2026Q2: Letter From the Publishers

Foundation Award Recipients and IMPACT award winners: CEK Insurance — Footprint Impact Award, Justin Cordova and Mark Buhler; La Tropicana — Minority-Owned Business Foundation Impact Award, Catalina Martin del Campo, Severina Martin del Campo (sitting), and Laura Martin del Campo; Free State Dental — Woman-Owned Business Foundation Impact Award, Kim Herries and Kayla Steffey.

For more than a decade, one of the highlights of our year has been celebrating the businesses that are helping shape the future of Lawrence and Douglas County. The Lawrence Business Magazine Foundation Awards were established in 2014 with a simple but important goal: to recognize and celebrate local businesses that are growing, creating jobs, and investing in our community.

As publishers of Lawrence Business Magazine, we have the privilege of telling the stories of business owners, entrepreneurs, and organizations that work every day to make our community stronger. We know that much of our community’s economic growth comes from businesses that are already here. Local businesses expand, hire new employees, invest in facilities, support local causes, and create opportunities for others. They are the foundation of our local economy.

That belief is what inspired the Foundation Awards. Each year, we honor businesses located in Douglas County that have created new jobs. Whether it is a small company adding its first employee or a larger organization adding dozens of jobs, every new position represents an opportunity for someone in our community. Those jobs support families, strengthen neighborhoods, and contribute to the overall vitality of Lawrence.

What makes these awards especially meaningful is that they recognize businesses of all sizes and across all industries. Growth does not look the same for every company. For some, growth means expanding into a new market. For others, it means purchasing new equipment, opening a second location, or adding staff to meet increasing demand. Regardless of the path, growth requires vision, risk, perseverance, and an incredible amount of hard work.

We have had the honor of presenting more than 180 Foundation Awards to local businesses and celebrated the creation of almost 2,000 jobs in our community. Those numbers represent far more than statistics. They represent entrepreneurs who took a chance, employees who found opportunities, and businesses that chose to continue investing in Lawrence and Douglas County.

Each year, one of those Foundation Award honorees is selected for the Footprint Impact Award, recognizing a business whose work model includes giving back, community involvement and service. In 2023, we expanded our recognition efforts by adding the Minority-Owned Business Foundation Impact Award and the Woman-Owned Business Foundation Impact Award, honoring businesses that are making a meaningful difference in our community while also building successful enterprises. Together, these awards reflect something we have always believed: how a business succeeds is just as important as its success itself.

While the Foundation Awards celebrate the achievements of our honorees, they are also a reflection of the broader business community that helps make that success possible. We are especially grateful to the sponsors who partner with us each year to support this program. Their commitment to giving back demonstrates the kind of leadership that strengthens our community and creates opportunities for others to succeed. We are proud to work alongside our presenting sponsor, INTRUST Bank, and our other sponsors who understand the importance of recognizing local businesses and celebrating the positive impact they have on Lawrence and Douglas County.

As you read this issue and learn more about this year’s honorees, we encourage you to celebrate their achievements. Their success strengthens our entire community. We are proud to recognize these businesses, grateful for the sponsors who make the program possible, and excited to continue highlighting the companies that are helping Lawrence grow, one job at a time.

Please note that all our advertisers have a stake in the local economy. Try to shop locally and resist the temptation to order online. If you find something online, see if one of our local businesses has it.

When we Shop Local – Shop Baldwin, Eudora, Lecompton, and Lawrence (and use Local Services) – we are supporting those businesses, giving back to our community, and building a future together.

Ann Frame Hertzog Steven Hertzog
Editor-in-Chief/Publisher Chief Photographer/Publisher

2026 Foundation Award Sponsors:

PRESENTING SPONSOR: INTRUST Bank;

SPECIAL IMPACT AWARDS SPONSOR: Bob Signt Automotive Group, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas

PILLAR SPONSOR: Maceli’s;

FOOTPRINT AWARD SPONSOR: Hemel Electric;

CORNERSTONE SPONSORS: MIDCO Business, Ricks Advanced Dermatology and Skin Surgery;

BRICK SPONSORS:
Alpha Roofing, Bishop Business, City Wine Market, The Chamber,
Express Employment Professionals, Grandstand, Pine Landscape Center,
Sigler Pharmacy, SSC CPAs and Advisors;

MORTAR SPONSORS:
23rd Street Brewery, Adecco, BridgeHaven,
Crown Automotive, Johnny’s Tavern and J. Wilson’s, KU Alumni, KU Innovation Park,
KLWN, New Heights Therapy, Paul Davis Law Firm, Paul Werner Architects,
Stephens Real Estate, UPS Store #2582 Parkway Commons, YellowBug

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