Oct 21, 2025

Chamber to induct three local businessmen into Business HOF, announcing Spirit of Salina Award at event

Posted Oct 21, 2025 10:02 AM
Chamber of Commerce holding Salina Business HOF event on <b>Thursday, November 13</b> from <b>noon - 1:30 pm</b> at the <b>Salina Country Club </b>(<b>2101 E Country Club Rd)</b>
Chamber of Commerce holding Salina Business HOF event on Thursday, November 13 from noon - 1:30 pm at the Salina Country Club (2101 E Country Club Rd)

Salina Area Chamber of Commerce

The Salina Area Chamber of Commerce’s Business Hall of Fame is proud to announce three prominent Salina businesspersons scheduled to be inducted into the 2025 class.

Those inductees are as listed:

Dr. William Eugene Mowery (Pioneer Category, 1858-1945); Richard ‘Dick’ Renfro (Historic Category, 1946-1999); and Larry Britegam  (Contemporary Category, 2000-present). 

In addition to the Business Hall of Fame Inductees, the Business Hall of Fame Task Force is excited to announce the Spirit of Salina Award recipient.

This award, which was created in 2022, was developed to recognize an emerging entrepreneur in Saline County. The entrepreneur selected will represent the “best of the best” in terms of  overcoming obstacles, believing in their dreams, taking risks and persisting as a small business owner. They embody a spirit-the entrepreneurial spirit of Salina – and those that have come before.

This year’s recipient will be announced at the induction ceremony. 

The induction ceremony will be held Thursday, November 13th from noon - 1:30 pm, at the Salina Country Club (2101 E Country Club Rd). Doug Girod, Chancellor of the University of Kansas, will be the featured speaker.  

The Salina Business Hall of Fame is celebrating its 20th Anniversary, having been established by the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce in 2005. Its purpose is to recognize and honor Salina business leaders, both past and present, who have made extraordinary contributions to Salina, earned the respect of the local community and called  attention to the Free Enterprise system and its value to our country and citizens in shaping Salina’s way of life.  

“The caliber of those that get inducted into the Business Hall of Fame is so high because these are not just people  who have achieved success in business, but also who have made integral contributions to the success of the entire  community,” Renee Duxler, president and CEO of the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce said, “This 2025 class of  inductees is particularly exceptional with the imprint that they’ve left on Salina and we’re thrilled to be able to  celebrate them.” 

Tickets for the induction ceremony are $35 per person and can be purchased by registering online on the Chamber’s website at www.salinakansas.org, or by calling the Chamber office at (785) 827-9301, or by emailing Hayley Rhodes at [email protected]