Newsmakers 2026Q3

BHS Construction

BHS Construction Opens Lawrence Office

BHS Construction has officially opened the doors to its newly renovated Lawrence office.

With more than 60 years of building across Kansas, BHS Construction is excited to grow its presence in Lawrence and become an even bigger part of the community. Founded in Manhattan in 1965, BHS has always approached construction with a simple philosophy: Build Together. Today, the company has roughly 120 employees and works with clients across K-12 and higher education, healthcare, religious, historic preservation, commercial, and other markets throughout the state.

Opening an office in Lawrence is a natural next step for BHS and reflects the company’s long-term commitment to the community and surrounding region. The office shares a building with fellow local businesses Petz CPA and Farm Bureau Financial Services Brent Ketter Agency.

Good Energy – Lawrence Community Nursery School

Good Energy Solutions Announces 2026 Solar Giveaway for Local Nonprofit

Good Energy Solutions, a leading solar energy and electrical services company based in Lawrence, Kansas, is proud to announce its 2026 Solar Giveaway. This initiative will award a free solar panel system to a deserving nonprofit organization in northeast Kansas or the Kansas City area. Applications are open now through October 16, 2026. The Solar Giveaway aims to reduce operating costs for nonprofits by lowering their electric bills, allowing them to allocate more resources toward their missions. Since 2017, Good Energy Solutions has donated energy upgrades to several local nonprofits, including this year’s recipient, Lawrence Community Nursery School.

Lawrence Community Nursery School has served Lawrence families for decades through its unique cooperative preschool model, where teachers and parents work together to create an engaging, play-based learning environment for young children. By generating clean, renewable electricity on-site, the new solar energy system will help lower the school’s operating expenses, allowing more resources to be directed toward educational programming and student experiences.

Reese Jones and Maria Fisher

The Chamber, Lawrence, Announces Two New Team Members

Reese Jones has joined the organization as Manager of Membership & Sales, where he will focus on cultivating new member relationships, supporting existing members, and strengthening engagement throughout the Lawrence business community. Reese has extensive experience in strategic sales, marketing, and business operations, most recently serving as Vice President Sales & Marketing and Chief Operating Officer at Professional Moving & Storage. He is also a Leadership Lawrence alumnus and President of Lawrence Young Professionals.

Maria Fisher has been named Manager of Programs & Events. In her new role, Fisher will oversee the planning and execution of the Chamber’s diverse portfolio of events and programs, continuing the organization’s tradition of delivering meaningful opportunities for networking, professional development, and community engagement. Maria brings more than 15 years of chamber and nonprofit development, event planning, and development experience, including roles with the Louisville and Morristown Chambers, Leadership Louisville, the Boys & Girls Club, and most recently the Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas. Maria is a Leadership Lawrence graduate.

Peaslee Promise

Dwayne Peaslee Technical Training Center Announces New Matching Fund Program

Dwayne Peaslee Technical Training Center is excited to announce a new matching fund program for the Peaslee Promise Endowment. Those who donate to the Peaslee Promise will have their donation matched until the $1,000,000 in funds are matched. Once this fund is expended, the Peaslee Promise will have attained 60% of its goal of raising 5 million dollars by 2030 and 30% of its overall goal of 10 million dollars.

The Peaslee Promise Endowment Fund makes career training and education accessible without debt for students from partnering high schools or adults from low-income households in Douglas County. Donations will sponsor Debt-Free education. “I am not aware of another post-secondary institution in America that pledges to keep its student’s debt-free,” said Kevin Kelley, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Peaslee Tech.

“Our Board is committed to helping our students start their careers without the burden of student loans,” said Shirley Martin-Smith, Board President of Peaslee Tech. To help keep the Promise, donations can be made by contacting Kevin Kelley at 785- 856-1801, extension 101 or at kevin.kelley@peasleetech.org. Donations may also be made through the Douglas County Community Foundation,785-843-8727 or https://www.dccfoundation.org.

Washington Passing the Delaware (ca. 1835–1840) by Edward Hicks

Watkins Museum of History Announces Partnership with Art Bridges Foundation

The Watkins Museum of History today announced a partnership with Art Bridges Foundation, the national arts nonprofit founded by philanthropist and arts patron Alice Walton, that will bring a major work of 19th-century American painting to Lawrence. Washington Passing the Delaware (ca. 1835–1840) by Edward Hicks, on loan from the Art Bridges Collection, will serve as the centerpiece of Sharing Heritage Through Art, a series of exhibitions exploring how cultural communities in Douglas County preserve and share their histories. The series opens in the museum’s third-floor gallery in April 2027.