2015 FOUNDATION AWARDS
| 2015 Q1 | story by KATHERINE DIAZ    | photos by PATRICK CONNOR |
Foundation

Dr. Lynne Murray, President of Baker University, discussed the importance of Baker’s role in the community.


“When thinking about our local economy, success is often attributed to the largest players — frequently, these are the resident industry leaders who provide a variety of services and act as job creators as a whole,” said Mark Kern, Lawrence Business Magazine Publisher. 

Equally important, however, are the contributions made by local small businesses. A market full of diverse small businesses plays a critical role in the positive economic growth of a community; when considered collectively, their impact cannot be ignored. Maintaining a diverse body of employment is similar to any other sound investment; a community can mitigate economic risk by spreading its employment base across multiple industries instead of relying on the success of one. With our highly educated workforce, innovative spirit and strong small business growth base, Lawrence and Douglas County have strategic advantages in the professional and business services sector, Kern says.

“CadreLawrence is a group of individuals who desire to be active in the promotion and support of economic development in Lawrence and Douglas County,” said Heidi Simon, Chair of Board of CadreLawrence. “Our ultimate goal is job creation, shifting the tax base burden off of city and county residents while not increasing the business tax mill levy, and providing balanced and factual feedback to our elected officials on these matters.”

The Foundation Awards honors businesses that are locally owned or locally franchised for-profit and have been in business for at least three years. Each business must show a growth in jobs by adding 20 percent more employees or a total of at least 20 new jobs within the year.

“A key fact is that 80 percent of local job growth is done by existing businesses in a community, not new businesses,” said Ann Frame Hertzog, editor-in-chief of Lawrence Business Magazine and partner at KERN Marketing Group. “And the Lawrence Business Magazine and CadreLawrence want to honor those established companies, and celebrate their contributions to our local community.”

It’s not only about adding jobs and opportunities within the community; it’s also about making a commitment to stay local by collaborating with other businesses and buying locally. The Footprint Impact Award recognizes a business that has made a significant community impact by making a conscious business decision to work and interact locally. Such business not only focuses on the growth and success of its company, but also focuses on giving back to the community. This year, Cromwell Environmental & Cromwell Solar was recognized for its dedication to the Lawrence community. The company showed its commitment to help maintain a clean environment and provide alternative solutions for energy sources.

“We think it is important to not only think about what a business does, but how they do business,” Hertzog said. “Our local businesses, supporting our local businesses – keeping it local.”

Doug Gaumer, Regional Market President for INTRUST Bank, helped introduce the featured speaker of the night Dr. Lynne Murray, President of Baker University, who discussed the importance of Baker’s role in the community. Murray stated that it is important for Baker to reach out to local businesses in order to create and build relationships between students and local business owners.

Foundation

Twelve local businesses received the Foundation Award on February 26, 2015.


Long-time business owners Larry McElwain and Lawrence Mayor Mike Amyx presented the awards to each recipient. McElwain has been an active member of the Lawrence community since 1966, and now serves as CEO of the Lawrence Chamber. As a lifelong Lawrence resident, Amyx understands the challenges of operating and maintaining a successful local business, being owner of Amyx Barber Shop, Inc., Amyx took over the family business since 1975.

“Congratulations to all the 2015 Foundation Award recipients. This year, we recognized the growth of 12 small businesses in Lawrence. In 2014, we inaugurated the Foundation Awards by celebrating 14 businesses,” Kern said. “In two short years, the Foundation Awards has recognized 26 local businesses and celebrated more than 166 jobs they have added to Lawrence and Douglas County. Their work and dedication are examples of the strength and importance of our small business sector. Thank you to Intrust Bank and all of the other business sponsors that made this event possible. A special thank you to CadreLawrence for creating a strong partnership with Lawrence Business Magazine.”

Foundation

Cromwell Environmental, in addition to being a Foundation Award Recipient, was awarded the Footprint Impact Award.

Cromwell Environmental specializes in testing and cleaning environmental and indoor air quality problems to help create a safe and healthy environment for everyone. The company works both locally for homeowners and businesses, as well as working nationally with large corporations, banks and relocation firms. Cromwell Environmental has become a national leader in the past 33 years in environmental testing on foreclosed homes. It has also proudly worked in all 50 states and beyond.

In addition to Cromwell Environmental in 1982, Cromwell Solar was founded to provide individuals with the opportunity to choose an affordable and sustainable electricity source. Using their engineering and science background, they design and install solar energy systems and extend its services to Kansas and Missouri. They approach solar energy from an engineering perspective, and using the variables of sunlight/shade/sun direction to custom design solutions to each customer’s unique needs.

As solar technology has developed and improved, Cromwell Solar has integrated the new technologies and worked with a local bank to help make solar affordable and protect our environment by reducing Co2 emissions.

Aron Cromwell has overseen the growing success of the business for the past 15 years, and in 2014 added 8 full time employees.

Foundation Award Winners

Foundation

Advanced Plumbing, Inc.
Advanced Plumbing, Inc. is a full-service plumbing company that was established in 2008 by Lifetime Douglas County resident, Chuck Folks. After spending many years working his way up from apprentice to operations manager of a large construction company in Shawnee, Chuck started his own company. In 2012, Advanced Plumbing, Inc. moved into its first office and shop at 545 Minnesota. In 2014, one new employee was added, making a total of four members in the Advanced Plumbing team.

Foundation

AesthetiCare of Lawrence
AesthetiCare has been a Midwest leader in aesthetics since 2011 and is the only Medical Spa in Lawrence. They invest in the most advanced equipment available in the U.S. and own 5 FDA-approved devices. Its staff consists of three RN’s who have more than 15 years combined experience and the medical director is Board-certified in OB/GYN. AesthetiCare added six new employees in 2014.

Foundation

Alpha Roofing, LLC
Alpha Roofing started in 2004 providing roofing services to the Lawrence community and surrounding areas. Their main focus through the years has been their commitment to customer satisfaction. Alpha Roofing’s success has allowed them to sustain slow, incremental growth. In the past year, Alpha Roofing added two new jobs to the Lawrence community.

Foundation

Bigg’s
Doug Holiday opened Bigg’s, a full-service, casual theme restaurant in September 2004. Bigg’s specializes in slow smoked meats that are rubbed in a special homemade dry rub. The food is made in-house from scratch using Holiday’s own recipes. As owner and operator, Holiday expanded Bigg’s growing success and added 20 new employees in 2014 to the Bigg’s family.

Foundation

Good Energy Solutions, Inc.
Good Energy Solutions, Inc. is a full service energy partner that provides comprehensive consulting and services in electrical, renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy management in the central U.S. region. Founded in 2007, the company has earned a reputation of reliable service, expertise, and quality through commercial and residential installations of solar and wind. Good Energy Solutions added nine renewable energy jobs within the community.

Foundation

Griffith Payments
With 42 years of strong and dedicated business expertise in Lawrence, Griffith Payments continues to provide Lawrence business owners the tools and connections necessary to run a successful company. Griffith Payments specializes in helping local small businesses get paid by developing individualized solutions to meet the payment needs of their clients for start-up ideas, expansions and those with multiple locations.They added one new sales agent to the team in 2014.

Foundation

Next Level Baseball Academy
Matt Duncan has owned and operated Next Level Baseball Academy in Lawrence for the past 10 years. The company mentors and instructs children and teenagers of eight to 18 years old. It also trains more than one thousand youth and adults at the high school, collegiate and professional level. In 2014, four new members were added to the staff.

Foundation

Printing Solutions
Printing Solutions is a full service commercial printer that has been in business for 14 years. It started in the garage of owners, John Hutton and Terry Jacobsen, with just three pieces of equipment. Printing Solutions now occupies a 30,000 square foot factory, does business nationwide, and has 60 employees. The company has invested heavily in modern equipment both in the digital world and traditional offset printing. This past year, Printing Solutions added 10 new employees to its ever-growing business.

Foundation

Silverback Enterprises
Silverback Enterprises was founded in 2012 by Lawrence native Ryan Robinson and Kyle Meyers of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Silverback is a full-service worldwide event production company that is proud to be headquartered in Lawrence with additional offices in Atlantic City, N.J. and soon to be San Francisco, Calif. With three years in business, Silverback has now produced more than 225 sporting events worldwide in 135 different cities for clients such as The Color Run, Ironman and The Wipeout Run. This past year, the company added five new members to the Silverback team in Lawrence.

Foundation

The Summit
The Summit is a full service fitness facility located in downtown Lawrence at the intersection of 9th and New Hampshire. In 2014, The Summit expanded its customer base by more than 50 % and now has more than 1,000 members and personal training clients. As a facility, what sets The Summit apart is the friendly environment and emphasis in the community, which staff members believe is incredibly important in creating a place where people want to be. From 23 staff members to 28, The Summit contributed in adding five new jobs in the Lawrence community.

Foundation

Treanor Architects
Treanor Architects, P.A. is a professional architecture firm with four additional offices located in Topeka; Kansas City; Mo.; St. Louis, Mo. and Dallas, Texas. Treanor Architects has been proud to serve the people of the community for the last 34 years. Their work has also allowed them to work in 30 states and internationally. Treanor looks forward to continuing to do the things that they have successfully done in Lawrence and hopes to continue doing them for the next thirty-four years and beyond. In 2014, Treanor added 13 new jobs in the Lawrence community.

Share.

75 Comments

  1. By my research, shopping for electronic products online can for sure be expensive, nevertheless there are some tricks and tips that you can use to acquire the best things. There are often ways to discover discount promotions that could make one to possess the best electronic devices products at the lowest prices. Thanks for your blog post.

  2. The next time I read a weblog, I hope that it doesnt disappoint me as much as this one. I imply, I know it was my choice to read, however I truly thought youd have one thing interesting to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something that you can repair in case you werent too busy looking for attention.

  3. Hey there, I think your blog might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your blog site in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, fantastic blog!

  4. Definitely believe that which you stated. Your favourite justification appeared to be at the net the simplest thing to keep in mind of. I say to you, I definitely get irked even as folks consider concerns that they plainly do not recognize about. You controlled to hit the nail upon the top as smartly as defined out the entire thing without having side effect , folks can take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thank you

  5. Someone essentially help to make critically articles I’d state. That is the first time I frequented your web page and to this point? I surprised with the research you made to create this actual submit incredible. Wonderful activity!

  6. One thing I’d like to say is the fact before purchasing more laptop memory, consider the machine in to which it can be installed. If the machine is actually running Windows XP, for instance, the particular memory limit is 3.25GB. Using in excess of this would merely constitute some sort of waste. Be sure that one’s mother board can handle the particular upgrade volume, as well. Thanks for your blog post.

  7. I blog quite often and I truly appreciate your information. Your article has truly peaked my interest. I will bookmark your website and keep checking for new information about once per week. I subscribed to your RSS feed as well.

  8. It’s a pity you don’t have a donate button! I’d without a doubt donate to this outstanding blog! I suppose for now i’ll settle for bookmarking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to fresh updates and will share this blog with my Facebook group. Talk soon!|

  9. Amazing blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere? A theme like yours with a few simple adjustements would really make my blog stand out. Please let me know where you got your theme. Kudos|

  10. Hello there! This post could not be written much better! Looking through this post reminds me of my previous roommate! He continually kept preaching about this. I will forward this post to him. Fairly certain he’ll have a very good read. I appreciate you for sharing!|

  11. Hmm is anyone else encountering problems with the pictures on this blog loading? I’m trying to figure out if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.|

  12. When I initially commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get four emails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove people from that service? Thanks a lot!|

  13. Hi, I do believe your site might be having web browser compatibility problems. Whenever I look at your site in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in I.E., it has some overlapping issues. I simply wanted to give you a quick heads up! Apart from that, great site!

  14. Howdy excellent website! Does running a blog similar to this require a lot of work? I’ve very little understanding of coding however I was hoping to start my own blog in the near future. Anyways, if you have any ideas or tips for new blog owners please share. I know this is off topic but I just needed to ask. Cheers!|

  15. Wow, marvelous blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your website is great, as well as the content!|

  16. I loved as much as you will receive carried out right here. The sketch is attractive, your authored subject matter stylish. nonetheless, you command get bought an nervousness over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come more formerly again since exactly the same nearly a lot often inside case you shield this hike.|

  17. Having read this I believed it was very enlightening. I appreciate you spending some time and energy to put this article together. I once again find myself spending a lot of time both reading and leaving comments. But so what, it was still worthwhile.

  18. Hello! Would you mind if I share your blog with my twitter group? There’s a lot of folks that I think would really appreciate your content. Please let me know. Many thanks|

  19. Currently it seems like Drupal is the top blogging platform out there right now. (from what I’ve read) Is that what you are using on your blog?|

  20. I have to thank you for the efforts you’ve put in writing this site. I am hoping to check out the same high-grade blog posts by you in the future as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my very own blog now 😉

  21. Hi to all, the contents present at this website are in fact remarkable for people knowledge, well, keep up the nice work fellows.|

  22. I think that what you published made a lot of sense. However, what about this? what if you were to create a awesome headline? I am not saying your content is not good., however what if you added something that makes people want more? I mean BLOG_TITLE is kinda boring. You should look at Yahoo’s home page and see how they create post titles to get viewers to open the links. You might try adding a video or a related picture or two to grab readers excited about everything’ve written. In my opinion, it would make your blog a little bit more interesting.|

  23. I really like your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you design this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz reply as I’m looking to design my own blog and would like to find out where u got this from. kudos|

  24. I have been browsing online greater than 3 hours nowadays, yet I by no means discovered any attention-grabbing article like yours. It’s lovely worth sufficient for me. In my view, if all site owners and bloggers made just right content as you probably did, the net will be much more helpful than ever before.|

  25. Hi my loved one! I want to say that this article is amazing, nice written and come with approximately all vital infos. I’d like to see extra posts like this .|

  26. Also I believe that mesothelioma cancer is a uncommon form of most cancers that is commonly found in those previously subjected to asbestos. Cancerous tissue form while in the mesothelium, which is a safety lining which covers almost all of the body’s areas. These cells normally form inside the lining in the lungs, abdominal area, or the sac that encircles the heart. Thanks for sharing your ideas.

  27. Its like you read my mind! You seem to know so much about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you can do with a few pics to drive the message home a bit, but other than that, this is fantastic blog. An excellent read. I will definitely be back.|

  28. Greetings from California! I’m bored to death at work so I decided to browse your website on my iphone during lunch break. I really like the info you provide here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m surprised at how quick your blog loaded on my cell phone .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyways, fantastic site!

  29. Amazing! This blog looks exactly like my old one! It’s on a totally different topic but it has pretty much the same page layout and design. Excellent choice of colors!|

  30. I learned more new things on this fat loss issue. One particular issue is that good nutrition is extremely vital any time dieting. A huge reduction in fast foods, sugary food items, fried foods, sweet foods, beef, and whitened flour products can be necessary. Holding wastes parasites, and toxic compounds may prevent desired goals for losing weight. While specified drugs briefly solve the situation, the horrible side effects usually are not worth it, and they never present more than a momentary solution. It is just a known incontrovertible fact that 95 of diet plans fail. Many thanks sharing your opinions on this website.

  31. After checking out a few of the articles on your web site, I seriously appreciate your way of blogging. I saved as a favorite it to my bookmark webpage list and will be checking back soon. Please visit my website too and let me know how you feel.

  32. Many thanks for your post. I’d like to say that the expense of car insurance differs from one coverage to another, due to the fact there are so many different facets which bring about the overall cost. As an example, the model and make of the motor vehicle will have a massive bearing on the price. A reliable ancient family vehicle will have a less expensive premium than a flashy sports car.

  33. This is the right weblog for anybody who desires to search out out about this topic. You understand a lot its nearly hard to argue with you (not that I really would need?HaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a subject thats been written about for years. Nice stuff, just nice!

  34. I can’t express how much I value the effort the author has put into creating this remarkable piece of content. The clarity of the writing, the depth of analysis, and the plethora of information presented are simply astonishing. His zeal for the subject is apparent, and it has definitely resonated with me. Thank you, author, for offering your knowledge and enriching our lives with this exceptional article!

  35. Howdy! I know this is kind of off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could get a captcha plugin for my comment form? I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having difficulty finding one? Thanks a lot!

  36. I have realized that of all different types of insurance, health care insurance is the most marked by controversy because of the conflict between the insurance policy company’s need to remain making money and the buyer’s need to have insurance policy. Insurance companies’ profits on health and fitness plans are extremely low, so some companies struggle to generate income. Thanks for the suggestions you write about through this website.

  37. Its such as you read my mind! You seem to grasp a lot approximately this, like you wrote the e-book in it or something. I believe that you just could do with a few percent to pressure the message house a little bit, however instead of that, that is wonderful blog. A fantastic read. I’ll certainly be back.

Leave A Reply