{"id":78895,"date":"2025-10-16T21:28:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T02:28:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kansascommerce.gov\/?page_id=78895"},"modified":"2026-02-03T11:26:45","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T16:26:45","slug":"to-the-stars-kansas-business-awards-2025","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.kansascommerce.gov\/es\/tothestars\/to-the-stars-kansas-business-awards-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"To The Stars: Kansas Business Awards 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n Home<\/a> \/\n To The Stars: Kansas Business Awards<\/a> \/\n To The Stars: Kansas Business Awards 2025<\/span>\n <\/div>\n\n
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To The Stars: Kansas Business Awards<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

The Kansas Department of Commerce held the 2025 To The Stars: Kansas Businesses Awards <\/em>on October 16th in Pittsburg. To kick off the awards ceremony, emcee Melissa Vincent recognized two Kansans who have been inducted into the Kansas Business Hall of Fame for their significant contributions to economic growth. This year\u2019s contemporary honoree was Marci Penner, a rural champion and author from Inman who is executive director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation. The historical honoree was Emerson Carey, Sr., an entrepreneur and philanthropist from Hutchinson known as a salt manufacturer and industrial leader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At the end of the awards ceremony, the agency introduced a new award, the Randi Tveitaraas Jack International Business Development Award<\/em>. It will recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions advancing Kansas in the global economy. The award was named in honor of Randi Tveitaraas Jack, who recently retired from the Kansas Department of Commerce after more than 37 years of outstanding service to the state. The agency recognized James \u201cJamie\u201d Hall, Vice President of Great Plains Manufacturing in Salina, as the inaugural recipient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Regional & Merit Award Winners<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Business Hall of Fame<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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2025 Governor’s Exporter of the Year<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 1987, two Salina engineers transformed the way environmental sites are investigated by designing and manufacturing a faster, easier, and safer sampling system, gaining Geoprobe Systems\u00ae worldwide reputation as a drilling industry leader. Continual innovation of new rigs, tools, and techniques means Geoprobe Systems\u00ae provides solutions to a growing number of customers in a growing number of drilling industries. From their three Salina campuses and three out-of-state service centers, Geoprobe Systems\u00ae maintains the tradition of engineering and manufacturing low-volumes of high-quality products designed to improve the lives of their customers across the nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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