Junior Achievement to Honor Business Laureates at the 2026 Topeka Business Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony
The annual Junior Achievement of Kansas Topeka Business Hall of Fame will take place on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at the Townsite Avenue Ballroom: 534 S. Kansas Ave.; Topeka. This event annually honors exemplary business leaders who demonstrate the three pillars Junior Achievement of Kansas seeks to teach young people: financial literacy, workforce readiness, and entrepreneurship.
The Class of 2026 includes:
Allan Towle, Heritage Bank
Dr. Bette Morris, Morris Family Company
John A. McGivern, J.F. McGivern Inc.
Hoyt Moore, Hoyt’s Truck Center (honored posthumously)
The media are invited to attend for an opportunity to interview and photograph the laureates at 4 pm. Coordinate all media appearances with Sarah Dunekack on the evening of March 12, 2025, at 4 pm. The event will continue with a VIP Reception from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM, followed by Dinner and the Awards Ceremony.
Junior Achievement of Kansas annually honors members of the Kansas business community who have shown an ability to be successful not only in business but in their commitment to the local community and state. We hope to inspire young people to follow in these talented businessmen and women’s footsteps. JA empowers young people with the skills needed to thrive in a global economy by partnering with businesses and educational communities. Through hands-on experiences, JA provides students with essential knowledge in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. JA of Kansas has impacted nearly 20,000 children statewide, with a strong presence in Topeka Junior Achievement USA ® | One Education Way Colorado Springs, CO 80906 (719) 540 8000 | info@jausa.ja.org | www.jausa.ja.org since 1967. Locally, JA has reached 360 classrooms, engaging 223 volunteers and serving over 9,000 students in the 2024-2025 school year in Topeka.
To honor the Class of 2026 Laureates with a sponsorship email or contact Sarah Dunekack, President & CEO at 785-600-0006, sarah@kansasja.org.
Sarah Dunekack, President & CEO of Junior Achievement of Kansas, states: “True leadership is measured by what we’re willing to give so others can thrive. Our Hall of Fame Laureates exemplify that spirit through lives of service, integrity, and quiet sacrifice. At Junior Achievement, we see every day how those same values—when paired with financial literacy, workforce readiness, and entrepreneurial thinking—unlock opportunity for young people. This event is more than a celebration; it’s a call to come together as a community and invest in the next generation of leaders who will shape Topeka’s future.”
“Our Laureates show us what leadership looks like when success is used for something bigger than oneself. Through Junior Achievement, we’re giving students the financial, career, and entrepreneurial skills to build lives of purpose and possibility—and we invite our community to help make that future possible.”
Junior Achievement (JA) of Kansas empowers young people with the skills needed to thrive in a global economy by partnering with businesses and educational communities. Through hands-on experiences, JA provides students with essential knowledge in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. JA of Kansas has impacted nearly 20,000 children statewide, with a strong presence in Topeka since 1967. Locally, JA has reached 360 classrooms, engaging 223 volunteers and serving over 9,000 students. To learn more, visit www.kansasja.org.
