Past honorees
1974: Governor Robert Docking
1975: Ben Craig, Metcalf State Bank, Overland Park
1976: Carl Nordstrom, Topeka
1977: J. Ray Barmby, Economic Development Funding, Olathe
1978: Governor Robert F. Bennett
1980: Bill Little & Jerry Mallott
1982: Howard Loomis, The Peoples Bank, Pratt
1985: Terry Scanlon & David Owen
1986: Governor John Carlin
1987: Frank J. Becker, Becker Investments, Inc., Lawrence
1991: Jim Dahmen, Columbus Telephone Company, Columbus
1992: Stephen Cloud, IBT, Inc., Shawnee Mission
1993: Stephen L. Waite, Waiteco, Inc., El Dorado
1994: Roy Vinyard, Story Contracting Co., Inc., Olathe
1995: Jill Docking, A.G. Edwards & Sons, Wichita
1997: C. William Underkofler, Western Resources Inc., Wichita, and Rod W. Weinmeister, KG&E, A Western Resource Company, Topeka
1998: Governor Bill Graves
1999: Lt. Governor Gary Sherrer
2000: John C. Prather, Groendyke Transport, El Dorado
2001: Cal Roberts, Cal Roberts & Associates, Inc., Overland Park
2004: Donald R. Landoll, Landoll Corporation, Marysville
2005: Kent Heermann, Reg. Dev. Assoc. of East Central Kansas, Emporia
2006: Lavern Squier, Overland Park Chamber of Commerce EDC, Overland Park
2007: Lt. Governor John Moore
2008: Governor Kathleen Sebelius
2010: Governor Mark Parkinson
2013: Senator Pat Roberts
2014: Dr. Edward H. Hammond
2015: Harland E. Priddle
2016: Jerry Moran, United States Senator
2017: Dr. Raffaele DeVito, Chair Emeritus, Kansas International Trade Coordinating Council
2018: Nick Jordan
2019: Lyle Butler, President/CEO, Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce