Nominations Sought for Salina Business Hall of Fame

SALINA, KANSAS – Nominations are currently being solicited for inductees into the 2023 class of the Salina Business Hall of Fame. The Salina Area Chamber of Commerce established the Salina Business Hall of Fame in 2005 to honor prominent business leaders both past and present, which have made extraordinary contributions to Salina, earned the respect of the Salina community and exemplified the Free Enterprise System.
Categories for nominations include:
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• Pioneer Award – 1858 – 1945
• Historic Award – 1946-1999
• Contemporary Award – 2000-present

“The Business Hall of Fame honors the achievements of Salinans who have made outstanding contributions to the development and enhancement of Salina’s business climate and economic development, as well as have created a lasting impact to the Salina community overall,” stated Renee Duxler, president and CEO of the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce. “It’s our way of recognizing and maintaining the stories of the individuals who have helped make Salina the community it is today.”

Nominations can be made by both Chamber members and the general public. Nominees will be considered based on several criteria which include business excellence, entrepreneurial spirit, courageous thinking and actions, inspiring leadership, community impact, positive role model, enduring accomplishments, and local influence. Individuals nominated in previous years will be considered again this year. Nomination forms are available at the Chamber office, 120 W Ash, or can be downloaded by clicking on the Hall of Fame quick link on the Chamber’s homepage www.salinakansas.org. The deadline for nominations is 5:00 p.m., Monday, July 31, 2023.

A special task force will determine the inductees. The inductees will be honored at a special luncheon this fall. A portrait of each inductee will be displayed in the physical Business Hall of Fame room, currently located at the Chamber office. The Chamber is pleased to announce that plans are underway to digitize the stories and photographs of all Business Hall of Fame inductees, and to house a kiosk along with the physical plaques in a place with more public access. More details will be shared at this year’s luncheon.
 
Inductees in 2005 were H.D. Lee, William Graves, JJ Vanier, Al Schwan, and Charlie Walker. Inductees in 2006 were Alexander Campbell, M.J. Kennedy, Milton Morrison, Charles W. Shaver, and Roy Applequist. Inductees in 2007 were Oscar Seitz, Ralph Reitz, William Exline, Murray Wilson, and Lee Young. Inductees in 2008 were Dean Evans and Paul Junk. Inductees in 2009 were W.W Watson, Whitley Austin, Verla Nesbitt Joscelyn, and Jack Vanier. Inductees in 2010 were Benjamin Aaron Litowich, Thomas Watson Roach and Mike Berkley. Inductees in 2011 were James R. Allen, William R. Geis, and Ben A. Sellers. Inductees in 2012 were William Phillips, Dick Brown, and George Frisbie. Inductees in 2013 were Ward Marshall and Karl Stutterheim. Inductees in 2014 were Charles R. Underwood and Charles E. Stevens. Jr. Inductees in 2015 were Frank Hageman, Baalis Kyger Smoot and Tom Pestinger. Inductees in 2016 were Herman H. Sudendorf, Robert J. Laubengayer, and Sidney A. Reitz. Inductees in 2017 were Arthur M. Claflin, Dan Bolen, and Tim Rogers. Inductees in 2018 were Milton Stiefel, and Melvin and Marge Bergkamp. Inductees in 2019 were Earl Bane, Marshall Stanton, and Eugene and Margaret Logan.  Inductees in 2021 were August (AJ) Holmquist, Frank Norton, and Steve Ryan.  Inductees in 2022 were Mel Jarvis, Mabel Shelton, and Larry Triplett.