20 Under 40: Brett Klausman

Photo by Nathan Ham

Education: Bachelors of Business Administration, University of Kansas

Hometown:  Topeka, KS Spouse:  Liz Klausman Kids:  Chase (7), Conner (4)

Age:  37

3 Words: Loyal Social Inquisitive

Role Model: I know it is a bit cliché, but I would have to pick both my mother and my father.  The two of them built this company 38 years ago, and over the years I have been blessed with learning some of the best qualities from both of them.

My father is the visionary who never had a problem taking risks, which instilled a sense of entrepreneurship in me.  In contrast, my mother is the pragmatic type.  While she is no longer working in the company, she approached things with more caution.  This helped me develop a sense of due diligence that I link to being data driven in my decisions.  I continue to learn from them not just in my professional life, but my personal life as well.

Best Advice Received: “If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.” – Marty Mcfly, Back to the Future

Superpower: Sleep.  I have the ability to fall asleep anywhere at any time.

Accomplishments Most Proud Of:

Personal: Marrying my wife and having two wonderful boys.

Career: Implementation of an electronic health record.  It has the ability to continue to drive our quality while decreasing costs.

At this point in your life, what do you know for sure? That I don’t really know much.

“Brett is committed to making Topeka a better place to live.” - Vince Frye, Downtown Topeka, Inc.

“Brett’s contribution to our community is invaluable. He brings a fantastic mix of business sense and creative energy to any topic or event. Brett has an appetite for learning, natural leadership abilities and a desire to give back. He is one of Topeka’s finest young leaders.” - Greg Schwerdt, Schwerdt Design Group Inc.

“Brett has the qualities I would like to see in all our future leaders. He is honest, responsible, sensitive to others, intelligent, service oriented, curious and has a controlled ego with a sense of humor.” - Greg Schwerdt, Schwerdt Design Group Inc.