Class of 2006

Alexander Campbell
(Pioneer Award, 1858-1925)

At the death of Alexander Melvin Campbell, a local paper declared that he had always “worked for the interests of the town” and that “Salina has never had a better citizen.”  Born on August 12, 1834, in Paisley, Scotland, Campbell ran away from home at an early age to become a seaman and then came by himself to America when he was 13 or 14.  Finding his way to Randolph County, Illinois, he worked for a man named Addison, an uncle to William A. Phillips, one of Salina’s town founders.  It was here that Campbell saw his future wife and Phillips’ sister, Christina, for the first time, riding horseback across her uncle’s pasture.  On the Addison farm he also became acquainted with a young field hand and fellow Scotsman, James Muir, another individual whose future would mix with his. 

In 1855 Campbell Traveled to Westport Landing and a year later took up residence in Lawrence, Kansas Territory, a stronghold for Free State proponents.  Early in 1858, the 23-year-old Campbell joined his future brother-in-law, William A. Phillips and James Muir, both of whom were also living in Lawrence, on a walking expedition to find a location for a new town.  Once a site was determined on the banks of the Smoky Hill River and the boundaries set, Campbell and Muir completed the first log building at the southwest corner of Fifth and Iron in the town they called Salina.  The cabin would double as a dwelling and trading post.  Although William A. Phillips paid for the merchandise that filled the first general store, he contracted with Campbell to oversee the operation for a specific share of all profits on the inventory and for half the profits on furs, pelts, tallow and other items received as barter.  After a year and a half, Campbell bought out Phillips’ interest for one hundred dollars. 

Campbell married Christina A. Phillips in the fall of 1858.  For a number of years, both of them conducted the operation of the store.  For a while the trading post was the only outfitting station between Salina and the Rocky Mountains.  In their store the Campbell’s carried dry goods, groceries, long-twist tobacco, medicines, hardware, ammunition and powder, which he sold to hunters, Native Americans, and caravans of gold seekers bound for Pike’s Peak.  While Christina ably minded the business, Campbell was often on the road, freighting wagonloads of green pelts and robes “to the River” (Leavenworth) to trade for goods to be sold on the frontier.  After a few years, the log store was replaced by a larger building on the southeast corner of Santa Fe and Iron, which housed the dry goods and grocery business until 1887, when Campbell sold the store and became the Saline County register of deeds, serving for two terms from 1888 through 1891.  

Throughout his tenure as a storekeeper, Campbell also served as Salina’s postmaster.  In November 1861, he received his commission from the Postmaster General under President Abraham Lincoln.  The first Salina post office opened in the same log building as the mercantile business.  Even before receiving his appointment, Campbell dispensed mail for the settlement.  At times he was compelled to hand carry the mail to and from Solomon, sometimes swimming the Solomon River with the bundle of mail secured on the top of his head.  Campbell served a postmaster of Salina for over a quarter of a century, retiring in 1887. 

From the first efforts as one of the five founders of Salina until his death on February 15, 1907 a the age 72, Alexander M. Campbell maintained an interest in the growth and well being of this community.

M.J. Kennedy
(Historic Award, 1926-1975)

M. J. (Jack) Kennedy was a successful businessman that founded a one-man accounting operation that has grown into one of the 10 largest CPA firms headquartered west of the Mississippi with offices throughout Kansas and several other states. 

Milton Joseph Kennedy was born in Erie, PA in 1898 of Irish immigrants. When he was a young boy, his family moved to Wichita, KS where he graduated from high school in 1916. After high school, he fought in France during World War I until Germany’s surrender.  He got the nickname Jack while serving overseas. 

After his service in the Army, he went to work with his old Sgt. driving a truck.  Jack wrecked the truck, so he became the company bookkeeper.  Following that, he worked for the United Telephone Co. in Abilene for a time before studying accounting at Kansas State University.  His degree was in Rural Science with a major in Accounting.   At that time, Kansas State was purely an Agricultural School and did not have a Business School as it does today.  While at Kansas State, Jack also worked for the old Public Utilities Co. in Salina. 

He was an early CPA in Kansas holding Certificate No. 81.  Jack was active in the CPA professional organizations serving as President of the Kansas Society of Certified Public Accountants and on the National Board of Directors. 

While at Kansas State, where he was a member of  the Sigma Nu Fraternity, Jack met Alice Carney from Manhattan. They were married in 1927 and had two children, Tom Kennedy and Rosemary Kennedy (Boyd).  Jack and Alice also had 11 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren. 

In 1932, the firm of M.J. Kennedy & Co. was founded.  Jack was 34 years old and had already acquired 10 years of practical experience as an auditor.  In 1939, an employee and college friend, the late C.L.Coe was made a partner and the firm became Kennedy and Coe.  In 2004, after 70 years in the United Building in downtown Salina, the company expanded into their beautiful new office building in south Salina.  

Jack was active in many community endeavors over the years. After his retirement in the mid 1960’s, he was asked to serve as Chairman of the Salina Airport Authority. This was the group, enacted by the City of Salina, to transition the former Schilling Air Force Base to civilian uses.  He served several terms on the Airport Authority Board of Directors during the hectic early years, and was a leading force in transforming the former Strategic Air Command Base into an important commercial and educational complex, including Schwan’s Global Supply Chain, Inc., the largest pizza manufacturing plant in the world, Raytheon Aircraft, K-State at Salina, and Salina Area Technical School.  The Air Terminal is named in Jack’s honor. 

In an editorial from the Salina Journal, when Jack Kennedy died at age 84, it was said that of all the things he accomplished during his life time, he would be remembered for his gentleness and kindness.

Milton Morrison
(Historic Award, 1926-1975)

Milton Morrison was born in 1917 on a farm near Roxbury, Kansas.  All his life he was known as a responsible person and a hard worker.  At age eight he operated a hay rake behind a team of horses.  At age 10 he was in charge of an adult hay crew, and at age 18 became a full partner with his father, Lloyd, and younger brother, Kenneth.  From the farmhouse using a party line telephone they operated a business of trucking, grain storage, hay buying, and livestock. 

In the mid 50’s, in partnership with his brother Kenneth, whose office was in Hastings, Nebraska, they built grain elevators and began purchasing large tracts of developed land in the Mississippi Delta.  As the demand for soybeans was growing, they cleared 125,000 acres (195 square miles converting unproductive, low lying, flood prone land to highly productive farms growing soybeans, milo, cotton, and rice.  Other large land clearing projects were undertaken in Canada and North Carolina.  Overseas ventures included cotton production in Guatemala, fishmeal and ship building plants in Chile, and an integrated farming/packing/exporting shrimp operation in Ecuador.  Other businesses included rail cars, barges, oil and gas production, commercial real estate, dehydrated alfalfa, cattle and hog production. 

Despite his extremely quiet manner, Milton received honors from the Nation Grain and Fee Dealers Association, Kansas Grain and Feed Dealers Association, and was appointed to a national agricultural board by President Richard Nixon. 

An editorial in The September 17, 1965 Salina Journal entitled “No One Has Advertised This Salina Advantage” described Milton and two other Salina entrepreneurs.  Quoting from the editorial are characteristics attributed to Milton: too modest to seek public recognition; unassuming and without ostentation; came from good stock, but certainly not from rich men; formal education was only normal for the era; devoted to his family; gives important support to the community with substantial charities; not motivated by a desire for money in itself or even for power, but rather by a personal need for achievement; and works hard and long hours, but is an expert in picking subordinates who work equally hard and well for the company. 

Milton was featured in Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company’s national advertising program in 1967 with full-page advertisements appearing in Time, Life, and other national publications.  

Regarding community service, one of Milton’s favorite sayings was, “Service is the dues we pay for living on this earth.”  His service included Board of Directors of the Salina Area United Way, Salina Area Chamber of Commerce, St. John’s Military School, First Presbyterian Church, Salina Presbyterian Manor, Presbyterian Manors of Mid America, and McPherson College for over 30 years.  He was the recipient of distinguished service awards form McPherson College, Kansas Wesleyan University, and the Salina Family YMCA. 

Milton and his wife, Rebecca, have been generous benefactors of virtually all of the capital campaigns and sustaining drives for Salina charitable organizations, church, higher education, and medical care.  In his last years, his brilliant mind was gradually dimmed by Alzheimer’s disease.  It is fitting that the Memory Care Center at the Presbyterian Manor bears his name.  

In many ways Milton was typical of the greatest generation:  from modest beginnings he continued to live modestly.  Through his work and charity he gave much more to others than he used or saved for himself. 

Charles W. Shaver
(Historic Award, 1926-1975)

Salina, Kansas has the look and feel unlike the many towns and cities that surround it.  That look and feel can be traced to one man, Charles W. Shaver, Salina’s master architect.  

During his long, productive career, Charles completed over 807 projects – ranging from new construction to the remodeling of hundreds of buildings.  Furthermore, he did not limit his work to one geographical location.  One can find his buildings in other area of Kansas, as well as in Oklahoma, Missouri, Colorado and Iowa.  Although he did not limit his talents to Salina, the buildings in his hometown continue to pay homage to his imagination, foresight, and architectural philosophy. 

Charles Shaver was born in El Dorado, KS in 1890, the son of Silas Sylvester and Frances M. Shaver.  At an early age, the family moved to Kanopolis, KS where his father owned and operated the Country Store.  They then moved to Lincoln, KS where Charles attended both elementary and high school.  

He was a graduate of Kansas State University, where he received the American Institute of Architects’ medal for excellence in Architecture as a graduating Senior. 

In 1912 he married Vera Nan Woody, who was a classmate in Lincoln, and also a graduate of Kansas State.  Their marriage produced four children, Bill, John, Mary and Shirley.  His son John followed him in the field of Architecture, and later they were partners in their firm of The Shaver Partnership. 

Charles opened his Salina practice in 1915.  For the next 46 years, he helped change the face of Salina and its downtown.  Charles’ high standards and professionalism helped to set the standards that led the State of Kansas to set guidelines that led to the licensing of state Architects.  As his reward, Shaver received the first official state certificate to practice Architecture. 

In 1937, Charles ran a series of advertisements in the Salina Journal and it is through those ads that we can learn his architectural philosophy.  In the ad heralded by “The Value of Architectural Beauty,” he stated, “…good appearance has as much commercial value as structural strength and excellence of material use.”  Buildings, Charles believed, should be considered “long-term assets” and that “…,no building should be erected that is not an attractive addition to the landscape.” 

He was a member of the Church Architectural Guild, and Sigma Tau Honorary Fraternity.  His mode of travel to the seven or so bordering states in which he was registered was by train, which required his staying overnight in those areas while conducting business there. 

Between 1915 and 1940, Charles designed a large number of exceptional buildings in Salina.  The downtown area maintains much of its character and vitality because of his efforts. 

Some of the buildings that Charles designed in downtown Salina include:

United Building, Municipal Water Works, First Christian Church, First Presbyterian Church, Memorial Hall, Fire Station #1, Vernon’s Jewelers, Town Site Building, and  Carol Lee Doughnuts.  He was also a consultant for the Fox Theatre. 

Charles did not limit his talents to the downtown area.  One of his most notable achievements was helping to design and develop the area known as Country Club Heights, or “The Hill.”  Initially, he designed the entrance, including the gate-house.  Later he designed 15 homes within the original exclusive housing development. 

Charles Shaver passed away in 1961 at the age of 71.

Roy Applequist
(Contemporary Award, 1976-present)

Roy Applequist was born in Salina, Kansas on June 3, 1946.  He attended public schools in Salina, and graduated from Salina High School in 1964.  He received his B.A. in Economics in 1968, from North Park University in Chicago, IL.  Except for those college years, he has always lived in Salina.  He was a member of the U.S. Army Reserves from 1968 through 1974.  In 1972, he married a Kansas girl, Donice Lund.  Roy and Donice have three children; Penny, Hannah and Gustaf.  They also enjoy two lively grandchildren who live nearby. 

Roy grew up working with his father, Quintin Applequist, on many different manufacturing projects at Quintin’s company, Roberts Industries, Inc.  After college, Roy continued on with Robert’s as manager of the foundry division.  In 1975, Quintin retired and sold Roberts Industries to Federal Mogul Corporation of Southfield, Michigan. 

April 1, 1976, Roy founded Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc.  During the first few months Roy visited approximately 100 farmers and asked what they needed in a grain drill.  He took this information and proceeded to build the company’s first product, a 30 foot folding grain drill.  This commitment to listening to the customer’s needs has served the company well and has lead to many innovative, high quality products. 

While the company’s headquarters and largest facilities are in Salina, it also has locations in Abilene, Assaria, Kipp, Enterprise, Lucas, Tipton, and Ellsworth, Kansas.  The company manufactures a broad line of agricultural and grounds-care equipment marketed under the trade names of Great Plains and Land Pride.  The company has four operating divisions, which include the Great Plains division, the Land Pride division, the Great Plains Trucking division and the GPAC Finance division.  Its products are sold through its sales force in all 50 states plus approximately 25 foreign countries.  Recently, Great Plains received the “2006 Kansas Governor’s Exporter of the Year Award.” 

Great Plains has grown significantly during the past 30 years and today employs 850 people and operates close to one million square feet of manufacturing space.  The company utilizes advanced manufacturing systems such as a wide variety of computerized machine tools, robotics, plasma and laser equipment, powder paint technology, and computerized product engineering. 

While products, plants, and equipment are important, the real key to Great Plains’ success is the hundreds of dedicated, hardworking, long-term employees. 

Over the years, Roy has been an active member of Salina’s First Covenant Church, and has served on the Board of Kansas Wesleyan University, Bank IV, North Park University, The National Board of Evangelical Covenant Church of America, and Salina Regional Health Center. 

Roy’s family has been a part of this community since the 1870’s, when his great grandparents arrived from Sweden, and homesteaded a few miles south of Salina.  He feels Salina is definitely home and is a great place to live and work.