Celebrating the Business of the Year 2018

| 2018 Q1 | story by Bob Luder | photos by Patrick Connor

Fifth Annual Foundation Awards – Bob Davis, Master of Ceremonies and Brian McClendon, Guest Speaker

The featured speaker earned his keep before he ever spoke a word. When a laptop computer starts acting up, it’s always good to have a former Google executive in the house.

Lawrence Business Magazine and Cadre Lawrence Foundation Awards, with presenting sponsor INTRUST Bank, celebrated five years and nearly 500 jobs created, and went off without a hitch Feb. 21 at the Six Mile Chop House, in Lawrence, Kansas. That is, at least, after special guest speaker Brian McClendon, University of Kansas research professor and former Google vice president of engineering, solved the computer glitch for the slide portion of the ceremony.

This year, 10 local businesses were honored with Foundation Awards, honoring locally owned or franchised businesses that have been open at least three years and shown at least 20 percent growth in jobs within the year.

Brian McClendon, Guest Speaker – helping out before the awards.

“I spent a lot of time investing in start-up companies in and around Kansas,” said McClendon, who also is running for Kansas Secretary of State this year. “To see companies go from the ideas phase to the point of growth and success is fascinating.”

McClendon’s speech centered around his journey to and around Silicon Valley, from his first management position with a graphics company to creating a mapping app that eventually led to 10 years of leading a team that founded Google Maps. During that time, the team grew from 13 full-time employees to 2,000.

Lawrence, he said, was the original testing ground for Google Earth and Google Maps, and the original center point for Google Maps was the apartment complex in town where he grew up.

The master of ceremonies for the evening once again was legendary hall-of-fame sports broadcaster Bob Davis, who brought his patented smooth delivery and razor-sharp wit to the proceedings. One by one, he brought to the podium at the front of the room representatives of the honored companies, led by Alpha Roofing and Good Energy Solutions Inc., both of which were honored with Foundation Awards for the third consecutive year.

LtoR: Bob Davis (Master of Ceremonies), Steven Hertzog, Ann Frame Hertzog, Brian McClendon, Zak Bolick

“Business is good; the community has been very supportive,” said Darin Lutz, owner of Alpha Roofing. “For us, it’s all just about being accountable, being the best we can be. We couldn’t do it without our employees. They’re the reason we are who we are. I’m very proud of them.”

Kevin Good, owner/president of Good Energy Solutions Inc., said his company has been riding the wave of what is a growing industry, especially in the Lawrence area.

“We take care of our customers, and it seems to be working,” he explained. “Lawrence is a growing town, and it’s probably the most progressive town city in the state.

“We were one of the first companies to get in (the industry in Kansas). Growth has been slow and steady,” Good said.

Other honorees included Build SMART, Edmonds Duncan Registered Investment Advisors, Kennedy Glass Inc., KW Integrity, Paul Werner Architects, Pine Landscape Center, Pioneer Ridge Retirement Community and Prairie Land Insurance.

Kennedy Glass received a second honor by receiving the Footprint Impact Award, which honors a Lawrence business committed to impacting the community and creating a local footprint of mutually beneficial relationships which strengthens the community.

Kennedy Glass has been doing business in Lawrence for 68 years.

“That was a very big surprise,” said an emotional Martin Kennedy, co-owner. “We’ve always believed strongly in community involvement and forging strong business relationships. I hope we can hire more employees and keep on going.”

That was the overriding theme of the entire event and evening.

“The role of small business in our local economy cannot be overstated,” said Doug Gaumer, managing director Northeast Kansas Market for INTRUST Bank. “The birth and growth of new businesses is absolutely essential to the long-term economic health of our community. When a business is able to grow, it is a reflection of its capabilities in serving customers in a profitable manner-signaling that they can employ additional people to continue its customer serving/acquisition strategy.

“INTRUST Bank is proud to be a small part of this event,” he said.

Foundation award honorees bios

Alpha Roofing

ALPHA ROOFING – A Three-Time Winner

Alpha Roofing specializes in residential and commercial roofing. Since opening for business in 2005, Alpha Roofing has maintained steady growth and excellent standing with its customers and suppliers. In 13 years of business, it has serviced thousands of customers in northeast Kansas, which include homeowners, insurance companies, city municipalities, contractors, historic societies, apartment and management companies, and real estate professionals. Alpha Roofing looks forward to many more years serving the Lawrence community and surrounding areas.

Last year, the company grew from seven employees to 12.

Build Smart

BUILD SMART

Build SMART manufactures a panelized wall system that saves time and money to build energy-efficient structures. With a focus on maximizing air tightness and energy efficiency in the building envelope and simplifying the design process of high-performance construction, Build SMART has helped numerous projects exceed energy goals. Build SMART panels have been used on multiple building types, from small residential projects to large multifamily projects, such as a 52,000-plus-square-foot apartment complex recently completed in Pennsylvania. Build SMART is a partnership between PROSOCO and Adam Cohen, designed to make durable efficient construction simple, affordable and accessible for any builder, architect or owner.

Last year, the company grew from eight employees to 11.

Edmonds Duncan Registered Investment Advisors

EDMONDS DUNCAN REGISTERED INVESTMENT ADVISORS

Edmonds Duncan Registered Investment Advisors is a client-focused, full-service wealth-management company. It proactively plans and implements customized financial strategies designed to help clients achieve financial objectives with confidence and personal service. The Edmonds Duncan team specializes in portfolio management for individuals, families, businesses, foundations and endowments, retirement plan design and implementation, business and personal succession strategy, insurance planning and charitable giving.

Last year, the company grew from three employees to five.

Good Energy Solutions

GOOD ENERGY SOLUTIONS INC. – A Three-Time Winner

Good Energy Solutions Inc. is a full-service energy partner that is able to provide comprehensive consulting and services in electrical, renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy management in the central-U.S. region. Founded in 2007, Good Energy Solutions has earned a reputation of reliable service, expertise and quality through commercial and residential installations of solar and energy-efficiency equipment. Good Energy Solutions Inc. is “Energy with Integrity” and a SunPower Authorized Dealer.

Last year, the company grew from 20 employees to 25.

Kennedy Glass – Footprint Impact Award 2018

KENNEDY GLASS INC. – Footprint Impact Award 2018

Kennedy Glass Inc. is a family-owned and operated business, and has been in operation since 1950. The company specializes in residential, commercial and auto glass services, offering a wide array of services, from window glass replacement to new custom shower door installations. Kennedy Glass also completes large commercial projects. It has an employee base of 24 employees, many of whom have long tenure with the company. Kennedy Glass is proud to be a player in the Lawrence economy and is pleased to be a part of the thriving Lawrence community, while providing jobs and services for the city that helped the company grow.

Last year, the company grew from 20 employees to 24.

KW Integrity

KW INTEGRITY

KW Integrity is a locally owned and operated franchise of Keller Williams Realty International. Started in Lawrence in 2011 with just 12 agents, KW Integrity has grown to 86 agents and counting. KW Integrity focuses on building a career worth having, businesses worth owning and a life worth living for its 86 agents, all while providing top-notch service to its clients. KW Integrity continually strives to be the real estate company of choice in Lawrence and the surrounding areas.

Last year, the company grew from 51 employees to 86.

Paul Werner Architects

PAUL WERNER ARCHITECTS

Paul Werner Architects (PWA) is a full-service architecture firm in Lawrence. It offers personalized architectural services for a wide range of residential and commercial projects locally and regionally. Its services include architecture, urban planning and design, site planning and development, zoning, building code analysis and historic design. PWA prides itself on providing the skills necessary to support its clients and their projects from concept through the development stages with the city and community through the permitting process to completion of a built project.

Last year, the company grew from seven employees to nine.

Pine Landscape Center

PINE LANDSCAPE CENTER

Pine Landscaping Center is a full-service landscape supply center with a focus on hardscape, landscape and outdoor living products. Rock, sod, soil and mulch are the foundational elements of the Pine Landscape supply yard. It offers quality products at competitive prices with superior customer service. Experience, quality and knowledge make Pine Landscape Center a destination for all your landscape needs.

Last year, the company grew from three employees to four.

Pioneer Ridge Retirement Community

PIONEER RIDGE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

Pioneer Ridge retirement community offers the best in senior services, including assisted living, health care and rehab in a premier independent living community. Pioneer Ridge Assisted Living offers activities at its location for residents that generally allow them to maintain healthy lifestyles by encouraging movement and socializing with peers. Pioneer Ridge is a part of Midwest Health, which is a family-owned business dedicated to delivering the finest in senior services.

Last year, the company grew from 130 employees to 164.

Prairie Land Insurance

PRAIRIE LAND INSURANCE

Prairie Land Insurance is an independent insurance agency offering personal and commercial lines of insurance in 10 states. It specializes in home, auto, life, crop, farm, commercial lines, business, workers comp, personal umbrella, motorcycle, RV, aircraft, watercraft, bonds and annuities. Prairie Land Insurance is licensed in 10 states and has Kansas locations in Lawrence, Manhattan, Winona, Selden and Derby.

Last year, the company grew from four employees to seven.

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