{"id":88313,"date":"2026-10-09T13:05:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-09T18:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kansascommerce.gov\/?p=88313"},"modified":"2026-10-09T14:08:42","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T19:08:42","slug":"kansas-businesses-entrepreneurs-honored-at-2026-to-the-stars-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kansascommerce.gov\/ja\/2026\/10\/kansas-businesses-entrepreneurs-honored-at-2026-to-the-stars-event\/","title":{"rendered":"Kansas Businesses, Entrepreneurs Honored at 2026 To The Stars Event"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The 2026 Governor\u2019s Award of Excellence winner is Plumber & Pipefitters Apprenticeship Training in Wichita.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Leading businesses and entrepreneurs from across the state were honored Thursday night for their outstanding contributions to their Kansas communities and the state economy during the Kansas Department of Commerce\u2019s 2026 To The Stars: Kansas Business<\/em> Awards ceremony. The annual event, which this year was held at Fiorella\u2019s Event Center in Overland Park, was attended by nearly 500 people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The evening\u2019s biggest awards went to Plumbers & Pipefitters Apprenticeship Training of Kansas, which earned the 2026 Governor\u2019s Award of Excellence, and NorthWind Technical Services, which was named the 2026 Governor\u2019s Exporter of the Year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn their respective pursuits, both Plumbers & Pipefitters and NorthWind have been creating meaningful opportunities for hard-working Kansans while strengthening the state\u2019s economy,\u201d \u30ed\u30fc\u30e9\u30fb\u30b1\u30ea\u30fc\u77e5\u4e8b\u306f\u6b21\u306e\u3088\u3046\u306b\u8ff0\u3079\u305f\u3002<\/strong>. \u201cWith these awards, I am proud to recognize their individual successes and mutual commitment to Kansas. I offer my sincere congratulations to them and all of the nominees.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than 340 businesses, organizations and individuals were nominated in 11 different categories for this year\u2019s \u30b9\u30bf\u30fc\u305f\u3061\u3078\u30ab\u30f3\u30b6\u30b9\u30fb\u30d3\u30b8\u30cd\u30b9\u30fb\u30a2\u30ef\u30fc\u30c9<\/em>. Nominees were reviewed and scored for various criteria, including business expansion, employee recruitment and retention practices, training and educational programs, capital investment and support for local community events. A total of 55 Regional Awards were presented at the event, and one nominee in each category was designated a Statewide Winner, making them finalists for the Governor\u2019s Award of Excellence.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSince 2019, our state has been shattering one economic record after another because local businesses and entrepreneurs like the ones being honored here believed in Kansas \u2014 and Kansas believed in them,\u201d \u30c7\u30d3\u30c3\u30c9\u30fb\u30c8\u30fc\u30e9\u30f3\u30c9\u526f\u77e5\u4e8b\u517c\u5546\u52d9\u9577\u5b98\u306f\u6b21\u306e\u3088\u3046\u306b\u8ff0\u3079\u305f\u3002<\/strong>.\"\u30c8\u30a5\u30fb\u30b6\u30fb\u30b9\u30bf\u30fc\u30ba<\/em> is an opportunity to put those businesses in the spotlight and thank them for their service to their customers, their community and the entire state.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emcee Ryan Wills kicked off the awards ceremony by recognizing three Kansans who have been inducted into the Kansas Business Hall of Fame for their significant contributions to economic growth. This year\u2019s contemporary honorees are Kathleen \u201cKathy\u201d Dodd, a well-known Kansas business leader and homecare industry executive, and Lee Borck, a Kansas livestock industry leader, businessman and educator. The historic honoree, Pawnee Rock native Robert L. \u201cBob\u201d Brock, was a Kansas entrepreneur whose vision transformed the hospitality and family entertainment industries nationwide.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2026 \u30b9\u30bf\u30fc\u305f\u3061\u3078\u30ab\u30f3\u30b6\u30b9\u30fb\u30d3\u30b8\u30cd\u30b9\u30fb\u30a2\u30ef\u30fc\u30c9<\/em> Statewide Award winners: <\/p>\n\n\n\n