Vice President of Advisor Development Advisors Excel

As Vice President of Advisor Development at Advisors Excel, Jammie leads a team that assists financial advisors around the United States. She teaches advisors how to grow their business through effective business plans, processes and marketing.

She also helps them ensure they are doing the best financial planning possible for their clients. This requires her to study different types of investment options available to consumers, as well as travel to a variety of training events. Jammie has also authored the book Stop Guessing Toward Your Goals: A must read for independent financial advisors and their marketing directors, which outlines her experience within the financial industry.

Jammie serves as the co-chair for the American Cancer Society Couture for Cancer. She has a passion for cancer fundraising and cancer research. She found out she carries the BRCA 1 gene for breast and ovarian cancer two years ago and has spoken at many local events to help raise awareness of cancer prevention.

Jammie is married to Marc Serrano and has three children, Aspen (17), Oscar (7), and Olivia (5).

I will continue to do what I can to help save as many people as possible from hearing the words, "You have cancer."

Photo by NATHAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY

"She is not afraid to tackle the tough issues and is willing to go above and beyond to make our community a better place to live and work.� —Stephanie Weiter American Cancer Society

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www.heartlandvisioning.com

Duane & Beth Fager CoreFirst Bank & Trust The Great Overland Station Museum

Martha Bartlett Piland MB Piland Advertising + Marketing

Don Landoll Landoll Corporation

Randy Austin Fairlawn Plaza

Mike Worswick & DeWitt Harkness Wolfe’s Camera Shop

Congratulations, 2017 Laureates!

Save the Date

Thursday, March 2, 2017 Junior Achievement of Kansas is pleased to recognize these outstanding business leaders who exemplify the qualities the organization teaches the young people of Kansas: financial acumen, entrepreneurial spirit, workplace leadership and community service.

Sponsorships Available | 785.235.3700 | amy@kansasja.org

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Matt Dinkel, 38 Assistant Actuary, Supervising Security Benefit Life

Matt is an actuary at Security Benefit Life, where he manages the Long Term Planning and Enterprise Risk Management modeling team.

Matt serves on Security Benefit’s Charitable Trust Board, the Washburn University Actuarial Advisory Board and was a graduate of the Leadership Greater Topeka class of 2015.

In Matt’s spare time he enjoys watching Washburn and Kansas State football, serves on the YMCA Board of Directors, volunteers at the YMCA’s Camp Hammond and is on the United Way’s Finance Committee, the Young Leader Steering Committee, and is the chair of the Born Learning Trail.

Matt’s passion is helping youth in the community. He was a key driver in the building of the Born Learning Trail behind Pine Ridge Prep, a multi-year project that allows children to learn with their parents and caregivers along the trail. The Born Learning Trail is a safe place for children to play, offering shaded equipment, a basketball court, splash pad, a large gazebo for reading and a “yellow brick road.” Matt is currently managing the building of a second Born Learning Trail behind Avondale East NET Reach Center.

I utilize my education, strengths and relationships to accomplish my community goals to make Topeka a better place to live.

Photo by NATHAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY

“Matt’s dedication to the Topeka community makes him a model associate at Security Benefit and he has personally contributed greatly to the expansion and promotion of volunteering at the company.”

—Roger Offermann Security Benefit

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Lacee Ebert, 26

Artistic Director Barbara’s Conservatory of Dance, Home of Ballet Midwest, Inc. Lacee’s job consists of two distinct, yet intertwined roles. As Artistic Co-Director of Barbara’s Conservatory of Dance, she runs her own business by coordinating employee relations, communications with her staff and parents of her students, bookkeeping, social media, dance instruction/choreography and being a role model for the next generation. Lacee is also the Artistic Co-Director of the non-profit, Ballet Midwest, Inc. She serves as the organization’s figurehead, serving on the board of directors, teaching and choreographing for their annual ballets, and coordinating public appearances and community outreach.

In addition, Lacee is also the director of God’s Glory Dancers, a member of the Junior League of Topeka, a Bible Study Greeter and actively involved in a small group with Fellowship Bible Church.

Lacee believes that dance benefits children developmentally, so she visits area preschools and teaches dance and movement classes at their locations. She also hosts the annual DanceFest at the studio, providing crafts, games, dance and demonstrations at no charge to community families.

My contribution is so much more than giving my dancers steps to do and phrases to learn, but rather helping to shape them into young adults with tenacity, enthusiasm, and appreciation for art that will be with them for their lifetime.

Photo by NATHAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY

“Dancers training under Ms. Ebert’s leadership are leaving with the ability to improve themselves and bring out the best in others, thus preparing them to be successful adults and leaders within our community.”

—Becky Ericson Ballet Midwest Board of Directors

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Megan Jones, 39 Founder & President Jones Advisory Group, LLC

Megan executes a host of responsibilities in running her own small business where she is a financial planner for retirees or those soon-to-be retired. She creates income and investment strategies for her clients and their families. Along with maximizing income and implementing tax reduction strategies, Megan works closely with her clients to create an appropriate asset allocation that fits within their risk tolerance and financial goals and objectives. Megan also hosts a TV and radio show, ‘Money Matters with Megan.’ She invites local businesses to come on the air and discuss how people in the community can benefit from their services.

Megan takes pride in the fact that she started her business from nothing and has worked it into a successful financial services firm with two locations and several financial advisors that work to serve local families.

Megan is a member on the Blue Cross Blue Shield Board of Directors, sponsors dogs through Saving Death Row Dogs, was named Minority and Women Business of Distinction in 2013 from GO Topeka and was named Best of Topeka Financial Planner by the Topeka Capital-Journal.

Megan is married to Chris Jones and has two daughters, Avery (13) and Macey (11).

I hope to be a role model for my two daughters and show them that you can do anything you put your mind to. With family support and faith in God, they can live their dreams, whatever those might be.

Photo by NATHAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY

“Megan left a very good job at Hills to be an entrepreneur and control her destiny, and control it she has. She has literally, in a few short years, become one of the top advisors in the region.”

—Cody Foster Advisors Excel

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Brooks Pettit, 34 Founder & President Vaerus Aviation, Inc.

My father was very involved philanthropically in the community and taught me about integrity in business and giving back to the community.

Brooks founded Vaerus Aviation, Inc., an aircraft management company with offices in Topeka and Scottsdale, Arizona, that serves owners of private business airplanes in all aspects relating to the operation, maintenance, pilot staffing, taxation, accounting, acquisition and sale of business aircraft. He has grown his company from a small startup into a business that employs 25 people.

Brooks helped establish the American Flight Museum, Inc., a non-profit educational air museum at Forbes Field. He raised more than $200,000 to purchase the museum’s first aircraft used for airshows locally and around the country.

Brooks is a member of the National Business Aviation Association and the Kansas City Business Aviation Association, is the vice president and treasurer of the American Flight Museum, Inc. He is a board member and gala board member for the Topeka Active 20-30 Club and was named 2016 Man of the Year by the club. Brooks consistently helps non-profit organizations grow financially through contributions, fundraising strategy and community involvement.

Photo by NATHAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY

“He has consistently demonstrated the desire and the ability to push himself and others towards achieving greater. As he has grown Vaerus Aviation, Mr. Pettit has recognized that he needs to surround himself with great, talented people while ensuring to do what is necessary to place them in positions to succeed.”

- Ryan Gigous Cordell Wealth Management

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Jessica Lehnherr, 37 Executive Director CASA of Shawnee County

Jessica is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of CASA of Shawnee County.

This includes direction of general administration, program coordination, development and evaluation, community education, financial management, resource development and board relations. Jessica feels that her most significant contribution to the Topeka and Shawnee County community has been helping young children cope with physical and emotional abuse at the hands of their caregivers.

Jessica is also passionate about helping college students as they enter the human services field. Jessica has served as a field instructor for social work and human services at Washburn University since 2007. She is also a member of the Topeka South Rotary and volunteers with the Rotary’s Soul Mates program helping provide children in USD 501 with new shoes and socks. Jessica is a Kansas CASA Association Legislative Committee Member, the recipient of the Outstanding Service Award given by the Kansas Children’s Service League, and received the Non-profit Award of Excellence awarded by the Community Resource Council this year.

Jessica is married to Jason Lehnherr and has two children, Brayden (10) and Addison (7).

I am not afraid to make the tough decisions, even if it means taking risks.

Photo by NATHAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY

“Jessica’s personality is magnetic. She has the ability to bring people together and she leads by example. I am inspired by Jessica’s leadership, dedication and commitment to serving the most vulnerable of children in Shawnee County.”

—Erin La Row CASA of Shawnee County Board of Directors

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Jana Tenbrink, 31 Nurse Manager of Medical Critical Care, Rapid Response, and Intermediate Care Stormont Vail Health

In Jana’s role at Stormont Vail Health, she provides leadership and guidance to staff nurses, charge nurses, and patient care technicians within the medical critical care department, rapid response team and intermediate care unit. One of Jana’s favorite aspects of her job is the ability to provide patient care to critically ill patients and then also be a part of the larger effort in developing new initiatives to improve patient care within Stormont Vail Health and the community they serve.

Jana collaborates with a multi-disciplinary team on the Sepsis Steering Committee where she reviews case studies to identify areas of improvement, and develops tools to help both nursing and providers better identify and treat patients with severe sepsis and septic shock.

Jana developed a standard visualization tool that is utilized today by clinicians throughout the hospital.

Jana is an Advanced Cardiac Life Support Instructor through the American Heart Association and represents her departments on various committees within Stormont Vail Health. She was awarded the 2016 Excellence in Nursing Leadership at Stormont Vail Health and was nominated for Nurse of the Year by the March of Dimes.

I have learned through both healthcare and personal events that the accomplishment in helping someone heal (emotionally, physically, and spiritually) is a wonderful thing.

Photo by NATHAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY

“Jana looks for ways to teach the “art of nursing” to those new to her unit. Patients and families benefit greatly because her staff is encouraged to look past the tubes and beeping monitors and find the person.”

—Jackie Howard Iliff R Douglas MD Office

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John Paul Washburn, 34 Owner/Founder Washburn Law Office, LLC, and The Washburn Mediation Company, LLC

As owner and founder of two businesses, John Paul manages operations for both Washburn Law Office and The Washburn Mediation Company; in conjunction, he is the lead attorney and the lead mediator for each business. When he started, John Paul ran the business alone. He has since trained and hired approximately 20 employees ranging from high school students to retirees.

John Paul’s contributions to the community are many and reach all generations. He is board president for University Childhood Development Daycare. In his church, he leads a group of eighth-grade youth to help develop young men who face the world's challenges with integrity, humility and leadership. He works to help people break the cycle of poverty, addiction and violence that plagues families for generations.

He is involved in the Topeka Bar Association Young Lawyers Board, the Kansas Bar Association Young Lawyers Board and Family Law Executive Committee, and the Sam A. Crow Inn of Court.

John Paul is also a member of the TFI Visitation and Exchange Center Advisory Committee and a Youth Group Leader at Fellowship Bible Church. He has twice received the Kansas Bar Association Pro Bono Certificate for pro bono representation that goes above and beyond the requirements and has been a judicial candidate for the Third Judicial District.

John Paul is married to Lindsay Washburn and has two children, Macoy (7) and Elleanor (2).

At one point in life or another, we all need help from someone. I strive to be the person who makes a difference in people’s future.

Photo by NATHAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY

“Although John Paul has a busy career and family, he is always a very reliable asset to our organization. I have called upon him several times to help understand policy revisions, parent concerns, and general operation procedures of the school.”

—Cecelia Courter University Child Development Director

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I want to continue to provide support to students, parents and staff to work toward a goal of a 100 percent graduation rate.

Dustin Dick, 38 Principal, Topeka West High School Topeka Public Schools

In his time at Topeka West High School, Dustin has increased enrollment by 200 students in two years, tripled enrollment in freshman honors and preAP courses, started a student-run bank and coffee shop through coordination with Lyndon State Bank and PT’s Coffee, and worked with parents to develop the Westside Pride Foundation with a goal of raising $1 million to benefit TWHS. Dustin was named Topeka Administration Association High School Administrator of the Year in 2015. He serves as president of the Topeka Administration Association, is a member of the Centennial League, Principal’s Council and keeps stats for the Topeka Storm softball team.

One of the things Dustin enjoys most about being a leader is the chance to mentor new administrators and novice teachers as they embark upon their chosen career paths. His goal is to continue the work to expand opportunities for students at Topeka West High School and make it the premier high school in the city of Topeka for students, staff and the community.

Dustin is married to Angela Dick and has a daughter, Aubrey (16).

Photo by NATHAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY

“Mr. Dick is a solid educational leader that is well respected by the student body, their parents and staff. He leads by example and is willing to do whatever it takes to make Topeka West High School a great place for students to learn and for staff to work.”

—Ms. Tammy L. Austin Topeka Public Schools

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2808 SW Arrowhead Rd Topeka, Ks 66614 785-233-5556 www.AzuraCU.com

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Sarah Lucero, 34 Elementary Principal Scott Dual Language School, Topeka Public Schools

Sarah always knew that she wanted to be a teacher, and that goal motivated her to be the first in her family to graduate from college. As the principal at Scott Dual Language School, Sarah’s focus is not only on her students, but also on strengthening the neighborhood where her school is located. She has networked with community organizations such as ARTSConnect, United Way and the Tonantzin Society to build lending libraries, establish a community garden, paint mural projects and increase morale to rebuild the neighborhood pride.

During her tenure, Scott has been recognized for becoming the first bilingual magnet school, being the only school in Kansas to receive an International School of Excellence in Spanish Award, and a State of Kansas Success Showcase School, as well as a National School of Improvement (IndiStar) Spotlight. Through her work, Sarah has received the Women of Excellence in Education Award through the YWCA and was named Topeka Administration Association Elementary Administrator of the Year in 2016.

Sarah is a strong supporter of the North Topeka Arts District and volunteers her time there through events that benefit ARTSConnect and Ballet Folklorico de Topeka. She serves as board director for the Topeka Community Foundation and The Salvation Army, and has helped raise nearly $6,000 for Toys for Tots.

Sarah has a daughter, Serena (10).

My hope is to look back and know that I always put students first and did what was best for them.

Photo by NATHAN HAM PHOTOGRAPHY

“Sarah does more than serve as an administrator at an elementary school. She “owns” the education that each of the children at her school are receiving.”

—Marsha Pope Topeka Community Foundation

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BRANDING YOURSELF

Andrea Engstrom Photo By SMASH GLAM

BAJILLION AGENCY

Branding yourself is very difficult to do well, and could result in procrastination, tears of frustration, drinking 99 cent margaritas, eating too many chips, and less than ideal results. Get professional help.

J

AYHAWK FILE EXPRESS, a 20-year-old local records management company, recently opened a records storage facility in Kansas City, a market that does not have “warm fuzzies” for the

Jayhawk the way many of their

Topeka customers do.

To help them launch into the new market, Bajillion Agency worked with Jayhawk File Express to strategically develop their new brand, Stacks.

Looking at their rebranding process, here are a few things to consider when branding yourself or your business.

Andrea Engstrom is the founder of Bajillion Agency.

WHEN BRANDING YOURSELF consider these tips.

KNOW YOURSELF. Stacks is authentically friendly and passionate about what they do, and being exceptional, trustworthy and forward-thinking are their top priorities. This gives Stacks a foundation to build their brand on.

Owners Cheryl Creviston and Tyler Conway say the Stacks brand feels like “we have always been Stacks; we just peeled off the Jayhawk that was hiding the real us.”

TAKEAWAY Choose a few words

that you believe describe you or your company well, such as: Fun, Bold, Traditional, Trustworthy, Modern, Passionate, Approachable, Exclusive, or Simple. You can choose words that your company aspires to be if you are actively moving toward them.

Complete the sentence, “I am in the process of becoming…”

KNOW YOUR TARGET. The name Stacks alludes to the stacks of records the company stores and manages for clients, and stacks of cash they save their customers. While their campaign is fun, appealing to the individuals who will want to work with them, the brand is confident and trustworthy in an industry where security and attention to detail is critical.

TAKEAWAY Identify who you want

to work with most and narrow your target. Remember, appealing to everyone is appealing to no one.

Decide who you want your brand to resonate with and craft your look, feel and messages for them.

BE YOURSELF. Stacks trains its couriers to "melt" the receptionist when they walk into a customer's office.

Making the gatekeeper their friend serves the customer well because that person can help a Stacks team member serve the customer more efficiently. This concept led to their campaign, "File Happy," featuring over-the-top emotional responses to mundane services that Stacks makes exceptional, eliciting pure joy from their customers. This works for Stacks because it's true. In fact, they have a wall of letters from delighted customers.

TAKEAWAY Today’s savvy

consumers can spot a phony.

Authenticity attracts. Honesty is always in style. Brand yourself around what you do that is meaningfully unique from your competition, and make that the star of your marketing.

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Cheryl Creviston and Tyler Conway of Stacks Secure Records find themselves "stacked" in front of the File Happy Truck.

BE CONSISTENT. The sides of every new Stacks truck is a consistent, bold impression. Each backend features a unique brand impression, packed with personality.

Look for the Stacks fleet, on the road between Topeka and their new Kansas City location.

TAKEAWAY Take advantage

Photo By BAJILLION AGENCY

of every opportunity to incorporate your brand personality into your communications. Use your email signature, your bio, your website, signs, sponsorships, trade show booths, PR and advertising. Make sure visuals and messages are consistent and adhere to brand standards and tone.

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DOOR OPENERS We have all had at least one "door opener" in our lives—someone who introduced us to the right people, encouraged us to join organizations and pushed us to accomplish more than we thought we could.

For some of us it was a boss, a mentor or a friend. For others it was someone who thought we were on a path for success and wanted to help smooth out the potholes along the way.

TK asked past and present 20 Under 40 honorees to name the "door openers" in their lives. The following pages take a look at the individuals they said are opening the doors for Topeka's future leaders.

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Photos by JASON DAILEY

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LEADS / “Tammy has helped me become a better leader and get to the position that I am now.”

—Dustin Dick

FACILITATES / “Mr. Elwood is always ready to introduce you to someone that he knows from business, nonprofit boards, church or otherwise.

It seems he knows everyone in Topeka and is always willing to make a call to one of them to help you out.”

—Miranda Carmona

“I believe it is a professional duty to encourage, support, and mentor those who demonstrate a passion for leadership and a desire to excel on behalf of those they serve. It is by "opening doors" for others that we empower them to reach their maximum potential so their dreams can be realized.”

—TAMMY AUSTIN

Topeka Schools

ADVOCATES / “With Marsha's encouragement I can be a strong advocate for the people and charities I care about.

I'm very thankful for the opportunity to learn from her.”

—Julie Swift

“Opening doors for others is always beneficial, as each person brings new insight and a range of experiences, which benefits everyone involved and improves the community.”

—PHILIP ELWOOD

Goodell Stratton Edmonds & Palmer LLP

“Leadership is not a position. It’s action. That includes opening doors for and investing in people and leveraging the skills, abilities and strengths of people in your office, your industry and your community.”

—MARSHA POPE

Topeka Community Foundation

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EMPOWERS / “She has inspired me and provided an outlet for empowering women.”

—Megan Jones

INSPIRES / “Tara has inspired and challenged me more in the past year than anyone else in my career to this point.”

—Lissa Staley

“Each of us is capable of more than we can ever imagine, and sometimes we need someone else to open a door, just a little, so we can see the possibilities."

—TARA DIMICK

Envista Credit Union & TK Business Magazine

Photo By JASON DAILEY

"We as leaders have a responsibility to open up opportunities for others to realize their dreams, to put to work their unique and special talents, to grow and excel, and to make a difference."

—DR. JULIANN MAZACHEK

Washburn University

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BELIEVES / “This man has believed in me from day one. If I bring things to him that are holding me back, he is sure to do what he can to remove any obstacles so I can be successful.”

—Jammie Serrano

CONNECTS / “Mr. Robbins helps connect people and groups. He is so involved in community organizations and business that his connections just "pave the way" to make things happen.”

—Shanna McKenzie “There is no greater reward as a business professional than witnessing those who you have "opened doors" for either match or surpass your success, and then pay it forward with others.”

ADVISES / “I have always been able to call on Joanne to answer questions, lead me to talk to the right people, and just generally give me the great advice I need to succeed.”

—Ashley Charest

—LARRY ROBBINS

Topeka Public Schools

Photo By JASON DAILEY

“I truly enjoy sharing my relationships and knowledge with young people in hopes that they will have more opportunity and grow at a more rapid pace then they could have on their own.”

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—DAVID CALLANAN

Advisors Excel

“It’s a ‘pay it forward, pay it back’ sort of thing. When we see a spark, it’s up to all of us to nurture it. When we invest in, grow and nurture those sparks, we all succeed.”

—JOANNE MORRELL Impact! Marketing Group

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Did you know we can replace a missing tooth?

Get the feel, function and appearance of natural looking teeth with dental implants.

Julie C. Swift, DDS, MS

www.topekaperio.com

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INFLUENCES / “Sheriff Jones has empowered me to take on leadership roles that influence the entire agency.”

—Justin Vest

MOTIVATES / “Melissa isn’t one to sit around wondering if the next generation will be ready to take over. She actively seeks out opportunities to mentor individuals so they are ready to step up and lead.”

—Christie Applehanz

TEACHES / “Bill has been a wonderful mentor and friend. He helped me on various projects making sure each one was done to the best of my abilities and taking the time out of his schedule to make sure I learned as much as possible every step of the way.”

—John Bell

COACHES / “Jake is always coaching and encouraging young professionals. Between that and his connections and knowledge of our community, he's always working to help mold our community’s young professionals.”

—Brie Parks

“There is no greater reward as a business professional than witnessing those who you have "opened doors" for either match or surpass your success, and then pay it forward with others.”

—BILL RIPHAHN

Shawnee County Parks & Recreation

“It’s important to provide opportunities and open doors for young professionals. Our youth are our future and the future is now.”

—HERMAN T. JONES Photo Submitted

Sheriff

“Being intentional about leaving the “key under the door mat for the next generation" has always resonated with me. You have to invite the next generation in, share what you know and then get out of their way!”

—MELISSA NESS

Connections Unlimited

“Any success I’ve experienced has been driven by my mentors, and I’ve had some of the best. I repay that debt by opening doors for others—the same way it was done for me.”

—JAKE HUYETT

jones huyett Partners

Photo By JASON DAILEY

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CULTIVATES / "Dr. Carter has connected me with a number of people within the community and encouraged me to be a presenter for Those Who Lead, Read.”

—Elizabeth Lenherr

MENTORS / “Doug Sterbenz helped me develop leadership skills. He mentored me and gave me tools that helped me reach my goals.”

—Buck Reuter

ENCOURAGES / “Cece encouraged me to join the Board of Director's at UCD, which pushed me to expand my limits regarding service to the community.”

—John Paul Washburn

“I believe we ride on the shoulders of those people who came before us. Now, other people are riding on our shoulders. What an enormous responsibility we have.”

“Our rewards in life are in direct proportion to the service that we provide. The more we help others, the more we grow ourselves. I grew up in poverty; both of my parents were illiterate; and an optimistic outlook on the future was nowhere to be found. But so many people opened doors for me that allowed me to prosper. How could I not return the favor?”

—DOUG STERBENZ

Present to Win Leaders

“Having the opportunity to lean on a more experienced professional can make a difference between failure and success. Without that opportunity, I would never be where I am today. It is important to pay it forward and help other young adults succeed.”

—DR. DAVID CARTER D. W. Carter

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—CECELIA COURTER

University Child Development

NETWORKS / “Paul has been instrumental in reconnecting me to the City of Topeka, not once, but twice. Without his help, I would not have been able to grow as fast professionally or learn about how fulfilling it is to play a part in helping Topeka grow positively.”

—Dan Schultz

GUIDES / "In my internship with MB Piland, Martha always included me in networking opportunities. She was a fabulous mentor and provided guidance along the way.”

—Mandi Walter

FUTURE DOOR OPENERS "We cannot succeed in business or life without the support and collaboration of others.

Growing other leaders is a mark of true success. We can only hope that in 10 years we have people who say the 20 Under 40 alumni inspired them to be leaders. We should share our time, knowledge, successes and failures with the next generation of leaders in our organizations and community. We can do this through networking, community service, and building a strong community of businesses to keep young people in Topeka.

If the 20 Under 40 honorees give back to others, Topeka should have a bright future."

—Enedina Patch

"Every little thing that we do to help good things happen for others will strengthen our relationships and create positive impact in our communities."

—PAUL BOSSERT

Key Staffing & Premier Employment Solutions

—MARTHA BARTLETT PILAND

MBPiland Advertising + Marketing

Photo By JASON DAILEY

"It’s a thrill for me when I can help another person learn something, make a valuable connection or find a new opportunity to succeed. It changes us both for the better."

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HOT TOPIC AUGMENTED REALITY

Pokémon GO What?

Isn’t this whole Pokémon GO thing over?

Probably. But not for long.

The next hot smartphone app is right on its heels.

This time, don’t miss your opportunity.

I

GET IT. Pokémon GO players, or “PoGo” for short, aren’t always the best customers: they’re zombies feeding on their phones. However, the Pokémon GO frenzy is not something to snub or ignore—it wasn’t the first app to use augmented reality (a merging of the virtual and real worlds), and it won’t be the last.

By ALY VAN DYKE

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Photo Submitted

There is talk in certain circles that Niantic Labs, the company that developed Pokémon GO, is working on a similar app featuring Harry Potter.

And, of course, there are rumors about updates to Pokémon GO that are assured to renew interest—the Niantic founder has said that they’ve only released about 10 percent of their ideas so far. Not to mention the other app development companies that are likely to capitalize on the success the of the Pokémon GO concept.

PoGo players swarm the Topeka Zoo to catch moving targets as the app requires gamers to go outside to play and take them to parts of the City they might not traditionally frequent.

For those of you non-PoGo players, the goal of the game is relatively simple: catch as many Pokémon as possible, defeat opposing teams by battling the Pokémon you catch at gyms, and level up your character for better chances at both.

Pokémon pop up at different locations, only to disappear minutes later. By walking around to catch these moving

targets, you can also hatch Pokémon, which is why you often hear about PoGo being a fitness app.

Pokémon GO started strong, with 500 million in downloads in its first two months—that’s how many people have Twitter now, after a decade on the market. The interest has since cooled – after an astounding 74 days at the top of the app chart, Pokémon GO lost its title to Bitmoji. Despite being kicked out of its top spot, usage remains staggering: One research firm estimates that 1 in 10 people in the U.S. are still playing. And with the rumored roll outs from Niantic, the numbers will likely spike again in time.

The augmented reality bit about Pokémon GO, and other apps sure to follow in its wake, is important. It requires gamers go outside to play – taking them to parts of the City they might not frequent.

I’ve personally seen the rose garden at Gage Park at night packed with at least 100 people trying to catch Pokémon. Kansas Avenue and the surrounding blocks always seem to have players. Washburn University and the Ted Ensley Gardens at Lake Shawnee are other huge draws—all beautiful places in our community some of these players hadn’t taken the time to appreciate before.

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A strong workforce Available commercial properties Economic incentives Residential development Community gathering spot 50+ annual events Parking inventory

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Several businesses have used nearby PokéStops to their advantage: By creating drinks, t-shirts and other products that appeal to teams (PoGo has three teams to choose from for gym battles).

By offering specials to people who play or prove they dropped a lure at the nearest PokéStops. Remember: PokéStops attract the creatures in the game and the people playing it, so a lure dropped by one is almost guaranteed to attract more players (customers).

By having employees who play post rare catches or specials on social media. There is a Facebook page and Twitter account specifically for Pokémon GO players in Topeka – you can post your specials, events and catches there to let the Topeka PoGo community know what’s up. Speaking as a user: These messages are best received when they come from people who actually play.

While Pokémon appear seemingly at random, the Pokémon GO app has another tool to attract users to various locations: PokéStops. PokéStops are predetermined locations in the app that reflect real places in the world. Do you know the closest stops to your business?

You should.

PokéStops, especially PokéStops with lures attached to them (noted by rose petals in the app), work like magnets to PoGo players. PokéStops give players supplies. Lures attract the creatures to the location for 30 minutes at a time.

Topeka has seen a Pokémon GO pub crawl, and NOTO Arts District

Aly Van Dyke is the Director of Media Relations for the City of Topeka.

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had a huge Pokémon event earlier this summer, involving hidden treasures, specials and, of course, lures.

Even the Topeka Zoo got on board the PoGo train. It quickly discovered there were about a dozen PokéStops on the zoo grounds. So it stayed open late and offered six, roughly three-hour Pokémon safaris. The safaris raised $13,297.04; that comes to about $700 per hour. The events brought nearly 4,600 people to the Zoo. People who hadn’t been to the zoo in years.

So if you missed the PoGo train, it’s time to get a ticket for the next one.

There are several places to learn about upcoming trends, including: Topics trending on Twitter and Facebook Reddit (/r/technology and /r/ pokemongo, for starters) App Store Top Charts Friends and family The next time a gaming trend sweeps the nation, don’t just toss it aside as being too complicated or off your target customer. Take the time to learn about the trend, talk to people who use it, or play it yourself. Unique marketing opportunities are all around you, if you are willing to look for them.

TK

Photo by RACHEL LOCK PHOTOGRAPHY

Photo Submitted

Boho Mojo, a retail custom apparel business in downtown Topeka, merchandised team t-shirts for PoGo players near a PokéStop.

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LIVING A LIMITLESS LIFE

Cole M. Boling

THE BOLING GROUP AT KW LEGACY PARTNERS, INC.

Photo Submitted

7 STEPS FOR LIVING A LIMITLESS LIFE

Our lives revolve around the concept of freedom—freedom from stress, freedom from powerlessness, freedom from financial burdens.

F

REEDOM IS THE CENTRAL idea behind retirement. As I write this, at the age of 32, I’m about to embark on being financially free as I live a limitless life.

Cole M. Boling is a real estate agent, entrepreneur, business and life coach, and co-founder of The Boling Group at KW Legacy Partners, Inc. He also serves as a Maps Coach with Keller Williams Realty International.

STEP 1: Get in the mindset When you wake up each day, set yourself up for success. If you enjoy a chaotic morning because it jumpstarts your day, great! Do it, but do it well. If you savor a more Zen-like morning, great! Do it, but do it well. I do my best to not hit the snooze button, mainly because a friend of mine once told me, “Cole, if you hit the snooze button, eventually you will be working for someone who never hits that button.”

STEP 2: Set yourself up for success Each day I make it a goal to accomplish as much as I can. I call this my success list. I make a To Do list and cross out anything that won’t make me successful that day. My goal is to have 80 percent of my overall success come from 20 percent of my major daily activities.

STEP 3: Bring value You have to live with a win-win attitude and a moral compass that others will want to have.

I believe the majority of my success is my ability to solve other people’s problems at a high level. Jim Rohn said, “We are paid in direct proportion to the value that we give to others.” If we don’t live to serve others, what are we really doing here?

STEP 4: Never stop learning Invest in yourself first. I made a commitment to my family that I would devote every day to learning and growing. I average 80+ hours a year educating myself. I read Forbes magazine and attend anything education-

based that I can. Being learning-based starts with having a coach because we are not capable of holding a mirror up to ourselves.

STEP 5: Surround yourself with talent When I started to think in terms of investing in someone rather than how much it would cost me, hiring became easy. Instead of looking at the cost of a 12-month salary, I break it into smaller increments. I tell myself I am only hiring a person for three months at a time. This strategy helps me mentally remove the financial burden so I focus on the investment, not the cost.

STEP 6: Invest in your future My goal is to always have at least five income sources so that if the market crashes, I still have my expenses covered. In addition to my real estate business, I also have rental homes, building homes, profit sharing, mutual funds, stocks, and ownership in a franchise. Focus on your checking account, and you will live check to check. Focus on your savings account, and you will grow wealth.

STEP 7: Give to others You have to create a legacy of giving back to help others. In partnership with the Topeka Community Foundation, we recently launched The Boling Group Smiles, a non-profit that helps kids and families who are in severe need. We will donate to the charity on behalf of any client who uses our services. It’s not about just making money; it’s about the good the money can do for others.

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INSURANCE 101

Photo by RACHEL LOCK PHOTOGRAPHY

Jared Beam

BRIER PAYNE MEADE INSURANCE

As I watch my favorite team on television, a couple of things stand out. First, I notice the coach and the team working together to execute their game plan, finding flaws and making adjustments. Second, I notice all of the insurance company commercials and how every single one of them claims to be able to save me $500.

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FTER SO MANY promised discounts, eventually my policy should be free, right?

Probably not. So, why are we bombarded with so many insurance commercials? And do we really need to understand how the insurance market works? Just for fun, let’s explore Insurance 101 and find answers to those questions along with looking at new coverage options that are available.

INSURANCE 101:

Understanding How the Insurance Market Works SOFT VS. HARD MARKETS By nature, all industries, including insurance, experience cycles of expansion and contraction. Broadly speaking, the insurance industry cycles between periods of soft and hard markets. Soft markets are often thought of as a buyer’s market and hard markets as a seller’s market. For years now we have been in a prolonged soft market, which is great for the consumer.

A Soft Insurance Market: • Lower premiums • Broader coverage • Reduced underwriting criteria • Increased capacity • Increased competition among insurance carriers

WHY ARE WE BOMBARDED WITH INSURANCE COMMERCIALS? Consumers benefit from a soft market.

For one thing, insurance companies are desperately trying to buy your business. Remember when Michael Jordan and Larry Bird shot baskets for a cheeseburger? “Through the window, off the scoreboard, nothing but net!” Back in the ‘80s and ‘90s it was McDonald’s, Coke, Nike and

A Hard Insurance Market: • Higher premiums • More stringent underwriting criteria • Reduced capacity • Less competition among insurance carriers

Wheaties spending their advertising dollars on big names and catchy themes to entice consumers. Today, it’s Peyton Manning for Nationwide, Aaron Rodgers for State Farm, and, of course, the famous GEICO gecko, just to name a few.

The soft market is about volume, which is why we are bombarded, and have been for several years, by insurance commercials and their marketing tactics.

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Jared Beam of Brier Payne Meade Insurance, is a producer with over 17 years of experience.

AS AN INSURANCE CONSUMER, HOW CAN YOU MAKE THE SOFT MARKET WORK FOR YOU? Make sure your agent is shopping your policy to a wide range of coverage providers every three years. If you’ve been with the same insurance carrier for over six years without looking at other options, you are probably spending too much. On the other hand, refrain from bidding out your insurance every year. Underwriters take note of “window shoppers” and tend to work harder when they know there’s a real chance at winning your business.

WHAT NEWER COVERAGE YOU SHOULD BE CONSIDERING? Personal: Identity Theft Coverage Seven percent of American consumers aged 16 or older, were victims of identity theft in 2014, and that percentage keeps climbing every year. Identity theft can range from credit card fraud, theft of existing banking or finance accounts, the misuse of personal information to obtain new accounts or loans, or commit other crimes. The cost of these crimes to the consumer can be enormous. Not only can they damage financial well-being, but in some cases victims have also been falsely implicated in criminal activity.

Identity theft insurance helps protect you from the cost of restoring your identity information. It’s relatively inexpensive and may even already be included in your policy. However, it’s worth the effort to check into it and make sure the limits suit your needs.

Business: Cyber Liability Coverage Cyber liability insurance can provide businesses with protection in the event of a cyber-attack, whether valuable data is stolen by hackers or a nasty bit of malware knocks out your server. As more and more commerce is conducted online, cyber liability coverage will soon be as mainstream as auto liability coverage. In 2010, cyber premiums totaled $60,000, according to Betterley Risk Consultants. The premiums are now more than $2.5 billion. A standard general liability policy does not cover cyber losses, so be sure to speak with your agent about adding it to your policy.

The insurance industry doesn’t need to be a mystery. Take the time to find an insurance professional who suits your needs. Just like the coach and the team, work with your agent to execute a plan, find flaws, make adjustments and anticipate the future. It’s worth the peace of mind.

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By KIM GRONNIGER

Photos by RACHEL LOCK PHOTOGRAPHY

Beyond Business

Historic Harley-Davidson of Topeka

Evel Knievel Thrill Show and Museum PG.

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Kansas Ballet Academy

Access to the Arts Pilot Program PG.

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Two Topeka companies are not only intrepid and innovative with regard to the products and services they provide their customers, but they have also been inspired to establish side organizations that support their core strategies and benefit the community while letting them pursue their passion.

Whether they are preserving the past or showcasing cultural possibilities, their complementary endeavors are extending their impact to much wider audiences while enhancing the capital city’s cultural opportunities.

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Photo by RACHEL LOCK PHOTOGRAPHY

Mike Patterson, owner of Historic Harley-Davidson of Topeka, realized he had a gold mine of museum-worthy artifacts left by his grandfather, Henry, who started the dealership in 1949.

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LREADY NATIONALLY RENOWNED for its blend of new motorcycles and merchandise, a museum chronicling the iconic brand’s past, restoration capabilities and a barbecue restaurant open for lunch, Historic HarleyDavidson of Topeka’s transformation continues with the much-anticipated opening of an Evel Knievel museum.

The Evel Knievel Thrill Show and Museum will feature the world’s largest collection of his authentic performance leathers, jump bikes and memorabilia in a 16,000 square-foot expansion of the dealership. Experiential exhibits focused on the physics of Knievel’s triumphs

TK Business Magazine

and virtual reality simulations will give visitors an immersive view of Knievel’s 11-year motorcycle-jumping career in the 1960s and 1970s. Holding the Guinness World Record for surviving the most broken bones in a lifetime—433— Knievel attempted more than 75 jumps in his career.

The dealership’s reputation for risk and reinvention ultimately landed the lauded stuntman’s personal possessions in Topeka. Lathan McKay had purchased Knievel’s custom Mack Truck with a partner and needed to have it restored, which led him to Mike Patterson, the dealership’s owner, who had a national reputation for his restoration projects. Patterson and McKay, an avid Knievel collector, formed a bond and decided to open the museum.

Just as Knievel’s livelihood was tied to the extraordinary execution of a stunt, so too, is Mike Patterson’s.

GENERATIONS IN THE MAKING Patterson’s journey toward owning the Historic Harley-Davidson of Topeka dealership began with his paternal grandfather, Henry, winning a bicycling contest in Grand Junction, Colorado, in 1926. In front of 1,000 spectators, Henry rode his bike up and down a four-inch plank of wood in the street for two miles to set the world record. The 16-yearold received a ribbon, a gold watch, a write-up in the newspaper and a job offer to work at a bike shop that soon began selling Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

Henry started his dealership in Topeka in 1949. He demonstrated that same single-minded focus he’d used to win the bike contest to persevere through

an adjacent hotel fire that burned his building in 1950, damage inflicted by the 1951 flood at its new location at Sixth and MacVicar, and slow years when he was the sole employee.

Henry died in 1999, just two days after a barbecue bash celebrating his 50th year in business that was attended by friends, family, customers, community leaders and even the chief executive officer of Harley-Davidson at the Kansas Expocentre.

Since Henry had grown up in the Depression, he tended to hang on to things—an old desk, parts drawers, oil and paint cans and other items collected throughout his career. Patterson and his family members realized they had the makings of a museum in the frugal patriarch’s honor.

Yesterday’s Motorcycle Museum features Harley-Davidson merchandise—beer cans, Barbie dolls, signs, helmets, goggles and Evel Knievel toys—as well as racing photographs and motorcycles ranging from 1928 to the 1980s. Five of the bikes on display were built with piles of parts Patterson and his crew refurbished. Some of the bikes never sold when HarleyDavidson’s popularity dipped.

“We just hung on to them so long they became relics,” Patterson says. “They became bikes we couldn’t sell and now wouldn’t sell.”

Yesterday’s opened in 2001, and Henry’s world-record achievement is prominently displayed.

RESTORING HISTORY Also in 2001, Patterson and his team started restoring bikes, a laborious process they became passionate about. They quickly cultivated an online following and clientele from coast to coast, including rock ‘n roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis. Lewis had received a 1959 H.D. Panhead model (Elvis received the second one) and wanted to restore it.

Patterson traveled to Lewis’ home in Mississippi to collect the bike in 2012.

“Someone had taken it apart five years earlier and all the parts were rusted and needed to be refurbished,” he says. “We brought it to Topeka in buckets, and when we took the bike back and placed it in his living room, he was overjoyed.”

Lewis ultimately sold the motorcycle for $385,000.

“It was a long, arduous job, but we were humbled and proud to do it,” Patterson says.

Patterson’s life’s work is intrinsically tied to motorcycles— riding them, buying them, selling them, fixing them and displaying them for new generations of fans to enjoy, yet he never tires of the continuing cycle.

“Really, the only reason I’m sitting here now is because my grandfather won that contest,” Patterson says. “It’s natural that we would enjoy vintage bikes and memorabilia because of our family’s history and the motorcycle company’s history.”

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Kansas Ballet Academy

TEPHANIE HESTON AND ALEX SMIRNOV, owners of the Kansas Ballet Academy, are also using their business to fulfill a grander vision for the community. They opened the dance academy in 2012 to instill a love for dance in children and audiences of all ages and dispel a misperception that ballet is an extracurricular activity only the rich can afford.

Alex and Stephanie, who performed in prestigious venues before settling in Topeka, wanted to bring renowned dancers to Topeka to dance in the “Nutcracker” and introduce new fans to the story’s splendor and Tchaikovsky score.

Alex Smirnov and Stephanie Heston, co-owners of Kansas Ballet Academy, share their love for dance with children who might not otherwise have the opportunity, through Access to the Arts.

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Since paying for professional performers and hand-painted backdrops from the Ukraine is costly, the couple created the nonprofit Kansas Ballet Foundation in 2013. Now the foundation also supports the couple’s efforts to bring dance to 30 State Street Elementary School students through an Access to the Arts pilot program, which is also supported through ARTSConnect and the Women’s Fund.

At 8 a.m. on Fridays, the students wear special “Dream Big” t-shirts and ballet flats and take their position at barres installed in the school’s black box performance area.

“Dance opens their horizons,” says Stephanie, who grew up in Topeka. “Keeping track of their t-shirts and their shoes each week teaches them responsibility.”

The students in grades two to four will perform with Kansas Ballet Academy students in a spring recital. Talented students will receive a full scholarship for classes at the academy.

Alex and Stephanie are frustrated that the aesthetics of ballet often eclipse the rigorous athleticism required.

“People think ballet is skipping around in a leotard, but it’s more like playing football while smiling and lifting girls overhead,” Stephanie says. “It takes your full body, and you have to be able to express emotion while executing the techniques.”

Both believed that Topeka would be the best place for establishing their dance academy in 2012.

“We could have gone anywhere, and we chose Topeka,” says Alex, who first studied ballet at the age of 10 in a Russian boarding school. “We see the people who are behind the things that are happening downtown, and it’s personally gratifying for us to be a part of that by helping the next generation of artists through our academy and foundation.”

To that end, many of the Kansas Ballet Academy’s 200 students perform in more than 65 outreach events in malls, museums, performance venues, parks, retirement centers and schools, sharing their passion and joy with appreciative audiences who might not otherwise have an opportunity to experience ballet.

Alex and Stephanie hope to eventually expand the pilot program at State Street to other schools.

“Our motto is ‘educate, inspire, uplift,’” Stephanie says.

“We want students to know that dreams can be realized.”

EXPANDING THE DREAM While Alex and Stephanie are thrilled to see the progress Kansas Ballet has made over the past few years, they envision even more. They want to build a dance academy that will be recognized as the premiere location to study ballet in the Midwest, to inspire a young generation of boys and girls to work hard and find joy in this art form of dance, and maybe someday discover that next ballet star like Misty Copeland that will put Topeka on the map.

"We know it is a big dream to have kids from all over the country come study with us here in Topeka," Alex says. "But this is our passion, and we have an obligation to the art form to pass our knowledge to the next generation of dancers. That is how it is been done for the past 200 years to make sure that ballet is still alive and relevant for generations to come."

The Kansas Ballet Foundation’s “Nutcracker” will be performed Dec. 16 and 17 at the Topeka Performing Arts Center with guests from the Boston Ballet and the Topeka Symphony Orchestra.

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For every Instagram, Snapchat or Twitter, there are thousands of app companies like MembitTM that move forward on the hard work of a dedicated team with a belief that the funding will come once the app is widely adopted.

By RICK LEJUERRNE

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I want to say one word to you—just one word— augmented reality...

Actually, that is two words, but Jay Van Buren, tech entrepreneur and former Topekan, believes that this moment is similar to the famous scene in the movie The Graduate.

Benjamin Braddock, played by a young Dustin Hoffman, has just returned home after graduating from college. He comes into contact with Mr. McGuire, who has just “one word” for Ben, “plastics.”

Mr. McGuire was right about 1967. Modern plastics were the newest product of technology at the time.

Everything that had always been glass, metal or wood was being produced in new forms of super polymers.

Ben’s world was changing in more ways than one.

IS AUGMENTED REALITY OUR PLASTICS MOMENT? Summer 2016 will forever be remembered as the moment in which augmented reality entered everyone’s stream of consciousness. It came in the form of Pokémon GO. Pokémon GO launched on July 6 and within 13 hours became the top grossing smartphone app in the U.S. By July 23, it had 20 million daily active users in the U.S., resulting in $500 million in revenue by Sept. 15. It was a technological phenomenon.

Apple CEO Tim Cook recently stated that while he believes augmented reality will take a while to reach mass adoption, when it does, we will all wonder how we lived without it.

Juniper Research forecasts revenues for augmented reality business apps at $5.7 billion by 2021. This includes e-commerce, digital marketing, geolocation, education, industrial, military and medical applications.

Jay Van Buren envisions the future of augmented reality because he is currently on its leading edge.

Jay is co-founder and CEO of MembitTM, a geolocative photo-sharing app that allows pictures to be placed and viewed in the location they were taken.

Users can find and view images left by other users, and can also take photos and leave them as membits for others to enjoy.

“Our use of augmented reality is an illusion, but it’s an emotionally compelling one. The image is on the user’s phone, but to the user it looks like it’s floating in space in front of them. When you make a membit, you feel like you’ve left your mark on the world,” Jay says.

The tech industry has taken note.

Macworld called it, “The closest thing we’ve seen to a time machine,” while naming Membit in its list of 20 best apps at Tech Crunch Disrupt in September 2015.

A TOPEKA CONNECTION The Membit story actually begins in Topeka. It was at Topeka West where Jay, the son of Lynn and Marjorie Van Buren, discovered a passion for the arts, specifically painting, which led him to the University of Kansas where he remembers seeing the World Wide Web for the first time.

“I had this strong feeling that the Internet would change the world. With my painting, I also understood how really good art could affect people’s emotions,” Jay

recalls. “I realized almost immediately that there would be opportunities to combine both, and this is ultimately how I would focus my career.”

Jay’s talent as an artist led him to graduate school in New York City in 1997. He followed his instincts and took a position with a website company that provided financial information to investors.

“I had really good timing, because websites were just coming into their own as a communication medium,” Jay says.

Early Adopter now thrives as a boutique website development firm, specializing in design of oneoff websites.

INTRODUCTION TO AUGMENTED REALITY Jay’s single greatest development was meeting Katy Garnier in 2006. Jay and Katy would marry and start a family.

With Early Adopter going well, everything was in place.

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It was Katy who suggested using augmented reality in 2012 for a project at Avenues World School in Manhattan, where she was working on ways the school could better use the non-classroom spaces of the building for educational purposes.

Jay used an early augmented reality technology (Layar) that allowed the team to turn a wall into an interactive learning experience for the students. He saw firsthand the potential of augmented reality, but ended the project frustrated with the state of technology. The limitations of GPS made placing digital content in a precise relationship to the real world difficult, and computers lacked the ability to lock AR content onto anything but static scenes.

Seeing an opportunity, Jay went to work. In 2013, Jay presented at several conferences on augmented reality, and began to put

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together his solution to the problem by having the human do what a computer or GPS could not. He set out to create a smart-phone app to do just that.

“Our cellphones are smart, but nowhere near the processing capability of the human brain. Our solution ended up being rather simple—why not rely on the human user to get themselves in the right place and design an app around that functionality,” Jay recalls when thinking about his aha moment.

The app makes it easy to add a membit photo as demonstrated in this image of the Capitol Federal Savings building in downtown Topeka.

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MEMBITTM IS BORN The result was an app that works because of what Jay coined the Human Positioning System (HPS™).

When a user selects a membit thumbnail on their phone, a photo is presented at 50 percent translucency. The user then moves into a position in which their view of the world lines up with the photo. Once in the correct place, the user presses the “here” button on the phone screen, and voilà, the app displays the augmented content over the camera view in the precise place in which it belongs.

One of Jay’s first questions early in the development process was who else was working on the same problem. It turns out there was a family of entrepreneurs in New Jersey that had already filed a patent application with the United States Patent & Trademark Office. Not to be deterred, Jay met with them, and after a series of meetings, the group joined forces. Today, Membit has a patent on the human positioning system for AR apps, effectively blocking all other developers from using their discovery.

Along the way, there have been numerous challenges. The language required to develop an app is different from HTML and PHP. “If I had to do it over, I would take six months off and learn to program in Swift,” Jay says. “Instead, we had to rely on a series of programmers to develop the app. We have a great team now, but it has been

a process. Most of our programmers are working for equity, which has allowed us to bootstrap the start-up, but it delayed development.”

THE MAGIC Jay’s favorite part of his journey is sharing the augmented reality app with people that he meets. The typical response is always one of amazement; it is like seeing a magic trick for the first time.

If the membit is meaningful, like a photo of a loved one or a significant moment, the feeling can be absolutely visceral. Jay knew he had created something special when he shared the membit he had created of his grandmother standing at the gravesite of his great grandmother.

“Here I am in Talmage Cemetery with my mom viewing the membit and it was like my grandmother was right there. We were able to connect in a profoundly different way; it became real. It was an emotional experience for both of us,” Jay shares.

Videos on the company’s website, www.membit.co, will give readers a sense of the experience. More examples of membits, found both in New York and Topeka, can be seen on their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ membitinc.

However, the best way to view a membit is to download the app and search the map for pins that indicate where membits are located.

To download the Membit app, go to www.membit.co.

TK

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ANGEL INVESTING The next big idea could come from a high school student learning entrepreneurship, or from a Washburn business student who is pitching and developing ideas. It may come from one of the hundreds of clients working with the Small Business Development Center on a startup. It is entirely possible that right now, this very second, someone down at 712 Innovations is using the 3-D printer to develop his or her big idea.

"Been there, done that" is key. This means that the next big idea might

By RICK LEJUERRNE dwell inside an employee who uses on-the-job-experience to come up with the next big thing. Or it could reside in any of our small business owners who, through their experience, have figured out something different, something new.

Creators, makers, thinkers, doers, intrapreneurs, entrepreneurs... maybe even you. I truly believe that the next big idea is always within our grasp. However, when we find it, will we know what to do with it?

Big ideas are innovative, and at the very least, incrementally different. The entrepreneur sees something that no one else sees.

This is exactly what takes the ordinary everyday “me-too� idea to another level. With innovation comes risk, and not all new ideas succeed.

Right now, in Topeka, Kansas, entrepreneurs are dreaming up the next big idea.

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Photo by MELISSA BRUNNER

Photo by MELISSA BRUNNER

Jeff Taylor and Fred Polzen, co-owners of PT's Coffee, know the struggles of securing angel investors. Ultimately they succeeded and are growing their business.

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The key challenge for any big idea entrepreneur is financing. Plain and simple. For the really big idea, it can be the hardest to obtain.

Big ideas are not usually bankable. They require a connection to investors willing to provide seed capital, often at an early stage when things are most uncertain. This willingness to invest in uncertain outcomes is precisely why these types of investors are referred to as angels, and for the big idea entrepreneur, absolutely critical to get from idea to implementation.

ANGEL SEARCHING For 23 years Jeff Taylor and Fred Polzen, co-owners of PT's Coffee, have been working on making meaning. Right here in Topeka. They have received a lot of help over the years as they perfected the art of coffee. During this time they have received numerous awards and have been recognized as one of the very best in the coffee industry.

Four years ago, Jeff and Fred went to work on their next big idea: to take everything they knew about the coffee business and grow. Their innovative plan was to have onpremise small batch roasters for new retail stores in new markets, and source premium coffee in large quantities to fulfill new wholesale accounts. It included hard work, long hours, and yes, more risk than any bank would consider.

For Jeff, the search for angel investors was a painful process.

There were no angel investor groups in Topeka at the time, so he made presentations to Mid-America Angels in Kansas City and St. Joseph, Missouri. He found the audience, but the audience just didn’t find a Topeka-based coffee company that compelling.

TK Business Magazine

Jeff didn’t give up. He worked individual Topeka connections, hosting and pitching to potential investors over a period of six months.

It took time, patience, and most of all, perseverance.

ANGEL INVESTING Jeff finally made a connection to a local investor who bought into the meaning behind PT’s Coffee.

PT’s Coffee is now growing. The warehouse is expanding, with new shifts in roasting and new positions in the office. In October, PT’s made its first shipments of Organic Colombian Tolima coffee to Costco stores located throughout the Midwest.

“We couldn’t be happier now, but it was painful getting here. We always felt we were a great investment, but it took months of preparation working on spreadsheets, our proposal, and then making presentations,” comments Taylor.

Right now, we have other entrepreneurs working on their big idea. Will they have access to local angel investors who support entrepreneurial development in Topeka? Or will those Topeka-based entrepreneurs be forced to look elsewhere?

The answer to that question is critical to our future.

TK

Photo Submitted

"The best reason to start an organization is to make meaning—to create a product or service that makes the world a better place."

—Guy Kawasaki Art of the Start

Rick LeJuerrne is a Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at Washburn University and the President of Flow Capital, LLC.

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THE RIGHT RECIPE

Photo by RACHEL LOCK PHOTOGRAPHY

Making a Connection

Cindy Hopper and Dan Brungardt are new co-owners of the Kitchen Gallery.

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When Julie Clanton decided to retire and close the Kitchen Gallery at Fairlawn Plaza Mall after 30 years, successful lifestyle entrepreneurs Dan Brungardt and Cindy Hopper collaborated to keep it open.

By KIM GRONNIGER

Photos by RACHEL LOCK PHOTOGRAPHY

C

INDY HOPPER, CO-OWNER of Sweet!, caters to customers seeking confection supplies, while Brungardt, owner of Home at Last, cultivates a clientele drawn to his eclectic assortment of home décor and accessories.

By uniting their creative forces, they realized they could capitalize on the Kitchen Gallery’s historic foot traffic while adding cooking classes to complement the missions of their existing businesses to promote comfort and connection.

For Hopper, mother of three, the scenario was similar to a time seven years ago when the closure of a cake and candy store in Fairlawn Mall led her to establish her baking specialty shop as a “landing pad” for an online retail business. A lifestyle blogger for three years prior, Hopper wrote about recipes, holiday crafts and the products she relied on to make use of her art degree amidst frequent moves necessitated by her husband’s career with Wal-Mart.

Soon after opening Sweet! October 2009, Hopper discovered that Ree Drummond of Pioneer Woman blogging and Food Network fame was going to teach a cookie making class. Hopper sent her a box of supplies and thoughtfully included a baking kit for her kids. During her class, Drummond mentioned how much she loved the kit, and Sweet!’s business took off, overwhelming Hopper and her husband, who hauled truckloads of packages to the post office to meet holiday demand.

“We were so unprepared,” says Hopper, laughing.

Whereas Hopper’s entrepreneurial epiphany struck her while she was blogging in her pajamas, Brungardt’s aha moment came courtesy of a pithy paperweight following a five-year stint in the corporate world. He was living in Portland, Oregon, at the time and the paperweight asked, “What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?”

“I looked at that saying every day and decided it was time,” he says.

He opened Home at Last in Portland “on a shoestring” and provided high-quality nesting items that included gifts like a hand-poured candle at a $20 price point.

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Photo by RACHEL LOCK PHOTOGRAPHY

While Brungardt and his partner were drinking wine in an Italian plaza, they decided to commit to one another and relocate to Topeka, Brungardt’s hometown. Home at Last opened in Fairlawn Plaza in 2013.

Both Hopper and Brungardt share a belief that a carefully curated life can enhance happiness, from a cast-iron skillet or a sofa, to a paella pan or a pressure cooker.

“We’re using our businesses to connect people with one another, to help them help the people in their lives feel valued and loved and comforted,” Hopper says.

The cooking classes at Kitchen Gallery are designed as a social gathering in and of themselves, Brungardt says. People come to learn skills so they can feel confident entertaining in their homes, but they also enjoy the experience of simply hanging out and connecting with others.

The classes typically cost between $40 and $45 a person with a maximum class size of 12. Small groups and businesses can also book private cooking classes as a fun, interactive way to build camaraderie or bypass conventional holiday party arrangements.

“So many people think they have to put off hosting gatherings until they perfect their space," Brungardt says, "but guests don’t notice or don’t care. It’s the love that goes into the meal that they’ll remember.”

Hopper agrees that the classes help create meaningful experiences for the participants, but says she also finds it personally rewarding.

“I get a great deal of personal enjoyment when I make soup or bake because I think about the person I’m preparing it for," Hopper says. "Our class participants are able to take what they’ve learned home to celebrate with their family and friends."

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The name, Home at Last, not only gives you insight into what you'll find in this store, but also states what it means to Dan Brungardt after returning to his hometown of Topeka in 2013.

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Photo by RACHEL LOCK PHOTOGRAPHY

Cindy Hopper, who's also a co-owner of Sweet! uses her creative skills to organize a display in her retail space that features baking specialty items and comforting decor.

TK Business Magazine

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SOCIAL MEDIA DISASTER

Photo by RACHEL LOCK PHOTOGRAPHY

Martha Bartlett Piland MB PILAND ADVERTISING + MARKETING

It could happen at any company: an employee says something offensive on social media and you find yourself—and your brand—in the harsh glare of public scrutiny.

What’s a leader to do?

A

SOCIAL MEDIA CALAMITY has much in common with any other reputational disaster a company may encounter.

First, take a page from what I call the “PR 101” text book: 1) Say you’re sorry.

2) Tell what happened (facts, not excuses).

3) Tell people how you’ll fix the problem.

4) Fix it.

That’s a simplified approach, but it’s a solid framework. Whether or not you’re at fault, you must protect the health of your brand.

Martha Bartlett Piland leads MB Piland Advertising + Marketing. The firm helps organizations who improve the health and well-being of people and communities be more effective through strategic planning, marketing and internal-external brand alignment.

HERE ARE 8 THINGS

to think about if you find yourself embroiled in a crisis. llAssess the severity.

How severe is the matter? Does it require Urgent Care or the ER? Respond with the proper measure of attention, contrition— and if necessary—restitution. Never minimize the seriousness of the problem, but don’t go overboard by falling on your sword if it’s not warranted.

llKeep employees informed.

Don’t leave employees guessing or making up their own answers. They may feel embarrassed and upset about the situation, too. Employees probably wonder what to say to family and friends outside the organization. Arm them with talking points and keep them up to date.

llTriage.

Respond first in the medium where the incident happened. If it happened on Facebook, that’s the place to start. Then address it on your website, and move to other media as appropriate. Always direct people to a place where they can get facts that are updated as changes occur.

llNever lie or deny.

Will celebrities never learn? The athlete who denies cheating, the elected official who denies the affair: history tells us the truth always comes out. Never, ever try to cover it up or—worse—lie. If you’ve made a mistake, it’s much easier (and a shorter news cycle) to come clean at the beginning than it is to confess once the truth comes out later. That only prolongs the pain and the damage to your reputation.

llAct quickly.

Be swift, but not hasty. A measured response is better than the flimsy BandAid that’s easily ripped off, exposing the wound to fresh inspection. llRemain calm.

Do not be baited into an online argument: stay calm, factual and forthright. Don’t let emotions rule. Always take the high road. llEstablish chain of command.

Be sure everyone in your organization knows the chain of command: who may speak to reporters or respond on social media about the situation. Is it OK for customer service people to address this matter, or is it only for senior management?

llGet help.

The situation may be too much to handle on your own or may have legal ramifications. If in doubt, contact your legal counsel and your PR/marketing consultant. Having frank discussions with them is smart insurance. If they are your trusted advisors, you can rest assured they’ll only stay involved if it’s absolutely necessary.

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SCENE ABOUT TOWN

Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce Business Expo DOWNTOWN RAMADA OCTOBER 25, 2016 Photos by KEITH HORINEK

PHOTO 1

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Cameron Spagnola, Kim Filby and Amber Joyce, RMS Professional Property Management

PHOTO 2 Casey Vigus and Jamie Hornbaker, State Farm

PHOTO 3 Ally Wilke and Chris Callahan, jones huyett Partners

PHOTO 4 Angie Armstrong and Robbie Smith, Networks Plus

PHOTO 5

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Kurtis Wells and Chelsea Huston, WestSide Stamp & Awards

PHOTO 6 Elizabeth Smith and Taylor Cowen, Stacks Secure Records

PHOTO 7 Adam Schultz, Matt Frydendall and Adam Hoffman, Midwest Coating

PHOTO 8 Allyson Shove, Marissa Dake and Zach Thompson, Azura Credit Union

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WHERE TO SHOP

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SCENE ABOUT TOWN

PHOTO 1

Edie Smith Farewell Party from Downtown Topeka, Inc.

Mayor Larry Wolgast; Vince Frye, Michelle Stubblefield and Hannah Burianek, Downtown Topeka Inc.; Edie Smith, Marketing Support Group

CELTIC FOX SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

PHOTO 2 Julie and Dan Hejtmanek, Law Office of Bryan, Lykins, & Hejtmanek

Photos by KEITH HORINEK

PHOTO 3 Lee Ryan, NexLynx and Jared Hitchens, Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce

PHOTO 4 Marsha Oliver and Erin Aldridge, Jayhawk Area Council Boy Scouts

PHOTO 5 Vince Frye, Downtown Topeka, Inc.; Mike Morse, Kansas Commerical Real Estate; Mike Fox, Celtic Fox and Sixth Avenue Ballroom

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PHOTO 6 Edie Smith, Marketing Support Group and Stephen Smith, Stephen Smith Images

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SCENE ABOUT TOWN

Youth Entrepreneurs' Business for Breakfast CAPITOL PLAZA HOTEL SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

Photos by KEITH HORINEK

PHOTO 1 (Back Row L to R) Anna Padgett, Topeka High; Phillip White and William White, Highland Park; Taty'Terra Gary and Jacob Muckenthaler, Topeka High (Front Row L to R) Courtney Manzanares, Topeka High; Adam Bourne and Kevin Hernandez, Topeka West; Tomi Francis-Ramirez and Ethan Eben-Herrera, Topeka High

PHOTO 2

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Mandy Fleming and Tracey Ann Schmidt, Youth Entrepreneurs

PHOTO 3 Brad Womack and Loren Ziegler, Silver Lake High School; Tim Hallacy, Silver Lake Schools

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LAST WORD

Mayor Larry Wolgast Larry Wolgast is a Kansas native who served on the Topeka City Council and as deputy mayor before being elected mayor in April 2013.

Photo Submitted

What goals do you hope to accomplish as mayor?

Two things, and again they are about people. I want to see the renovation and revitalization of downtown take root deeply.

The litmus test is seeing more people downtown: businesspeople at lunch, young people in the evenings, customers in stores and Topekans of all kinds on the sidewalks after 5 p.m. I believe we are moving in that direction, but it will continue to require nurturing as additional restaurants and businesses open.

You have been "serving" Topeka in some capacity for many years. Why do you believe it is important to be involved in the community?

It’s the same reason you see families at their children’s baseball game. Taking part helps both the child and the family to grow stronger together. A city needs the same nourishment.

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Why are you passionate about Topeka?

When you boil it down, the strength of our people and what they have accomplished is why I love this job. If you grab one of the Topeka Metro Bikes and pedal on Deer Creek Trail from the east side of town to the Shunga Trail on the west, you would ride near accomplishment after accomplishment that Topekans have made happen. Reser’s Fine Foods, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad shops, Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site, a newly energized downtown, health centers Stormont Vail and St. Francis, Washburn University, Advisors Excel and many more.

It is the people that made all this possible, and they are the strength of our city.

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Whether your business is helping host a city festival or you are one of those volunteers who worked so hard and long to produce the new Kansas Avenue or NOTO, your commitment to the future has helped Topeka rise to a new level. Those who become involved discover that they are rewarded with a sense of something larger than themselves, and all of us benefit from the strength of one another’s contribution.

TK Business Magazine

I am also proud of what the city has done to work with our residents to invest in neighborhoods. We are improving their security, restoring their infrastructure, and encouraging people-to-people communication that is essential to a sound neighborhood.

What key projects get you excited?

Observing the renovation of downtown, the completion of pocket parks, sidewalk medallions

and statues of historic Topekans— these improvements excite me.

Participating in the economic development that is occurring in our city: the new Federal Home Loan Bank, the se² expansion, the Mars plant $100M expansion, and the new Cyrus Hotel downtown.

Seeing the creation of NOTO become the largest arts district in the state of Kansas. What’s not to like about our city?

What is your greatest struggle right now?

For some reason many Topekans don’t see our city as it really is; they see it somehow as less. It’s an attitude many of us are fighting because it is an unreal assessment of our city. It holds us back. I believe that more of us must see ourselves, as we really are, to unlock the true potential of our town.

FINISH THESE SENTENCES:

TOPEKA GOT IT RIGHT WHEN the commitment was made to revitalize Kansas Avenue.

TOPEKA MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY WHEN it allowed its streets to deteriorate during the 80s and 90s.

TOPEKA NEEDS to realize that the quality of life is an economic development issue. We need to continually improve it if we wish to keep the next generation here to live and raise their families.

IN FIVE YEARS, I'LL BE enjoying a vital, entertaining Topeka.

I ALWAYS LAUGH WHEN folks say there is nothing going on in Topeka.

I JUST READ The Boys in the Boat and The City of Mirrors.

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