Dean A. and Carol Nachtigall Lecture Series on Entrepreneurship

Landon Huslig

Founder
Wichita Life
Wichita, Kan.

March 27, 2025

_{Landon and Candace Huslig founded Wichita Life in 2017 as a way to highlight what they love about their city. Wichita Life started as just a simple Instagram account, but year by year, it has grown into other social media platforms, a blog, podcast, talk show, email newsletter, job board, and much more.}

_{Wichita Life has accumulated over 100,000 followers across social media and tens of thousands of email newsletter subscribers. It has become one of the go-to sources for news and events in the Wichita area.}

_{What started out as a simple passion project has grown into a full digital media platform and a real business. The email newsletter puts a spin on the legacy news business, strips it of staleness and breathes new life into what is otherwise dying industry of local news.}

Jake Schenk

Owner/Operator
Chick-fil-A
St. Joseph, Mo.

Oct. 24, 2024

_{Jake Schenk is the current Owner/Operator of Chick-fil-A in St. Joseph, MO.  His journey began at Chick-fil-A Branson, MO in December 2019.  While hesitant at first, he quickly fell in love with the brand and after two months working at the restaurant decided to pursue restaurant ownership as a life-long career.  Jake was selected to become the Owner/Operator of his store in March 2022.}  

_{Jake graduated from Tabor College in 2006 and spent the next 10 years splitting time between coaching football and various ministry jobs.  In 2016, Jake was hired as the General Manager of a brand-new business in Branson, MO, called Fritz’s Adventure. After finishing his first two years as the GM, Fritz’s Adventure was named in 2017 – Small Business of the Year and in 2018 – Best of Branson – Extreme Adventure Award.  In 2019, Jake was inducted into the Tabor College Athletics Hall of Fame for his contributions to the football teams during his playing days at Tabor.}  

_{In January 2025, Jake will celebrate 17 years of marriage to Audra (Allen g’10), and they have two wonderful boys, Koen (12) and Kallen (7).}

Randy Ataide

Co-Founder
Friends of Portugal

Oct. 24, 2024

Randy Ataíde is an investor, Board member, and partner in many projects, mostly real-estate-based, in both the U.S. and Portugal. In 2012 he helped co-found the non-profit organization Friends of Portugal and serves on its Board of Directors as its President, traveling frequently to Portugal and other countries to assist various non-profits, entrepreneurs, organizations, and ministries. He is the only non-European contributor to Link to Leaders, as part of the European Business
Angels Network, where he provides recurring opinion pieces on current issues in entrepreneurship and business. From 2005-2015, Ataíde served in a variety of roles at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego including the first Professor of Entrepreneurship and Associate Dean of Business and Economic
Development. Before joining PLNU in 2005, Ataíde was past CEO and co-founder of the Mountain View fruit companies in the Central Valley; and serves on the board of multiple startups in Portugal and is a widely published author in entrepreneurship, innovation, and related small business topics and issues. A major project currently in Portugal is the restoration of a large mansion and grounds into a
vibrant event center and business hub including a co-space, galleries, and offices, with construction to commence in 2025 for a cafe, private residences, and stores at the location.

Toby Joplin

Founder
Joplin Consulting Group

Oct. 23, 2024

^{Toby Joplin, CPA, PhD is a seasoned speaker who brings expertise, inspiration, and actionable insights to the stage. Dr Joplin aka “Dr. J” is a dynamic and engaging presenter renowned for delivering captivating talks on several topics. He has spoken to thousands of people from Florida to California.  Dr J is the founder of Joplin Consulting Group which has helped organizations create and execute business strategies for over 25 years. He also teaches the capstone Business Strategy course at the University of Tulsa and is the Director of the TU MBA program. Dr. J co-founded a website featured in numerous business publications including Time, Business Week, and Forbes magazines. Business Week named the website one of the “Top 50 Uses of the Web.” Dr J is a basketball enthusiast and frequently uses basketball stories, analogies, metaphors, and quotes to reinforce concepts. Because of his affinity for basketball, his friends, colleagues, and students often refer to him as “Dr. J,” a symbolic nod to the original Dr. J, Julius Erving. Dr. J’s mission is to help organizations and individuals (including YOU) reach their goals.}  

Fayola Oyatayo

CEO
Fay Solutions

Oct. 22, 2024

^{Fayola is a media personality, entrepreneur, emcee, talk show
host, brand spokesperson, and more. And through many of his national and local collaborations in Wichita, KS, he has been given the nickname, “Mr Wichita!” Fayola has hosted some of the largest events in the country! Included are Cargill,
University of Kansas Jayhawks (50,000 fans), Wichita State Athletics, and more! Fayola also is the CEO of Fay Solutions. Fay Solutions is a video production and marketing agency. They handle marketing and create high-quality content for brands nationwide!}

Dave VanderGriend

CEO
ICM, Colwich, Kan.

Sept. 18, 2024

Dave VanderGriend’s journey into renewable
energy and sustainable agriculture began in rural Sheldon, Iowa, where his upbringing on a farm ignited his lifelong commitment to these fields. His experience with farming not only instilled in him a deep agriculture and the
economy. Dave and his brother Dennis began working in the ethanol industry just when it was getting started in the late 1970s. In 1995, Dave embarked on a new chapter by founding ICM in Colwich, Kan. His vision for ICM was clear: to
advance renewable energy technologies using efficient methods that sustain agriculture and minimize waste. What began as a modest fabrication shop with just 20 employees has since evolved into the ethanol industry’s foremost provider of process technologies. ICM’s innovations have been integrated into more than 130 plants worldwide, collectively responsible for producing a significant portion of the world’s ethanol.

Kyle & Carol Williams

CEO
Jiffy Trip, Enid, Okla.

Sept. 3, 2024

Kyle Williams is an entrepreneur, businessman, and
philanthropist with 40 years of experience launching and growing 40 companies encompassing a wide range of interests. Kyle’s business portfolio includes over 30 Jiffy Trip convenience stores, Williams Media Group broadcasting, oil & gas drilling ventures, land development, and co-development of Xpress Wellness urgent care with 58 clinics to serve rural communities in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas. Kyle’s business model includes an in-house construction and property management team to develop the real estate for all his ventures. Kyle is a
capitalist by trade and a philanthropist by purpose. Carol Williams has worked in the medical field for almost 25 years as a medical technologist, microbiology coordinator, laboratory director, and recruiter in human resources and practice management. Carol has been retired for 15 years, but has served the community and church as co-chair for the Capital Campaign at Leonardo’s Discovery Warehouse, Leadership Team for Emmanuel Enid, and chair for Pastor Search at Emmanuel Enid.

Tom DeKorne

Senior Agent
Jeff Roberts Agency, Hendersonville, Tenn.

April 2, 2024

Tom was Jeff Roberts Agency’s first Intern and Agent Assistant. My, the things he has seen since then! He grew up in Kalkaska, MI, and initially went to school to study civil engineering at Michigan State University. During his studies at MSU, Tom was getting tired of classes like calculus and had friends pursuing degrees in the music industry. Not realizing this was an industry in which he could make a living, he decided to change his college and major to complete a Bachelor of Science in Music Business at Ferris State University. He has served many years leading as an elder in his home church. In his free time, things like home projects, chasing the kids, and woodworking keep him busy but also bring him a lot of joy.

Mitch Friesen

Co-founder & Chief Operating Officer
JackBe, Oklahoma City, Okla.

February 22, 2024

A grocery chain based in Oklahoma City, Okla., JackBe specializes in fulfilling many app or web orders in less than 10 minutes. The company has eliminated pickup reservations, allowing customers to pick up orders at their leisure by the end of the next business day. Before JackBe, Friesen spent eight years at Cargill in roles such as strategic pricing specialist, decision support analyst, plant controller, cost accounting supervisor, professional accountant, and accounting associate.

Jason Toevs

Co-founder
Quicc/Shift-Conferences/Alyss Analytics, Wichita, Kan.

January 22, 2024

Jason is the co-founder of Quicc, an AI video search platform; Shift-Conferences, the first Wichita-based regional tech conference; and Alyss Analytics, AI detecting soft skills in candidate interviews. He is also the founder of Mossvale Ventures, which works in technology consulting and investing. Jason has built, sold, and mentored companies across the globe. From Kansas farm boy to mathematician, to Technical Founder, his keen eye for product innovation comes from his early days just making things work on the farm. Most recently he was CTO and Co-Founder at Quicc, spearheading engineering and product teams and driving the growth of their B2B SaaS product across 120+ countries.

Tyler Raye & Josh Franks

Editors/Partners
Ghost Cat, Tulsa, Okla.

October 26, 2023

^{What is done in the dark, will come to light.}

Ghost Cat is an emerging group of creatives based in Oklahoma that travel nationally and abroad producing storytelling and brand content. We believe that work undertaken when no eyes are on you will eventually come to the forefront, where it’s meant to be seen. We know it to be true that beautiful things don’t ask for attention. So, we align ourselves with brands, personalities, coworkers, and friends who give us the arena to work behind the scenes to shine a light on their talents, products, and through the defining moments of their lives.

Damon Carson

Owner/President
repurposedMATERIALS, Lafayette, Colo.

October 25, 2023

Damon Carson is the owner and president of repurposedMATERIALS. Their strategy for landfill diversion is called “repurposing.” Damon, and his “repurposing” concept, have been featured in such media outlets as the Chicago Tribune, CNN Online, the Dallas Morning News, and in Oprah Winfrey’s magazine amongst many others. repurposedMATERIALS is Damon’s second foray into the waste stream of America albeit with a very different and unique business model. Several years back, he sold a garbage company he had co-owned in the Colorado ski resorts of Vail and Breckenridge to Waste Management. His company currently has locations in Denver, Chicago, and Atlanta.

Rhett Laubach

Owner
YourNextSpeaker, LLC., Edmond, Okla.

October 24, 2023

Rhett Laubach works with associations, corporations, and student organizations in developing leadership potential. Rhett is a professional keynote speaker, trainer, author, leadership expert, owner of YourNextSpeaker, LLC and PLI, Inc., and a brain tumor survivor. His 25+ years of experience have taken him to 48 states, the Bahamas, Canada, and over two million audience members.

Daniel Friesen

Co-Founder & Chief Innovation Officer
IdeaTek, Buhler, Kan.

September 21, 2023

Under Daniel’s leadership, IdeaTek continued to expand its offerings, adding a hosted phone service in 2017 and a high-speed, fixed-wireless product in 2020 to reach more of Kansas’ underserved population. Also during this period and stretching into 2023, the company was awarded three major grants to help expand reliable fiber internet to rural Kansas. Today, IdeaTek has more than 135 employees, serves 90 Kansas communities, and has deployed over 4,000 miles of fiber optic network. During his tenure, Daniel has gained unique experiences in rural markets, emerging technology, government policy, telecommunications law, and business strategy. He continues to find ways to bridge the digital gap and bring internet freedom to residents, businesses, and schools from across Kansas.

Warren Harshman

April 11, 2023

Warren Harshman grew up in a rural setting in the Flint Hills of Chase County, Kansas with his parents and two brothers. Living on a farm, he learned a strong work ethic at a young age. After attending Hutchinson Community Junior College for two years, he came home and began working with his family members on the farm. It was soon apparent there were not enough resources at the farm to provide for the needs of the four families. Out of necessity and opportunity, Warren, with the help of other family members, started a rock-crushing company that has successfully grown and has allowed him to start multiple companies, most of which he continues to own and operate today with other family members and employees.

Jalen Coleman-Lands

October 27, 2022

Coleman-Lands founded Athelites House, which sets out to redefine the financial cultural atmosphere and experience for fifth-grade and higher student-athletes. Their vision is to be the primary economic system that mends the relationship between unbanked/underbanked communities and financial institutions. Coleman-Lands was a member of the 2022 national championship team at the University of Kansas and also played basketball at Illinois, DePaul, and Iowa State.

Fayola Oyatayo

October 25, 2022

Oyatayo is a media personality and entrepreneur, partnering with some of the most recognizable, nationwide brands. He is a talk show host and founder of Kansas’ No. 1 social media talk show. He is also the official in-game host of the University of Kansas Athletics.

MaryKate Morse

February 25, 2022

Morse, the keynote speaker at the 2022 Business Symposium, is the Executive Dean of Portland Seminary at George Fox University and is a professor of Leadership & Spiritual Formation.

Ryan Hall

March 8, 2021

Hall and his wife, Sara, formed the Hall Steps Foundation to empower the running community in social justice efforts. He won the marathon at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trails and placed 10th in Beijing.

Jeff Riggenbach, Ph.D.

October 16, 2020

Riggenbach, a Tabor College graduate, is a best-selling author and speaker/trainer/coach with the John Maxwell Team. He has conducted seminars in all 50 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

Jeremiah Randall

January 23, 2018

Randall, a Tabor College graduate, was named head athletic trainer of the Houston Astros in November 2015. He spent the previous three seasons working for the Pittsburgh Pirates as the Major League Rehab Coordinator and PT/Assistant Athletic Trainer.

Ben Kubassek

October 24, 2017

Kubassek has two best-selling books, “Succeed without Burnout” and “Five F-Words That Will Energize Your Life.” He has dedicated his life to helping young business people and seeing them reach their goals.

Jose Munoz

March 9, 2017

Munoz, the former CEO of Chicken of the Sea, has more than 35 years of international consulting and executive management experience. He has conducted business in 81 different countries.

Mark Holden

March 1, 2017

Holden is the president and chief operating officer of the legal division of Koch Companies Public Sector, LLC. He is involved in numerous leadership roles, including boards of two Koch Industries subsidiaries.

Dan Crumb

September 29, 2016

Crumb has spent six years as the chief financial officer for the Kansas City Chiefs. Crumb has been instrumental in strengthening the club’s business operations. He previously worked for the New Orleans Hornets.

Brad Elliott

March 29, 2016

Elliott is the chairman and chief executive officer of Equity Bancshares. With 20-plus years of experience in banking, sales, and marketing, Elliott was named to Wichita Business Journal’s 40 under 40 in 2015.