Greater Topeka Partnership Announces 2026 Award Winners
The Greater Topeka Partnership is proud to announce the recipient of the 2026 Wolgast Award and the 2026 Award of Excellence winners.
The Wolgast Award is the highest distinction awarded by the Greater Topeka Partnership, presented to an individual who has made significant, transformational contributions to Topeka and Shawnee County through their leadership and service. The award is named after former Topeka Mayor Larry Wolgast.
This year’s Wolgast Award will be presented to Michael Padilla, who recently completed his term as Topeka’s mayor. Before he was elected mayor, Padilla served 34 years with the Topeka Police Department, worked for the Department of Labor, and sat on the Topeka City Council. His long and distinguished career in public service has had a profound impact on our community.
The Awards of Excellence recognize individuals who dedicate themselves to improving our community. This year’s Award of Excellence recipients include:
John Cantrell and John Alcala, for their work with Youth Boxing
Johnathan Sublet, for his work with SENT / Fremont Hill
Dené Mosier, Christina Castellano, Fred Patton, and Tim Laurent, for their work with Gage Park Improvement Authority
Duane Cantrell and Dan Foltz, for their work with Innovation Leadership
The awards will be formally presented to this year’s recipients on stage at the Greater Topeka Partnership’s Annual Meeting at 3 p.m. April 2 at the Stormont Vail Events Center.
Family, friends, and community members who would like to celebrate the award winners can purchase tickets at topekapartnership.com/annual-meeting-2026/.
This year’s event will serve as a strategic mission briefing, highlighting the extraordinary operations, breakthroughs, and achievements that have propelled Topeka and Shawnee County forward over the past year.
