Some businesses grow by expanding. Others grow by attracting. See what Stormont Vail Events Center and HME Inc. are each doing to grow the Topeka economy.
The first Kansas practice to offer Image-Guided Superficial Radiation Therapy provides everything from surgery-free skin cancer treatment to medical spa services.
Having a good succession plan in place is simply good business. Attorney Jeremy Graber explains how to plan for business continuity.
Three years after launch, Compass Marketing & Advertising Partners has found its permanent home and expanded its team of entrepreneurial professionals.
Whether you’re struggling with seasonal stress, dreading tax season, wondering how to boost employee wellness or looking to hire candidates, our panel of Topeka-area professionals shows you how to tackle these concerns with confidence.
Washburn University has partnered with Security Benefit and UiPath to bring robotic process automation and AI training to their business curriculum.
Two entrepreneurs have found their best business opportunities right here in Topeka by creating them from scratch.
From phishing emails to social media scams, learn how fraudsters are evolving their tactics and what you can do to stay protected.
Neal Spencer shares how mentorship, servant leadership and faith helped him steer Ernest-Spencer where it is today.
The latest updates from the Topeka business community.
Photo by JOHN BURNS
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BRIAN PETERS
CONTRIBUTORS
PUBLISHER
Braden Dimick & SALES DIRECTOR
braden@tkmagazine.com 785-438-7773
CREATIVE DIRECTOR & DESIGNER
Janet Faust
EDITOR Lauren Jurgensen
COVER PHOTOGRAPHER John Burns
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Kim Gronniger
Corinn Guemmer
Lauren Jurgensen
Jennifer LeClair
Lisa Loewen
Danielle Martin
Alijah McCracken
India Yarborough
PHOTOGRAPHERS
CONTRIBUTING EXPERTS
John Burns
Brian Peters
Melvina Taylor
Jayme Burdiek
Jeremy Graber
Kurt Guth
Ariel Ludwig
Soni Mathew
Christina Schmitt
Shirley Smith
WEBSITE MANAGER Cordell Dimick
2025 TK Business Magazine is published by E2 Communications, Inc., 7537 SW 26th St., Topeka, KS 66614. 785-438-7773. Reproduction or use of this publication in any manner without written permission of the publisher is prohibited.
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FIRST IN STATE KMC INTRODUCES NEW SKIN CANCER TREATMENT
By CORINN GUEMMER
KMC Dermatology has become the first practice in the state to offer ImageGuided Superficial Radiation Therapy (IG-SRT) for non-melanoma skin cancer. The technology is now available at KMC’s Topeka location, giving local patients access to a treatment option for skin cancer that doesn’t require surgery.
“We wanted to provide the full range of treatment for skin cancer and have always strived to be the first in the market for anything related to skin,” said KMC CEO Dr. Shekhar Challa, when asked what inspired their practice to bring IG-SRT to Kansas.
Photo by JOHN BURNS
Photos by JOHN BURNS
incisions, stitches or scarring, minimal side effects, and quick and painless treatments. No reconstructive surgery is necessary.
IG-SRT, a non-surgical treatment for skin cancer, uses a specialized machine with ultrasound imaging to guide the procedure.
KMC Dermatology provides comprehensive skin care services to patients across Kansas and Missouri.
“This technology isn’t just about treating cancer,” said Tessa deGuzman, KMC’s business development manager. “It’s about expanding safe, effective options for patients who need them most.”
IG-SRT is used to treat basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, the two most common types of non-melanoma skin cancer. The process uses targeted, low-dose radiation to destroy cancer cells without harming surrounding healthy tissue.
The “image-guided” component allows providers to see the exact size, shape and depth of the cancer in real time, ensuring precision treatment. According to deGuzman, the treatment offers high cure rates of up to 99%, no
The treatment involves brief sessions, usually lasting only a few minutes, with patients able to return to normal activities afterward. Because the treatment is non-invasive, it is often described as “gentle” and is generally well tolerated, even among older patients or those with underlying health conditions. The entire treatment course typically involves multiple short visits over several weeks, allowing KMC providers to monitor progress closely and make adjustments if needed.
The treatment is available for patients who are not ideal surgical candidates due to age, medical conditions or personal preference. IGSRT can also be considered for certain benign skin conditions like keloids.
“It’s a gold standard, surgery-free cure experience,” deGuzman said. “We’re currently offering it in Independence, Topeka, Lawrence, Mission, Manhattan and soon in Leawood.”
IG-SRT is one part of KMC’s approach to dermatology. The practice offers medical, surgical and cosmetic services under one roof, something Ansley McKenna, APRN, sees as a major benefit for patients.
“We have so many treatment options for patients including Superficial Radiation Therapy (SRT) and Narrowband Ultraviolet B Phototherapy (NBUVB),” McKenna said. “These are treatments that are not offered everywhere, and it is so important to have choices for patients because everyone values different risks and side effects. This makes each treatment plan more unique to the patient and their goals.”
McKenna adds that KMC prioritizes accessibility.
“I have always felt that everyone at KMC really tries to see our patients as soon as we can and work them in if they are having an issue,” she said. “We try our hardest to help them in every way that is possible.”
That responsiveness is deliberate, Dr. Challa says.
KMC Dermatology’s Ansley McKenna, APRN, uses a dermascope to examine a patient’s skin.
Photo by JOHN BURNS
“We look at everything from a patient convenience perspective and ask, ‘If I were the patient, what would I want?’ Of course, these are the first things that come to mind,” he said, explaining it’s why KMC offers sameweek appointments.
McKenna says working at KMC means a lot to her and the other providers, and that her patients keep her motivated.
“I love getting to know them and genuinely want the best outcome for them, which can only be done by continuing to educate myself,” McKenna said. “I also want to show my daughters someday that their mom is doing what she loves and is giving it her all.”
Her colleague, Jessica Hubach, APRN, agrees.
“I really enjoy all aspects of dermatology,” Hubach said. “My favorite part would have to be medical visits, including skin exams and acne treatment. I like being able to talk to patients and get to know them during their exam.”
KMC’s Dr. Joseph Gadzia says he sees IG-SRT as an option for patients who cannot or prefer not to undergo surgery.
Both McKenna and Hubach say they stress the importance of breaking common misconceptions about dermatology.
“People seem to think dermatology is more of a cosmetic scene or a thing for the aging population,” McKenna said. “Everyone should be coming to dermatology for a baseline skin exam as it is becoming more common to see skin cancers and precancers in younger patients.”
Hubach offers a simple checklist for reducing risk: get yearly skin checks at a dermatology office, apply a broadspectrum SPF of 30 or higher daily, reapply SPF every two hours when outdoors, wear sun-protective clothing such as a wide-brimmed hat, and avoid tanning beds.
Taylor Cowen, KMC’s marketing manager, says community outreach is a big part of their strategy.
“KMC is on a mission to save lives through skin cancer prevention and detection,” Cowen said. “This is done by providing free skin cancer screenings to our communities and
educating patients through our online platforms.”
KMC also offers surgical services. Dr. Joseph Gadzia, a Mohs surgeon at KMC, has been performing Mohs micrographic surgery in Topeka for more than 20 years and says it is widely regarded as the best option for removing certain skin cancers. This procedure involves removing the visible tumor along with a very small margin of surrounding skin, then examining the tissue under a microscope in real time. If any cancer cells remain, the surgeon removes only the affected area.
According to Dr. Gadzia, the method delivers cure rates as high as 97 to 99% while also minimizing scarring, which is particularly important for cancers on the face or other cosmetically sensitive areas.
“Mohs surgery allows us to remove all of the cancer while preserving as much healthy tissue as possible,” Dr. Gadzia said. “It’s precise, effective and offers patients peace of mind.”
Mohs surgery is used for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell
Photo by JOHN BURNS
Photo by JOHN BURNS
carcinoma, although it can also be used for other, less common skin cancers. The procedure is typically completed in a single day, with patients waiting between stages while their tissue is analyzed.
Once the cancer is fully removed, reconstruction of the site is done the same day.
Dr. Gadzia sees IG-SRT as an option for patients who cannot or prefer not to undergo surgery. The addition of image guidance and precise dosing distinguishes it from the radiation treatments of decades past. It also allows KMC to tailor therapy based on tumor characteristics, resulting in high cure rates and minimal side effects.
For Topeka, which KMC says is one of their busiest offices, having both Mohs surgery and IG-SRT available ensures that more than one option is available for patients.
Providers at KMC explain diagnoses, discuss available treatment options, and review
the benefits and potential side effects of each approach. KMC also leverages their online presence to share information about skin health, seasonal skincare tips and dermatology research.
KMC’s MedSpa operates within their dermatology clinics, offering cosmetic treatments alongside medical services.
“Dermatology and the MedSpa go hand-in-hand,” Dr. Challa said. “We wanted to get them all under one roof.”
For Topeka residents, having IGSRT available locally eliminates the need to travel to larger metropolitan areas for specialized treatment. This benefits older patients or those needing multiple sessions.
As skin cancer rates rise, particularly among younger people, the need for early detection and treatment options continue to develop. IG-SRT provides another treatment option for KMC’s patients. TK
The KMC Dermatology team: Amber Fonseca; Nicole Williams; Jessica Spencer; Ansley McKenna, APRN; Jordan Tucker; Jessica Feliciano; Savannah Bishop.
Photo by JOHN BURNS
Photo by JOHN BURNS
DESIGN + CREATE + ENJOY
COMPLETE RESIDENTIAL REMODELING PORTFOLIO
INTERIOR DESIGN & FURNISHING
THREE STEPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS TRANSITION
By JEREMY GRABER
Closely held businesses often do not survive the second generation. A poor or completely missing succession plan further reduces the chance of a successful transition. The risk of pitfalls, such as family infighting, unexpected closure, lost value or tax traps can be reduced by taking the time to develop and implement a plan — and it’s never too soon to do so.
Having a good succession plan in place is simply good business. It not only maximizes the value of your business for future generations, but also ensures the continuity of the business, which positively affects the livelihood of your employees and customers.
AVOID THE “DO NOTHING” PLAN
While there is no one right way to plan your business transition, there is a wrong way: the “do nothing” plan.
If you don’t plan for your business succession, Kansas law will do that for you — dictating who controls your company and receives your property. Ownership interests will be split, with one half going to your spouse and the other half to the children (or all to the children if no spouse). Each heir will inherit an equal and undivided portion of the business, which also means an equal vote. This could easily lead to infighting and deadlock. Additionally, disagreements and ramp-up time may lead to business interruptions and/or poor performance, driving down the value of the business. If there’s no plan in place, court involvement may be required, leaving the company — and your clients, vendors and employees — in limbo until it is sorted out.
The “do nothing” plan rarely works out for the best.
Business succession plans often fall into one of three potential paths:
1. Sale to an unknown third party.
2. Transfer or sale to a family member or close employee.
3. Closing the business and liquidating the assets.
Identifying your business goals, which may include achieving family and estate goals, may help you choose what is right for you. Some common goals include:
• Maximizing the value of your business for you and your family.
• Providing a livelihood for your employees and/or family.
• Providing essential services for your community.
• Cementing a family or personal legacy.
• Avoiding taxes.
Thinking about and prioritizing your goals will help you select which approach is most likely to lead to your desired outcome. Additionally, consider whether your goals are feasible. Do your
family members want to own the business? If so, are they capable of successfully running the business?
Once you have mapped out your overarching goals, it can be helpful to seek advice from a legal or business advisor when evaluating potential options. The three paths are not exclusive and you may want to take an alternative approach to your succession plan. Professionals can help you think through challenges or opportunities you might not otherwise foresee. For example, if you leave the business to your children, what happens if they can’t agree on how the business should be run? What happens if a child unexpectedly dies, divorces or becomes disabled?
Professionals can provide several options for these common scenarios. A good operating agreement or a separate shareholder agreement will provide procedures to cover contingencies that might arise. Having these types of plans in place can save time and money if something unexpected happens.
Is Your Business Prepared for the Next Generation?
Having a succession plan in place is simply good business. Attorney Jeremy Graber addresses business transitions in this month’s TK Magazine, including the pitfalls of not having a plan, common goals worth identifying, and recent changes in the estate tax exemption.
Named 2025 Trusts and Estates “Lawyer of the Year” in Topeka by Best Lawyers®, Jeremy is partner-in-charge of Foulston’s Topeka office, where he practices estate and succession planning, taxation, and business and corporate law.
STEP 2
TAKE ACTION
Once you finish the plan, don’t just file it away. Updates and adjustments are required. Significant events like divorces, deaths, falling-outs and law or business changes will require adjustments to the plan.
Further, legal changes can materially affect your plan. The recent passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” extended and made permanent a higher estate tax exemption — from $14 million in 2025 to $15 million, indexed for inflation annually, reducing uncertainty for many business owners who were evaluating the prior law with an end of 2025 sunset.
Good succession plans should start at least several years in advance of any actual transition.
If you have not already, now is the time to seek out the help of professionals — legal, tax and perhaps others. You will likely need a will, trust or other instrument to legally effectuate your plan and ensure your assets are appropriately titled and transferred.
You may need changes to your organizational documents or the structure of your business to outline and implement the plan.
It is also important to examine the business finances and your personal finances to determine what makes the most sense from a tax perspective.
For example, it may be desirable to recapitalize with voting and nonvoting interests to move the value of the business out of your estate for estate tax purposes. Utilizing non-voting interests can transfer the economic value of the business, while retaining the voting interests keeps the control of the business with you. This is an excellent strategy for intrafamily transfers.
Practical issues with the timing of your plan can be just as fatal as legal
ones, and the plan you select can affect your timing.
For example, if you plan to transfer the business to a close family member, it may take time to train and acclimate them to the management of the business. There may need to be tough discussions with other family members who could feel left out. In some cases, you might initially pick a successor who does not work out and may need to start all over. Without sufficient time to tighten the screws, the initial plan may not work.
Practical and legal issues often intersect. It may make sense to bring your successor(s) into ownership years in advance. In this scenario, it would be prudent to enter into a buy-sell agreement, which is often a cornerstone of successful continuation plans.
These agreements typically prevent involuntary or voluntary transfers to third parties (i.e., divorce or bankruptcy), can offer liquidity at the death of the primary owner, and can provide reasonable protection for minority owners to ensure harmony.
You should brush off your plan every couple of years and make appropriate changes.
In sum, take the time to think about your goals and desires for your business transition. Talk to professionals who can provide you with insight and options. Take action to put those goals in motion. Don’t just set it and forget it; periodically review and update your plan.
When it comes to succession planning, the earlier the better. Being proactive will ensure your goals are met and your family, employees and our community will be better for it. TK
CONOMIC OUTLOOK CONFERENCE
The Greater Topeka Partnership and Washburn University School of Business would like to invite you to our 2025 Economic Outlook Conference.
OCTOBER 9, 2025
7:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Memorial Union Washburn A/B
LEARN MORE BY SCANNING THE QR
BUY LOCAL
By KIM GRONNIGER CORINN GUEMMER JENNIFER LECLAIR
From fresh flowers to raw honey, quality meats to vintage home décor, these four local businesses represent the heart of our city. Here, shopping means building relationships with neighbors who care about quality and community. Every purchase supports local families and reinforces what makes Topeka special.
Photos by BRIAN PETERS
MELVINA TAYLOR
Photo by MELVINA TAYLOR
Photo by MELVINA TAYLOR
Photo by BRIAN PETERS
Photo by BRIAN PETERS
Do you enjoy playing your cards right atthe blackjack table? Or doubling down for a massage together at the Cedar & Sage Spa? Raise the stakes! Come into ThreeFires Steakhouse and try a fire-grilled dry-aged steak and seafood from our mouth-watering menu! Make your reservation today!
PETALS AND PERSEVERANCE
PORTERFIELD’S FLOWERS AND GIFTS
By KIM GRONNIGER
by MELVINA TAYLOR
Whether you’re picking up a mood-boosting bouquet for your kitchen table, planning centerpieces for a special occasion, or seeking a gift for someone special, Porterfield’s Flowers and Gifts offers everything from simple arrangements to more elaborate designs at a variety of price points.
The second-generation, family-owned floral shop at 3101 SW Huntoon St. serves both event planners who want to elevate the ambiance of weddings and corporate gatherings, and everyday customers browsing their selection of plants, home décor and seasonal items.
Photos
Photo by MELVINA TAYLOR
DAVID PORTERFIELD | OWNER
Five Dollar Friday grab-and-go bouquets are popular at Porterfield’s.
NURTURING A BUDDING BUSINESS
Owner David Porterfield’s parents, Brooke and Virginia, started the business at its original location on 21st Street in 1965. David began making deliveries for them that year while he was a high school junior.
Brooke, a Georgia native, was stationed at Forbes Air Force Base when he met and married Virginia, who grew up in Eskridge. The couple moved to New York City where Brooke attended fashion school. When they decided to start a family, they realized they wanted to do it someplace else.
“My dad thought about moving to Georgia, but my mom didn’t think about Georgia at all, so they came home to Topeka,” David said.
Brooke learned the floral trade from Jim Owens, a family friend and owner of Owen’s Flower Shop in Lawrence, and worked at Sachs Florist in Topeka. He eventually took a job at Sears, where he was nominated for best company salesperson in the United States, and successfully saved enough money to fulfill his entrepreneurial dream.
“It’s so hard to start a small business, even when you have loyal customers willing to support you,” he said. “My mom brought her ironing to work in the early days so she’d have something to do.”
David says his parents’ differing but complementary skill sets allowed the business to succeed.
“My dad was really creative, but my mom wasn’t. She couldn’t tie a bow, but she took care of the business side and handled all the charges over the phone,” he said.
David happened to be in the right place at the right time to help secure the shop’s current location, a former record shop, in 1980.
“I went there to buy a new tape to replace the one we’d been using for the front of our store because I was sick of listening to it, and I saw that the record store had closed,” he said. “I let my
parents know right away and we were just so lucky to get this location.”
A BLOOMING SUCCESS
David bought the store in Westboro Mart from his parents in 1980 and eventually purchased an adjacent liquor store to accommodate increasing inventory for a growing clientele.
Although David graduated from Washburn University with an English degree, he said he loved working at the store so much that he never entertained other career paths.
The same year he assumed ownership, David became the first florist in Kansas to be accepted by the American Institute of Floral Designers, an honor that led to many prominent opportunities to work with others across the country.
He was a selected designer for President Ronald Reagan’s second inaugural ball at the Washington Hilton in 1985, the centennial celebration of the Statue of Liberty in 1986 and the dedication of the Smithsonian Gardens in 2010.
“For the centennial event, we placed 100,000 roses around the base of the Statue of Liberty and seeing the display with the fireworks from the first row was amazing,” he said. “Afterward, I’ll never forget driving through the Battery and seeing people sticking Roman candles outside their windows and lighting fountains in the street. It was crazy.”
In the 1980s, Bob Brock, a prominent Topeka businessman with
several multi-state businesses that include Holiday Inn and ShowBiz Pizza Place franchises, helped the business grow even further when he became one of Porterfield’s major customers.
David has lectured at the New York Botanical Gardens, the San Francisco Garden Cub, the American Institute of Floral Designers National Symposium and other prestigious venues. A past president of the Kansas State Florists Association, David twice served on the national board of directors of the American Institute of Floral Designers.
In 2014, Porterfield’s was named the National Retail Florist of the Year by the Wholesale Florists and Florist Suppliers Association of America and Florists’ Review Magazine.
CATERING TO SEASONAL CHANGE
David says when his parents started their business, there were 24 standalone florists in Topeka to accommodate demand as compared to a handful now.
Asked about changing consumer habits, David says he and his team see fewer church weddings and more customers who want to fulfill some aspects of floral décor for special occasions independently.
“We have a lot more pick-up weddings where customers will come get the flowers and then set them up themselves,” he said. “If you’re having a sit-down reception for 150 people, it can get expensive, so people have scaled back in different ways.”
Photo by MELVINA TAYLOR
Local florist David Porterfield moved his shop to its current location on Huntoon Street in 1980, after the record shop previously located there went out of business.
He says Porterfield’s still sells “a ton of plants,” especially peace lilies and mixed-plant dish gardens. Five Dollar Friday Flowers grab-and-go bouquets are also popular.
David loves to garden and often grows botanical varieties he can use for store arrangements. His favorites include hydrangeas, peonies and viburnum.
“I love what’s in season,” he said. “French tulips in the spring and berries in the fall.”
David says holiday décor and festive arrangements are still “huge” for the shop, but the team doesn’t do as much in-home decorating for Christmas clients as it once did, partly because of decreased demand and partly because of staff capacity.
As for his own holiday decorating traditions, David said, “My mom was wonderful, but she wasn’t a decorator or a holiday person, so I didn’t grow up with lavish seasonal displays.”
In contrast, when David’s daughter, Hilary, was growing up, he ensured the remodeled schoolhouse they lived in
was “decorated to the max, especially at Christmas. I realize now that it’s different when you’re older. My husband and I have a whole basement full of great stuff that we don’t always bring up every year.”
TENDING A LEGACY
As a native Topekan who has made his home and career in the capital city, David has actively given back to the community. For several years, he’s been a designer for CASA of Shawnee County’s annual Homes for the Holidays fundraiser and previously provided floral support for Symphony in the Flint Hills events and other area needs.
Through the years, Porterfield’s has created arrangements for numerous local and state events, including inaugurals, presidential visits and services for local dignitaries. The shop has been a regular winner of best florist in Topeka titles and is the only local florist to be selected as a member of Fine Flowers, the country’s listing of premier florists.
“It’s all gone the way I hoped it would,” David said, reflecting on his colorful career. “It’s been a lot of hard work and long hours lugging buckets of water and hauling plants to the truck, but it’s also been so wonderful to be there to help people when there’s a wedding or an anniversary or a new baby or a graduation or a death or even a divorce. We’re part of every milestone someone can experience.”
A self-described homebody, David says he never experienced a desire to leave Topeka because of what he describes as his hometown’s “underlying foundation of kindness.”
“People are kind here,” he said. “It’s a strong community trait and I don’t think it gets the attention it deserves.”
David says he is grateful he bought the namesake business from his parents and continued their entrepreneurial vision.
“I’ve loved my whole life and my parents loved theirs,” he said. “It’s been so gratifying to be able to make a living doing what I love with people I love in my favorite place. How can you do better than that?”
by
Photo
MELVINA TAYLOR
BUZZING WITH SUCCESS
T CREEK BEES & HONEY
By JENNIFER LECLAIR
by MELVINA TAYLOR
To say that Tim Urich is a busy man would be an understatement. By day he serves the community as a full-time middle school principal, but during evenings, weekends and breaks from school he operates T Creek Bees & Honey, a business decades in the making.
“Beekeeping absolutely began as a hobby,” Tim said. “My grandfather delivered hives to my father in 1986, and beekeeping became part of our family rhythm. After a 20-year break, I reconnected with that tradition. What started as a peaceful afterschool activity quickly became a passion.”
Photos
Photo by MELVINA TAYLOR
TIM URICH | OWNER
SWEET BEGINNINGS
Named for the Tecumseh Creek that runs through his family’s property, T Creek Bees & Honey aims to honor its rural roots and do right by the land, water and pollinators native to the area.
Tim takes the science behind beekeeping seriously and is eager to share what sets T Creek apart from the competition. Honey is one of the top three most adulterated products in the world, he says, meaning inexpensive foreign honey is sometimes blended with syrups and sweeteners to stretch the product for economic gain. The best way to guarantee you’re buying natural raw honey is to source from a beekeeper in your area.
“We prioritize quality, consistency and transparency,” said Tim, who manages a total of 350 hives. “Our honey isn’t pasteurized or ultra-filtered, and every bottle comes from hives we manage ourselves right here in southeast Shawnee County.”
At T Creek, the bottling process begins by moving barrels of honey into a production room, where the honey is gently warmed to dissolve any natural crystals that formed. Next, it’s pumped into a stainless steel tank, passing first
through a strainer to remove wax particles and other debris remaining from extraction. It is then bottled, capped and labeled before the finished product is boxed for distribution.
Tim credits several others — including his wife, father and some of his students — for supporting the company’s daily operations.
“I have six part-time youth workers, all Shawnee Heights students who live within two miles of our commercial building,” Tim said. “When someone loses interest or gets too busy with school, I simply have the current workers recommend a friend.”
In fact, he says his ability to connect students to his business has helped him out twofold. Not only does he benefit from the part-time labor and assistance with bottling and apiary work, but he relishes the opportunity to teach students a trade and open their eyes to small business and agricultural skills.
Students learn how to run a honey packing line with bottlers and automated labelers, work as a team and problem-solve, follow food-safe practices, prep orders for customers,
harvest and extract honey, and understand the basics of beekeeping.
“Over time, the students become independent and self-directed,” Tim said. “The bottling crew often works without me present. I’ve seen them grow in both skill and confidence, and I know their parents value the opportunity.”
FROM HOBBY TO HARVEST
Growth has been steady since late 2020 when T Creek officially became a business. While Tim began keeping bees again as a hobby in 2018, once he began producing more honey than he could use or gift, it was easy to see the beginnings of a possible business venture on his hands.
He began selling raw honey to family and friends while researching laws and licensing around food sales, ultimately becoming a licensed food processor with his own commercial kitchen. He eventually expanded his business to include wholesale accounts, putting his products on shelves in front of an ever-growing community of customers.
Photo by MELVINA TAYLOR
Worker bees tend to one of T Creek’s 350 hives, which Tim Urich manages with help from six part-time student workers.
pasteurized or ultra-filtered, preserving its natural enzymes and antioxidants.
“I’ve focused on building trust with local retailers by being responsive, consistent and easy to work with,” Tim said. “Milk & Honey Coffee Co. and Leonard Meat were my first two wholesale accounts. They trust the quality of our product, and that’s helped us grow.”
He says it’s been rewarding to see T Creek products on store shelves and build a loyal customer base in Topeka, adding that his relationships with area business owners have grown into genuine friendships over the years — an indicator that local businesses succeed better when they work together.
T Creek’s honey products are now available at more than 20 locations across the Topeka area. Tim says they also sell in bulk to bakeries, mead makers and distillers.
“I remember the manager of Leonard Meat meeting with me early on to discuss our wholesale account,”
he said. “She took the time to work out wholesale and retail prices that would give us both the margin we would need to be successful. I’ve really met so many interesting and supportive business owners over the years, many of whom have become personal friends.”
T Creek even sells to local beekeepers, who resell the honey under their own local labels.
“There are a few large beekeepers in the area, and I’ve considered partnering with them on a regional honey label that could leverage our facilities alongside their production capacity,” Tim said.
BALANCING TWO WORLDS
Tim says three things help him balance his honey business with his job in school administration: time management, passion and a strong support system. While his roles as
principal and beekeeper might seem vastly different, they feed different parts of who he is.
“Beekeeping offers me a sense of peace and physical labor that contrasts with the fast pace of school leadership,” Tim said. “But there are a number of surprising parallels between the two. Both require careful observation, problem solving and systems thinking. Just like managing a hive, a school requires support structures, healthy environments and leadership that understands when to intervene and when to let things evolve.”
Tim loves watching the bees work, learning from nature and having the opportunity to share that with his students. He is especially excited about several promising young beekeepers he’s mentoring — so much so that he’s considering expanding from 350 to 500 colonies. He’s also interested in working with other large beekeeping operations in the area, sharing labor and facilities to increase production, and maybe even partnering on a regional honey label.
For now, Tim encourages honey consumers to buy from local beekeepers rather than settle for national store brands. He says that raw honey’s antioxidants, enzymes and natural antibacterial properties have been claimed to not only provide a number of health benefits, but can also reportedly soothe sore throats, defend against seasonal allergies and provide immune system support.
“The most popular product we sell is our delicious raw honey, but customers also enjoy our creamed honey lineup consisting of flavors like cinnamon, lemon and chocolate,” Tim said. “Hot honey is also popular with honey lovers who use it on pizza, wings, sandwiches and more.”
The response from local customers has made Tim optimistic about the future of local agriculture.
“A trio of raw honey, creamed honey and hot honey would make an excellent gift,” he added. “I’m grateful to live in a place where small agriculture and community businesses are valued, and I hope our story encourages others to get closer to the food we eat and the people who produce it.”
Photo by MELVINA TAYLOR
Photo by MELVINA TAYLOR
T Creek’s honey isn’t
The company’s products are now available at more than 20 locations across the Topeka area.
&
Envista gave me the confidence and tools I needed to scale. They made the process simple, so I could stay focused on growing the business.
TIM URICH, T CREEK BEES & HONEY
A CUT ABOVE
LEONARD MEAT
By CORINN GUEMMER
PETERS
Chuck Clifton started as the invisible man behind the menus of several Topeka restaurants, with locals dining on the steaks and ground beef delivered by his wholesale operation Leonard Meat for more than a decade.
That all changed six years ago when Chuck opened his first storefront. He recently expanded to a second location, but this time with a bigger space and a growing customer base that’s turned his business into one of Topeka’s go-to destinations for meat.
Leonard Meat’s second retail shop opened in March. The new store offers 2,400 square feet of
Photos by BRIAN
Photo by BRIAN PETERS
CHUCK CLIFTON | OWNER
space, more than double the size of the original.
“Opening a second location was scary,” Chuck said. “But we got such great feedback from people telling us we had a quality product at a fair price. That gave us the confidence to try it in a broader market.”
Chuck bought Leonard Meat in 2004 and has built it into a supplier for an estimated 14 local establishments, many of which he says regularly place high in the city’s “best burger” competitions. While wholesale remains the heart of his business, he eventually decided to try something new: selling directly to consumers.
Chuck says he didn’t know much about retail when he opened the first store.
“I guess I still don’t,” he said, laughing. “There is a lot more to it than people realize.”
But the success of the first location proved there was plenty of demand. Despite its location in a tucked-away industrial area on Quincy Street, word spread fast. New customers turned into
regulars and often shared their finds on social media.
Still, the location remained a challenge.
“We have been open almost six years and it’s just amazing to me how many people still don’t know we exist,” Chuck said. “A lot of people have told me that once they found us, they wished they had known about us sooner. We knew we needed more visibility.”
FINDING THE RIGHT SPOT
Leonard Meat’s second location at 1936 SW Gage Blvd., where Chuck shares a building with a familiar neighbor and longtime client, gave the business the visibility they’d been seeking.
“The restaurant next door is Cook’s American Grille,” he said. “I’ve been selling him hamburger for 21 years. He is also my landlord here, and I already had a great working relationship with him, so it just felt right.”
The extra space made it possible for Leonard Meat to offer more local products in addition to cuts of meat.
Shoppers can find a wide selection of baked goods from Hometown Pie, a small mother-daughter operation just south of Topeka. Chuck carries around 25 flavors, including gooseberry and rhubarb, which are especially popular during the holiday season.
“I know the grind of being a small local business,” he said. “So I try to lift up other Topeka businesses when I can.”
Leonard Meat also stocks locally produced popcorn, salsa, cheese and other specialty goods. Even with the expanded selection, meat is still the foundation of the business.
“Our bread and butter is hamburger,” Chuck said. “That’s what built our name. It’s our core.”
He says he’s equally proud of the shop’s chicken offerings, which are hand trimmed and available in more than 20 marinated flavors.
“What makes it different is our vacuum tumbler,” he said. “The marinade doesn’t just sit on the outside. It gets into every bite. A lot of places use injections, which only
The meat aisles at Leonard Meat showcase the company’s specialty cuts, with hamburger serving as their signature product.
Photo by BRIAN PETERS
get flavor where the needle went. This way, it’s in the whole piece.”
Chuck says he doesn’t compromise on quality.
“I tell [my employees] all the time: if you wouldn’t serve it to your family, we are not serving it to our customers,” he said. “Sometimes that means we take a loss and give something away even if there is technically nothing wrong with it. But I would rather do that than have a customer walk out with something that is not 100%.”
GIFTS THAT SIZZLE
When holiday shopping begins, Chuck encourages customers to treat the grill masters and cooking enthusiasts they know to exceptional cuts of meat. Leonard Meat offers a bundle called “Steak and Such,” which includes rib-eyes, strips and other cuts that make for thoughtful and useful gifts. Some customers build their own holiday gift baskets using products sold in the store.
“This is all stuff you cannot find at big box stores,” he said. “It’s unique and it supports local businesses.”
That support is a priority for Chuck, both as a business owner and a consumer.
“This might sound cliché, but keeping money local keeps the community going,” he said. “You don’t really think about that until you’re running a business. When you shop here, it stays in Topeka.”
While the products speak for themselves, he says it can still be an uphill battle to get people in the door for the first time.
“Our prices are really fair, especially for what you are getting,” Chuck said. “We’re not much more than the big grocery stores, but our quality far exceeds what you will find there.”
To attract new shoppers, Leonard Meat has been getting creative. Chuck says one of their most effective marketing strategies is their “Name of the Day” campaign. Each day, a name is posted to social media and anyone with
a matching name can stop in for a free pound of hamburger.
“We’ve got a list of over 900 names,” Chuck said. “People get tagged by friends or family when their name comes up and say they had never heard of us before. Now they are regulars.
He also says he’s glad he waited until the time was right to grow his business.
“I wanted to make sure the first store was functioning well before we opened another one,” he said. “We had some growing pains to iron out behind the scenes, and I’m glad we did that first.”
With a second store up and running and new customers arriving every week, Chuck says there’s one thing he’ll always prioritize: doing things the right way.
“I am so proud of my product,” he said. “That is what I want us to be known for. We are not going to cut corners. We want people to know they are getting something they can count on.”
The new store’s expanded product selection includes locally sourced pantry items, barbecue sauces and specialty goods.
Photo by BRIAN PETERS
TWO SISTERS, ONE VISION
URBAN MEADOW
By JENNIFER LECLAIR
Urban Meadow, the newest home décor shop in the NOTO Arts District, features a mix of midcentury modern furniture, antique art and smaller decorative pieces. Every piece has space to breathe, making it easy to spot that perfect vintage lamp or unexpected decorative find.
Co-owner Kim Herring has filled the shop with refurbished furniture alongside framed prints, ceramics and other home accessories. For Kim, the goal is helping customers find pieces they’ll actually use and love.
Photos by BRIAN PETERS
Photo by BRIAN PETERS
KATIE METZGER and KIM HERRING | CO-OWNERS
“It’s a space built on intention, beauty and belonging,” Kim said. “I curate pieces that aren’t just décor. They are invitations to slow down, breathe in beauty and feel at home.”
SISTERS IN DESIGN
Kim, who co-owns the shop with her sister Katie Metzger, says that opening a business together had been their goal for more than 20 years. Both sisters have enjoyed successful careers as therapists, and Katie is still a practicing therapist for children and families.
Together, they say their goal for the shop is to provide the same welcoming environment they’ve valued in their work as therapists: a place to be greeted with warmth, kindness and the freedom to be true to oneself.
While both sisters contribute to Urban Meadow’s look and feel, they agree their different design preferences are what give the store a universal appeal. Kim focuses on beautiful, signature furniture and home décor pieces that set a distinct tone, while
Katie gravitates toward handmade jewelry, artisan candles and eco-friendly accents that add thoughtful details and a finishing touch.
“We try to be very mindful of the things we want to bring in,” Katie said. “Not only do we like to provide unique items that you won’t find in just any box store, but we love carrying items that are sustainably sourced, and we love supporting women-owned businesses.”
According to Kim and Katie, the way the shop makes its customers feel is every bit as important as the items on its shelves. They both stress the importance of creating a sense of belonging for their customers, and that begins from the moment they enter.
Urban Meadow is filled with soft textures, bountiful natural light and earthy colors, and its name is meant to suggest an oasis within a vibrant, bustling community. If you ask the sisters, NOTO was the perfect place for their shop for that very reason. Topeka’s popular arts and entertainment district provides a supportive community and
an opportunity to collaborate with fellow artists and shop owners.
“We want our customers to be able to explore at their own pace,” Kim said. “Whether they want to take a quiet moment to browse or if they’re in the mood to visit, connect or talk through their next home design project, we truly aim to honor every individual’s pace and preference.”
TREASURES FOR EVERY SPACE
Beyond the welcoming and warm feel of the environment, the wide range of items makes Urban Meadow a great one-stop-shop for home and office décor, plants, charming gifts and even Montessori-style children’s toys. When stopping to browse, it’s easy to feel the love and care that goes into their inventory selection.
“One of my favorite things is just seeing what people are drawn to,” said Katie, whose granddaughters inspired the shop’s cozy corner of whimsical dolls and wooden children’s toys. “We try to make sure we have items
Sisters Kim Herring and Katie Metzger designed Urban Meadow with soft textures, earthy colors and natural light to create what Kim calls “a space built on intention, beauty and belonging.”
Photo by BRIAN PETERS
that appeal to all ages and aesthetics, and it’s rewarding to see what people pick out.”
While the shop’s appearance changes with the seasons — shifting from cheery spring florals to soft summer botanicals, and eventually to warm shades of autumn — many of their items are year-round staples. Wooden cooking utensils, artisan stoneware bowls and elegant tea towels and napkins haven proven popular with customers, whether they’re in search of the perfect housewarming gift or a new addition to their home kitchen.
Beyond the kitchen, the shop also carries items for other spaces, including
pet-safe mosaic plants or textured ferns, along with handmade pottery, baskets and cozy candles. Vintage and antique finds are cleverly arranged amid more contemporary items. They carry everything from historic, centuries-old art prints to conversation pieces like a cast iron hippo symbolizing good luck and protection.
In fact, one-of-a-kind vintage pieces are a central feature of the store. Kim has developed an eye for rare treasures and enjoys the process of sourcing found items from estate sales and markets.
While she works to ensure each piece finds its way onto a wall or shelf
The sisters carefully curate vintage and antique finds alongside contemporary items. “One of my favorite things is just seeing what people are drawn to,” said co-owner Katie Metzger. “We try to make sure we have items that appeal to all ages and aesthetics.”
at Urban Meadow, she admits there are certain items she would happily move from the shop to her home.
“Do you see that piece over there by the window?” Kim said, pointing to a framed print across the room. “That is an actual print from a 1917 newspaper — an illustration reflecting the hardships and loss of World War I. If it doesn’t find a new home soon, it might have to come home with me.”
STYLING WHAT’S NEXT
As they settle into their space, Kim and Katie are already working on future plans for the shop. They currently offer gift registries for weddings and showers, and are considering expanding to an e-commerce platform where they can reach more customers and simplify the order and pick-up process.
Urban Meadow also plans to host small workshops to provide design tips and tricks in collaboration with artists and artisans, as well as a series of “shop and sip” events during the holidays. The sisters, who share a love of the winter season, say they’re already looking forward to transforming their storefront with festive window displays and gifts for every personality.
For them, the greatest gift of all has been the opportunity to work with their best friend and pour their time and talents into building a beautiful and inclusive space for their community.
“We believe shopping for your home, or for someone you love, should feel like a breath of fresh air, not a transaction,” Kim said. “Step inside and stay as long as you’d like. You’re always welcome here.” TK
Photo by BRIAN PETERS
Photo by BRIAN PETERS
WHY BUY LOCAL?
HOW YOUR DOLLARS IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY
Kansas independent retailers generated $33.9 billion in sales in 2024, a 4.9% increase from the previous year. When you shop local, your dollars create jobs, stimulate the economy, build community and reduce environmental impact.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
KANSAS INDEPENDENT RETAILERS GENERATED
289% MORE REVENUE than chain stores
$68 OF EVERY $100 spent locally stays in the community LOCAL RETAILERS RETAIN
$33.9 BILLION in sales in 2024 (+4.9% versus prior year)
COMMUNITY & CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
75% OF AMERICANS shop local primarily to support their local economy The average person shops locally 213 TIMES PER YEAR
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
50 % OF ONLINE LOCAL SEARCHES result in store visits within 24 hours
25% FEWER MILES DRIVEN in communities with more local businesses REDUCED ENVIRONMENTAL STRAIN from shorter supply chains
SOURCE: Capital One Shopping Research, updated June 1, 2025
UNLEASH TOPEKA’S ENTREPRENEURIAL POWER!
Join us this November for Topeka’s Entrepreneurship Week – a dynamic celebration of local brilliance and boundless entrepreneurship.
IGNITE DREAMS, FUEL SUCCESS!
Explore a vibrant week filled with inspiring events, workshops, and connections. Meet the Dream Chasers, Opportunity Makers, and Success Creators who drive our city’s prosperity.
Scan the QR code to discover the full schedule and be part of the entrepreneurial force shaping Topeka’s future.
EMPOWER TOPEKA. EMBRACE INNOVATION. ENGAGE IN THE JOURNEY TODAY!
SHOP LOCAL
A WIN-WIN PROPOSITION
Topeka offers some very unique and distinct shopping experiences. No matter your tastes, chances are a local business has what you are looking for. Plus, shopping in Topeka puts dollars back into the local market and promotes a healthy economy. Scan the QR code to see a list of Greater Topeka Partnership members to visit during this shopping season.
FINDING TRUE NORTH
COMPASS
Marketing & Advertising Partners
By LISA LOEWEN
Photos by JOHN BURNS
Photo by JOHN BURNS
“We knew if we built the right team, we could bring it all together in a way that made things simpler for our clients,” said Tara Dimick, CEO.
After working remotely since its founding, Compass Marketing & Advertising Partners opened its first physical headquarters in July at 1250 SW Oakley Ave. The new space features multi-colored artistic epoxy flooring that resembles marble, custom barn doors, plenty of natural light and an open design intended to address what the team identified as their biggest challenge: the need for dedicated space to collaborate and meet with clients.
Compass also celebrated the launch of its new website in July.
“I have loved this building ever since I came here to attend Washburn,” said Tara Dimick, CEO of Compass Marketing & Advertising Partners. “Now, I get to work here every day. It’s serendipitous.”
Before moving into the new office space, Compass team members had
all been working remotely from home and meeting weekly at a local law firm. While that arrangement had been working well, at one of those checkins a few months ago, the team agreed that having a permanent, exclusive workspace had become a priority.
That concern, paired with the addition of three marketing assistants who would need a place to land and people to mentor them, prompted a search for office space that could meet their requirements. Compass wanted to find a space that didn’t need extensive renovation but would provide co-working space, conference rooms and areas for drop-in employees and subcontractors to work temporarily when desired. They also wanted a central location that would be convenient for clients and team members.
The building at 12th and Oakley checked all the boxes.
“This was actually the only building we looked at,” Tara said. “It fit all of the requirements and just felt like home the moment we walked in.”
With a new coat of paint, epoxy floors and some new office furniture, the space was ready in record time, and Compass had found its true north.
YEARS IN THE MAKING
When Tara and Tim Kolling started Compass almost three years ago, they had a vision for an agency that could provide a complete, turnkey experience for clients.
“We had both worked for or with companies that provided various pieces of a marketing campaign but there were always gaps in the process to go from start to finish. We wanted to offer
Photo by JOHN BURNS
Compass team members Sean Carter and Tim Kolling with a little photo-bombing from Jennifer Goetz.
clients a one-stop solution,” Tim said.
Tara and Tim each brought a unique skill set to the collaboration. Tara started her first company, E2 Communications, in 2008, is owner of TK Business Magazine, and served as the chief business development officer for Envista Federal Credit Union. Tim spent almost 30 years with Alpha Media, helping businesses strategically reach their audiences with radio and digital advertising. The two had already collaborated on marketing campaigns for more than 15 years.
“Over the years, Tim and I have worked together to turn ideas into highly effective marketing campaigns,” Tara said.
So, the two friends teamed up to build a full-service media and creative firm to help businesses with all aspects of their marketing and advertising, from helping clients clarify goals, define strategy, identify audiences, design creative elements, manage media placement, analyze data and deliver results.
“When we told people about our plans for Compass, they recommended we take a more niche approach because of the complexity with all the working parts involved,” Tara said.
“We didn’t listen,” Tim said.
“We’d spent years doing every piece of the marketing puzzle. We knew if we built the right team, we could bring it all together in a way that made things simpler for our clients,” Tara said.
A ROADMAP FOR GROWTH
Tara and Tim say they took a leap of faith and launched Compass in January 2023. Three months in, they brought in their first designer and client partner, }
Most of the Compass team have direct experience working as entrepreneurs. “We bring a lot of life experience to the table,” said Chief Marketing Officer Jennifer Goetz.
Photo by JOHN BURNS
Photo by JOHN BURNS
Danielle Smith. At the eight-month mark, Compass hired Jennifer Goetz as chief marketing officer.
Over the next year, the company added Christina Noland, Carol Gallmeyer and Miranda Lorenz as designer and client partners, and Sean Carter as senior media buyer.
“We have been really strategic with our hires. We needed people who could hit the ground running to make an immediate impact for our clients,” Tara said.
They also looked for people who understood the company culture: fellow entrepreneurs. Almost all the staff at Compass owned their own companies before they came on board.
“These are successful professionals who I trust completely with our clients because they have more experience in certain areas than I do and can deliver incredible results,” Tara said.
While their first few clients were based on previous business relationships or friendships, the company has since
expanded its client base primarily through referrals.
“We bring a lot of life experience to the table,” Jennifer said. “We fight hard to keep the lines of communication open and provide the best service we can, no matter how big or small the job.”
Being a full-service agency doesn’t mean clients have to use all the available services. Because the Compass staff have all been entrepreneurs in their own right, they understand that businesses have different needs.
“We have clients at all levels,” Tara said. “For some clients, we are their entire marketing department. For others, we simply design a brochure or place an ad. We listen to what each client wants, and then tailor our services to meet those needs.”
GUIDING CLIENTS TO SUCCESS
Every new client at Compass meets with various team members who specialize in strategy, design and media placement. The purpose of that
Compass Marketing team members (clockwise from bottom left) Danielle
first discovery meeting is to help clients clarify what they want to accomplish and why.
Once a strategy is in place, designers create deliverables and media experts identify message distribution channels. Throughout the process, the Compass team walks each client through media spend data, Google Analytics, social media performance and earned media results to assess what’s working and where to optimize.
“If I didn’t leave you better than I found you, I am not doing my job,” Jennifer said.
Sometimes leaving a client better than they found them means taking a step back and making sure they have a good digital presence in place before they start an advertising campaign, she adds.
“Often clients want to jump right into creating ads,” Jennifer said. “But if those ads are sending customers to a website or a landing page that is unprofessional, they probably won’t be very effective in getting the results they want.”
“Sometimes the best service we can offer a client is to tell them no,” Tara said. “This may sound counterintuitive, but we aren’t going to let them waste money on something that isn’t going to produce the results they want.”
The Compass team says they follow the same approach they recommend to their clients: start with strategy, design great messaging, get that message to the right audience, analyze results and adapt accordingly.
While growth often signifies success, Tara says it’s not the priority.
“Our goal is our clients. When they succeed, we succeed,” she said. TK
Smith, Carol Gallmeyer, Christina Noland, Tara Dimick, Jennifer Goetz and Miranda Lorenz.
Photo by JOHN BURNS
The team at Gage Dental offer comprehensive dental care for adults and children. We use state-of-the-art dental technology to ensure that you always receive the highest quality of care in the most comfortable environment possible.
GETTING AHEAD OF THE GAME
FOUR EXPERTS, FOUR SOLUTIONS
Whether you’re struggling with seasonal stress, dreading tax season, wondering how to boost employee wellness or looking to hire candidates who truly fit your company culture, having the right guidance will improve your outcomes. Our panel of Topeka-area professionals shows you how to tackle these concerns with confidence.
ARIEL LUDWIG, LSCSW, LCAC
Outpatient Services Manager
Valeo Behavioral Health Care
Although the holiday season can evoke many positive emotions, such as joy, gratitude and love, it can also introduce some unwanted stress. When considering holiday stress, some additional anxieties include expanded responsibilities, financial pressure, shifting family dynamics and disruptions to daily routines.
To tackle additional stress, it is essential to examine the nature of our stress and its triggers. Coping with it is most effective when we gain awareness of what is causing our stress, then set healthy boundaries.
CONQUERING HOLIDAY STRESS WITH CONFIDENCE
START WITH AWARENESS
When stress reaches intolerable levels, we are oftentimes unable to recognize its intensity. Uninhibited, demonstrative moods are tell-tale signs of excessive stress.
The first step to resolving stress is gaining awareness of what triggers us. How can we identify our triggers?
Below are some of the more commonly described negative emotions experienced during the holiday season, along with their respective emotional, physical, cognitive and behavioral manifestations.
• Excessive frustration leads to irritability and having a short fuse. Symptoms include shallow breathing, tense muscles, chest tightness and increased heart rate, as well as racing thoughts, trouble concentrating and overreacting to minor annoyances.
• Feelings of fear and anxiety activate the body’s fight-or-flight response, leading to catastrophic and all-or-nothing thinking. Typical behaviors include avoidance, reassurance seeking, restlessness and procrastination.
• Loneliness and sadness create heaviness and lack of motivation. Thoughts often include self-criticism and unfavorable comparisons. Watch for withdrawing from social opportunities and erratic changes in sleep and diet.
ESTABLISH BOUNDARIES
After identifying the symptoms of unhealthy stress, one can move toward establishing healthier boundaries for
the upcoming holiday season. When applying boundaries, be firm, consistent and willing to correct mistakes.
PLAN AHEAD
Outline what you want your holidays to look like, including family, friends, tasks, roles and budget. Communicate that plan with others so they, too, can be involved in helping. Ask others for help or delegate roles using assertive language. For the budget, save early and determine the types of gifts that fit within it.
KNOW YOUR LIMITS
Know your limits and let others know what they are, too. For example, set time limitations by committing a certain amount of time to a specific location or event. Be firm yet kind. Create a todo list with the understanding that it’s okay not to complete everything. Take your emotional temperature regularly to become accustomed to recognizing when you’re reaching your limits. Then, when reaching a limit, kindly excuse yourself.
ADJUST YOUR APPROACH
Remember that setting boundaries comes with mistakes. Be willing to correct errors and reevaluate boundaries to adjust. Keep track of what has worked and what has not. If you get stuck, ask for help from people who have your best interests in mind. Do not get bogged down in the mistakes; take a breath and move forward. If unsure how to set a boundary, start small and work toward a larger boundary. Lastly, validate yourself and find someone else to validate you.
STRATEGIES FOR COPING WITH STRESS
There are many skills one can engage in to help alleviate stress in the moment. Finding the ones that work is about learning, practicing and refining.
The first one used by many is cognitive reframing. Identify the unhelpful thought, challenge it by questioning whether the idea is helpful, beneficial or realistic, and then reframe the thought to something more reasonable.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is also a popular theory. ACT aims not to eliminate emotions, but rather to change our relationship with them. ACT has some good, quick defusion skills when we get stuck. For example, one can thank the mind, label stress as
“bad” and unhelpful, and then move on to something more productive.
Somatic methods are another quick way to lower stress. If you feel overwhelmed, stand up and stretch your legs, while inhaling deeply through your nose, and cross both arms above your head. Hold your breath while holding the pose. Then, exhale deeply while slowly bringing your arms back to your sides.
Another approach is mindfulness, which is about staying present with intent, refocusing your energy and attention. An easy grounding technique is to sit back relaxed in a chair, close your eyes, inhale slowly, hold, exhale slowly, then return to normal. While your eyes are closed, remain calm and pull your focus on what is around you. If a thought creeps back in, take
note, then refocus on the grounding technique.
PRESENT, NOT PERFECTION
Stress is real, but it doesn’t have to define your season. By setting sensible expectations, prioritizing self-care and staying connected to what matters, you can turn chaos into serenity. Whether it’s saying “no” to an event, creating a budget or carving out peaceful moments for yourself, small choices can lead to significant relief.
The holidays are not about perfection. They’re about staying present. Tolerate the stress for what it is and let go of what you cannot change or control. Focus on the moment, cope when you can, honor boundaries and give yourself grace. If we do that, we can create more meaningful memories.
For most of my clients, tax planning is not something they look forward to and I understand why.
I might advise an estimated tax payment, or anticipate a big balance owed because of rising income, investment gains or the sale of income-producing property.
Writing checks to the government just doesn’t feel good, but planning can help minimize that cost — or at least kick it down the road a ways.
HOW TO REDUCE TAX STRESS
It’s time to think about taxes. Again? Already? For the very first time?
I’ve often found the biggest benefit for clients is the stress reduction at tax time. It helps me, too! Surprising a client with a big tax bill is never ideal.
BE PROACTIVE
Tax planning is proactive. It’s important for minimizing tax liability and maximizing benefits, reducing or eliminating penalties and interest, and achieving financial goals. It applies to businesses and individuals alike.
Moving into the fourth quarter of the year is the perfect time to avoid last-minute snap decisions or worse — missing out on opportunities to deduct expenses or invest in retirement vehicles.
The tax return preparation process is always looking at the past, but it should be a time to button up the numbers, not a source of regret. So when you can, save that regret for the entire bag of chips you ate, not financial situations.
Note that for tax year 2025, some of the recent tax bill’s provisions are retroactive to the beginning of the year. The three attention grabbers are the tax
deduction on overtime, tips and Social Security. I won’t speak to these specifically, but please know there are qualifications and limitations on the deductions. This is yet another good reason to talk with your tax professional about year-end planning.
INDIVIDUAL TAX PLANNING
For individuals, planning can help you adjust withholdings to get you where you want to be in terms of a refund. A few years ago, the federal withholding form changed and taxpayers have been confused ever since. The old system tended to over withhold when selecting the filing status and adjusted in big chunks through allowances.
Now, it tends to under withhold and the taxpayer has to select the number of kids, whether the spouse works and whether there is additional income from a second job or significant investment income.
Furthermore, the old system is still in place for employees that haven’t switched jobs recently, so it adds to the confusion when changes happen. The IRS provides an online tool to help, and tax professionals can also run scenarios to help project year-
KURT C. GUTH, CISA Corporate Officer American Tax Service
PHOTO SUBMITTED
end income and potential amounts owed or refunds.
Running projections can also help you figure out whether you want to contribute more to retirement programs at work, a traditional or Roth IRA outside of work, or a college 529 plan for the kiddos.
One aspect of individual client tax planning is particularly satisfying – the year of retirement. Big changes happen in both directions. Wages decrease, pensions and Social Security increase, IRA conversions happen, RVs are purchased.
It’s a very exciting time, but very stressful for clients. Running projections on the year, and in many cases multiple years, helps the client reduce stress as things become known and they can see it working out. HR departments often won’t answer these questions for retirees, so having a tax professional with answers is a big relief during a big change.
BUSINESS TAX PLANNING
The benefits of tax planning for businesses are extremely important, especially if it’s been a good year. Quarterly reviews of the financials and projections through year-end help owners make informed decisions. How will a new asset purchase affect taxable profit by deducting depreciation? Should I give bonuses or raises to my employees or even to myself? Can
I offer more robust benefits to my employees and how does that help reduce taxable profit? Gaming out the year can help answer these questions so that owners can act with purpose.
An added benefit for business clients is not just from the tax perspective directly. A tax professional or outside accountant will often catch bookkeeping errors or compliance issues during tax planning since we don’t want to work from false assumptions and skew year-end projections.
Identifying incorrectly classified transactions and discussing weird variances year over year, catching missing employee or contractor information, and unreconciled accounts and loans can all be time and money savers for business owners down the line.
TIMING AND PENALTIES
In the cases of both individuals and businesses, there are timing considerations. Some provisions have a December 31 deadline, such as depreciation on an asset or contribution to a college 529 plan. Others can be handled in the first couple of months of the new year to affect the filing year such as an IRA, Roth or SEP retirement plan contribution. It’s a bit frustrating for the client and the tax professional to find out a good tax savings strategy can’t be implemented because it’s too
late. I am constantly talking with clients about avoiding penalty and interest.
Here’s a fun fact: the current interest rate charged by the IRS is 7% and Kansas is at 9%. That’s a big increase in the last few years and it’s getting to be serious money when balances due are high.
We have a pay-as-you-go system, meaning that as you make the money, you owe the taxes at least quarterly. Planning and income projection can help get ahead of that. Since most of us file in the first few months of the new year, paying a balance due and still having to correct for the new year are financially and mentally difficult.
Seeing a client avoid that snowball effect because we did some early planning is pretty satisfying and many times I get an appreciation gift card to boot.
REDUCING STRESS
I’ve mentioned stress reduction quite a bit. It often really is about the stress of not knowing what’s coming. So, find out what’s coming so you can either change the outcome or see it manifest as you expected.
Do your own tax planning or consult with a professional before tax season, and I’d be willing to bet at least $1.34 that your experience is much more enjoyable — or less unenjoyable, depending on your perspective.
SONI MATHEW, MD, MBA System Medical Director
Occupational and Environmental Medicine Stormont Vail Health
As we approach the end of the year, employers are increasingly recognizing that a strategic investment in employee health and wellness is not merely a perk but a business imperative. Rising healthcare costs, persistent burnout and talent retention challenges have propelled workplace well-being to the C-suite agenda.
Forward-thinking organizations are shifting from reactive, episodic programs toward proactive, holistic strategies that foster sustained physical, mental and financial health.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS PLANNING FOR EMPLOYERS
A robust wellness program delivers tangible returns. Studies demonstrate that for every dollar invested, companies can see between $3 and $6 in savings on health care costs alone. One landmark Harvard study found a $3.27 reduction in medical costs per dollar spent, coupled with a $2.73 decrease in absenteeism costs.
Other research echoes an average 6:1 return on investment (ROI) and up to a
KEY TRENDS SHAPING WELLNESS STRATEGIES
Brain and Mental Health Focus
16% reduction in absenteeism, while 87% of employees consider wellness offerings when choosing an employer. Meanwhile, the Wellhub “Return on Wellbeing” survey of over 2,000 HR leaders reports 99% seeing productivity gains, 98% reduced turnover and 91% lower health care expenditures from well-designed programs.
With burnout and cognitive decline surfacing as major productivity drains, employers are embedding brain health into their portfolios. Techniques such as guided micro-breaks, resilience training and stress-tracking wearables are being deployed to enhance focus and emotional intelligence.
Personalization Through Data and AI
Cookie-cutter solutions no longer suffice. By leveraging AI and analytics, organizations tailor recommendations from sleep coaching to nutrition plans based on aggregated, anonymized health metrics. Early adopters report higher engagement and better outcomes compared to “one size fits all” approaches.
Hybrid and Remote Well-Being Ecosystems
As flexible work endures, wellness benefits extend beyond the office. Virtual fitness classes, telehealth consultations and digital nutrition platforms ensure equitable access for on-site and remote workers alike.
Financial Wellness Integration
Recognizing the connection between health and financial well-being, employers are bundling financial planning, debt counseling and emergency savings tools into their wellness suites. This integration empowers employees with holistic support, translating to reduced turnover and absenteeism.
BUILDING A HOLISTIC PROGRAM
A successful program weaves together physical, mental and financial health pillars:
Physical Health
Subsidized fitness memberships, on-site biometric screenings and ergonomic assessments.
Mental Health
Confidential counseling, mindfulness workshops and burnout prevention training.
Financial Health
Workshops on budgeting, retirement readiness and studentloan refinancing options.
By encouraging cross-pillar engagement, such as pairing fitness challenges with financial incentives, companies see deeper behavioral change and peer support.
GETTING THE MOST FROM TECHNOLOGY AND PARTNERSHIPS
Employers are tapping into specialized vendors and platforms to deliver seamless experiences:
Wearable Integrations
Real-time biometric monitoring for stress, sleep and activity.
AI-Driven Coaching
Chatbots offering 24/7 guidance on nutrition, mental resilience and goal setting.
Telehealth Services
Virtual appointments that expand access and convenience.
Strategic partnerships with clinical experts and digital health companies ensure content accuracy and user trust.
MEASURING SUCCESS BEYOND ROI
While ROI remains critical, employers are adopting a broader Value on Investment (VOI) framework encompassing:
Engagement Metrics
Participation rates, session attendance and app interactions.
Retention rates, voluntary turnover and employer-brand perceptions.
This approach avoids programs that look good on spreadsheets but fail to move the needle on actual results.
HOW TO GET STARTED
Executive Sponsorship
Senior leadership endorsement signals organizational priority and drives cultural buy in.
Cross-Functional Governance
Establish wellness councils with HR, finance, IT and frontline representatives to guide strategy.
Pilot and Scale
Begin with targeted cohorts or locations, collect feedback and scale successful initiatives organization wide.
Continuous Feedback Loops
Use pulse surveys and data analytics to refine offerings in real time.
A comprehensive, data-driven wellness strategy is a differentiator that pays dividends in reduced costs, higher productivity and improved employer branding. By aligning programs with employee needs, leveraging cutting edge technology and adopting robust measurement frameworks, employers can foster a thriving workforce ready to meet today’s business challenges.
SHIRLEY SMITH Regional Manager Adecco Kansas
Culture isn’t just something employees experience once they’re hired — it’s often what attracts them in the first place. Candidates are more intentional than ever in their job search and culture frequently becomes a deciding factor.
To stand out, employers must think beyond job descriptions and interviews. Culture should make an impression from the very first touchpoint and remain consistent throughout every interaction in the hiring process.
5 WAYS TO EMBED CULTURE IN YOUR HIRING PROCESS
Here are five practical ways to make sure your culture shines throughout the candidate journey.
1
WRITE A CULTURE-DRIVEN JOB DESCRIPTION
A job posting is a sneak peek into what it’s like to work at your company. Instead, keep it simple and focus on what makes your company values, making that clear from the start.
To reflect your culture, use language that goes beyond tasks and technical skills. For example, if you value collaboration, describe how your teams work together to overcome challenges.
But don’t oversell it. Making claims that aren’t true may land a hire, but it can also lead to early attrition when reality doesn’t match expectations. Authenticity wins every time.
2
ALIGN YOUR COMPANY BRAND WITH REALITY
Long before candidates apply, they’re researching your company online. Your website, social media and reviews are shaping their perception of your culture, often before they even see a job posting. If there’s a mismatch between what you promise and what they experience later, trust will be broken.
4 FROM FIRST TOUCH TO FIRST DAY
Show real employee stories and team moments that reflect daily life at your company. Use social media and career pages to provide a behind-thescenes look at how teams collaborate,
celebrate wins and support each other. This kind of transparency builds trust and helps candidates self-select for the right reasons.
3
INTERVIEW FOR CULTURE, NOT JUST FIT
When planning interviews, think beyond whether a candidate will “fit” your culture today. Instead, focus on alignment with core values and jobrelated behaviors, while appreciating the unique experiences and ideas they can bring to strengthen your organization.
To do this, start by defining your company’s core values: clear, specific statements about what your organization stands for and how work gets done. Then, during the interview process, use behavior-based questions to uncover alignment. For example, you might ask candidates about the best culture they’ve ever worked in and why, or how they handled a work situation where they had to adapt to a major change.
This approach helps ensure you’re building a team that shares your organization’s principles while bringing fresh ideas and perspectives to help your company grow.
ONBOARDING SHOULD REINFORCE, NOT INTRODUCE CULTURE
By the time a new hire reaches day one, they should already have a clear sense of your culture. That early
impression should continue into onboarding. You don’t need a large team or an elaborate program to make this happen.
Simple steps go a long way, such as assigning a cultural ambassador or buddy to guide new hires through their first few days or longer. They can offer their perspective on what it’s like to work at the company and create space for the new hire to ask questions. Personal touches like friendly team introductions, shared lunches and open conversations can make a big difference.
When onboarding reflects the same values promised during the hiring process, it sets the tone: helping new employees feel connected, valued and set up for success.
TURN YOUR RECRUITERS AND HR TEAM INTO CULTURAL STEWARDS
The hiring journey often starts with recruiters, so it’s essential they understand and reflect your company’s culture in every interaction. Equip them with talking points about your values and real examples that bring those values to life. Align on what makes your workplace unique so that recruiters can accurately represent your brand to candidates.
Internal recruiters can share why they enjoy being part of the organization and which company values resonate most with them. For external recruiters, framing your company’s mission and team culture clearly gives them the tools to engage
the right candidates. These personal touches make culture tangible and relatable from the very first conversation.
WHY LIVING YOUR CULTURE MATTERS
When culture is communicated authentically, from the first job post to the first day on the job, it helps attract people who truly connect with your core values and purpose and want to stay for the long term.
Building this experience takes intention and consistency. In our work with clients, we’ve seen that when every candidate touchpoint reflects these principles, it can lead to stronger engagement and improved retention. TK
ECONOMIC GROWTH
By CORINN GUEMMER
Some businesses grow by expanding. Others grow by attracting. Stormont Vail Events Center is investing into facility upgrades to draw more tournaments and traveling families to the city. HME Inc. has grown from a garage into a company that invests, builds and develops across several local industries.
The result? More jobs, more visitors and more reasons to call Topeka home.
ALIJAH MCCRACKEN
Photos by JOHN BURNS BRIAN PETERS
Photo by JOHN BURNS
STORMONT VAIL EVENTS CENTER
INVESTING TO GROW
By ALIJAH MCCRACKEN
Converting large spaces into multiple tournament courts has traditionally meant hours of setup time that risks cutting into event schedules. Stormont Vail Events Center’s new modular flooring system eliminates those delays with quick-change configurations.
COMPETING FOR YOUTH
The improvements are part of the multipurpose arena’s efforts to make Topeka a bigger player in competitive youth sports, a market that regularly attracts traveling families who need hotel rooms, restaurant meals and have money to spend between games.
Shawnee County approved a $396,000 investment in the events center as part of the 2025 capital budget, with funds allocated for modular sports flooring and basketball court renovations. The investment includes the modular flooring system, two hydraulic basketball goals capable of withstanding dunking, and court resurfacing and repairs to the events center’s Landon Arena venue.
Modular flooring allows Stormont Vail Events Center to host multiple sports — such as volleyball, basketball, boxing, wrestling, pickleball and ice hockey — with relative ease.
Photos by JOHN BURNS
Photo by JOHN BURNS
The updated facilities ensure the events center’s Exhibition Hall venue can accommodate up to 13 youth basketball courts simultaneously, dramatically expanding the facility’s tournament hosting capacity.
The events center has been working with Visit Topeka and the Topeka Area Sports Commission to bring in more business for over three decades, and just renewed those partnerships for another five years.
NEW BEGINNINGS
The facility’s enhanced capabilities have already attracted new events. The Wichita-based program Showtime Volleyball (part of the Kansas Networks Volleyball Club) will begin hosting tournaments starting in January 2026. Meanwhile, USA Wrestling of Kansas Kids also plans to continue state tournaments beginning in March 2026.
It will also host the 10th Annual NAIA Cheer and Dance National Championships scheduled for March 2026. This popular, competitive event is expected to bring national attention to Topeka. Fifteen cheer teams and 12 dance teams from across the country plan to compete. These high-energy competitions are not only entertaining, but also create networking and scholarship opportunities for young athletes.
Allison Geist, regional marketing director for Stormont Vail Events Center, said she sees these investments as the start of something bigger. Hosting
more local tournaments gives the events center an opportunity to showcase their updated facilities while supporting young, talented athletes who need places to stay and eat while visiting Topeka.
“Youth sports, including both the participants and the attendees that come to Topeka, are vital for our future outlook and for our five-year strategic plan,” Geist said.
That five-year plan matters because much of the money in tournament hosting comes from sports organizers who make repeat bookings.
With so many visitors expected in Topeka next year, Geist said she’s encouraging local Topeka businesses to continue to provide hospitality services during these busy times. Tournament
Enhanced basketball facilities with modular, quick-change flooring are part of Stormont Vail Events Center’s strategy to capture more of the youth sports tourism market. The upgraded courts allow them to host multiple events at once.
weekends can double or triple normal customer traffic, but only if businesses are ready for it.
“A lot of the visitors that come in from out of town are staying at the hotels and eating at the restaurants, so keeping an eye on our calendar is a great idea to make sure that staffing numbers are up at those places during those times,” Geist said.
Photo by JOHN BURNS
Photo by JOHN BURNS
Photo by JOHN BURNS
Elegant table settings and historic charm makes the events center’s Heritage Hall a competitive choice for high-end gatherings, such as weddings and awards ceremonies.
Even small gestures such as welcome signs, special promotions and extra-friendly customer service can leave a good impression and encourage visitors to return.
SCARECROWS ON ICE
Ice hockey adds another dimension to Stormont Vail’s sports offerings. The Topeka Scarecrows, a professional ice hockey team within the Federal Prospects Hockey League, has committed to a guaranteed schedule
of 26 home games at the events center from October 2025 to April 2026, with potential to extend the season if they make it to the playoffs.
The Scarecrows’ first home game is scheduled for Friday, October 17, when they will go up against Mississippi’s Biloxi Breakers. Professional hockey tends to build loyal followings while drawing large crowds, potentially increasing revenue through sponsorships and season ticket sales.
YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMMING
Of course, Stormont Vail Events Center is banking on more than sports. The facility is equipped to host many special experiences, from corporate conferences to student graduations. Their recently renovated Heritage Hall venue, a popular wedding and reception space known for its historic charm, continues to bolster the local wedding market. Upgrades include spacious
bridal and groom suites, glass doors that welcome natural light, and an outdoor area with a built-in sound system and bar.
The events center is also betting on seasonal entertainment. Halloween lovers can partake in the 2025 Topeka Nightmare Festival scheduled to run from Friday, October 17 to November 1, between 7 and 10:30 p.m. This haunted attraction brings unique entertainment that draws repeat local customers, with a festival format featuring concessions, carnival games, an escape room and a sensory-deprivation experience. It also features Jinxed Productions’ “Nightmare on the Boulevard,” Topeka’s largest indoor haunted house, with special themed nights like “Dead on the Boulevard” (October 26) and “Blackout Night” (November 1).
More information about upcoming events is available on the Stormont Vail Events Center website.
Photo by JOHN BURNS
BRIDAL SUITE & GROOM’S SUITE
ELEGANT GLASS DOORS
UPGRADED HVAC SYSTEM
AMPLE OUTDOOR SPACE WITH SURROUNDING FENCE
TIERED WOODEN PERGOLA
OUTDOOR BAR AREA
EXPANDED EVENT SPACE
BOSE INDOOR/OUTDOOR SOUND SYSTEM
SCAN CODE TO GET FREE RENTAL WHEN YOU BOOK BEFORE DECEMBER 31
NEW WHITE PADDED CHAIRS
HISTORIC LIMESTONE AND STAINED GLASS SUNFLOWER WINDOWS
MORE THAN METAL HME INC.
By CORINN GUEMMER
Ten years can change everything — or reveal what was always there. When TK Business Magazine first profiled Haas Metal Engineering, better known as HME Inc., in 2015, company founder and President Jon Haas was running what looked like a straightforward steel fabrication shop in Topeka.
Since then, the company has scaled its business in every direction, from dirt bikes and powersports vehicles to affordable housing and employee-owned investments. How Jon pulled off that growth, and what other business leaders can learn from his approach, is a lesson in how to build teams that can handle whatever comes next.
BEYOND THE GARAGE
“In the beginning, it was just me,” said Jon, who initially got into metalwork because he wanted to build weightlifting equipment.
He figured he could compete with the commercial gym gear on the market, but the math didn’t work out because imports were simply cheaper. The upside was that the experience made him more comfortable around steel and welding torches.
A few years later while earning his master’s in engineering management, Jon noticed a need in the construction industry: “miscellaneous metals,” or the custom brackets, railings and structural pieces that don’t come in standard catalogs.
Photo by BRIAN PETERS
Photos by BRIAN PETERS
JOHN HAAS | FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT
It turned out contractors were scrambling to find them. So when a graduate school assignment asked him to write a business plan, he saw his chance.
“Before the class was even over, my assignment partner and I were looking into it. We started bidding jobs and built them in my garage,” Jon said.
By 1996, HME had been officially incorporated and Jon left his day job behind.
Whether that was confidence or calculated risk-taking depends on perspective, but it worked. HME Group now spans steel fabrication, construction, motorsports, equipment rentals and housing developments.
“I always try to bid more work than we can do, and we just grow into it,” he said.
Ask Jon what drove the company’s growth, and he’ll tell you their guiding principle never changed: treat people right.
“Standing behind our product, treating people the way we want to be treated, taking care of our employees,” Jon said. “That is all so important to me.”
Another big part of his approach, he says, is learning when to let go.
“You have to trust people to free yourself up,” Jon said.
The business has acquired several companies in recent years. In 2012, Jon bought CycleZone, a Topeka dirt bike dealership. It has since tripled its staff and, as of earlier this year, absorbed another dealership — Topeka Power Sports.
Two years later while HME was working on a Kentucky hospital project, one of the subcontractors filed bankruptcy mid job. Jon bought the subcontractor’s company rather than watch the project stall, leading to the launch of what is now HME’s steel erection division.
RETURN ON INVESTMENT
HME’s most ambitious acquisition came in 2017 when they bought a historic machine shop and commercial door company operating since 1876. Its staff has more than doubled under the company’s leadership, from 60 employees to 130.
Buying a door business turned out to be a natural fit for their construction
HME Inc.’s steel fabrication shop produces custom railings and structural components for contractors in multiple states. The company has grown from a garage startup to a 130-person operation.
work, while the machine shop proved its worth when the company landed a contract building machinery for the government of Puerto Rico.
Of course, with more projects comes more equipment. That’s why in 2019, HME launched a crane and equipment rental service. Jon also started Six Zero LLC, an employeeowned investment company, around the same time.
“With Six Zero, there was a need for employees to have something they could be hands on with,” he said.
Six Zero lets team members pool money to invest in rental properties and equipment, generating returns for employees while helping HME scale faster. The company’s name is meant to reflect Jon’s goal of helping employees retire by 60.
HME also hopes to tackle another pressing issue: housing. They’re currently developing a hybrid building that combines steel frames with wood components, designed as an affordable housing solution for rural communities.
It’s a concept that builds on a structure called the Agline, of which HME has already sold more
Photo by
BRIAN PETERS
than 20 units. Their latest version of it targets the growing market for “barndominiums” — barn-like buildings that have been either partially or fully converted into residential spaces, often with ample room for a workshop or storage.
Another key HME development? Their new 120,000-square-foot paint facility, which separates welding and coating operations for insurance and safety reasons. Construction began a year ago and is nearly complete, Jon said.
Industrial coating capabilities mean HME can now handle massive structural components for national logistics and distribution companies, the kind of multi-state projects that require both scale and consistency.
Jon credits the facility with improving production speed, but he’s quick to point out another factor he believes makes HME competitive: Kansas incentives. Thanks to grants such as those offered by the Joint Economic Development Organization
(JEDO), expanding businesses that stay in Kansas can receive property tax abatements and income tax credits for every job they create.
“You don’t get a handout to go pay for stuff. You get credits on the money you make,” said Jon, who sees the grants as buffers against rising steel prices and labor costs. “It benefits our clients and us. It’s a win-win.”
EFFICIENCY, NOT REPLACEMENT
HME has made some major investments in automation and robotics, but Jon is clear about their purpose: improving efficiency, not eliminating jobs.
“We’re not purchasing robots to replace human labor,” he said. “We’re purchasing them to make us more efficient and competitive.”
Automation technology handles repetitive tasks for machinery — welding the same joint hundreds of times, cutting identical pieces — so employees can take on work requiring
more judgment, skill and problemsolving.
HME says automation has helped them scale responsibly while continuing to hire. Jon reports that even during the 2008 economic recession, the company did not lay off a single employee, even when materials were costly and profit margins were tight.
“Tenacity is huge for us. COVID, steel price increases, tariffs — they’ve hit us, but they’ve made us stronger,” he said. “Even when we were technically losing money, we kept pushing and were able to stay profitable.”
For Jon, it all comes down to teamwork.
“Having a team who all works together to make sure you survive during hard times is huge. I really try to take care of my employees and they try to take care of HME. If I can hire someone smarter than me, I absolutely will,” he added. “Building a team of people who can do things better than I can is a key to success.” TK
Steel fabrication work funds employee investments through Six Zero LLC, Jon Haas’s employee-owned investment company designed to help workers build wealth and potentially retire by age 60.
Photo by BRIAN PETERS
THE SAME OL’ CHANGE NEW TOOLS, INNOVATIVE IDEAS, CONSISTENT DELIVERY
JAYME BURDIEK Lecturer
Brenneman School of Business Washburn University PHOTO SUBMITTED
Over the past 100 years, accountants have gone from keeping handwritten records to using punch cards to embracing cloud computing and blockchain technology.
The adage “the more things change, the more they stay the same” is one that can accurately be applied to the technological evolution of business processes. The phrase is attributed to French novelist Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr in 1849, and yet is applicable today as a metaphor for the rapid expansion of digital tools available to complete stable work requirements.
Striving for efficiency and effectiveness continues to be a primary means to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. However, the tools used to define, measure, analyze, implement and control processes often update faster than they can be adopted. No matter what the industry may be, there is a business element that is affected by or processed today with a digital tool.
Accounting technology has experienced a dramatic shift over the last century.
Management at its core is the process by which work is done through others; namely people, processes and systems. The perspective of management has also seen profound changes in the last century. No longer are people seen as parts of the production machine, but as the creative catalyst behind innovation and adaptation.
Technology is once again causing seismic shifts in who, how and where the work gets done. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are the latest tools to have incredible influence on and are vastly capable of improving the delivery of stable and consistent desired business outcomes of profitability, sustainability and market share.
ROBOTIC PROCESS AUTOMATION
Robots have long been used in industrial settings to complement the work of, assist with or replace the human altogether. Automobile manufacturers, still using the “ole assembly line” process, have increased efficiency and effectiveness with robots for decades. For this reason, the image that often comes to mind when robots are mentioned are physical, three-dimensional, automated machines. However, when robotics are applied to soft business processes, the robot is software, not hardware.
According to Adnan Masood writing in Medium, “Robotic Process Automation (RPA) traditionally denotes software “bots” that mimic rule-based human interactions with digital systems (e.g., clicking, typing) at the user interface level. These RPA bots excel at repetitive, rules-driven tasks such as data entry, form processing or moving files and
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Machine learning, large language models, natural language processing and computer vision are some of the amazing developments in AI tools being deployed by businesses to, once again, deliver on stable desired outcomes such as efficiency and enhanced customer service.
Business Intelligence systems and cybersecurity are
they operate without altering underlying applications.”
By completing standard repeatable tasks, RPA enables human beings to better serve the organization and achieve stretch goals. People are then focusing on innovating, problem-solving and making judgment-based decisions with reclaimed time.
RPA and AI technologies already benefit adopting businesses today with future expectations of continued process improvements and return on investment from the implementation of these tools.
The top ten benefits of RPA in business practice today, according to Rishika Patel as published in CIO Influence online, are cost efficiency, improved analytics, increased accuracy, amplified data security, enhanced communication, enhanced productivity, improved customer experience, quicker service, non-disruptive automation (seamless replacement or upgrade of legacy systems), and automated responses and triggers.
areas that use AI to predict and prepare for threats or stay ahead of trends in data analysis, governance and other means to prevent loss. Executive dashboards are being enhanced and produced with AI capabilities. Good decision making has always been based on accurate, timely information. AI can compile, scrub and format data 24/7 in
milliseconds, providing a steady stream of excellent reporting. The next phase of AI, agentic AI, incorporates large language models with the capability to interpret complex instructions and execute them in a remarkably human manner. This next phase of AI agentic development will enable more flexibility in utilizing digital resources in areas not restricted to repetitive scripts for automation to occur.
ROBOTIC PROCESS AUTOMATION + ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE = DIGITAL POWERHOUSE PARTNERSHIP
When OpenAI dropped ChatGPT on the world stage with little warning or fanfare, uncertainty regarding the future of RPA’s continued viability was seen in the capital markets via stock prices and earnings projections. Some RPA companies saw notable declines in stock value. The markets seemed to be asking: Would AI replace RPA technology? And would RPA developers find themselves out of work? Fear and speculation were tinged with caution regarding the potential for disruption and yet there was hope for amazing synergies bringing more capacity for automation throughout organizations.
Information technology will continue to develop and deploy automation capabilities for business
and multi-industry uses. AI will not replace RPA but enhance it by adding AI attributes such as the ability to read PDF documents or sort and store emails. These upgrades belong to the Intelligent/Cognitive Automation category. They are a middle ground or steppingstone between traditional RPA and agentic AI.
Several RPA software companies have already integrated intelligent and agentic capabilities into their platforms and offerings. Blue Prism is a multinational software corporation that builds RPA software.
According to Blue Prism’s Anton Veenendaal, their prediction for RPA and AI’s partnership in 2025 answers the question of whether RPA is still relevant
in 2025: “The short answer? Yes! RPA is still a useful automation tool. It deploys software robots (RPA bots) to perform front and back-office tasks. Of course, a lot of enterprises are taking RPA to the next level and finding new ways to achieve total digital transformation.
“RPA is well-suited for handling a lot of repetitive tasks like you’d see in administration. But by sweeping RPA together with AI and making it more accessible to citizen developers, businesses will get a lot more out of it — and that’s what we’re seeing in future automation trends … RPA, within an AI-powered automation and orchestration platform, can function as a guardrail toward secure and practical AI usage.”
UiPath is a leading agentic automation company whose platform and resources play a part of the future of Washburn’s change to deliver consistency story.
In the spring of 2023, Washburn School of Business, in conjunction with Security Benefit’s RPA team, held a Build-a-Bot Workshop to introduce students, faculty and staff to the UiPath automation software used at Security Benefit. Participants developed a “bot” or software robot that would search the internet and return movie listings of a specified date, time and location.
The piqued interest and excellent turnout prompted fundraising in the following year’s Day of Giving campaign for RPA at Washburn. Faculty training, access to class materials and resources, and initial software acquisition were the purpose of the campaign.
Planning and faculty team leader development have been the next stage in preparations to include work process automation exposure and skill building into the curriculum with possible deployment of RPA tools within the school’s own processes.
UIPATH ACADEMIC ALLIANCE
The cooperative effort with Security Benefit provided more than the movie listing software bot development case at the workshop. The SB team’s introduction of programs and contacts at UiPath has been an ongoing benefit for Washburn.
The UiPath Academic Alliance partnership exists to provide higher education entities with access to timely and relevant resources, advanced automation technologies and certification pathways to equip students. The automation leadership team is working with UiPath to determine best-fit courses and experiences for business students who have an interest in workplace automation regardless of their major area of concentration. Plans are being made to offer RPA and agentic learning opportunities in both undergraduate and graduate programs.
Training and certification programs assure learners that faculty are prepared to teach top-tier automation skills and best practice implementations. The academic alliance framework is built for students to earn certification as well, enhancing their marketability and competitive advantage. The academic alliance also provides a platform for
promoting the school’s participation in and successes in the workplace automation industry. Students who choose to participate in the UiPath Talent Connection have additional resources to connect with employers who utilize automation technologies.
The work to make these opportunities a part of the Brenneman School of Business curriculum at Washburn University has begun.
Thanks to the unwavering support of alumni, friends and the Topeka business community, Washburn students once again have access to resources and programming that will enable them to demonstrate exceptional skills and abilities. Faculty will lead students to be agents of change, using new and innovative tools to bring about the time-tested, stable, desired, productive and profitable outcomes that have been the mainstay of business models through the ages.
These tools will instigate changes in processes that enable businesses to stay the course in a dynamic environment while adapting to meet the dynamic nature of people. People, processes and systems: the more things change, the more they stay the same. TK
OF THE ENTREPRENEUR Heart
By INDIA YARBOROUGH
When passion starts early, it shows. Junno Gardenhire spent two decades in bodybuilding before opening Functional Fitness gym. Eddie Garcia started painting houses as a teenager and built Garcia Painting Services into a 13-person operation. Both found their best business opportunities right here in Topeka by creating them from scratch.
LISA LOEWEN
Photos by MELVINA TAYLOR
BRIAN PETERS
Photo by MELVINA TAYLOR
Photo by BRIAN PETERS
HOW ONE WOMAN BUILT TOPEKA’S MOST PERSONAL GYM
FUNCTIONAL FITNESS
By INDIA YARBOROUGH
by MELVINA TAYLOR
After navigating the fitness world for 20 years, earning recognition from the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB), Junno Gardenhire has embarked on a new type of fitness journey.
The Topeka native earlier this year opened her own gym, Functional Fitness, at 3526 SE 21st St. Much like the clients it serves, the gym, Junno says, is a work in progress.
She views the facility as being about 50% complete with plans for more equipment, an expansion to eventually offer group classes outside,
Photos
Photo by MELVINA TAYLOR
and the ability to have more trainers run their businesses there. Still, Junno began offering gym memberships.
“We had a lot of people reach out to us, and they were like, ‘Hey, are you going to open yet?’” Junno said. “I was like, ‘No,’ because I didn’t have the equipment that I wanted. Everything just wasn’t set into place.They were like, ‘I mean, you’ve got enough to get started, to get a good workout in. Do you work out there?’ And I’m like, ‘Well, yeah.’”
That was the spark she needed to invite the public inside.
“I put a message out on Facebook and Instagram and said, ‘If you don’t mind the construction, then I don’t mind you being here’ and sent the link out, and it just went from there,” she said.
Functional Fitness now has the posing room — a popular amenity among bodybuilders and fitness influencers — Junno envisioned. Walls have been painted and the owner’s office is built. The gym received its permits and passed all inspections in early July and held its official ribbon cutting in August.
TRAINER BUILDS BUSINESS WITHIN A BUSINESS
Abreanna “Bre” Parker has followed Junno’s journey closely, having worked with the Functional Fitness owner at a local commercial gym. She owns Mind & Body by Bre, a personal training and wellness business, through which she hopes to inspire others who want to take control of all aspects of their health — from mental wellness to physical fitness.
Bre has been in business for a few months. She officially launched in May, upon completing Omni Circle Group’s Emerge Community Business Academy, and needed space to coach and train clients.
“Junno and I worked together at a different gym a couple years ago,” Bre said. “I trusted her. When I saw that she was building her own gym, I’m like, ‘Oh, let me see what I can do to get in.’”
Bre was encouraged by Junno’s insistence that she could run Mind & Body by Bre however she wanted from her space inside Functional Fitness. Junno has provided valuable mentorship for Bre, in both business and fitness, encouraging her to “trust the process.”
An early adopter among members and one of two trainers operating out of the space, Bre says Junno’s gym is special.
Photo by MELVINA TAYLOR
Junno Gardenhire, a Topeka native, has been a competitive bodybuilder for nearly a decade.
A “Win the Day” sign welcomes visitors to Functional Fitness, where memberships cost $40 monthly with no sign-up fees.
“Hers is completely different from everyone else’s,” Bre said. “She has equipment that is upscale, that Topeka doesn’t even have, so she was definitely thinking outside the box.”
A DREAM YEARS IN THE MAKING
According to Junno, launching Functional Fitness meant fulfilling a vision she’s had for several years. The owner realized she wanted to create a space where people feel safe and comfortable investing in their fitness, no matter where they are in their journey.
Junno’s own journey began about two decades ago.
“I have two sons and a daughter. After I had her, I got really sick,” Junno said. “I was what some people would call skinny, but I wasn’t healthy. My husband has always worked out, so I kind of just got into it by tagging along with him at the gym. I got healthier, and then it was, ‘Well, I could do more.’”
Her husband started competing as a bodybuilder about 10 years ago. She joined him at a couple of his shows and was inspired.
“Seeing women with muscles, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh, I love the way that looks,’” Junno said.
She decided to take the leap, began working out harder, dialed in on her nutrition, hired a coach and did “all the things.”
“I’ve been competing for eight years,” she said. “I love being in that community. It was motivating to me.”
She remembers telling her husband, “One day, we’re going to have our own gym.”
As the couple traveled between fitness competitions and for their children’s sports, they visited gyms across the country. Junno began taking notes, jotting down ideas from her favorite stops.
“We called it gym hopping, instead of bar hopping,” she said. “I have this dream book here, and
Photo by MELVINA TAYLOR
it’s just filled with different equipment over the years that we’ve seen and wanted to have in our gym.”
Around 2020, Junno and her husband put together a five-year plan that would allow them to open their own business. It included Junno securing her IFBB Pro Card and becoming a trainer, because she wanted to open with intention.
WHAT SETS FUNCTIONAL FITNESS APART
Functional Fitness membership is $40 monthly, with no sign-up fee, annual fee or long-term contracts. A day pass to test the space is $15.
“Coming to the gym should be a stress relief, and if you have to worry
about how you’re going to pay for your gym membership, that’s a stressor. I don’t want to be part of that stressor,” Junno said.
When Junno’s realtor-turnedclient showed her the building the gym is now in, she knew it was the one. In fact, she purchased two adjacent buildings, demolishing a wall to create one cohesive space, with upper-body equipment on one side and lower-body equipment on the other.
The building feels secluded and quiet, she added, and clients have 24/7 key-fob access 365 days a year.
The layout and equipment are very intentional, Junno said. All equipment is hand-picked and designed to last a lifetime.
“When we sat down with different vendors to pick equipment, it was always a package,” she said. “I don’t want a package, because I know in the package you get things no one uses. We wanted to specifically pick things that we knew people would benefit from.”
At the end of the day, Junno said the community of people, not the equipment, is what really sets Functional Fitness apart.
“Everyone who comes in here has the same goal, and that’s to be a better version of themselves — to be stronger, to be healthier,” she said. “We all look different, but we all have the same goal. I love that that brings everyone together.”
Photo by MELVINA TAYLOR
Photo by MELVINA TAYLOR
Functional Fitness offers both training equipment (left) and a posing room with ring lighting and mirrors (right) — a popular amenity among bodybuilders.
Above Left: E.W. Rolfs started a family legacy in 1915 when he became the President of Central National Bank in Junction City, KS.
Above Right: Mike Munson and Sara Girard belong to the fourth generation of Rolfs bankers who provide leadership over the bank from their offices in Topeka, KS.
Photo by John Burns
GARCIA PAINTING SERVICES
By LISA LOEWEN
Photos by BRIAN PETERS
Photo by BRIAN PETERS
Garcia Painting Services owner Eddie Garcia learned early that “I could do anything, be anything, if I was willing to work for it.”
By the time Eddie Garcia graduated high school, he had already painted more than 100 houses — a strong resume for an 18-year-old that would eventually become the foundation for Garcia Painting Services, which officially launched in 2023.
Eddie was born in San Antonio, Texas, but his family moved to California shortly after he was born to look for better job opportunities. While his father managed to create a good life for them there, it required working two to three jobs to cover California’s high cost of living. When Eddie’s maternal grandmother became ill in 2005, the family decided to move to Kansas to help care for her.
“My dad sold our property in California right before the real estate market tanked, so he was able to take that money and invest it in rental properties in Topeka,” Eddie said.
Eddie, then in fourth grade, began helping his father maintain those rental properties by mowing grass and assisting with small repairs. As he grew older, his responsibilities
expanded to include patching drywall and painting both interior and exterior surfaces. When he wasn’t in school, Eddie was on a job site with his father, not because he had to but because he wanted to help.
“Those years working with my father taught me the value of a strong work ethic,” Eddie said. “He taught me that I could do anything, be anything, if I was willing to work for it.”
During his teenage years, Eddie continued working on his father’s properties while also taking on jobs from local builders who hired his father to do the cleaning, trim work and door installation.
“Those jobs helped me sharpen my skills because, over time, we ended up painting entire developments,” Eddie said. “All of those properties in the Montara area, I painted every single one of those with my dad, interior and exterior.”
PRIMING THE BUSINESS SPIRIT
Those early lessons on the value of hard work imparted by his father, combined with the on-the-job training
Eddie received while growing up, led him to turn his love of painting into a successful career.
Recognizing that he needed to gain more experience before he could start his own painting business, Eddie started working for a commercial painting company in Topeka, where he gained more experience by working on projects at Seaman High School, the Iron Rail and the Cyrus Hotel.
However, Eddie couldn’t ignore the part of him that still wanted to launch his own business. He started to pick up small jobs on the side, until one day the manager of CiCi’s Pizza reached out to ask him if he could paint the restaurant, working after hours so it wouldn’t disrupt the restaurant’s operations.
“Over the next five days, I worked from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. at CiCi’s and then went home, showered and headed to my day job from 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.,” Eddie said. “I didn’t get much sleep, but it was worth it. That was when I knew I could do this on my own.”
The company he was working for didn’t approve of Eddie’s moonlighting, so they let him go. Now, Eddie had to make a choice:
either find another job or build something on his own. He chose the latter.
“I opened my phone book and started making calls,” Eddie said. “I called every contractor, every apartment complex, every landlord and every single real estate agent that I could think of.”
The cold calls paid off. His first client came from a Keller Williams real estate agent who gave him an opportunity to prove his professional painting skills. One job led to another and Eddie’s business began to grow.
“My dad told me that if I focused on giving a five-star experience to every client, I would never run out of work,” Eddie said. “And I haven’t.”
GETTING OFF THE LADDER
Most 23-year-olds might feel a little intimidated by the thought of starting their own business, but not Eddie. After all, he’d been doing this type of work for half his life. He spent the next two years taking on more projects but, like most entrepreneurs, his business growth eventually outpaced the number of hours in a day.
“Because I was doing this all by myself, I couldn’t take the business to the next level. I would do the legwork to
One of Garcia Painting Services' recent residential repainting jobs, before and after. The company focuses on home properties in the Topeka region, including Lawrence, Kansas City, Meriden and Rossville.
bring in a new client, but then couldn’t focus on adding any more customers until I had completed the work. It became a vicious cycle,” Eddie said.
That changed when his dad fell ill.
“One of the last things he told me was that he wanted me to get off the ladder,” Eddie said. “He wanted me to build a team and focus on sales so that I wouldn’t be stuck in that solopreneur phase.”
When his dad passed away, Eddie hit a wall and wasn’t sure he could continue moving forward with the pressure of owning his own business. He decided to take a break and reflect on his options. He began working as a project manager for another painting company in town, but that only lasted two and a half weeks before he reconsidered his decision.
“I couldn’t stop thinking that somehow I was letting my dad down by not continuing this legacy I had started with him,” Eddie said.
He reopened Garcia Painting in 2023 with a plan to build out an entire team of painters, training and developing people so he could get out of the production side. His first hire came after he landed the contract to paint the Plaza Building next to Walmart on 37th Street.
Before After
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“I knew I couldn’t handle that job all by myself, so I hired a painter with some residential experience to help me out,” Eddie said. “It was just him and me on ladders for 13 straight days.”
Once that job was done, he sought two more painters to complete his first team. They went through a 90-day training process to ensure they followed Eddie’s exact procedures to provide the customer experience he was committed to giving every client.
“I was part painter, part project manager and part sales during that time,” Eddie said. “But once that training period was over, I took my dad’s advice and officially got off the ladder, only six months after he passed away.”
A NEW CAN OF PAINT
Leaving the ladder meant Eddie could focus on marketing his business. Fascinated by web design and digital marketing since high school, Eddie already had photography and videography skills and was able to produce social media content
to promote his business and drive customer engagement.
Knowing that the commercial painting space was highly competitive, he decided to focus his marketing efforts on residential repaints.
“I quickly realized that even though there are a lot of local painting companies out there, very few of them are good at marketing their businesses,” Eddie said. “Either they don’t know how to run their social media, or they just don’t have anyone in place to do that.”
He built a company website and invested in business coaching to help him learn how to run a successful business, how to sell high-end projects, how to manage projects and how to offer the best customer experience.
“When you sell multiple large jobs at once, it gets complicated to schedule them and manage the timelines so you complete each job in the timeframe you promised,” Eddie said. “Those coaching sessions helped me learn to work through that process, which helped me provide that five-star experience.”
Before-and-after photos of a log cabin renovation showcase the experience Eddie gained from years of working on job sites with his father, learning both interior and exterior painting techniques.
Out of all the painting projects Eddie has handled, one still stands out in his mind: the Plaza Building job.
“That was one of the biggest projects I have ever taken on by myself. Being able to complete that, especially after losing my dad and almost giving up on the company I had started, was proof that I really could make this work,” Eddie said.
He says the hardest lesson he’s had to learn is how to delegate and trust others to do the work.
For Eddie, being able to delegate — and step in to correct mistakes if necessary — is part of good leadership.
His goal is to eventually hire two sales people and two project managers to lead a crew of six teams. That would almost double his existing staff of 13 employees.
That might sound like an ambitious goal, but he says his marketing efforts and word-of-mouth referrals have helped him win jobs in not only Topeka but also Lawrence, Kansas City, Meriden, Rossville and beyond.
His latest venture is the development of a marketing company designed to help contractors promote their businesses.
“I love marketing,” Eddie said. “I can’t think of anything more rewarding than using my skills to help those small contractors, concrete workers and construction guys who are still on the ladder build their brand and grow their business.”
He says his father always told him that if he wanted to succeed, he would have to make it happen.
“If my dad was still here today,” Eddie said, “I’d tell him ‘Hey dad, I made it happen. I got off the ladder!’” TK
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FRAUD DEFENSE STARTS WITH AWARENESS
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS
CHRISTINA SCHMITT Chief Operating Officer
Envista Federal Credit Union PHOTO SUBMITTED
Convenience can sometimes come at a cost, especially as it relates to fraud. From phishing emails to social engineering scams, fraudsters are constantly evolving their tactics, finding new ways to access your personal information and financial accounts. At Envista, we believe fraud prevention starts with awareness. That’s why we’re committed to educating our members and our community on how to stay vigilant, informed and protected.
FRAUD IS MORE COMMON THAN YOU THINK
Fraud isn’t something that just happens to other people. It’s a growing threat that affects individuals and businesses across all industries. In fact, one in four people will experience some form of financial fraud in their lifetime. And with advances in technology, fraud is no longer limited to stolen credit cards or forged checks. It can happen through a quick text message, a suspicious link or even a phone call that seems completely legitimate.
Cybercriminals have become more sophisticated. They often impersonate trusted sources, like your financial institution, employer or even a family member, to gain access to sensitive information. That’s why education and awareness are your most powerful defenses.
KNOW THE RED FLAGS OF FRAUD
The first step to fraud defense is knowing what to look for. Whether you’re receiving a phone call, email or text, take caution if you notice any of the following red flags:
• They use urgent or fear-inducing language.
• They request your information like onetime codes, login IDs, passwords and social security numbers.
• They ask you to click on a link.
• They use misspelled words or odd grammar.
• They use spoofed phone numbers or email addresses to mimic financial institutions.
• Someone you don’t know is asking you to purchase gift cards, send a wire, purchase Bitcoin, etc.
• You’re being asked to reinvest your money in Bitcoin or send money elsewhere due to a “compromised account.”
• Someone is coaching you to withdraw cash or tell your bank or financial institution false information.
If something feels off, it probably is. Trust your instincts and verify before you respond.
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS
At Envista, we take account security seriously, but your vigilance plays a vital role. Here are proactive steps you can take to protect your financial accounts:
USE STRONG, UNIQUE PASSWORDS
Create complex passwords for each account, especially your online banking credentials. Avoid using easily guessed information like birthdays or pet names. Better yet, use a password manager to store and generate secure passwords.
ENABLE TWO-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION
Whenever available, enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your financial accounts. This extra layer of security requires you to confirm your identity using a secondary device or code, making it much harder for someone else to gain access, even if they have your password.
MONITOR
YOUR ACCOUNTS REGULARLY
Make it a habit to check your account activity often. Look for unfamiliar transactions, even small ones — scammers will often test a stolen card with a small purchase before going big.
SET UP ACCOUNT ALERTS
Most financial institutions, including Envista, offer customizable account alerts via text or email. These real-time notifications can alert you to withdrawals, purchases or balance changes, allowing you to act quickly if something’s wrong.
BE CAUTIOUS WITH PUBLIC WI-FI
Avoid logging into financial accounts on public Wi-Fi networks. These networks are often unsecured, making it easier for hackers to intercept your data. Use a virtual private network (VPN) service if you need to access sensitive information while on the go.
KEEP YOUR DEVICES SECURE
Always install updates and patches on your devices. These updates often fix known vulnerabilities that fraudsters exploit. Use antivirus and firewall protection and avoid downloading apps from unknown sources.
SCAMS ARE GETTING PERSONAL, AND SO SHOULD YOUR DEFENSE
Today’s fraud schemes go beyond generic spam. Criminals are using data breaches and social media to tailor scams specifically to you. You might receive an email that includes your name, references your employer or even contains real information scraped from your public profiles.
This type of scam is called social engineering, and it is designed to lower your defenses. It’s why it’s more important than ever to pause and verify before clicking a link, sharing information or downloading an attachment.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU SUSPECT FRAUD
If you think you’ve been targeted by a scam or notice suspicious activity on your account, act fast:
• Contact your financial institution immediately.
• Lock your debit or credit card (Envista members can do this easily through our app).
• File a report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
• Change your passwords and review other accounts that may have been affected.
Remember, time is critical. Early action can help limit the damage and make recovery easier.
ENVISTA’S COMMITMENT TO FRAUD DEFENSE
Fraud prevention is a shared responsibility. At Envista, we’re committed to empowering you with the tools and education you need to stay protected. Our Fraud Defense Center offers a robust library of videos, checklists and expert advice to help you recognize, avoid and respond to fraud threats. Make sure to check it out at envistafrauddefense.com.
Whether you’re a small business owner managing sensitive customer data or a consumer protecting your personal accounts, our resources are designed to help you stay one step ahead of scammers. We also host Fraud 101 events throughout the year to provide in-person education and community awareness, because we believe financial confidence comes from being informed.
TOGETHER, WE’RE STRONGER
Fraud is constantly evolving, but so is our commitment to protecting our members. As fraudsters get smarter, so must we. When you stay informed, ask questions and use the tools available to you, you take control of your financial future. TK
BEHIND THE SCENES
with TK Business Magazine
DANIELLE J. MARTIN
SPOTLIGHTING
NEAL SPENCER
President and Owner
Ernest-Spencer, Top City Logistics and Top City Metal Supply
Hosted by
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Behind the Scenes with TK Business Magazine is a podcast series hosted by Danielle J. Martin, delving into the innovation that fuels the growth of the Topeka community: local businesses.
Neal Spencer is the president and owner of Ernest-Spencer, a 103-yearold Kansas-based steel manufacturing company. He was born and raised in Topeka, where he resides today with his wife of 22 years, Cora, and their four children, Elsie, Layla, Serenity and Emmet.
Neal began his career at ErnestSpencer at the age of 14, working various jobs ranging from forklift operator to press operator. After graduating from Kansas State University with degrees in business management and economics in 2000, Neal held many roles in the company before becoming the fourth-generation owner and president in 2007. Since then, the company has quadrupled in size and now has two facilities totaling more than 500,000 square feet and more than 225 employees. They have also partnered with seven different Kansas-based businesses across the trucking, renewable energy and commercial real estate development sectors.
Neal is a genuine motivator and leader of people, providing forward-thinking business environments for others to succeed in. He leads Ernest-Spencer in its mission to be highly profitable by providing a progressive work environment for its employees, with safety, quality and productivity at its foundation.
Scan the QR code to see the full interview with Neal Spencer.
Martin: You told me before that you’ve actually been in this business since you were 14.
Spencer: Yeah. Being a family business, I got in the car with my dad every Saturday morning and went to work with him. After I turned 14, he said “Hey, we’re going to go out in the shop and start doing a little bit of work.” I started learning very young and did that through college. It was part of the work ethic my dad wanted for me.
Martin: You took over the business when you were 30, after your father passed away. What was going through your head at that time?
Spencer: It was a challenge. Not only did my dad die — he was 56 and I was 30 — but he was very unhealthy prior to that. There were a lot of addiction issues in his life. If you can imagine anybody that’s been through that type of thing, there’s a lot of hardships, sadness and struggles within the family and then the worst of the worst happens. It’s kind of odd to say, but there was a sense of relief because you weren’t worried about someone you love so much anymore. But at the same time, I felt this wave of, “Oh my gosh, now what?” For me, that was Ernest-Spencer. It was this business that’s been in the family for decades and now it’s on my shoulders at the age of 30.
The very next day after my dad died, I went to work. One day there were people at Ernest-Spencer who I reported to, and the very next day they were reporting to me. It scared me to death. But what was truly amazing is how the people at this company, my dad’s leaders, stood behind me and became my mentors.
Martin: Talk to me about some of the things you learned from that experience, or something you wish you would’ve known back then.
Spencer: Before my dad passed away, he told me, “Don’t ever become complacent in sales in a company like ours. You’ve got to constantly be searching for the next thing because something, somewhere, is going to happen in your customer base that you didn’t anticipate.” I really learned that lesson. I also learned to work harder, longer and stronger than the rest.
Martin: What are some of the things your dad implemented that you’re ensuring will continue to live on?
Spencer: Servant leadership, or the idea of going to work every day and trying to understand how you can help somebody else be their very best. That’s something my dad, granddad and great-grandfather did well. We’ve been in business for 103 years by empowering others and surrounding ourselves with strong people. We’re here to take care of our customers, our employees and their families, and to provide value to our community. Every day we make decisions based on what is best for those three key areas.
Martin: You went to Topeka High School and K-State. Did you see yourself living out your life in Kansas?
Spencer: Yeah, I did. I wanted to work for my dad, but my dad never forced it on me. He never said, “I need you to be the next generation.” It was always, “Are you sure you want to do it?” I tell my own kids that it looks glamorous, but it’s a lot of work. But he told me if it’s
not what I want to do, to go do what makes me happy. For me, I just saw tremendous opportunity. The values of Kansans and Topekans are second to none. I travel to a lot of places and every time I come home, I think about what a great place this is to be.
Martin: You lead a team of more than 100 people. Could you share some insights into how you’ve developed as a leader?
Spencer: Well, faith is number one. You start with that and your belief in God. But when my dad died, I lost my mentor. So I reached out to my wife’s uncle who was a successful business guy and said, “Hey, Uncle Dave, I think I need a little help. There’s times when I don’t know whether to go left or right or up or down.” He started spending time with me and talking me through business concepts.
Having somebody else who’s been in that situation is tremendous. And now I’m at the age where I’ve been doing it long enough that I can be that person for somebody else.
Martin: What advice would you give to small business owners struggling to grow?
Spencer: First off, you’ve got to have people with a wide set of abilities, not a narrow focus, because you’re going to ask them to do lots of things. That includes yourself. If you’ve chosen to go into business, you yourself should be scalable.
I also don’t discount the importance of documentation and procedure and policy, even in a small company, because as you grow and get busier, those things will be harder to put in place. If you have them set in place before you start to really grow and see success, then you have scalability.
The same goes for marketing. Don’t underestimate the value of strong marketing for a small business. One of the first things I did with ErnestSpencer was figure out how to brand it differently than everybody else.
Martin: If you could start over and create a business today, what steps would you take?
Spencer: Find the right people. That’s the easy answer. I don’t know enough about AI to tell you how
it could influence that, but I think that’s a big thing right now. Find the right people, dig into AI, set the branding from day one and then go get it.
Martin: What other leadership advice would you give to someone starting a business today?
Spencer: People oftentimes get so married to their career that they don’t have time for their kids or spouse. If you don’t have those things strong, you’re not going
NEAL SPENCER President and Owner of Ernest-Spencer
Since 1922, the Ernest-Spencer companies have been combining traditional American craftsmanship with advanced manufacturing technology to support business, industry and agriculture. Our focus is on providing superior quality metal fabrication, precision machining services, custom coatings, and specialty manufacturing services.
As a fourth generation business, we are proud to carry on our family legacy of growth, leadership and performance. We are grateful for the support of our customers, partners and communiities. ernestspencer.com
to have a strong business. You’re not going to have a career that’s fulfilling because there’s something that’s going to be missing when you go home at nine o’clock at night.
Martin: You’ve also mentioned the importance of your faith.
Spencer: It’s the cornerstone of who I am. I talk about these things like servant leadership and how I can help others make their day better, and those are Christ-based philosophies. Right after my dad died, I also started a faith journey. That journey is different for everybody, but it definitely helped me center myself.
Martin: I know Ernest-Spencer is active in the community. What are some of your current partnerships?
Spencer: We donate, support different charities and participate in golf tournaments and food drives, but we also serve on leadership boards like Washburn Tech’s. I spend my time with the Stormont Vail Foundation and the 20/30 Club, and this year I’m the chairman of GO Topeka.
Martin: I love the program you guys are doing with Washburn Tech.
Spencer: It’s a big deal. They’ve got a great focus on what the employers of our community need. We participate on those boards, as do others in town, to help influence what skill sets graduates need to have when they come out of school. Washburn Tech and Washburn University understand that just because you can weld doesn’t mean
you’re going to be a good employer or employee. If you can come out of that program and understand the importance of finances, being at work on time and meeting deadlines, you’re going to have a better career.
Martin: What’s next for ErnestSpencer?
Spencer: Our big focus is assembly. Traditionally, we’d cut and bend metal parts and ship them to somebody. Now we’re getting into full turn-key assembly, like finished products that are contract manufactured for other original equipment manufacturers. There’s more margin when you do that and you niche yourself from your competition. Most competitors are not going to even try to do that kind of stuff.
Martin: Do you believe the myth that robots are going to come into manufacturing and take over everyone’s jobs?
Spencer: That’s a funny question. Robots play a part in manufacturing in particular. We deploy robots and we’ll continue to do more. Honestly, there aren’t enough skilled people in the workforce, but the robot’s not going to take over the HVAC guy that comes to your house or the plumber that’s going to replace your toilet, or the person that’s going to quality inspect. So will there be more and more automation? Certainly, but it’s only going to enhance what people do. That’s my belief.
Martin: I noticed that you play pinball, and you’ve mentioned the
pinball machines you have at home are movie themed.
Spencer: I think pinball machines are beautiful. Every pinball machine is a unique work of art. They’re designed by comic book makers or people that help develop movie themes, and the machines play sounds or even voices from the movies. They’re fun, immersive and a great way to let loose and not think about work.
Martin: Do you golf?
Spencer: I love golf, and I love hanging with my family. We’ve got a great home with lots of things to do there, just relaxing. I also love researching and collecting bourbon.
Martin: Before we wrap up, do you have any final words for aspiring small business owners and leaders?
Spencer: Find ways to separate yourself from your competition. That could be your branding, your messaging or how you treat people. Have that person or two, whether it’s your wife or your husband or another business associate, that you can talk to because it can be lonely at the top. If you’re running a business and you’re trying to do it all by yourself, find some people. Because there are going to be rainy days.
As I say around here at ErnestSpencer, if I could just make more good decisions than bad, we’ll be okay. Because the bad ones are going to happen. We’re human. TK
The University of Kansas Health System St. Francis Campus Names New CFO
The University of Kansas Health System St. Francis Campus has promoted Michael Albers to chief financial officer. Albers had been serving as interim CFO since August 2024 after joining as assistant CFO in March 2023. He previously held leadership roles at Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
GreatLIFE Golf & Fitness Launches
Gel Blaster Nexus
GreatLIFE Golf & Fitness launched Gel Blaster Nexus at their GreatPLAY location on NW Tyler Street, in August. The team-based activity uses rapid-fire blasters to shoot safe, water-based gel balls in an interactive arena, with smart vests tracking scores. The space is available for friendly competitions, birthday parties and group events.
Stormont
Vail First in Topeka to Offer 24/7
Robotic
Surgery
Stormont
Vail Health is the first hospital in Topeka to offer 24/7 robotic-assisted surgery using the da Vinci Surgical System. The minimally invasive technology involves less pain, shorter hospital stays and quicker recoveries than traditional surgery. Round-the-clock availability ensures patients receive advanced surgical care regardless of when emergencies occur.
Greater Topeka Partnership Names Molly Howey as New CEO
After a national search, the Greater Topeka Partnership has selected Molly Howey as its new CEO. Howey brings nearly 15 years of experience with GO Topeka, where she currently serves as president. She has worked with companies including Mars Chocolate, Walmart Distribution Center and Advisors Excel. Send
Envista Federal Credit Union Welcomes Kristen Martinek as Mortgage Advisor
Envista Federal Credit Union has hired Kristen Martinek as their newest mortgage advisor. Martinek previously served as mortgage loan officer and commercial banker at Landmark National Bank, and director of sales and marketing at Advisors Excel. A longtime Envista member, she brings lending expertise and marketing leadership to help members achieve homeownership goals.
Topeka Zoo & Conservation Center Welcomes
The Topeka Zoo & Conservation Center has welcomed two orphaned black bear cubs in need of permanent human care. Taz, a sevenmonth-old male, was rescued as a newborn and is too comfortable with humans for wild release. Kiona, an 18-month-old female, has vision impairments.
Two Black Bear Cubs
In. Out. Back to Business.
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