TOPEKA (KSNT) - This year's Topeka Business Hall of Fame laureates were honored Tuesday by Junior Achievement of Kansas.
The 2025 laureates were announced as Dr. Robert Kenagy, President and CEO of Stormont Vail Health; Karen Linn, Director of BT&Co; Chuck Lower, founder and former President of Lower Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning; and Doug Wolff, Chief Executive Officer of Security Benefit.
According to a release from Junior Achievement of Kansas, the business leaders will join the Topeka Business Hall of Fame in March 2025.
Dr. Robert Kenagy
Robert Kenagy, M.D., a native Kansan, was named President and CEO of Stormont Vail Health in April 2019. He previously served as Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for the organization. Prior to joining Stormont Vail Health in 2016, Dr. Kenagy served as Senior Vice President at St. John Health Network in Tulsa, OK. He also held several leadership positions at Via Christi Health in Wichita, including President and CEO of Via Christi Clinic and Senior Vice President of Physician Services.
Dr. Kenagy spent 22 years serving as a family medicine physician. He has a Master's in Medical Management from Tulane University and received his medical training at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in 1987. Dr. Kenagy completed his Family Medicine Residency through the University of Kansas School of Medicine Wesley Medical Center.
Dr. Kenagy serves on the GO Topeka Board of Directors, Stormont Vail Health Board, Stormont-Vail, Inc. Board, Topeka Community Foundation Board, Christ's Hospital Corporation Board, and on the Kansas Hospital Association Board. He is a member of the Wichita State University College of Health Professions Dean's Advisory Council.
Karen Linn
Karen Linn was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania but her family moved to a western suburb of Chicago where she spent her early childhood through high school years before she made her way to Kansas in 1979 to attend Bethel College in North Newton. Shortly after graduation from Bethel in 1983, Karen found her way to Topeka. Although her intention was to return to the Chicago area, she never left and considers Topeka home.
Linn is a certified public accountant with a career in public accounting that spans 40 years with all 40 of those years with the same firm, BT&Co. Linn was Managing Director of BT&Co. from January 2013 until July 2023 at which time she began the transition process for her retirement. In her role as Managing Director, Linn spent a significant amount of her time with strategic planning and visioning for the firm as well as building infrastructure. In 2019, she led the firm in a merger with the Topeka CBIZ/Mayer Hoffman McCann office and the subsequent purchase and complete renovation of the new BT&Co. office building on Huntoon Street. Prior to her role as Managing Director, she was the Director in charge of the BT&Co. audit practice, and she continued to maintain a significant role with many audit clients through her retirement in December 2024.
Linn's love for working with numbers is as strong as her love for Topeka and she is grateful to have the opportunity to give back to the community that supported her throughout her career. She served in many volunteer capacities over the years, many beginning as Treasurer of a board and continuing to the President role. Linn was Treasurer and then President of the Kaw Valley Girl Scout Council; Treasurer and subsequently President of Topeka Collegiate School; Treasurer, 1st and 2nd Vice President before becoming President of Topeka South Rotary Club; Treasurer and board member of Topeka Independent Business Association; Treasurer of I Care, Inc.; and is currently Treasurer of Rotary International District 5710.
Linn was honored with The Kansas Society of Certified Public Accountants "Women to Watch-Experienced Leader" award in 2013.
Linn is a member of the 2006 Leadership Greater Topeka Class and is a member of Topeka South Rotary (Past-President in 2014-2015) and is a Paul Harris Fellow+4. Linn's husband Andrew is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, who serves veterans through his work at the Veterans Administration Hospital. The couple has a daughter Josie, who is a senior at Topeka West. They live in Topeka with their dog Luka, and three cats, Thomas O'Malley, Sebastian, and Heathcliff.
Chuck Lower
Chuck Lower, founder and former president of Lower Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning, was born and raised in Topeka, Kansas. He attended Topeka Lutheran before attending and graduating from Highland Park High School where he excelled in sports, particularly football and track. He started working at the age of 8 at the Highland Park Drug Store and worked there until he was 18.
When Lower decided college wasn't for him, he had the opportunity to learn heating and air conditioning. He started an apprenticeship in sheet metal at McElroy Refrigeration in 1963. He decided to open his own business in 1971 (Lower Heating and Air Conditioning) when he was given the opportunity to put in the heating and cooling in most of the houses in what is known as the Peck Addition. He still credits Homer McElroy for his business values and treating employees with kindness and respect. Lower has been very involved in many of Topeka's organizations. He was past president of the Highland Park Optimist Club and then Lieutenant Governor of Optimist International. During his time as Lieutenant Governor, he formed two new Optimists Clubs in Shawnee Heights and Washburn Rural. He was on the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Airport Authority for 6 years and served as the chairman one year. He served on the board at Shawnee Country Club 4 years and was president 1 year. He also served on the Advisory Board at Presbyterian Manor and currently serves on the Board of Directors at Community Bank. He was a Trustee of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. Lower was on the Board of The State of Kansas Apprenticeship counsel. He was a member of the Better Business Bureau, Downtown Topeka, Topeka Chamber of Commerce, Plumbing, Heating and Cooling Contractors, Associated General Contractors, Topeka Home Builders, Topeka Apartment Association, Topeka Independent Business Association, Topeka Facilities Management Association, American Business Women's Association, and Sales and Marketing Executives.
While President of Lower Heating and Air Conditioning, he contributed and supported multiple groups and organizations such as United Way, Sheltered Living, Capper Foundation, Junior Achievement, The Boys and Girls Club, Kansas Koyote indoor football, Roadrunner Hockey LLC, the American Cancer Society, Go Topeka, CASA, Jayhawk Area Council, and Youth Sports. He was the Title Sponsor of the Kanza Bowl 2009-2011.
Lower has always made it a priority to give back to the Topeka Community. For his generosity and commitment to Topeka, he has received various awards. He received the 2007 TK Magazine's Entrepreneur of the Year, 2008 Washburn University Ichabod Person of the Year, 2010 Topeka Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year, and in 2010 Hummer Sports Park named the football field "Chuck Lower Field". He was also inducted into the Highland Park High School Hall of Fame.
In retirement, Lower enjoys gardening, golf, happy hours with friends, and traveling with his wife, Amy who is an optometrist in Topeka.
Doug Wolff
Doug Wolff is the Chief Executive Officer of Security Benefit. As CEO, he oversees the company's overall success of the business, including the vision, mission, direction, strategy, and culture. He also serves as Chairman of the Board for Everly, the company's direct-to-consumer life insurance
subsidiary. Prior to his role as CEO, Wolff served as the President of Security Benefit Life for 11 years where he managed product development, pricing, and operations of Security Benefit Life, First Security Benefit Life Insurance and Annuity Company of New York, and Security Financial
Resources. He was an integral part of the transformation of Security Benefit over the past decade and spearheaded the development of several innovative retirement products that moved Security Benefit into a leadership role in the retirement industry. He brings over 35 years of experience to
his role and prior to joining Security Benefit in 2001, Wolff worked at Allstate Life Insurance Company where he held various product development and investment-oriented roles. He began his career as an actuary with Ernst & Young in Chicago. Wolff earned his Bachelor of Science
in Finance from the University of Illinois, where he graduated with honors. He is also a Fellow in the Society of Actuaries and a Chartered Financial Analyst. An active community volunteer, Wolff served two terms as a Governor Appointed Trustee for the Kansas Public Employees Retirement
System and was previously Chair of the GO Topeka Board. He is currently a Trustee on the Kansas University Center for Research Board and a member of the Momentum 2027 Leadership Cabinet.
The 2025 Topeka Business Hall of Fame dinner honoring these individuals will be Thursday, March 13, 2025, at the Townsite Avenue Ballroom in downtown Topeka.
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