By SALINA POST
The Salina Area Chamber of Commerce is now accepting nominations for the 2022 Class of the Salina Business Hall of Fame.
The hall of fame was established by the chamber in 2005 "to honor prominent business leaders both past and present, which have made extraordinary contributions to Salina, earned the respect of the Salina community and exemplified the Free Enterprise System," according to a news release issued by the chamber this afternoon.
Nomination forms can be picked up at the chamber office, 120 W. Ash Street, or downloaded by clicking on the Hall of Fame quick link on the chamber's website. The deadline to submit nominations is 5 p.m. July 25.
Nominations can be made in the following categories.
• Pioneer Award – 1858-1925
• Historic Award – 1926-1975
• Contemporary Award – 1976-present
“The Business Hall of Fame honors the achievements of Salinans who have made outstanding contributions to the development and enhancement of Salina’s business climate and created a lasting impact on the Salina community overall,” said Eric L. Brown, chamber president and CEO. “It’s the chamber’s way of saying thank you and recognizing the men and women who have helped make Salina the community it is today.”
Both chamber members and members of the public can nominate individuals for the hall of fame.
"Nominees will be considered on the basis of several criteria which include business excellence, entrepreneurial spirit, courageous thinking and actions, inspiring leadership, community impact, positive role model, enduring accomplishments and local influence. Individuals nominated in previous years will be considered again this year," the chamber noted in the news release.
A task force will determine who is selected for the 2022 class. Those inductees will be honored during a luncheon in the fall.
Additionally, a portrait of each inductee will be on display in the Business Hall of Fame room within the chamber office.
Following are the people who already are in the Salina Business Hall of Fame.
2005 inductees
H.D. Lee, William Graves, JJ Vanier, Al Schwan, and Charlie Walker
2006 inductees
Alexander Campbell, M.J. Kennedy, Milton Morrison, Charles W. Shaver, and Roy Applequist
2007 inductees
Oscar Seitz, Ralph Reitz, William Exline, Murray Wilson, and Lee Young
2008 inductees
Dean Evans and Paul Junk
2009 inductees
W.W. Watson, Whitley Austin, Verla Nesbitt Joscelyn, and Jack Vanier
2010 inductees
Benjamin Aaron Litowich, Thomas Watson Roach, and Mike Berkley
2011 inductees
James R. Allen, William R. Geis, and Ben A. Sellers
2012 inductees
William Phillips, Dick Brown, and George Frisbie
2013 inductees
Ward Marshall and Karl Stutterheim
2014 inductees
Charles R. Underwood and Charles E. Stevens
2015 inductees
Frank Hageman, Baalis Kyger Smoot and Tom Pestinger
2016 inductees
Herman H. Sudendorf, Robert J. Laubengayer, and Sidney A. Reitz
2017 inductees
Arthur M. Claflin, Dan Bolen, and Tim Rogers
2018 inductees
Milton Stiefel and Melvin and Marge Bergkamp
2019 inductees
Earl Bane, Marshall Stanton, and Eugene and Margaret Logan
2021 inductees
August (AJ) Holmquist, Frank Norton, and Steve Ryan